Programme

Dimitry Afanasiev is the Chairman and co-founding partner of Egorov Puginsky Afanasiev & Partners, the largest law firm in Russia and the CIS. Dimitry specializes in international corporate transactions, dispute resolution and public policy issues. He has represented the interests of the Russian Federation and leading multinational and Russian corporations, including Bank of New York Mellon, Telenor, BP, ТМК и Evraz. He is a board member of UC RUSAL, the world's largest aluminium company.Dimitry was named European Managing Partner of the Year at The Lawyer European Awards 2015. In 2010, the Financial Times listed Dimitry among the 10 most innovative lawyers in the world. In 2011, the “Russian Reporter” listed Dimitry in the top 10 of the most respected lawyers in Russia. Dimitry holds a state award as an Honoured Lawyer of the Russian Federation (2015). He was awarded by the Federal Chamber of Lawyers and received commendations from the President of the Russian Federation. He is recommended by Chambers Global, Chambers Europe, Legal 500 EMEA, IFLR 1000, Best Lawyers, Who’s Who Legal: CIS and other prominent legal guides as a leading practitioner in the areas of M&A and corporate law, dispute resolution, antitrust, banking and finance, investment, and restructuring/insolvency. Dimitry is a board member of Business Russia, an all-Russia public organization, a founding member of the Russian-American Business Council, a member of the Expert Council under the Presidential Commissioner for Entrepreneurs' Rights, and a member of the Russian Council for International Affairs, a foreign policy body established by the Russian President. He is the Chair of the Non-Profit Partnership for Advancement of Corporate Law, and a member of the Competition Support Association.

Boris Titov was born on December, 24, 1960 in Moscow. He is a graduate of the Moscow state institute for international relations in 1983. In 1983-1989 worked for the foreign trade association “Soyuznefteexport”. 1989-1991 – chemistry department chief at the soviet-dutch joint enterprise “Urals”. 1991-2012 - executive director of Solvalub group of companies. 2001-2002 – the president of the JSC “Agrochemical corporation “Azot”. 2006-2012 – chairman of board of directors, general director of “Abrau-Durso” wine producing company. 2000-2005 – member of the bureau of the board of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs. 2004-2012 – chairman of the All-Russia public organization “Delovaya Rossiya” (“Business Russia”). 2006-2009 – member of the Civic Chamber of the Russian Federation. In June 2012 was appointed the Presidential Commissioner for Entrepreneur’s rights. Member of the Presidential Economic Council since July 2012. In April 2014 was appointed the Chairman of the Russian part of the Russia-China Committee for Friendship, Peace and Development Elected as the chairman of board of directors of the Association of Managers of Russia (AMR) in September 2014 In February 2016 became the official leader of the political party “The party for growth” Awarded the Order for Merit to the Fatherland, I degree and the Stolypin Medal, II degree, Order of Honor of the Russian Federation, Chevalier of the Legion of honor

Dr. Ahn is former Chairman of the Presidential Regulatory Reform Committee (2010-2012). He is also Distinguished Professor of Graduate School of International Studies at Chung-Ang University. While on sabbatical from Chung-Ang University, he also served as the President of the Korea Institute for International Economic Policy (2002-2005); Chair of the APEC Economic Committee; Chair of Board, Choheung Bank; consultant to the World Bank; UNIDO Chief Technical Advisor to the Economic Planning Unit of Malaysia to design Malaysia's industrial master plan; and served as President of several academic societies in Korea including the Korea International Economics Association, Korean Association of Trade and Industry Studies, and the Korea Econometric Society. Dr. Ahn’s honors includes a commendation from the Minister of Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs for his work in advancing economic cooperation between Japan and Korea, the Economist of the Year Award from the Maeil Business Daily Newspaper in Korea, the Okita Policy Research Award by the National Institute for Research Advancement in Japan and Free Economy Publication Award by the Federation of Korean Industries.

In 1994, he graduated with academic distinction from the Krasnodar Highest Military School (Military Institute) named after General of the Army S.M. Shtemenko. In 1999, he graduated from the Moscow State Academy of Law named after O.E. Kutafin. In 1994-1996 he was a deputy chief of the custodial service at the Chkalovskiy garrison (special air division). In 1996-1999 – lawyer at TV-6 Media.In 1999-2000 – lawyer at the Alfa Bank.In 2001-2002 – head of the legal division at the Uniastrum Bank.In 2002-2003 – director of the legal department at the Uniastrum Bank. In 2003-2006 – Director General at the LLC “Uniastrum Consulting”. In 2006-2011 – President of the Executive office at the LLC “VBO Consulting”.In 2011-2013 – President of the LLC “VBO Consult”.In 2013-2014 – President of the Russian National Non-Governmental Organization for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses “OPORA RUSSIA”. Since 2014 until now – First Vice-President of the Russian National Non-Governmental Organization for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses “OPORA RUSSIA”. According to the Fund “Institute of Economic, Social and Political Studies”, he is at the top of the ISEPI-2016 List of the Most Promising Politicians and Public Figures in Russia.

He is a Class 2 Active State Advisor of the Russian Federation. He was born in 1956 in Moscow. In 1977, he graduated with honours from Omsk Higher Police School of the USSR Ministry of the Interior with a degree in law. He served continuously in various positions within internal affairs agencies from 1973 to 2001. In particular, he was deputy head of the Main Headquarters of the Russian Ministry of the Interior from 1997 to 1998; head of the Main Organisational and Inspection Department of the Russian Ministry of the Interior from 1998 to 1999; and Deputy Minister of the Interior of the Russian Federation from 1999 to 2001. From 2007 to 2011, he served as a deputy in the Legislative Assembly of the Tver Region of the 4th convocation. Since 2011, he has taught at the Moscow University of the Russian Ministry of the Interior as a professor in the Constitutional and Municipal Law Department. On June 16, 2012, he was appointed State Secretary and Deputy Minister of the Interior of the Russian Federation under a Decree of the Russian President. Zubov is a doctor of legal sciences, has received numerous awards, including the Order of Courage, and 15 medals.

1999 – Chairman of the Board of "Bashkir Commerce and Industry", non-profit organization.1999-2003 – Member Municipal Council of Sibay City, Сhairman of Social Affairs Committee.2003-2007 – Member of Parliament of the Republic of Bashkortostan – Kurultai.2004 – Chairman, Association of Business Organizations of the Republic of Bashkortostan.2005 – Head, "The Center of Strategic Development", the Republic of Bashkortostan Presidential Institution.2007-2011 – Member of Parliament of the Russian Federation, the 5th duma; First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Civil, Criminal, Arbitration and Procedural Legislation.2011-2014 – Adviser, Special Representative of the President of Bashkortostan, Russian Federation, on investment cooperation.Co-chairman of All-Russian Public Organization "Delovaya Rossia", responsible for business protection.Executive Cochairman of Public Procedures Centre "Business Against Corruption", Independent Noncommercial Organization.Awarded by the Certificate of Honor of the President of the Russian Federation, and the Certificate of Honor of the Government of the Russian Federation.

Andrew Somers has served as head of the American Chamber of Commerce in Russia (AmCham) since November 2000. Under his leadership, the Chamber has become the largest and most impactful foreign business advocacy organization in Russia, with over 700 member companies. As a result, the Chamber now has a leading role in providing concrete business recommendations to the Russian-American Presidential Bilateral Commission, established by Presidents Obama and Medvedev to stimulate solutions to obstacles to trade and to spur investment in both countries. In June 2011, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev presented Mr. Somers with the Order of Friendship, the highest Russian-state order that can be bestowed on a foreign citizen. Before heading AmCham, Mr. Somers was executive vice president, general counsel and member of the board of American Express TRS Company, which has operations in more than 70 countries and serves as the primary revenue contributor to the American Express Group of Companies. He was also special advisor to the American Express Company's chairman of the board. Prior to his career at American Express, he prosecuted white-collar crime as an assistant district attorney in Manhattan for four years.

Michael Harms began his professional career in 1993 as sales engineer at Philips Medical Systems in Hamburg and Moscow. After a stopover at the Liaison Office of German Business in Berlin in 2000 he was a member of the Management of the Committee on Eastern European Economic Relations and was responsible for the region of Southeast Europe. From 2001 - 2003 he additionally worked in Brussels as Executive Secretary of the Business Advisory Council for South Eastern Europe. Since 2007 he worked in Moscow as the Delegate of the German Industry and Chairman of the German-Russian Chamber of Commerce. From 2012 to 2016 Michael Harms was World spokesman of the network of German foreign chambers of commerce (AHK). Since April 1, 2016 Michael Harms is the Executive Director of the Committee on Eastern European Economic Relations in Berlin.

Ermakov Viktor – Ombudsman for SME Rights Protection, member of the Civic Chamber of Russian Federation. Russian Agency for Small and Medium Business Support, CEO 1979-1984 - The Volgograd Tractor Plant, chief engineer 1984-1991 - The All-Union Leninist Young Communist League party worker (department of scientific and technical creativity of youth) 1991-1993 - State Committee for Anti-Monopoly Policy and the Support of New Economic Structures, vice chairman 1993 to present - the association of Agencies for Small & Medium Business Support “RAZVITIE”, chairman of the board. The main achievement of this work was the establishing of the network of agencies for small and medium business support in 50 regions of Russian Federation. These agencies develop both regional and international cooperation between medium and small sized enterprises 2012 to present –Representative of the Russian Presidential Commission for Entrepreneur’s Rights or Ombudsman for SME Rights Protection Member of various state organizations, such as: State Council, Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation, Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, Agency for Strategic Initiatives He has received numerous awards for his work, including governmental and non-governmental ones.

<p> Born in Moscow, Russia on 27 August 1979.Graduated from the State University “Higher School of Economics”, Diploma in Economy and Business Administration.Since 1995 in Healthcare and Pharmaceutics.R-Pharm Founder. President of All-Russia Business Association “Delovaya Rossiya” (“Business Russia”), actively participating in the improvement of investment climate in the Russian Federation and the establishment of the regional investment standard.Member of the Economic Council under the President of the Russian Federation.Member of the Presidential Council for Priority National Projects and Demographic Policy.Member of the Expert Council under the Government of the Russian Federation. Member of the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation, Head of Commission on Investment Climate.Representative (public ombudsman) of the Commissioner of the Presidential Council on the protection of the rights of entrepreneurs on issues related to the protection of the rights of foreign investors.Board-member and Co-chairman of Committee of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs on pharmaceutical and medical industry.Co-Chairman of the National Rating CommitteeMember of the Public Council under the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation (pharmaceutical, medical equipment and technologies).Member of the Supervisory Board of the Autonomous Nonprofit Organization "Agency for Strategic Initiatives". </p>

Yana Yakovleva is the founder of Business Solidarity and NGO dedicated to protecting business against law enforcement abuse. Lobbying from Business Solidarity has led to several criminal case dismissals and proposed changes to the criminal code to protect those accused of white-collar crimes. She is also the co-founder of Sofex, a distributor and producer of silicones for construction, oil and gas and pulp and paper industry. Ms. Yakovleva has written columns for several leading business newspapers, such as Vedomosti and Forbes. She participates in economic forums, conferences, television and radio broadcasts on isssues of law enforcement abuse against businesses. She was born in Moscow and graduated from the Moscow Institute of Electronics and Mathematics in 1993.