Programme

He was born on January 29, 1960.In 1978, he graduated from Yerevan Technical School No.14 and went to Yerevan Institute of National Economy. In 1980, he transferred to Leningrad Institute of Economics and Finance named after N. A. Voznesenski, where in 1983 he graduated with an honours degree. In 1987, he completed his postgraduate studies and defended his thesis on the topic "Planning Regional Socio-Economic Development with Armenia as a Case Study". He has earned a Ph.D In Economics.From 1987 to 1990, he worked as senior researcher, head of the international economic relations group in the Scientific Research Institute of Economy and Planning.From 1990 to 1995, he served as Deputy of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Armenia, Chairman of the Standing Committee on Financial, Credit and Budgetary Affairs of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Armenia, and Member of the Presidium of the Supreme Council.From 1995 to 1998, he was the President of the Association of Banks of Armenia.From 1998 to 2008, he held the position of the Chairman of the Central Bank of the Republic of Armenia.From 2008 to 2014, he was the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia.From 2014 to 2016, he served as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Armenia to the United States.From February 1, 2016, he has occupied the position of Chairman of the Board of the Eurasian Economic Commission.By the Presidential Decree of the Republic of Armenia, he was awarded the Medal for Service to the Fatherland, 1st class. He was awarded the Anania Shirakatsi Medal. He holds the title of honorary doctor of the Armenian State University of Economics.

On 9 July 2014, the Secretary-General appointed Mr. Christian Friis Bach of Denmark as the next Executive Secretary of UNECE. Mr. Bach brings to the position a combination of deep knowledge in international economy and development affairs coupled with innovative and results-oriented leadership. Mr Bach came from a position as Member of the Danish Parliament and Head of the Parliamentarian Group for the Danish Social/Liberal Party. He previously served as Denmark’s Minister for Development Cooperation (2011-2013) and Special Advisor to the European Union Commission for the United Nations Global Sustainability Panel (2010-2011). He is Honorary Professor of International Economics and Development at the University of Copenhagen (2009-2014) and has been Associate Professor in International Economics and Development Economics, the Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University (1999-2005). Mr. Bach has a long history with civil society, notably as the International Director for the DanChurchAid (2005-2010) and as Chairman of the Danish Association for International Cooperation (1997-2001). He also has private sector experience from running a start-up company and has worked as a journalist at the Danish Broadcasting Corporation. Mr. Bach holds a Ph.D. in International Economics (1996), an MSc in Agronomy (1992) from the Royal Danish Agricultural University in Copenhagen and a supplementary degree in Journalism from the Danish School of Media and Journalism.Born in 1966, Mr. Bach is married and has three children. The family lives on a small farm outside of Copenhagen.

Head of Subregional Office for North and Central Asia of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP) (May 2015-present) Ms. Bonapace is an international development economist, who joined the UN in 1990 as a UNIDO associate expert. In 1992 she joined ESCAP’s trade and investment programme, where she specialized in the developmental impact of WTO and regional trade agreements, as well as the implications of WTO accession for countries with special needs. From 2008-2010, Ms. Bonapace led the preparation of ESCAP’s flagship publication, the Economic and Social Survey of Asia and the Pacific, on regional macroeconomic performance. Since 2011, Ms. Bonapace has worked on regional connectivity issues, and the opportunities that seamless infrastructure and market integration offer for economic diversification and competitiveness, joining the ESCAP’s Subregional Office in Almaty in May 2015. Throughout her UN career, Ms. Bonapace has led the preparation of studies, research and analytical papers and has participated as a panelist and resource person in many meetings of senior government officials and business leaders. Ms. Bonapace has lived in Italy, Kazakhstan, Thailand and South Africa, where she obtained her Master’s degree in Economics and Commerce, and worked as University lecturer.

Born April, 11, 1958, in Moscow, Russian. Graduated from Moscow financial institute, faculty of the international economic relations.Member of the Board (Minister) at the Eurasian Economic Commission, responsible for the development of the integration and macroeconomics. The main objective of the Eurasian Economic Commission (permanent regulatory body of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), including Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia) is to ensure functioning and development of the EAEU, to prepare proposals for its further integration.Prior to her cabinet appointment (from the period of October 2001 till February 2012) Tatiana Valovaya was the Head of the Department of the International Cooperation of the Government of the Russian Federation. From 1989 to 1994 – member of the Permanent Mission of the USSRand the Permanent Mission of the Russian Federation to the European Union (Bruxelles), responsible for economic and monetary affaires. Later Valovaya hold different positions in the Ministries of the Russian Federation, in Administration of the President of the Russian Federation. Ph.D. in Economics, professor of the Financial University (Moscow). Author of numerous publications on international economic relations, regional economic and monetary integration, economics, and history of Europe and Eurasia.Fluent in English and French.

The Chairman of the Management Board manages the operations of the Bank and the Management Board in compliance with the Bank’s Charter. The Chairman of the Management Board is elected for four years. The Chairman is answerable to the Bank’s Board regarding resolutions, organization of the Bank’s activities and the Bank’s performance. The competences of the Chairman of the Management Board are specified in the Bank’s charter. Dmitry Pankin graduated from the Political Economy Department of the Leningrad State University named after Andrey Zhdanov, and is a candidate of economics. He had professional development courses at Bocconi University in Milan and the City University Business School in London. In 1999-2000, Dmitry Pankin headed a department at RAO UES of Russia. In 2000-2003, he chaired the Board at the St. Petersburg Bank for Reconstruction and Development. In 2004-2011, he worked as Deputy Director and then Director of the Department for International Financial Relations, Public Debt and Public Financial Assets at the Russian Ministry of Finance, and then as Deputy Minister of Finance. In 2011-2013, he headed the Federal Financial Markets Service of the Russian Federation. In 2013-2015, Dmitry Pankin was Deputy Minister of Finance of the Russian Federation. On 6 February 2015 he was appointed as the Chairman of the Management Board at EDB. Dmitry Pankin was awarded the Second Class Medal of the Order for Merit to the Fatherland in 2007 and the Order of Friendship in 2011, and received acknowledgement letters from the President and the Minister of Finance of the Russian Federation. Dmitry Pankin is an active First Class State Counsellor of the Russian Federation.

Philippe Pegorier has been President and General Director of Alstom Russia since January 2011. Alstom is a global leader in power generation, power transmission and rail infrastructure equipment and services. Mr. Pegorier started his career 30 years ago in Moscow after graduating from KEDGE Business School in Bordeaux. He subsequently held positions in the Ministry for the Economy and Finance of France in Paris, Teheran, Kiev and Moscow. He also served as diplomatic advisor to Christine Lagarde during her term as Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade of France. Philippe Pegorier holds the title of Knight of the Legion of Honour.

Date of birth − 19th of October, 1965 in the village Negliubka in Gomel region.Education: Vilnius Higher Command School of Electronics of Air Defence (1986), Military Institute (1992) and Academy of Public Administration under the Aegis of the President of the Republic of Belarus (1998).1986 - 1996 − service in the Armed Forces as an officer.1996 - 1999 − counsellor, senior counsellor, chief of the Treaty and Legal Department of the Minister for the Commonwealth of Independent States in the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus, then in the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus.1999 - 2001 − chief of the International Cooperation Department in the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus.2001 - February 2003 − deputy chief of the international cooperation and trade department - chief of the International Cooperation Department in the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus.February - August 2003 − deputy chief of Russia and the Union State Department in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus.August 2003 - December 2007 – counsellor of the Embassy of the Republic of Belarus in the Russian Federation.December 2007 - February 2008 − chief of Russia and the Union State Department in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus.February 2008 - September 2012 − First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus.10th of September, 2012 − the President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko appointed Igor Petrishenko Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Belarus in the Russian Federation.Diplomatic rank: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary.Foreign languages: English.Family status and children: married, one daughter.

Born in 1945 in Bronte (Italy). In 1964 graduated from a classic lyceum. In 1969, first graduated from faculty of Philology, and later in Economics and Commerce at University of Catania. From 1970 to 1989 he gave lectures at the Faculty of Economics and Commerce at Verona University. In 1995 he was accredited by the Central Bank of the Russian Federation as a Head of Moscow office of Banco Ambrosiano Veneto, which preceded Banca Intesa S.p.A. (today – the Intesa Sanpaolo Group). Since 2003 he is a President of the Banca Intesa Russia. From 2004 until 2008 was elected as a President of the Association of Italian Entrepreneurs “GIM-Unimpresa”, which includes about 150 Italian companies operating in Russia. He was awarded the Order of Friendship (Russian Federation, 2008), Star of Merit for Labour (Italian Republic, 2006) and by the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the Badge of Horner “for his valuable contribution to international collaboration” (2015). In 2007, he founded the association in Verona "Conoscere Eurasia" public, non-profit organization with the aim of developing and deepening cultural, social and economic relations between Italy and the Eurasian countries. In 2008 he received the honorary title of Doctor of Science conferred by the Plekhanov Russian University of Economics In May 2008 was appointed as an Honorary Consul of the Russian Federation in Verona. In 2012 was appointed as Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the first Russian-Italian private equity fund MIR Capital, established by Intesa Sanpaolo and Gazprombank. Speaks Russian, English and French. Married, has a son.

Alexander N. Shokhin was born 25 December, 1951. Graduated from the Moscow State University in 1974. Doctor of Economics, Professor. Twice, in 1991-1994 and in 1998, Mr. Shokhin held the post of Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation. In 1991-1994 he also held positions of Minister of Labor, Minister of Economics, Chairman of the Russian Agency for International Cooperation and Development. From 1994 to 2002 – Deputy of the State Duma, with the posts of First Vice Chairman of the State Duma, leader of the Duma party bloc 'Our Home is Russia', Head of the Duma Committee on Credit Institutions and Capital Markets. Since 1995 - President of the National Research University – Higher School of Economics. From 2002 to 2006 – Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Investment Group "Renaissance Capital". From 2005 to 2009 – member of the RF Public Chamber. Since 2005 – President of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs. Mr. Shokhin is a member of several deliberative bodies under the Russian President and Government. He is also an independent director on the Boards of several companies, including ALROSA, Russian Railways, TMK and others.

In 1972 Mr. Yakunin graduated from Leningrad Mechanical Institute. He holds a DSc in Political Science. He began his career as Junior Research Associate at the State Institute of Applied Chemistry. After serving in the Army, he worked as engineer and senior engineer at the State Committee for International Trade of the Council of Ministers and Head of the Foreign Relations Department at the Ioffe Physico-Technical Institute under the USSR Academy of Sciences. 1985 to 1991: in diplomatic service (Second and later First Secretary of the Diplomatic Mission of the USSR to the UN). In subsequent years, he was Head of the Government Accountability Office’s Northwest Region Inspectorate . From October 2000: Deputy Minister of Transport of the Russian Federation. From February 2002: First Deputy Minister of Railway Transport of Russian Federation From October 2003: Senior Vice-President of Russian Railways June 2005 to 2015: President of Russian Railways Mr. Yakunin is Chairman of the Board of Trustees, National Glory Centre and St. Andrew the Apostle Fund; Co-President of the Franco-Russian Dialogue Association; Head of the Public Politics Department in the Political Science, Faculty at Moscow State University; Visiting Professor at Stockholm School of Economics; Doctor Emeritus at the Diplomatic Academy under Russia’s MFA. He has received a Russian Government award for contribution to science and technology.