Romas Švedas

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R. Švedas has got a professional experience at diplomatic service, in the area of international economic relations, functioning of EU and international organizations, in the sectors of energy and transport, corporate governance, also as lecturer and independent consultant.

Serving at the Lithuanian diplomatic service R. Švedas was Director of Economic Security Policy Department of MFA (2007-2009), Deputy Permanent Representative at the Permanent Representation of Lithuania in EU and representative in COREPER I (2003-2007), Director of Department of Economic Relations at MFA (1999-2003), Counsellor at the Permanent Mission of Lithuania to the UN Office and other International Organizations in Geneva (1995-1999), Consul of Lithuania in Swiss Confederation (1997-1999), Head of Foreign Trade Policy Division at MFA (1993-1995).  R. Švedas has experience working with UN system organisations, he was Member (2014-2017) and Chair as well as Bureau Member (2017-2020) of Espoo Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in the Transboundary Context. Also, R.Švedas was member of negotiations team for Lithuanian membership in WTO. In the field of European integration, R. Švedas took part in the negotiations on Lithuania’s Free Trade Agreement with the European Communities, as well as in the negotiations on Lithuania’s Associated Membership and full membership in the European Union, was Head of the Lithuanian Delegation on Negotiating Chapter No. 26 “External Relations”. R. Švedas is Board Member of European Movement Lithuania (from 2020).

Working in energy sector R. Švedas was Energy Vice-minister (2009-2011) and was Chair of the Boards of Litgrid (electricity TSO), Klaipėdos nafta (oil and gas terminal), Ignalinos atominė elektrinė (Ignalina NPP) companies and member of the Board at Lietuvos dujos (integrated natural gas company), also a Supervisory Board member of Klaipėdos nafta (2013-2017). R. Švedas took part in implementing change in these companies, increasing transparency and enhancing efficiency, building in OECD principles of corporate governance. Serving as Energy Vice-minister R. Švedas was responsible for the international power interconnections NordBalt, LitPolLink and gas project GIPL, decommissioning of the Ignalina NPP and development of the new Visaginas NPP and LNG terminal (Independence) projects, took part in transforming electricity and gas sectors of Lithuania while transforming EU legislation into national legal system, was member of the High level working group of Baltic Energy Market Interconnection Plan (BEMIP). In transport sector R. Švedas was Chair of the Board at Lietuvos Geležinkeliai (2017-2020), since 2021 he is Member of the Board at Lietuvos Geležinkeliai as well as Member of Supervisory Board at Rail Baltica railway project company RB Rail AS (from 2018). Work at the companies provided R. Švedas with corporate governance experience.

R. Švedas graduated Law Faculty at Vilnius University, completed course of political democracy at Umea University in Sweden, had specialized courses on international trade in WTO Geneva and International Law institute in Washington D.C., completed special training for board members and chairs of the boards at the Baltic Institute of Corporate Governance.