Person of Interest: Recent Episodes
SSE Riga
All guests are experts in a particular field, from CEOs and artists in the Baltics to media strategists and leading researchers from around the globe. Listeners get a glimpse into their lives and insights about their respective fields, be they economics, banking, media and others.
In this conversation, Mike Collier spoke to Matti Anttonen, State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland about some of the things for which Finland is renowned, including its educational system, its huge role in global telecoms and its shrewd way of managing relations with its neighbors. But there's also time given to considering the benefits of broad-based training and experience in a world where specialization is increasingly recommended.
Migration has played an important role in the economies and societies of the Baltic states over recent decades. How has this affected the worldviews and future hopes of young people? Two researchers decided to find out by asking them as part of a long-term project which is producing interesting results.
Our guest Valery Tsepkalo is known for many reasons, including his expertise in developing technology hubs. In this interview he explains how, under his supervision, in a mere 10 years the Belarus Hi-Tech Park grew from a pilot start-up project to one of the largest IT clusters in Europe.
We hear many opinions about the ongoing economic situation. Are we facing a financial crisis or not? Is there enough government support in the wake of the COVID crisis? Will we soon have high inflation? In this podcast, Līva Zorgenfreija, Chief Economist of Swedbank, answers these and other questions facing the economy.
Andris Kotans, an experienced asset manager, explains the basics of investment funds and how they work. He talks about smart investment and why ethical decisions matter even in the highly competitive financial markets.
Martins Kazaks, the Governor of the Central Bank of Latvia has been a student and teacher of economics for more than 20 years and became Latvian central bank governor in 2019. In this podcast he talks about the role the Central Bank plays in society, what day-to-day operations it performs and how the European Central Bank works thanks to contributions from across the eurozone.
Professor Jeffrey Sommers has studied the US economy and society for decades. In this interview he explains how 50 years of change have led to recent unrest and current problems in the US, both economically and politically. Has 'neoliberalism' failed?
This week Mike Collier talks to academic and researcher Mark Gamsa about an extraordinary subject that has never been seriously studied until now – an incredible gold rush on the borders of Russia and China reminiscent of the Klondike and Yukon gold rushes, but with its own specific Eurasian characteristics. You will hear why gold mining was an important cross-border, transnational phenomenon, what it involved and whether it still matters.
The interactions between the very different worlds of academia and politics take centre stage this week. Arnis Sauka, co-author of some of the most influential research produced in Latvia - the Shadow Economy Index and Ficil Sentiment Index - gives concrete examples of how solid research can help produce better decisions among policymakers.
This week Mike Collier talks to Olga Kotova, well-known entrepreneur about one of her passions: mountain climbing. She relates some interesting tales about how she almost literally stumbled upon the pastime and the changes it made to her attitude to life.
It has been shown that social trust benefits the economy, individuals and society as a whole. Ulf Andreasson has conducted research describing high levels of trust in society as “Nordic Gold” and goes into depth explaining why this is so and whether it can last.
In the current situation, questions about physical contact and health have taken on a new importance. In this podcast with Anna Andersone we look beyond the coronavirus to the fundamental role physical contact between human beings plays in our mental and bodily health, and how a simple hug can have a range of benefits.
Guest Zane Culkstena has amazing organizational abilities, as her wide range of interests and professional involvements shows. In this podcast, she talks about one of her latest projects, the 'Riga Jurmala' classical music festival, which has gone from an unknown date on the calendar to prestigious international event in less than two years.
This week’s guest, Nina Vaskunlahti, is Under-secretary of State for External Economic Relations at the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In this interview she recalls how she and other women blazed a trail in male-dominated times and shares her extensive experience in countering protectionism and trade wars. She also provides a fascinating insight into the potential impact of Covid-19 on the world economy.
Diplomacy has always been a profession surrounded by mystique and even secrecy. But is it as mysterious as we think? This week Baiba Braže, Latvian diplomat, talks to Mike Collier and gives insights into an ambassador's daily life, her path through the diplomatic service and even a few tips of this internationally important trade.
Businessman, investor and startup advocate Andris K. Berzins talks to us about his remarkable international upbringing and his almost 30 years of business experience. He tells us why the Baltic startup scene is more than hype, how the modern investor and company founder differs from those of the past and reveals a couple of very useful tips on how to pitch your idea more effectively.
In this podcast businesswoman Baiba Rubesa shares her extensive experience from the commercial world but also considers a topic that is often overlooked: knowing when it's time to quit. What does it take to make that brave decision and how can you walk away with dignity and with your head held high?
This week Mike Collier talks to academic and researcher Morten Ebbe Juul Nielsen about corporate social responsibility's (CSR) role in addressing environmental issues. He explains why business ethics is not just an empty phrase and suggests how, under certain circumstances, CSR can be a useful tool in the fight against global warming. He emphasizes that we shouldn’t panic, but that we do need to act.
What motivates investigative reporters to risk their lives for the sake of a story? How do they cope with extreme stress and death threats? And what form is large-scale corruption likely to take in the future? In this podcast Mike Collier interviews Drew Sullivan, director of the OCCRP, to discover the journalistic work behind exposing some of the world's biggest corruption cases.
This week Mike Collier talks to journalist Ann Cooper about physical and online safety among professionals working in the media.
Is it possible to improve environment as well as your health by running? It seems so. Plogging is the combination of jogging with picking up litter. In this episode, the founder of “Plogging” Erik Ahlström explains how an organized activity in Sweden became a movement that is making a positive difference globally.
We spoke to Nicholas Johnston, editor in chief at a rapidly rising media company AXIOS, about its bold new approach to news presentation and the likely media business models of the future.
This week Mike Collier talks to one of the leading authorities on the history of World War I, historian Professor John Horne about the twists and turns of the war and parallels of Irish and Baltic history.
In this episode we ask economist and academic Morten Hansen how important it is to know the basics of economics, how it informs our daily lives and whether GDP is as important as we think.
How much do we know about people and decision making? How people behave? How they make decisions? Researcher, applied microeconometrican Agne Suziedelyte has been studying these questions for years. She has done research, including on the effect of the internet on health and an exploration of the assumed link between video games and violence in young people. Sometimes the results turn out to be unexpected.
Journalist Mike Colliers talks to Nils Muižnieks, ex Commissioner for Human Rights at the Council of Europe. Nils' dedication to human rights protection started at the beginning of the 1990s, when he was faced with dealing with post-Soviet bureaucracy. Here, he explains why human rights matter and how to make countries to pay proper attention to them.
Jeremy Gilbert, Director of Strategic Initiatives at the Washington Post talks about the importance of storytelling and how new tools, techniques and audience expectations are reshaping publishing.
How much do we know about the massive media scene in India, the world's largest democracy and second most populous country? And how could the media or, for that matter, any business catch the attention of Generation Z? Chanpreet Arora, Former CEO of Vice Media India, shares her advice and experience.
Journalist Mike Collier speaks to data expert, business consultant and lecturer Rihards Garancs at SSE Riga about processing and presenting data and sicovers. At first, Rihards hated Excel until he realized its potential power. Find out what data literacy is and why it should be taught at school from a young age.
Despite his young age, film-maker Gints Zilbalodis has singlehandedly created a multiple award-winning feature film, 'Away' that is on the long list for an Academy Award. As he puts it: ”I had to do it myself. I didn’t have money to hire extra people." But how does an idea become to a movie for an international audience in three years? Find out in this week’s episode.
Journalist Mike Collier interviews CEO of Swedbank Latvia and alumni of SSE Riga, Reinis Rubenis. They dive into the Baltic – Scandinavian banking sector and the challenges we are facing ahead.