Viesturs Koziols
Encyclopedia
Viesturs Koziols is a Latvian real estate developer, media and sports entrepreneur, photographer, patron of arts, political and public figure.
in 1986, Viesturs Koziols started off as a commercial manager of newspaper Atmoda
. The paper had a strong connection with the ongoing Latvian independence movement
; Viesturs Koziols actively joined it. He was among the organizers of the large scale demonstration Baltic Way
and joined the Popular Front of Latvia
.
Viesturs Koziols was adviser to both the first and second Prime Ministers of Latvia
, Ivars Godmanis
and Valdis Birkavs
, in the early 1990s. He was also adviser to the Minister of Economics Juris Lujāns.
From 1995-1997 he was project manager at Norwegian retail chain "Varner Baltija" and manager of real estate administration at "Varner Hakon Invest", both ventures of Varner-Gruppen
. These companies were among first foreign investors in Latvia. Koziols was among politicians and business leaders who founded "Baltic Stability Foundation", an organization with a goal to develop investment strategies for Latvia and develop encouraging investment legislation.
Koziols primary business area (1996–present) is real estate development
, retail development and city planning. Viesturs Koziols has participated in as an investor
, developer and consultant in development of Rimi Baltic
, Narvesen
, Cubus, Bik Bok, Dressmann
store chains; major shopping malls in Riga – Centrs, Mols, Dole, Alfa, Minsk, Origo, Olympia; hotels Radisson Blu Ridzene Hotel, Radisson Blu Hotel Latvija and Hotel Riga and large real estate developments – Saules akmens, Saliena.
From 2001 to 2004 Koziols was elected Chairman of the Council in joint stock company
Latvijas Krājbanka
– the bank with most branches in Latvia.
Viesturs Koziols is founder and patron of non-governmental youth organization "Avantis". Trough this organization Koziols supported talented Latvian musicians, cinematographers and athletes. Producer and cameraman for "Avantis" released award winning documentary "Atrasts Amerikā" ("Found in USA").
In 2006 his company "Žurnāls" Ltd. began publishing a weekly magazine called "Republika.lv". Viesturs Koziols is among staff photographers. In 2007, together with photographer Ilmārs Znotiņš, he opened the photography studio "Imagine" – one of most professional photo studios in the Baltic states
and organized a major documentary photography event "One Day in Latvia 2007".
In 2008 Viesturs Koziols became Chairman of the Board of Kontinental Hockey League
(KHL) ice hockey club Dinamo Riga
.
In 2009 he became freelance advisor in fields of youth work to Ministry of the Interior affairs Linda Mūrniece.
On 6 August 2010 Viesturs Koziols acquired a 51% stake in the Diena
newspaper company.
in a hot air balloon. Together with his daughter Liva Koziola he climbed Mount Kilimanjaro
in 2000.
Career
After graduating from Faculty of Geography at the University of LatviaUniversity of Latvia
University of Latvia is a university located in Riga, Latvia. Being established in 1919, University of Latvia is the biggest university in the Baltic states.-History:...
in 1986, Viesturs Koziols started off as a commercial manager of newspaper Atmoda
Atmoda
Atmoda was a weekly newspaper in Latvian SSR and Latvia issued in the years 1988-1992. It was an organ of the Popular Front of Latvia and the first independent, opposition paper in the Latvian SSR...
. The paper had a strong connection with the ongoing Latvian independence movement
Latvian independence movement
Latvian independence movement during Soviet and Nazi occupation .-First year of occupation:The effects of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact of August 23, 1939 assigned Latvia to the Soviet sphere of influence. On August 5, 1940, the Soviet Union annexed Latvia...
; Viesturs Koziols actively joined it. He was among the organizers of the large scale demonstration Baltic Way
Baltic Way
The Baltic Way or Baltic Chain was a peaceful political demonstration that occurred on August 23, 1989. Approximately two million people joined their hands to form a human chain spanning over across the three Baltic states – Estonian SSR, Latvian SSR, and Lithuanian SSR, republics of the Soviet...
and joined the Popular Front of Latvia
Popular Front of Latvia
The Popular Front of Latvia was a political organization in Latvia in late 1980s and early 1990s which led Latvia to its independence from the Soviet Union. It was similar to the Popular Front of Estonia and the Sąjūdis movement in Lithuania....
.
Viesturs Koziols was adviser to both the first and second Prime Ministers of Latvia
Prime Minister of Latvia
The Prime Minister of Latvia is the most powerful member of the Government of the Republic of Latvia, and presides over the Latvian Cabinet of Ministers...
, Ivars Godmanis
Ivars Godmanis
Ivars Godmanis is a Latvian politician and currently 1 of the 8 Latvian MEPs in the European parliament. He was the first Prime Minister of Latvia after the country became independent from the Soviet Union, and he became a Prime Minister for the second time in December 2007.Godmanis served as...
and Valdis Birkavs
Valdis Birkavs
Valdis Birkavs is a Latvian politician. He was born in Riga. He was first elected to the Latvian parliament in 1990 and helped to found the Latvian Way party. After Latvian Way won the 1993 parliamentary elections, Birkavs became the prime minister, leading a coalition government of Latvian Way...
, in the early 1990s. He was also adviser to the Minister of Economics Juris Lujāns.
From 1995-1997 he was project manager at Norwegian retail chain "Varner Baltija" and manager of real estate administration at "Varner Hakon Invest", both ventures of Varner-Gruppen
Varner-Gruppen
Varner-Gruppen AS is the largest actor in the textile retailing trade in Norway with approximately 500 stores around the country, including Bik Bok, Carlings, Cubus, Dressmann, Solo, Urban, Vivikes, Wearhouse and WOW. The stores are located throughout Scandinavia, the Baltic Countries, Germany and...
. These companies were among first foreign investors in Latvia. Koziols was among politicians and business leaders who founded "Baltic Stability Foundation", an organization with a goal to develop investment strategies for Latvia and develop encouraging investment legislation.
Koziols primary business area (1996–present) is real estate development
Real estate development
Real estate development, or Property Development, is a multifaceted business, encompassing activities that range from the renovation and re-lease of existing buildings to the purchase of raw land and the sale of improved land or parcels to others...
, retail development and city planning. Viesturs Koziols has participated in as an investor
Investor
An investor is a party that makes an investment into one or more categories of assets --- equity, debt securities, real estate, currency, commodity, derivatives such as put and call options, etc...
, developer and consultant in development of Rimi Baltic
Rimi Baltic
Rimi Baltic is a major retail operator in the Baltic states based in Riga, Latvia. It is a subsidiary of Swedish group ICA. Rimi Baltic operates 246 retail stores in Estonia , Latvia and Lithuania and has distribution centres in each country...
, Narvesen
Narvesen
Narvesen is a Norwegian chain of convenience stores/news agents, and is one of Norway's largest convenience store chains with 440 stores. Narvesen was established in 1894 by Bertrand Narvesen. Narvesen stores also exists in Latvia ....
, Cubus, Bik Bok, Dressmann
Dressmann
thumb|Dressmann store in [[Umeå]], Sweden.Dressmann is a chain of men's clothing stores owned by Varner-Gruppen. It was founded in Norway by Frank Varner, who opened the first store in Oslo in 1962. In addition to Norway, Dressmann stores can now be found in Sweden, Finland, Germany, Iceland,...
store chains; major shopping malls in Riga – Centrs, Mols, Dole, Alfa, Minsk, Origo, Olympia; hotels Radisson Blu Ridzene Hotel, Radisson Blu Hotel Latvija and Hotel Riga and large real estate developments – Saules akmens, Saliena.
From 2001 to 2004 Koziols was elected Chairman of the Council in joint stock company
Joint stock company
A joint-stock company is a type of corporation or partnership involving two or more individuals that own shares of stock in the company...
Latvijas Krājbanka
Latvijas Krājbanka
Latvijas Krājbanka is a Latvian bank listed on the Riga OMX exchange. The bank dates back to 1924 when it was founded as the Latvian Postal Savings Bank...
– the bank with most branches in Latvia.
Viesturs Koziols is founder and patron of non-governmental youth organization "Avantis". Trough this organization Koziols supported talented Latvian musicians, cinematographers and athletes. Producer and cameraman for "Avantis" released award winning documentary "Atrasts Amerikā" ("Found in USA").
In 2006 his company "Žurnāls" Ltd. began publishing a weekly magazine called "Republika.lv". Viesturs Koziols is among staff photographers. In 2007, together with photographer Ilmārs Znotiņš, he opened the photography studio "Imagine" – one of most professional photo studios in the Baltic states
Baltic states
The term Baltic states refers to the Baltic territories which gained independence from the Russian Empire in the wake of World War I: primarily the contiguous trio of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania ; Finland also fell within the scope of the term after initially gaining independence in the 1920s.The...
and organized a major documentary photography event "One Day in Latvia 2007".
In 2008 Viesturs Koziols became Chairman of the Board of Kontinental Hockey League
Kontinental Hockey League
The Kontinental Hockey League is an international professional ice hockey league in Eurasia founded in 2008. As of 2009, it is ranked as the strongest hockey league in Europe....
(KHL) ice hockey club Dinamo Riga
Dinamo Riga
Dinamo Riga was an ice hockey club, based in Riga, Latvia. It was founded in 1946 and disestablished in 1995 as Pārdaugava Rīga.-History of Dinamo Riga:...
.
In 2009 he became freelance advisor in fields of youth work to Ministry of the Interior affairs Linda Mūrniece.
On 6 August 2010 Viesturs Koziols acquired a 51% stake in the Diena
Diena
Diena is a Latvian language national daily newspaper in Latvia, published since 23 November 1990. Since privatisation in 1993, Diena was owned by Swedish media group Bonnier, 2009 AS Diena together with its sister business daily Dienas Bizness was sold to investor group owned by Jonathan and David...
newspaper company.
Adventurer
In 1999, together with Vilis Dambiņš and Gunārs Dukšte, Viesturs Koziols reached the North PoleNorth Pole
The North Pole, also known as the Geographic North Pole or Terrestrial North Pole, is, subject to the caveats explained below, defined as the point in the northern hemisphere where the Earth's axis of rotation meets its surface...
in a hot air balloon. Together with his daughter Liva Koziola he climbed Mount Kilimanjaro
Mount Kilimanjaro
Kilimanjaro, with its three volcanic cones, Kibo, Mawenzi, and Shira, is a dormant volcano in Kilimanjaro National Park, Tanzania and the highest mountain in Africa at above sea level .-Geology:...
in 2000.