The Baltic Capital Markets Conference, the largest event dedicated to capital markets in the Baltics, will return to Riga for its fifth consecutive year on November 5 at ATTA CENTRE. The conference will bring together investors, business leaders, representatives of financial institutions, policymakers, and international experts from the Baltic states, the Nordic countries, and across Europe. This year’s discussions will focus on the development of Baltic capital markets, investment liquidity, corporate financing opportunities to support regional economic growth, and some of the most significant equity and bond transactions completed in the Baltics in recent years.

The conference program will feature five panel discussions covering the outlook for Baltic equity markets and opportunities to encourage more companies to go public, the growth potential of regional debt capital markets, the future of securities settlement infrastructure, capital market opportunities for the real estate sector, and the role of domestic capital in financing economic development across the Baltic states.

For the fourth consecutive year, the conference will be moderated by Kaarel Ots, Head of Nasdaq Baltic Exchanges and CEO of Nasdaq Tallinn, who emphasizes that the Baltic states have all the necessary advantages to become a significant investment destination in Europe:

“Together, our countries represent a significant eurozone market of six million people. In capital markets, we need to act as a unified region, align our action plans, and engage collectively with international institutional investors and our Nordic partners. We must also agree on a roadmap for the further development of Baltic capital markets, with clear objectives and measurable targets.”

The conference will open with keynote addresses from Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs, Governor of the Bank of Latvia Mārtiņš Kazāks, Chairman of the Management Board of Signet Bank Roberts Idelsons, and Phil Mackintosh, Chief Economist and Senior Vice President at Nasdaq, who brings more than 30 years of experience in international financial markets. This year’s program will feature more than 40 experts representing organizations including Nasdaq, SEB, Rothschild & Co, Fitch Ratings, and the European Investment Bank, among others.

Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs comments: “Capital market development is essential to accelerating Latvia’s economic growth. A well-developed capital market broadens companies’ access to financing, encourages investment, and strengthens the country’s economic potential. Achieving this requires decisive action both in Latvia and across the Baltic region. A key step by the government will be the establishment of the Latvian Development Fund, providing an important initial boost to the development of the capital market. For more than a decade, we have discussed bringing state-owned enterprises to the capital market. Now is the time to finally make it happen. I hope the Baltic Capital Markets Conference will serve as a catalyst, helping all of us take concrete steps toward further developing the market.”

Signet Bank is one of the conference’s founding organizers. Roberts Idelsons, CEO of Signet Bank, comments: “Baltic capital markets have demonstrated positive development momentum in recent years. However, fully realizing their potential will require ambitious decisions from both policymakers and local businesses. Bringing top-level international expertise to the local market helps deepen our understanding of how capital markets operate and provides practical insights into transaction structuring. These are precisely the issues that can be addressed by bringing together local and international market participants, creating a platform for new ideas and initiatives that will help drive capital market development forward.”

The Role of Equity and Bond Markets in Financing Baltic Businesses

The conference will explore how to encourage more privately owned and family-owned companies to list on Baltic stock exchanges, drawing on experience from the Nordic markets. Henrik Husman, President of Nasdaq Helsinki, will share insights on the topic, while representatives of Posti Group and LAU Infra Grupa will provide practical perspectives on raising capital through public markets, including lessons learned from their IPO experiences.

The panel dedicated to bond markets will focus on strengthening their regional relevance by examining the involvement of Nordic banks and institutional investors, opportunities for larger bond issuances, and secondary market liquidity. The discussion will be moderated by Kristiāna Janvare, Head of Investment Banking at Signet Bank. The session will also feature case studies of Apollo Group’s EUR 60 million bond issuance, Latvenergo’s EUR 400 million green bond issuance, and Līvlande Agro’s EUR 11 million bond financing.

The Future of Securities Settlement and Emerging Technologies

One of the conference panels will examine how digital technologies could transform securities settlement infrastructure and how the Baltic market can prepare for these developments. Particular attention will be given to tokenized securities and the evolving role of central securities depositories.

Jens Hachmeister, Managing Director at Clearstream Holding AG, Indars Aščuks, CEO of Nasdaq CSD, and Mārtiņš Šulte, CEO of Mintos, will discuss potential developments and the adoption of new solutions.

Investment and Exit Opportunities in the Real Estate Market

The panel dedicated to real estate will explore equity financing and investment exit opportunities, including the potential for developing publicly traded investment instruments. Experts will also examine which market segments are best positioned to attract greater interest from international investors.

Panelists will include Viljar Arakas, Chairman of the Management Board of EfTEN Capital, which manages EUR 1.4 billion in assets, Andrius Barštys, Chairman of Capitalica, and other investment management professionals.

The Role of Domestic Capital in Baltic Business Growth

The final conference panel will examine how to increase domestic capital investment in Baltic businesses. Discussions will focus on the role of private and institutional investors, the impact of pension system reforms, and the factors that could encourage more active investment of capital available within the region.

Uldis Cērps, Chairman of the Finance Latvia Association, will discuss capital gains taxation and lessons from the Nordic countries, while Ene Õunmaa, Senior Portfolio Manager at Swedbank Investeerimisfondid, and other experts will share perspectives on pension funds and investment management.

For the third consecutive year, the conference will also feature a dedicated parallel Issuer Stage, where companies will share firsthand experiences of raising capital and accessing financing through capital markets. This year’s participants will include representatives of Inbank, ALPPES Capital, Summus Capital, CleanR Grupa, Verston Group, and KRS, offering practical insights into the capital-raising process, the opportunities it creates, and its importance for long-term business development.

In 2025, the Baltic Capital Markets Conference attracted 570 participants, representing a 98% increase compared to its inaugural edition in 2022. The conference also reached more than 90,000 viewers through its live broadcasts across the Baltic states.

Full conference program: https://www.balticcapmarkconference.com/