Programme

Herman Gref was born on February 8, 1964, in the village of Panfilovo, Irtysh District, in the Pavlodar Region of the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic. 1990: graduated from the Law Faculty at Omsk State University, specializing in Jurisprudence. He also holds a PhD in Economics. 1991–1992: legal counsel, category 1, for the Committee for Economic Development and Property of the Administration for Petrodvorets and St. Petersburg. 1992: appointed head of the Petrodvorets District Agency of the Committee for the Management of Municipal Property, St. Petersburg Mayor’s Office. 1992–1994: Chairman of the Property Management Committee, Deputy Head of Petrodvorets Administration. 1994: became Vice-Chairman and then Senior Vice-Chairman of the Committee for the Management of Municipal Property, St. Petersburg Mayor’s Office. 1997–1998: Deputy Governor, Chairman of the Committee for the Management of Municipal Property, St. Petersburg Mayor’s Office. 1998–2000: Senior Deputy Minister for State Property of the Russian Federation. 2000–2007: Minister for Economic Development and Trade of the Russian Federation. Since November 2007: CEO and Chairman of the Executive Board of OAO Sberbank of Russia. Awarded orders “For Merit to the Fatherland”, 3rd and 4th degrees, Order of Honour, order of Alexander Nevsky, the P.A. Stolypin medal, 2nd degree, the order of Faithful Saint Prince Daniil Moskovsky, 1st degree, the Certificate of Merit and Gratitude from the President of the Russian Federation. He was awarded the highest French distinction, and was made an Officer of the Légion d'honneur. For special achievements in the banking sector and his personal contribution to the development of Sberbank, he was awarded the Golden Sign of Sberbank of Russia.

Alexey Kudrin is currently Dean of School of Liberal Arts and Sciences of St. Petersburg State University. Since May 2000 till September 2011 he served as Finance Minister of Russia. His financial policies received international recognition; he was named "Finance Minister of the Year 2004" by The Banker magazine and "Finance Minister of the Year 2010" by Euromoney magazine. In years 2000-2003 and 2008-2011 Alexei Kudrin also held the post of Deputy Prime-Minister. In 2005 he was awarded the Order of Merit for the Fatherland.Before joining the government, Alexei Kudrin worked for Saint-Petersburg City government, holding positions of Deputy Mayor of St. Petersburg and Chairman of the Committee for Economy and Finances.Alexei Kudrin has academic degree of Candidate of Economic Sciences (PhD in Economics). He is professor, author of more than 30 research papers and articles on economics and finance, delivering lectures in many universities and colleges around the globe and providing his expertise to the government of Russia.

Born January 4, 1967, in Bilibino, Magadan Region. 1993: graduated from the Law Faculty of Moscow State University with a degree in jurisprudence. 1984–1985: laboratory assistant at the EKOS Scientific Research Institute. 1985–1987: served in the Soviet Army. 1993: attaché of the Law Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation. 1993–1995: senior legal adviser at ALM Consulting. 1995: Director, ALM Law Office. 1997: Head of Department of the State Register of Federal Property, State Committee of the Russian Federation for State Property Management. 1998: Deputy Minister for State Property of the Russian Federation. 1998–2000: Chairman, Russian Federal Property Fund. 2000–2003: Chief of the Government Staff in the rank of Minister. 2003: Aide to the President of the Russian Federation. 2003–2004:Deputy Head of Administration of the President of the Russian Federation. 2004: Aide to the President of the Russian Federation. 2005: Russian Sherpa in the G8. 2008: First Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation. Married with two sons and two daughters.