A new Council of Conexus is appointed

The new Council of the unified natural gas and transmission operator JSC “Conexus Baltic grid” (Conexus) was elected during shareholders' meeting today on April 30.

The new Council of the unified natural gas and transmission operator JSC “Conexus Baltic grid” (Conexus) was elected during shareholders' meeting today on April 30. Seven persons were appointed in the Council, three of whom are representatives of the shareholder's ‘Marubeni’ fund ‘MM Infrastructure Investments Europe Global limited’, and four persons were nominated as a result of the competition of JSC 'Augstsprieguma tīkls’ (AST). The Council has been elected for a term of three years and Ilmārs Šņucins has been elected as its Chairman.

Changes in the Council were necessary because shareholders of Conexus changed on April 1, resulting in 29.06% of the shares owned by 'Marguerite Gas I S.à r.l.' were transferred in the management of ‘Marubeni’ fund ‘MM Infrastructure Investments Europe Global limited’. But the company's largest shareholder AST announced a competition for the position of four members of the Council in this March. The main tasks of the Council are to monitor the operation of the Board of Conexus and the fulfillment of the set strategic objectives, as well as to represent the interests of shareholders.

Three representatives of the shareholder “MM Infrastructure Investments Europe Global Limited” - Tomohido Goto, Ippei Kojima and Jun Matsumoto, and four representatives nominated by AST - Ilze Aleksandroviča, Zane Āboltiņa, Normunds Šuksts and Ilmārs Šņucins were appointed in the Council.

Tomohido Goto has considerable experience in the field of natural resources and transport infrastructure. In 2001, he became the Director-General of "Marubeni Corporation" for heavy machinery and natural resources, followed by the Director-General’s duties in the transport infrastructure departments in Tokyo and London. Since 2019, Tomohide Goto has been the President and CEO of 'MM Capital Partners Co., Ltd.'. In the Council of Conexus, Tomohide Goto will have the duties of a Vice-President of the Council.

Ippei Kojima completed MA studies at Cornell University in New York. His career as 'Marubeni Corporation' started 15 years ago as Deputy General Adviser in Legal Affairs, later he was the Head of Energy Infrastructure in Tokyo. Ippei Kojima has been the Director-General of Energy Infrastructure at 'Marubeni Europe Plc.' in London since 2018.

Jun Matsumoto has more than 10 years of experience in the energy sector. Originally acting as an analyst at 'Marubeni Corporation', later on he became a trader of carbon dioxide emission credits. Jun Matsumoto has gained also experience in performing the duties as Deputy Director of Energy Infrastructure in London and Tokyo. Since 2019, he has been the Investment Director of Investments at the Infrastructure Fund ‘MM Capital Partners Co., Ltd’ in Tokyo.

Since 2012, Ilmārs Šņucins has been Deputy State Secretary for Taxation, Customs and Accounting Issues of the Ministry of Finance. He gained extensive work experience in the Department of Economic Analysis and Fiscal Policy of the Ministry of Finance and in the capacity of the Director of the Tax Analysis Department. Since 2018, he has been a Member of the Council at Conexus and has also been appointed to the new Council.

Ilze Aleksandroviča has extensive experience in leading positions in financial and transport institutions. I. Aleksandroviča has been the Head of the Investment Department of the Ministry of Transport, Member of the Board of SJSC “Latvijas Pasts” and Member of the Council of JSC “Air Baltic Corporation”. Until March 2020, she has been the Deputy State Secretary of the Ministry of Transport for more than 7 years, gaining extensive experience in the work with the institutions of the European Union and participating in the working parties of the European Commission. Since 2012, she has been a Member of the Board of SJSC 'Latvijas Gaisa satiksme’.

Zane Āboliņa is a lawyer with specialization in the energy and rail transport sectors. Āboliņa has gained more than ten years of work experience both in the Ministry of Economy, working in the Energy department and in department of implementing the European Union funds, and managing the Railway Transport Department in the Public Utilities Commission. She has also performed the duties of Deputy Director of Administration in the National Railway Administration. Since 2017 Zane Āboliņa has been the head of Regulatory Affairs at JSC “Augstsprieguma tīkls”.

Normunds Šuksts has more than 20 years of experience in the economic and financial industries, as well as in the management. He has been the Chairman of the Board od JSC IPS “Hipo Fondi”, Head of the Financial Management at JSC “Latvijas Hipotēku un zemes banka”. Since 2013, Šmuksts has been acting as the Chairman of the Board of JSC AIF “Hipo Fondi aktīvu pārvaldība” where he managed the funds/assets and investment companies, compliance of company's operation and the relations with investors.