Jelena Buraja – the most successful woman in Latvian financial industry in Forbes ranking

Forbes magazine releases 40 Under 40 list of Latvian financial industry leaders.

The prestigious ranking, compiled according to Forbes international standards, includes two Rietumu Bank executives – Chairman of the Board Jelena Buraja and Member of the Board Vladlen Topchiyan.

The 40 Under 40 list of bank executives is compiled by Forbes Latvia analysts for the third time, according to financial reports and the Lursoft database. The ranking is based on the data for 2021 and includes owners and board members of the most successful companies who at the time had not yet reached the age of 40.

Forbes editorial comment says, “The shortlist was not very long, less than 60 people, but it has become longer compared to the previous ranking, which means that increasingly more dynamic companies choose to hire young and ambitious leaders.”

In the meantime, it also emphasizes that only four women from four organizations are included in the list. The largest of these is led by Jelena Buraja, Chairman of Rietumu Bank’s Board.

Jelena Buraja comments, “Without a doubt, it feels great to be included in a list of the national financial industry leaders, compiled by Forbes. At the same time, I would like to see more women make it. I am convinced that the qualities of a good manager and leader have nothing to do with a person’s gender, much more so with their personality – their abilities, effort, desire to work. I hope that my example will inspire women to be more decisive in realizing their potential and expressing their talents. Business, the economy, and our society as a whole will benefit from this.”