AB Bank SNORAS, being the patron of the “Partnership Leader” nomination of the International trading palace ICC Lietuva (hereinafter - ICC Lietuva), this year initiated a special prize - “Business Ambassador”.

AB Bank SNORAS, being the patron of the “Partnership Leader” nomination of the International trading palace ICC Lietuva (hereinafter - ICC Lietuva), this year initiated a special prize - “Business Ambassador”. The first award, which honours the diplomat who was the most active in promoting the Lithuanian and foreign business partnership, was presented to V. Ušackas, the current minister of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania.

“We were prompted to initiate ”Business Ambassador“ nomination by AB Bank SNORAS expansion experience abroad. Being first from Lithuania in many foreign financial markets, we often faced problems arising due to little publicity of our country and its business. An active help and initiative of the diplomats in representing the country's economic interests is a priceless value for business. Presenting attractiveness of the country and its investment abroad, consistent maintenance of partnership between Lithuania and foreign markets assists individual business organisations to gain a foothold in other countries and in this way to contribute to creating the overall welfare of our country,” said Raimondas Baranauskas, the president of AB Bank SNORAS.

“Business Ambassador” nomination of ICC Lietuva, which was established by Bank SNORAS, is designated for honouring officials of the Lithuanian diplomatic representative offices who contributed most to creating business cooperation between our country and foreign nations.

“The winner of 2008 nomination, the current minister of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania, Vygaudas Ušackas, received a tremendous support of the business community which evaluated the consistency of this diplomat's activity and multi-year efforts. Businessmen put most stress on the really performed projects and tangible results - successful promotion of the investment attractiveness of the country, establishing a lot of partnership relations both in the USA and the United Kingdom. It is interesting to note that one of the merits of V. Ušackas' activity was mentioned his ability to promote the ”brain gain“ return to the homeland after the ”brains“ left to these two nations,” stated Julius Niedvaras, the president of ICC Lietuva.

Vygaudas Ušackas, who became “Business Ambassador” in 2008, in 2001-2006 was acting as the extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassador of the Republic of Lithuania in the USA and the United Mexican States, in 2006-2008 - in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Representing Lithuania abroad, V. Ušackas distinguished himself by actively promoting the partnership of the local and Lithuanian communities, was taking care of the Lithuanian integration and was expanding our country's business publicity.

AB Bank SNORAS has been the main patron of the “Partnership Leader” nomination of ICC Lietuva for the second year already. The bank, very actively expanding its activity abroad within the past several years, this year initiated the special “Business Ambassador” award along with the “Partnership Leader” nomination.

Bank SNORAS group is presently represented in six foreign countries. In Latvia, Bank SNORAS manages AS “Latvijas Krājbanka - the oldest operating bank that has the most expansive customer service network, in Estonia the bank is represented by the branch in Tallinn, and the bank's representative offices operate in Belgium, Czech Republic, Latvia, Ukraine, and Belarus. The bank's group comprises AB Bank SNORAS and 20 other companies, 7 of which Bank SNORAS controls directly and 13 - indirectly, through its subsidiary companies.