{{Short description|Latvian businessperson}} {{Multiple issues| {{Update|date=July 2020}} {{BLP sources|date=August 2012}} {{notability|Biographies|date=August 2012}} }}
{{Infobox person/Wikidata | fetchwikidata=ALL | dateformat = dmy }} '''Andris Ozols''' (born January 30, 1968, in Riga, Latvia) is a Latvian businessman. He was the director of Investment and Development Agency of Latvia (LIAA), a government agency responsible for promoting investments and business development in Latvia.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.liaa.gov.lv/eng/home/about_us/about_us/ |title=LIAA |accessdate=2012-08-02 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120615003907/http://www.liaa.gov.lv/eng/home/about_us/about_us |archivedate=2012-06-15 }}</ref> He served as the director of LIAA from October 2004 to December 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.db.lv/citas-zinas/latvijas-investiciju-un-attistibas-agenturu-stures-andris-ozols-117526|title=Latvijas Investīciju un attīstības aģentūru stūrēs Andris Ozols}}</ref> He also currently serves as deputy chairman of the board of the Liepāja Special Economic Zone.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.liepaja-sez.lv/lv/liepajas-osta/ostas-parvalde/|title = Liepājas SEZ}}</ref>
== Education == Ozols studied physics and mathematics at the University of Latvia and holds a degree in business management from the School of Business Administration Turība.<ref>{{Cite web|last=www.DELFI.lv|date=2004-11-24|title=Latvijas Investīciju un attīstības aģentūru vadīs Andris Ozols|url=https://www.delfi.lv/news/national/politics/latvijas-investiciju-un-attistibas-agenturu-vadis-andris-ozols.d?id=9638562|access-date=2021-07-03|website=delfi.lv|language=lv}}</ref>
== Career == Ozols has become notorious as director of LIAA, due to the owner of company Aerodium Latvia Ivars Beitāns, who publicly accused Ozols of extorting a bribe from Aerodium in order for LIAA to award the contract for preparing the Latvia pavilion in World Expo 2010.
Ozols maintained a counterclaim that Aerodium instead wished to bribe Ozols in order for LIAA not to pursue in court a claim for misappropriation of EU funding in another company of Beitāns -- "Gaisa sporta sertifikācijas centrs".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.diena.lv/raksts/pasaule/krievija/papildinata-aerodium-ozols-prasija-8-no-liguma-summas-liaa-vaditajs-kukuli-neprasiju-737061|title="Aerodium": Ozols prasīja 8% no līguma summas; LIAA vadītājs: kukuli neprasīju}}</ref> LIAA did afterwards sue "Gaisa sporta sertifikācijas centrs" for misappropriation of EU funds in Latvian courts, but lost the claim in all instances of the courts, the last instance declaring final verdict on October 17, 2018.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.la.lv/valsts-iestade-zaude-2-miljonu-eiro-prasiba-pret-veja-tunelu-razotajiem|title=Valsts iestāde zaudē 2 miljonu eiro prasībā pret vēja tuneļu ražotājiem}}</ref>
Over the course of his professional career, Ozols has served as a board member at Riga International Airport and Latvia's [http://www.csdd.lv/ Road Traffic Safety Directorate] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150724162932/http://www.csdd.lv/ |date=2015-07-24 }}.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2013-02-19|title=Lidostas padomes priekšsēdētājs būs LIAA direktors Ozols {{!}} Apollo|url=http://www.apollo.lv/zinas/lidostas-padomes-priekssedetajs-bus-liaa-direktors-ozols/348328|access-date=2021-07-03|website=archive.ph|archive-date=2013-02-19|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130219041558/http://www.apollo.lv/zinas/lidostas-padomes-priekssedetajs-bus-liaa-direktors-ozols/348328|url-status=bot: unknown}}</ref>
From 1993-1997 he lived in Germany, where he worked in the transport and logistics industry.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Forum Speakers and Chairpersons|url=http://www.ebaltics.com/forum2008/Speakers/Ozols.htm|access-date=2021-07-03|website=www.ebaltics.com}}</ref>
== Personal life == Ozols was formerly married to Dana Reizniece-Ozola, a deputy in the Latvian Saeima (Parliament)<ref>{{Cite web|title=Dana Reizniece-Ozola - The 11th Saeima of the Republic of Latvia|url=http://titania.saeima.lv/personal/deputati/saeima11_depweb_public.nsf/depArchive.html?ReadForm&unid=4680B802244E3FB8C22579100046C58B&url=./0/4680B802244E3FB8C22579100046C58B?OpenDocument&lang=EN|access-date=2021-07-03|website=titania.saeima.lv}}</ref> and champion chess player who holds the title of Woman Grandmaster.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Chess-Results Server Chess-results.com - 18th European Women's Team Chess Championship 2011|url=http://chess-results.com/tnr57855.aspx?art=9&lan=1&turdet=YES&flag=30&snr=75|access-date=2021-07-03|website=chess-results.com}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [https://www.liaa.gov.lv/lv Investment and Development Agency of Latvia website] * [https://www.em.gov.lv/lv Ministry of Economics website]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Ozols, Andris}} Category:Living people Category:Latvian businesspeople Category:1968 births
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