Ralfs Vilands

Partner and Strategic Consultant, VA Communications, Latvia, Riga

Ralfs specialises in strategic communications and issues management, offering clients expert advice before they make important decisions influenced by public opinion.

In 2013, he founded the corporate communications agency VA Communications and, in 2017, became a partner in the public affairs firm VA Government in Latvia. Since 2022, both consultancies have been part of the Rud Pedersen Group. Ralfs’ expertise spans corporate and brand reputation, public affairs and crisis communication.

He has advised clients across diverse sectors—including energy, infrastructure and technology—on how to communicate effectively with key stakeholders and broader audiences. Recent projects include developing communication strategies for finance, manufacturing and renewable-energy firms; managing public-relations campaigns for infrastructure developments; and creating market-entry plans for technology companies in Latvia. Ralfs is also a founding member of Latvia’s Finance Education Society.

He is particularly interested in the evolution of market economies toward stakeholder capitalism, and he finds it especially rewarding to help clients navigate these new circumstances. Prior to his consultancy career, Ralfs served as CEO of a multinational communications firm. He was a founding member and the first president of the Latvian Association of Communication Agencies. Before entering public relations, he worked as deputy editor and columnist for Dienas Bizness, a Bonnier Group publication. Ralfs studied communications at the University of Latvia and is fluent in Latvian, English and Russian.

Locations

Rud Pedersen has offices in 20+ cities in key European countries

Croatia
Zagreb, Croatia
Belgium
Brussels, Belgium
Bulgaria
Sofia, Bulgaria
Czechia
Prague, Czechia
Denmark
Copenhagen, Denmark
Estonia
Tallinn, Estonia
Finland
Helsinki, Finland
France
Paris, France
Germany
Berlin, Germany
Italy
Rome, Italy
Latvia
Riga, Latvia
Lithuania
Vilnius, Lithuania
Netherlands
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Norway
Oslo, Norway
Poland
Warsaw, Poland
Spain
Madrid, Spain
Sweden
Stockholm, Sweden
Sweden
Gothenburg, Sweden
United Kingdom
London, United Kingdom
Ukraine
Kyiv, Ukraine