Arminta Saladžiene receives the Swedbank Baltic Sea Award 2009

The winner was announced yesterday by Håkan Berg, Head of Baltic Banking at Swedbank, at a dinner in connection to the Baltic Development Forum Summit in Stockholm.

Swedbank Baltic Sea Award is assigned to an individual or organization that has made an extraordinary contribution to the development of the Baltic Sea Region. Arminta Saladien was selected among many qualified candidates for her work and commitment to the region.

Part of Saladien´s important efforts is to support the newly established non-profit initiative Baltic Institute of Corporate Governance, which aims at raising awareness of good corporate governance in the Baltic States, as well as educating and certifying professional board members.

"With this price, we want to stress the importance of the work to improve corporate governance. Good corporate governance practices lead to better companies and, in turn, better and more progressive societies", said Håkan Berg, Head of Baltic Banking at Swedbank.

"We must recognise talents and their importance. In a globalised world, the ability to attract, develop and retain talents will be crucial for the Baltic Sea Region´s competitiveness and future prosperity, said the Chairman of the Baltic Development Forum", the Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, Uffe Ellemann-Jensen.

It is the third time the Baltic Sea Award is handed out; in 2007 it was dedicated Mr. Björn Carlson, Founder of Baltic Sea 2020, for his great personal involvement for improving the environment of the Baltic Sea, and last year to the President of Finland Tarja Halonen, for her longstanding focus on the common good for the Baltic Sea Region.

The jury has consisted of Swedbank´s Chairman Carl Eric Stålberg, the Baltic Development Forum´s Chairman Uffe Ellemann-Jensen and Sweden´s Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt. The Prize sum is € 5 000.