Prime minister puts Kaspars Gorkšs forward to lead State Chancellery

Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs will put Kaspars Gorkšs, director general of the Employers’ Confederation of Latvia, forward to lead the State Chancellery, the government’s administrative office. LSM reported that the government is expected to decide on the appointment at its October 13 meeting.

Kulbergs said he wanted the Chancellery to become a strong, data-driven centre of government that helps officials make decisions more quickly and accurately. He said Gorkšs had the experience to implement the changes he envisaged.

Gorkšs was selected after the third and final round of an open competition. The other two finalists were Ieva Jaunzeme, a former director general of the State Revenue Service who now works at the Central Finance and Contracting Agency, and State Administration School director Agita Kalviņa.

The final round assessed candidates’ strategic vision, decision-making and accountability, focus on results, ability to manage change and team leadership. The competition received 18 applications, with three candidates advancing to the final round.

The Chancellery relaunched the recruitment process in August with less stringent eligibility requirements. A master’s degree, previously required, became preferred, and the requirements for management experience were also reduced.