Airport, Latvia, Transport

"Ilona Līce has gained extensive experience and professionalism during the more than six years that she has been working in the Airport's Board. These years have ensured the company stable and confident growth. Riga Airport has strengthened its leading position in the Baltics, and Ilona Līce has proven herself as a competent manager with a clear vision for both short-term and long-term development," J.Kanels says.

As requested by the regulation, the competition for the post of the Airport's Chairman of the Board was organised in two rounds. In the first round the Nomination Committee, composed of representatives of the Supervisory Board of SJSC Riga International Airport, the Ministry of Transport, the Cross-Sectoral Coordination Centre, the Employers Confederation of Latvia and SJSC Latvijas gaisa satiksme, examined 17 applications containing information on candidates' work experience, education and vision for the company’s development.

Three candidates, who received the highest score in the first round, were nominated for the second round. The second round was held in the form of a structured interview, assessing the candidates’ ability to provide competent answers to aviation-specific questions, their strategic planning capabilities, management capabilities, the ability to set goals, make decisions and assume responsibility, communication skills and language skills.

The Nomination Committee assessed eligibility of the candidates in accordance with the evaluation criteria set out in the competition regulation, taking into account the total score obtained in the first and second round. Līce received the largest number of points.

Since 2011, Ilona Līce is a Member of the Board of SJSC Riga International Airport. She has mainly been responsible for matters related to the company's business activities, ensuring revenue growth from the Airport's commercial areas, premises and land plots, as well as supervising provision of ground handling services. Several times, she has been appointed to perform the duties of the Chairman of the Board, ensuring stability and continuity in the company. Līce has been working in the aviation industry already since 2005, when she became a Member of the Council of SJSC Latvijas gaisa satiksme. She has also acquired considerable experience in managerial positions in both public administration and business sector.

Ilona Līce holds a master's degree in Public Administration from the University of Latvia; she has taken part in top-level specialised training for aviation business managers, supplementing her knowledge in training programmes offered by Cranfield University in the UK, Airports Council International (ACI) and International Air Transport Association (IATA).

The Ministry of Transport as the shareholder of SJSC Riga International Airport has to approve the candidate for the post of Chairman of the Board.

Riga International Airport is the largest air traffic hub in the Baltics. More than 20 airlines operating at Riga Airport offer 60 destinations in the winter season and 80 in the summer season.