For some, change is a source of stress; for others, it’s their natural comfort zone. One of those who feel at ease in it is commerce and digital development strategist Giedrė Vilkė, BMI Executive Institute International EMBA participant, who says that a leader’s real challenge is not implementing change but being able to “sell” it to their team. That’s how change stops being a threat and becomes a process of creating value.
Today, Giedrė Vilkė serves on several boards, advises companies on strategy, marketing, and commercial growth, invests in startups, actively contributes to women’s leadership initiatives, and is a participant in the BMI Executive Institute EMBA programme. Her perspective combines business strategy discipline with creative intuition – the ability to see the bigger picture while understanding how change affects people, culture, and daily processes.
Giedrė played an active role in the journey of the Baltic e-commerce group PHH Group, helping it grow from a startup to a regional leader. That experience became the foundation for her further career, which spans multiple digital business models and organizational transformations. Recognized as one of Europe’s top marketing executives, in 2024 she was awarded by the European Marketing Confederation (EMC). Giedrė is also a board member of Civinity and the Lithuanian Marketing Association (LiMA), as well as a member of the Lyderė women’s leadership community.
– You have years of experience across European markets, where you’ve been part of business transformations yourself. What is the difference between change “on paper” and what actually happens inside an organization?
Organizations are made up of very different people. For some, change – like for me – is a natural comfort zone; they see it as a way to improve and grow. For others, it’s a source of stress and a threat to stability. Most people don’t like change, especially when it affects their area of work or habits. That’s why change “on paper” always looks much simpler than in reality. In a plan, everything is neatly arranged – goals, deadlines, responsibilities – but implementation faces emotions, resistance, and the human factor.
My experience shows that most transformations fail not because of project management or processes, but because the change itself was never “sold” to the team. In other words, people didn’t understand why the change was necessary, what it would bring them personally, and how it would affect their everyday work. That’s why I strongly believe in consistent communication and an experimental culture – when change isn’t a one-time project but a constant process of testing hypotheses. This builds curiosity, reduces fear of mistakes, and allows people to feel part of the change rather than its victims.
Still, it’s important to acknowledge that not all changes can be “tested.” There are strategic decisions – such as acquisitions, restructurings, or entering new markets – that can’t be tried in small steps. In such cases, a leader must rely on insight, experience, and trust in the team. The balance here is crucial – between speed and direction, between experimentation and long-term vision.
Ultimately, I believe a leader’s maturity is reflected in their ability to see change not as a project, but as a people’s journey. Some move quickly, others need more time and structure. Real change doesn’t happen when the plan is approved – it happens when people accept it, start believing in it, and see their place within it.
– What differences do you notice between how leaders in Lithuania manage change and how leaders in international organizations implement it?
I think leadership style depends less on nationality or gender – it’s shaped mostly by the environment in which we grow. Our surroundings, experiences, the people around us, our relationship with success and failure – all of that shapes how we perceive responsibility, risk, and change.
In Lithuania, we have a unique generation of business leaders shaped by both Soviet scarcity and the opportunities of independence. They are hungry, fast, bold – and that’s our strength. Sometimes that drive means products reach the market before they’re perfect – but they reach it. We act, rather than debate endlessly.
In international organizations, I often see the opposite – more attention to process, consensus, and long-term impact. That ensures quality, but sometimes at the expense of speed.
The real value emerges when these two approaches meet. When a team has both drive and maturity, and a mix of cultural perspectives. Such diversity allows not only for fast progress but also for sustainable thinking. Today’s strongest leaders are those who can take the best of every culture – combining courage with reflection, speed with vision, and results with meaning.
– You were recognized as one of Europe’s strongest marketing executives. Does such recognition give you more responsibility or freedom – when you become not only your team’s but also your industry’s voice?
There was a time, right after finishing school, when studying or building a career abroad seemed like the only path to success. I myself dreamed of that so-called “American dream” – studying abroad, big cities, international opportunities. But it was there, experiencing a large country’s system, that I realized I didn’t want to be just another small person in a big country.
That’s why this award means not so much personal success, but proof that Lithuanian talent can stand alongside Europe’s strongest professionals. Interestingly, I entered marketing completely by accident. When shifting roles within an organization, what mattered most to me was creating value and driving change – and at that time, the marketing chair was the one “on fire.” That’s how the field became my place – one from which I can influence both business strategy and culture.
After this recognition, I naturally became more involved with the Lithuanian Marketing Association – joining its board and taking on a certain mission: to strengthen the voice of marketing leaders in business. It’s important to me to emphasize that a marketing leader should not be seen as a cost center. They are one of the main business development partners, working alongside the CEO and CFO to create value for both shareholders and society. I’ve been fortunate to work in organizations where this is understood naturally, but in many places marketing is still seen as an add-on – creating beautiful things, but not strategic value.
That’s why I now dedicate part of my time not only to practice but also to giving back – from promoting financial literacy to collaborating with the European Marketing Confederation, creating opportunities for Lithuanian marketing professionals to grow both internationally and within their own organizations.
I’m also delighted that this recognition became symbolic promotion for Lithuania – it’s now confirmed that next year the European Marketing Executive of the Year Award will be announced in Vilnius, during the CMO Summit organized by LiMA.
– Speaking of women’s leadership, how has its tone changed since you began your career?
Over the fifteen years I’ve been in business, women’s leadership has changed dramatically. In the past, a woman who wanted a career almost had to “fit” into a masculine leadership model – be stricter, show fewer emotions, take more risks, demonstrate will and control. I remember some absurd situations where business deals or meetings were held in settings clearly tailored to men’s leisure. But if you didn’t want to fall out of the game, you had to adapt – to prove you could play by the same rules.
Today, I see more and more women building careers while staying true to themselves – not by becoming “more masculine,” but by bringing their strengths: empathy, inclusiveness, the ability to see people, and to think beyond the next quarter. That’s a huge change – more support, less competition. Especially among women themselves, who gather, mentor, and share experience.
And it’s not just a nice idea or a gesture of solidarity – it’s real value. Value for business, the economy, and society. There are now countless studies proving that diversity in leadership directly improves company performance: such organizations are more profitable, more sustainable, more innovative, and better at managing risk. Simply put, when people with different ways of thinking sit at the same table, better decisions emerge.
In the Lyderė association, I’m surrounded by inspiring, strong, empathetic women who balance many roles – they run businesses, raise children, travel, study, work out, create. But we’re united by a common goal – to reduce the gap between men and women in leadership positions, close the pay gap, and challenge stereotypes that still persist even in our education system.
That’s why in Lyderė we are building not just a space for support, but for action – from mentorship programmes to initiatives that reshape gender representation in school textbooks. Our goal is clear – for Lithuania to become the No. 1 country in Europe for gender equality. And I truly believe that with this community, it’s possible.
– What do the studies at BMI Executive Institute give you – do they help you broaden your perspective or re-evaluate your leadership direction?
Today, learning is continuous. At work, we constantly absorb new information – from technological solutions to team management and maintaining direction. There are many options: conferences, courses, masterclasses – but university provides something else entirely – structured learning. Knowledge there is built step by step, one layer upon another. That’s what I was missing – structure and depth.
BMI Executive Institute was exactly that for me. It starts with self-work – understanding your values, strengths, and leadership style – and moves toward entrepreneurship. Assessments here are not tests but real business creation exercises: from idea to launch. That matters to me because I believe only in learning that can be applied in practice.
People are often surprised that I take notes in almost every meeting. Now, when everything can be recorded, it seems like an odd choice. But for me, it helps organize information in my head, process it faster, and make better decisions. What matters most is not how much you know, but how quickly you can turn that knowledge into action.
– Your professional life involves many roles. From your personal perspective – what connects them all?
All of them are connected by curiosity. I’m one of those people who try things first and decide later whether they like them or not. I need to feel, see, and understand things myself.
I have my own “rainbow” philosophy. One color can be beautiful, but only all of them together create a full picture. That’s how I see my life – to be happy, I need to balance different roles and experiences. Each adds a new angle, and that broader context helps me be better in every area.
In business, we diversify revenue streams and change models to reduce risk and ensure sustainable growth. I see myself the same way. Diversity, for me, is a guarantee of stability. It keeps me from getting stuck in one place and constantly pushes me to learn, adapt, and grow.