Programme

Russia has identified ten key areas for national economic growth, and growth of the small and medium-sized enterprise segment is one of the priorities. The target for the share of small businesses in the economy by 2025 is set at 40%. Over the past years, a number of incentives for entrepreneurship have been designed and introduced, including tax holidays, support programmes, access to procurement initiatives, loans at preferential rates, etc. How can these results be achieved? What measures, within the framework of existing tools, can be used to make business more attractive? Can international experience of promoting entrepreneurship be applied in Russia?

Moderator
Alexey Bobrovsky, Head of the Economic Programme, Russia 24 TV Channel

Alexey Bobrovsky

Head of the Economic Programme, Russia 24 TV Channel

Alexey Bobrovsky was born on 15 August 1981. In 2002, he graduated from the Journalism Department of the Modern University for the Humanities in Moscow. He has worked as reporter and host on the TV-Centre Channel, Channel 1, Radio Station Business-FM. Since 2009, he has authored and presented the Kurs Dnya [Daily Rate of Exchange] on the Russia-24 TV Channel, Head of the Channel’s Service of Economic News. He is Editor-in-Chief of the Internet site Vestifinance.ru. Since 2016, he has been General Producer of Vestfinance Forum – a new interactive platform, featuring Andrey Klepach, Boris Titov, Alexander Novak, Ksenia Yudaeva and other authoritative economic experts.

Panellists
Anatoly Aksakov, Chairman of the Committee on Financial Markets, State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation; Chairman, Association of Russian Banks
Alexander Braverman, Member of the Board of Directors, Chief Executive Officer, Chairman of the Management Board, SME Corporation
Alexander Bragin, Director, Analytical Centre "Forum"
Markus Jerger, Chief Executive Officer, German Association for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses
Alexander Kalinin, President, All-Russian Non-Governmental Organization of Small and Medium-Sized Businesses OPORA RUSSIA
Anatoly Popov, Senior Vice President, Head of Corporate Business Block, Sberbank
Elena Sapozhnikova, Partner, Executive Director, Investment Group UCP
Vittorio Torrembini, Vice President, Association of Italian Entrepreneurs in Russia "GIM Unimpresa"
Vasiliy Shvets, Deputy Governor, Administration of the Krasnodar Region

Anatoly Aksakov

Chairman of the Committee on Financial Markets, State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation; Chairman, Association of Russian Banks

A.G. Aksakov was born on November 28, 1957 in the village Ermolaevo of Kumertausky district in Bashkir Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. In 1975 he graduated from high school of the village Vilino Bakhchisaraysky district of the Crimean region.
For two years he worked in a factory.

In 1983 he graduated from the Lomonosov Moscow State University. In 2005 he graduated from the Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation.

Since 1986 worked as a lecturer at Chuvash State University.

In 1994-1995 - Deputy of the State Council of Chuvash Republic. In 1994-1997 - Deputy Director of Institute of Economics, Finance and Law (Cheboksary).

In 1995-1997 - Director of the Cheboksary branches of the Moscow commercial banks.

In 1997 - Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers - Minister of Economy of the Chuvash Republic..

Since 1999 - Deputy of the State Duma of the Russian Federation of the third, forth,sixth and seventh convocation of the Cheboksary single member electoral district. Worked as Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Economic Policy and Entrepreneurship and
Deputy Chairman of Credit Organizations and Financial Markets Committee.

Since April, 2015 - Chairman of the Committee on Economic Policy, Innovation Development and Entrepreneurship.
Since 2016 - Chairman of the Financial Market Committee.
Since 2002-2009 member of the National Banking Council of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation.
Since 2016 - Member of the National Financial Council of the Bank of Russia.
Since 2006 - President of the Association of Regional Banks of Russia.
Since 2017 - Chairman of the Board of the Association of Banks of Russia (Association "Russia").

He was awarded the Order of Merit for the Fatherland of the IV degree, the medals of the Order of Merit for the Fatherland of the I and II degrees, the certificate of honor of the President of Russia, the Certificate of Honor and the honorary mark of the State Duma of the Russian Federation "For Merits in the Development of Legislation and Russian Parliamentarism", medal of the Peter Stolypin, honored with Commendations of the President of Russia and Prime Minister of the Russian Federation.

Author of about one hundred laws on the socio-economic development of the country.

Alexander Braverman

Member of the Board of Directors, Chief Executive Officer, Chairman of the Management Board, SME Corporation

Mr. Braverman was born on May 1, 1954. He graduated from Kharkiv Engineering and Economics Institute and completed graduate studies at Lomonosov Moscow State Institute of Fine Chemical Technologies. He is a Doctor of Economic Sciences and a professor. 1995–1997 – He served as president of the Russian Marketing Association. 1997–1999 – He was Deputy Chairman of the State Property Committee of the Russian Federation and then First Deputy Minister of State Property of the Russian Federation as well as acting Minister of State Property of the Russian Federation. 1999–2000 – He served as president of the Russian Marketing Association. 2000–2004 – He was Deputy Minister of Property Relations of the Russian Federation and a State Secretary. 2006–2008 – He served as Chairman of the Committee for the Development of an Affordable Housing Market under the Russian Presidential Council for the Implementation of Priority National Projects and the Demographic Policy. August 2008 – Under Order No. 1145-r of Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, he was appointed Director General of the Russian Housing Development Foundation.On Oct the 2nd 2015 A. Braverman was appointed as General Director of Joint-stock company «Russian Small and Medium Business Corporation» (JSC «RSMB Corporation» ). From October 12, 2015 he is a member of the Board of Directors of JSC «RSMB Corporation» ex officio.

Alexander Bragin

Director, Analytical Centre "Forum"

Markus Jerger

Chief Executive Officer, German Association for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses

Prof. Markus Jerger is the CEO of BVMW, the German Association for Small and Medium Businesses, which brings together more than 800,000 companies from all business sectors, ranging from 1 employee to 120,000 employees. He was born in Switzerland in the canton of Zurich in 1964. He graduated from the Economics Faculty of the University of Munich, further MBA in England. He received extensive experience in real estate, construction, investment management, working in the family business. Worked in the leadership of the International Olympic Committee, implementing construction and other projects for the Olympic Games. Worked with Kempinski Hotel Group. In addition, since 2007, for 6 years, was a member of the Supervisory Board of Colony Capital, one of the largest financial services providers in Switzerland. He speaks four languages.

Alexander Kalinin

President, All-Russian Non-Governmental Organization of Small and Medium-Sized Businesses OPORA RUSSIA

Born on November 4, 1966 in the city of Chelyabinsk.
In 1989 graduated with honors from the Chelyabinsk Polytechnic Institute, specialization in robototronics, diploma qualification in electrical engineering.
From 1989 to 1991 has undertaken postgraduate training program at the Department of Engineering Economics of the Chelyabinsk Polytechnic Institute.
In 1991 founded a wholesale and retail company engaged in export and import operations. Fluent in spoken English.
In 1995-1998 has graduated from the Ural Academy of Public Administration with a degree in law.
In 1998 invested in the creation of a manufacturing company. The company designs and manufactures motor control centers, co-author of an invention patent.
In 2002 became a founding member of All-Russian Non-Governmental Organization of Small and Medium Business “OPORA RUSSIA”.
In 2005 was elected Chairman of the Chelyabinsk regional office of “OPORA RUSSIA”.
In 2007 was elected to the Board of “OPORA RUSSIA”.
In 2012 was elected first Vice-President of “OPORA RUSSIA” on energy, infrastructure and cluster policy.
Since 2013 – member of the Government Commission on Electric Power Development.
In 2013 was elected Co-Chairman of the Staff of the Chelyabinsk regional branch of the All-Russian Public Movement “People's Front” for Russia!”
Since 2014 – member of the Board of Directors of JSC “ROSSETI” (June 2014), member of the Board of Directors of RAO “UES” (August 2014).
October 29, 2014 was elected President of All-Russian Non-Governmental Organization of Small and Medium Business “OPORA RUSSIA” and Non-Profit Partnership “OPORA”
Awarded with certificates of acknowledgement of the Presidential Administration, Government of the Russian Federation, Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation, Governor of the Chelyabinsk Region, Legislative Assembly of the Chelyabinsk region.

Elena Sapozhnikova

Partner, Executive Director, Investment Group UCP

Vittorio Torrembini

Vice President, Association of Italian Entrepreneurs in Russia "GIM Unimpresa"

In 1989, after graduating, moved to Moscow, where he works to this day. His experience in Russia began with the position of Business Development Director of a big Italian company selling woodworking machines. During that period, he got to know and visited most regions of Russia and former Soviet republics. In 1998, he founded a consultancy for business development and operations support. Among its clients were Rizzani De Eccher (building contractor), Parmalat and other production and corporations and companies specialising in hydrocarbon technologies.1998 to 2000: President of GIM-Unimpresa, the Association of Italian Entrepreneurs in Moscow.
2008: President of this Association and since 2014 he has been its Vice President. 2005: his consulting activity evolves into temporary manager services, (Start-UP). Among the companies that used these services are SEST SpA from the city of Belluno, a manufacturer of heat exchangers for refrigerated cases (a new 8,500-sqm start-up), MONDIALGROUP from Casale Monferrato (AL), a manufacturer of industrial refrigerators with an autonomous generator ( the industrial facility has an area of 15,000 sq m), FENZI ALUPRO Corp., manufacturing aluminium shapes and special putty for glass chambers (an area of 8,500 sq m). He is a champion and connoisseur of Special Economic Zones, such as the Lipetsk Zone, where he was appointed Honourary Consul of the Italian Republic. He also advises such important Italian companies as BUZZI UNICEM Group (cement production), ZAMPERLA (attraction equipment production), CLIVET (ventilation equipment manufacturing), and others.

Front row participant
Victoria Tishina, Individual Entrepreneur