The Supervisory Board of AS Eesti Varude Keskus (Estonian Stockpiling Agency or ESPA) elected Ando Leppiman as the new chairman of the board of the company starting from 9 May.
According to Jaan Lepp, a member of the Supervisory Board of the Stockpiling Agency and the chairman of the competition committee, the crises of the last few years have increased the significance of the Estonian Stockpiling Agency, so the expectations to the candidates for the new chairman of the management board were extremely high.
‘The supervisory board was unanimous in electing Ando Leppiman. He is an expert who is well-versed in this area and has a clear vision for the future. His extensive leadership experience in the public sector also spoke in his favour,’ explained Jaan Lepp.
According to Ando Leppiman, he applied for the position because he wanted to implement his vision of Estonia having an enterprise in the form of the Estonian Stockpiling Agency which supports the coping of the population in emergencies.
‘In the current security situation, the Estonian Stockpiling Agency is active in a highly relevant domain bearing a lot of responsibility. Potential problems with the supply of energy, food, and other essential products emphasise the need for intelligent stockpiles and a greater supply security.
The state has high expectations for the Stockpiling Agency. In addition to the liquid fuel reserves, which have been secured very successfully, we must provide security in other strategic areas as well. The next big challenge is establishing the stockpiles of natural gas and pharmaceutical products. The operational stocks of a state are part of national security and the deterrence of the enemies. Our actions must convey a message that we are prepared for various crises and that Estonia has a unit which can respond rapidly with the necessary know-how and administrative capability in the form of the Stockpile Agency,’ stated Leppiman.
Ando Leppiman has a master’s degree from Taltech. Previously, he has worked as an energy management expert in various senior positions in the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communication, AS Eesti Energia, and the Nordic Council of Ministers and he has considerable experience as a member of the management and supervisory boards of several companies. Leppiman is the member of the Committee on Energy of the Estonian Academy of Sciences and the council of advisers of Taltech.
Ando Leppiman will assume his position at the Estonian Stockpiling Agency on 9 May. The duration of his board member contract is five years. Until then, he will continue in his current position as a secretary general at the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications.
Due to the new responsibilities of the Stockpiling Agency, the Supervisory Board decided to increase the number of the members of the management board to three, which means that Priit Enok and Priit Ploompuu also continue as board members.
The Supervisory Board of the Estonian Stockpiling Agency held a public competition for finding a new chairman of the management board, which drew 44 applications.
The Estonian Stockpiling Agency, which is a state enterprise, started operating on 1 July 2021 and is responsible for stockpiling, storing, and organising the utilisation of essential goods needed in emergencies by the Estonian population.