Technology, Transformation and AI course at SSE Riga

This post originally appeared on LinkedIn in July, 2025

A few words on another important flagship course this passed business season – the 2nd edition of Technology, Transformation and AI course with Rīgas Ekonomikas augstskola – Stockholm School of Economics in Riga.

Everybody talks about AI and they should. Most of the talk though, as well as and courses widely available are focused on personal AI use and (honestly) shallow applications for personal productivity. That’s a great place to begin the AI epoch in our lives, but executives have a job of different magnitude and stakes – to get the organisations to adopt and scale AI use cases for deeper process transformation and new, AI enabled value propositions. In other words – lead and manage AI transformation in order to survive and thrive.

Very few programmes in our region if any integrate both of these aspects:
– learning about the AI capabilities and trying them out on a personal level (which is crucial if an executive is to lead by example)
– having the tools and skills ready to enable organisation wide AI transformation, including the 6 signature moves (by McKinsey) – strategic roadmap, talent, operations, data, technology and adoption&scaling (a.k.a. change management).

This is exactly what our team of 4 musketeers – Edvins Elferts, Igor Rodin, Rihards Garančs and myself tried to deliver to a group of select business executives from across the industries. We each brought a different viewpoint, a different angle on AI as a rapidly evolving swiss-army-knife type of tool and the organisational transformation.

My job was to be the Peoples’ Advocate and Sound Strategic Governance Preacher – making sure that what we do with AI makes sense strategically and that people are not forgotten in the whole technology race. It is us, people, who need to change and adapt, and use the technology after all.

Over 2 1/2 months and the 4 modules we did both – covered aspects of strategy, transformation management and governance, talent and team, processes and operations, data architecture, change management essentials and, of course – the AI technology itself – for productivity, automation, rapid prototyping, predictive analytics, etc. etc.

On top of learning the executives developed and presented their projects – either an AI roadmap for their organisation or a practical AI transformation use-case, getting their hands “dirty”, so to speak.

On the graduation day on June 19 the spirits ran high – the sense of achievement, “can-do” and “there’s just as” was palpable. As was the nearing relief of long Līgo holidays.

Thank you our lead actors – the executives Andris Ziemelis, Arthur Burnin, Ivo Ansbergs, Jānis Aizbalts, Julija Zandersone, Ildze Ozolina, Marija Solovjova, Santa Spūle for your trust and commitment!

Thank you everyone in support roles – Elīza Blumfelde, Darja Fokina and Rīgas Ekonomikas augstskola – and the whole Rīgas Ekonomikas augstskola – Stockholm School of Economics in Riga team!