Across Europe, HR leaders are increasingly stepping into executive decision-making roles. As organizations face talent shortages, ongoing transformation, and rising complexity, people strategy has become inseparable from business strategy. Yet, HR is still often perceived primarily as an operational or administrative function.
This interactive breakfast session in Vilnius is designed for HR professionals and executives ready to explore what it truly means to operate as a strategic HR leader:
- What distinguishes a strategic HR leader from a strong operational one?
- What shifts when HR moves from implementation to influence?
- What needs to be in place before taking on broader executive responsibility?
- And how can you prepare yourself to confidently step into a business-driving, top-table role?
Why Attend
This event offers a unique combination of perspectives:
- Practical corporate insight – grounded in real-world experience from a senior HR leader.
- International strategic expertise – informed by decades of board-level and global leadership experience.
Agenda
9:30–10:15 | Introduction by Aad JCM van Vliet
Founding Partner and Global Lead at Avvartes, and Visiting Professor at BMI Executive Institute, Aad will open the session with a focused introduction. Drawing on over 30 years of global leadership and board-level experience, he will guide participants to reflect on:
- Readiness, mindset, and business acumen required for strategic HR leadership.
- How HR’s role and impact shift when moving from operational execution to executive influence.
- Key practical steps to strengthen your presence and credibility at the executive level.
10:15–11:00 | Interactive Discussion with Božena Petikonis-Šabanienė
Joined by Božena — Head of Human Resources and Business Support (Baltics & Poland) at Ignitis Renewables, Independent Board Member and EMBA alumna of BMI Executive Institute — the session will continue as an interactive discussion.
Božena will share her practical experience of leading HR at the strategic level, including:
- What it truly means to operate as a strategic or executive HR leader.
- The value HR brings when contributing at the highest decision-making level.
- How executive credibility and influence are built in practice.
Together, Aad’s international strategic perspective and Božena’s hands-on corporate insight create a balanced and forward-looking learning experience. Participants will leave equipped to think differently about HR’s role in shaping business strategy—and ready to take their seat at the top table.
HR at the top table is no longer an exception. The question is: will you be ready to take your seat?
Speakers
- Aad JCM van Vliet, Founding Partner and Global Lead at Avvartes and a visiting professor at BMI Executive Institute. Avvartes is a global company mastering the future of work in a human-centric way and focusing on future-fit leaders, teams and organizations. Aad is a senior international business coach, team mobilizer and HR executive with over 30 years of experience in global blue-chip companies in different industries. He is also a member of executive leadership boards and has been serving big companies such as, Unilever, SmithKline Beecham, Novartis and others. Aad has been working with senior business leaders and their teams, leading projects, building businesses, leading complex change including a variety of merger and acquisition processes, creating high performing cultures, designing and developing Human Capital Strategies all over the world.
- Božena Petikonis-Šabanienė, Head of Human Resources and Business Support Department (Baltics & Poland) at Ignitis Renewables, Independent Board Member, alumna if the EMBA programme at BMI Executive Institute. She is a senior executive and former CEO with over 15 years of international leadership experience across the Baltics and Poland. Božena combines strategic HR, organizational development, and executive management expertise, having led both business operations and people functions in fast-growing, complex organizations. Her experience includes driving company-wide transformation, building high-performing leadership teams, strengthening governance, and fostering cultural and operational excellence. With a holistic executive MBA perspective across strategy, finance, operations, and innovation, she connects people, business, and governance priorities into coherent transformation agendas.