Speakers

Julian Lindley-French is a leading strategic analyst, author and commentator with several books to his name.  He is Senior Fellow at the Institute of Statecraft, Director of Europa Analytica and Honorary Fellow of the Strategy and Security Institute at the University of Exeter.  His blog, Lindley-French’s Blog Blast (www.lindleyfrench.blogspot.com), has a world-wide readership. The Oxford Handbook of War is regarded as a definitive compendium on the subject.  In January 2014 published a new book entitled “Little Britain? Twenty-First Century Strategic Challenges for a Middling European Power”.  He is currently working on a book on NATO.

Žaneta Ozoliņa has been Professor in the Department of Political Science, University of Latvia, since 2002 and was Head of the Department during 2004-2008. Her research interests focus on European integration, EU and NATO enlargement, international and regional security, as well as security in the Baltic Sea Region. Žaneta Ozoliņa is the author of more than 80 scholarly articles and editor of several books, including such as “Latvia’s View of the Future of the European Union” (2007), “Latvia-Russia-X” (2007), “Rethinking Security” (2010). She was the Chairwoman of the Strategic Analysis Commission under the auspices of the President of Latvia (2004-2008) and a member of the European Research Area Board (European Commission) from 2008-2012. She serves on the Foreign Affairs Council of the Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Baltic Development Forum. She regularly delivers lectures at foreign universities. She is one of the authors of the Report “Global Governance of Science” published by the European Commission. Žaneta is also a director of the Center for International Studies

Edgars Rinkēvičs is Minister of Foreign Affairs since October 25, 2011. He was Head of the Chancery of the President of Latvia from October 2008 till October 2011. He also served as State Secretary in the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Latvia from August 1997 till October 2008. He also worked as Chief of the Office for organising the NATO Summit of Heads of State and Government, which took place in Riga, 2006. Mr. Rinkēvičs graduated from University of Latvia and received his Master’s degree in Political Science in 1997. From 1999-2000 he also studied at the U.S. National Defence University, Industrial College of the Armed Forces and has a graduate degree in National Resource Strategy.

Dr. Sylke Tempel ist editor in-chief of „Internationale Politik“, published by the German Council of Foreign Affairs, lecturer at the Stanford Study Center Berlin and visiting professor at Stanford University. She worked as  Middle East correspondent for various German language magazines and newspapers. Among her recent publications are: "Israel. Reise durch ein altes, neues Land." (Israel, Journey through an Old New Land“), (2008) And „Freya von Moltke. A Biography.“ (2011)

Mr. Vejonis is currently the President of the Republic of Latvia (since July 2015). Before holding his current position, Mr. Vejonis was the Minister of Defence (2014-2015) and the Minister of Environment of the Republic of Latvia (2002-2011). His other positions covered various activities at different state agencies. Mr. Vejonis was a member of the strategic development Commission (2012-2014); Chairman of the Public Administration and Local Government Committee’s Subcommittee on Drafting and Implementation of the National Development Plan (2011-2014); Chairman of the Baltic Affairs Subcommittee of the Foreign Affairs Committee; member of the National Security Committee (2011-2014). At the same time, he was a member of the Public Administration and Local Government Committee. Mr. Vejonis also served as a member of the 11th Saeima (2011-2014). Raimonds Vējonis has graduated from the Faculty of Biology of the University of Latvia, he has Master’s Degree in Biology and several scientific publications in the field of environmental engineering. He has enriched his knowledge in Tampere University of Technology and Tallinn University of Technology.