To ensure the achievement of the set goals in all three Baltic countries, CEO Marge Tooming-Pullisaar (Estonia) and two country representatives, Karolina Krisciukaityte (Lithuania) and Diana Kvedere (Latvia), joined the Baltic Financial Advisors Association in August 2016. Varied previous experience of these three ladies will create a strong basis for setting up a licensing system.
Marge Tooming-Pullisaar (CEO and Representative of BFAA in Estonia) is a team player who believes that openness and collaboration are the keywords for any organization of the 21st century:
“I have several years of experience in senior management in various industries mainly in the Baltic markets. For the past 6 years before joining BFAA, I was responsible for Human Resources, product, service and digital developments at Mandatum Life. I am a passionate advocate for digitalization, yet excelling in the human side of services will remain equally important in the future. As a team we want to create a licensing system that is valid, reliable and practical and satisfies the needs of all our customers and stakeholders.”
Karolina Krisciukaityte (Representative of BFAA in Lithuania) has remarkable experience in implementing licensing systems:
“All the various responsibilites, projects and tasks that I have taken on in the past 20 years align well with the creation of the licencing system at BFAA. First, I learned about the functioning of banks and financial markets by developing the Brokers Licensing System in Lithuania that is unique in the Baltics. At SEB I had the opportunity to create IT accounting systems. And finally, representing the Certified International Investment Analyst qualification in Lithuania helped me to understand the motivation of the financial professionals for continuous professional development. I believe that what one learns should broaden one’s horizon and help reach excellence in work life. Don’t you think so?”
Diana Kvedere (Representative of BFAA in Latvia) is an experienced banking professional with solid presentation skills:
“I have more than 10 years of experience in customer service in various banks; starting as an Account Operator and progressing over time to Financial Advisor and Business Customer Consultant. For the last year before joining BFAA I was working for the Association of Latvian Commercial Banks as a Consultant in the Center of Consulting and Mediation. I know how big banks operate and will use that knowledge to provide a licensing solution that really works. Last but not least – I am a people person who enjoys long-distance running.”
With the formation of the team of country representatives, setting up Baltic and local operations and launching the website of BFAA (bfaa.eu), the first step has been taken.
The ongoing recruitment of the Review Board – the body consisting of experts in finance, investment, law and insurance in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania who will compose the Syllabus for the licensing system – was completed by the end of August. The Review Board will start creating the Syllabus in September 2016 and finish in December 2016.
We will deliver the Syllabus to our affiliated companies and to educational institutions in the beginning of 2017.
In spring of 2017 the preparatory training for staff members will be planned in BFAA affiliated companies and they will be licensed according to regulatory directives. Meanwhile, BFAA will set up the licensing platform.
In the autumn of 2017 the training for successful licensing of the staff members will be completed.
The licensing will begin in the 4th quarter of 2017.