Programme

He is a graduate of Bucknell University and Stanford University School of Law. He has been a member of the Stanford Law School Advisory Council and sits on a number of corporate boards. He is also an arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association, U.S. Olympic Sports, and is a Fellow of the College of Commercial Arbitrators. He is a resident of Nevada, and has offices in Los Angeles, California, St. Petersburg, Russia and elsewhere.

Merab Ben-El (Elashvili) was elected as President and Chairman of Russian Franchise Association Board in 2010. He was born on June 9, 1974 in Georgia, graduated from Faculty of Economics with specialization as Economist and Manager. In 2005 he was granted a Diploma of Law Institute under Moscow Economics and Law Academy. In 1997 M. Ben-El (Elashvili) founded Brothers & Company, which became exclusive franchisee of Sbarro Holdings in Russia, and 27 countries of the world. Today more than 170 restaurants operate in Russia, CIS countries, and Europe, among them Sbarro, Eastern Bazaar, Viaggio, Bash-na-Bash, and Coffee100. In 2007 he founded and headed G.M.R. Planet of Hospitality Management Company that combined all the brands. In 2004 M.Ben-El (Elashvili) entered 1000 The Most Professional Russian Managers rating, and also he entered The Most Professional Careers in Business and Authority for 2000-2004 rating, which were organized by Managers Association. As for business activity, Merab Ben-El (Elashvili) is interested in hospitality industry (hotels, restaurants, and cafes), production, distribution, real estate, services and quality services, agro-industrial production. Merab is Board Member and Chairman of Franchising Committee of OPORA ROSSII organization; Member of Moscow International Business Association, Russian and Moscow Chambers of Commerce and Industry. He is Member of Coordination Council for Federation of Restaurateurs and Hoteliers. Since 2010 Merab is on the board for the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs.

Mechanical Engineer from İstanbul Technical Uni. (1980), Diplom Ingenieur from RWTH Aachen, Germany (1983), International Manager from İstanbul Uni. (1991), speaking turkish, german and english. 1984-86 Engineer in automotive industry (Parsan, Mercedes Turkey). 1986-97 Manager in food industry, production (Ferrero), import, export, distribution, retail chain (BIM), pizza chain, bottling masterfranchise (Capri Sun) in Turkey. 2001-03 Managing Partner of Cafe Algida in İstanbul. 1994-cont. Founder and Managing Partner by water and geothermal research and drilling, child development videos, business development (Fiyo), real estate & site selection (RE&SS). 1994-cont. Founder and Managing Partner of Franchise & More. F&M is the leading franchise consultants and brokers network in Turkey with franchisees in several cities, which found, consult, audit, train and sell franchise brands, coach franchisees. 1998-cont. Founder and Tutor of Franchise Academy and Seminars in Turkey. 1991-cont. Founder and Board Member of UFRAD (Franchise Association of Turkey). 1992-cont. Columnist in several newspapers and magazins, interviews in newspapers, magazines, radios and TV channels.

President of the East Europe Franchise Association, President of the Humanitarian Centre. Has a Masters in banking management, has worked in Ukraine, Poland and the USA, has published academic papers, has submitted a Candidate’s dissertation in finance, money turnover and credit on the topic Bank Financing of Franchising, teaches courses on money and credit and banking operations at the Kyiv National Economic University, and has previously taught at the Kyiv Industrial College, the Ukraine Institute for Training State Employment Service Staff, and the Academy of Labour and Social Relations. Has taught for 16 years. Holds a number of public posts in advisory and consultative bodies serving government bodies. Recipient of state and public awards and badges.

Alexey Likhachev was born on the 23rd of December, 1962, in Arzamas-75 (Sarov). 1985: the Lobachevsky State University of Gorky, the Radiophysical Department. 1998: Ph.D. in Economics, the Lobachevsky State University of Gorky. 1985 – 1987: Engineer at the Gorky Research Institute of Instrument Engineering. 1987 - 1988: Secretary of the Youth League Committee at the Gorky Research Institute. 1988 – 1992: the Second Secretary, the First Secretary, the Secretary of the Gorky Youth League Committee. 1992 – 2000: Director of Aval, Social and Industrial Insurance Company, Nizhni Novgorod. 2000 – 2007: State Duma Deputy of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, a committee member, Deputy Chairperson of the State Duma Committee of the RF for economic policy, business and tourism. 2007 – 2008: Councilor to the Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation. 2008 – 2010: Director of the Joint Department of Analysis and Regulation of Foreign Economic Activity at the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation. 2010 – 2015: Deputy Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation. Since 13 February, 2015, A. Likhachev held the position of the First Deputy Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation. Since 5 October, 2016, Alexey Likhachev held the position of the Director General of ROSATOM.

Born in Moscow in 1958. Married with three children. Graduated with honours from the Moscow Institute of Economics and Statistics (MESI) with a degree in Automated Control System in 1980. Holds a PhD in Economics, dissertation on the automation of system design for computer processing of economic information. Worked at MESI as an engineer since 1980, then started working as a junior researcher. Worked at the Scientific Research and Design Institute for Industrial Technology of the Central Statistical Administration of the USSR (now Statinform of the Federal State Statistics Service) as a senior researcher, sector manager, department manager and head engineer since 1987. Headed up 1C Company, which specialized in the development, distribution and support for computer programs, in 1991. 1C is most famous for 1C:Enterprise programs, which are used by millions of employees in commercial and public organizations every day in order to increase management and accounting. The company is also famous for products developed for home computers and the sphere of education. 1C:Enterprise includes integrated ERP-class solutions for asset management of industrial, commercial and service organizations; products for financial management and accounting of holding companies and individual organizations; products for the organization of electronic document management, electronic document exchange between organizations and delivery of electronic reporting to regulatory authorities; payroll and personnel management; for the automation of state and municipal agencies; and a variety of industry-specific solutions developed by 1C, its partners and independent organizations. Since 2013, 1C has been included in the Forbes Russia’s 200 largest private companies rating.

Osipova Agnessa was born on July 26, 1971, in Moscow. 1994, graduated summa cum laude from Moscow Medical Stomatology Institute named after Semashko. 2001, thesis defense resulting in Candidate of Sciences in Medicine. Since 2009, is the General Director of CJSC BRPI (Baskin-Robbins).

Mark started his career with Hilton Hotels in supply chain before joining Pepsi to head up the equipment supply for Pizza Hut and KFC across Europe, Africa and the Middle East. He worked in Asia to set up the supply chain for the franchisees across that region before moving to Poland to lead the supply chain business for all food and packaging. He returned to the European Head Office to hold various geographic Director positions before becoming COO for the Yum Franchise Business in Europe in 2007. Mark led the business for over 3 years leading over 1000 franchise stores across 27 countries for the Pizza Hut, KFC and Taco Bell brands. Mark joined Sbarro in June 2010 as VP International to help grow the business across all markets outside the US. With Sbarro he is launching the brand through franchise partners in India, Brazil and China while supporting Sbarro in Russia to develop it's strategic vision and help it double it's business size over the next 3 years. Mark currently sits as on the Advisory Board on the Central European Franchise Association as is also on the Advisory Board of Isis Search, a leading niche Recruitment Agency in London.

<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>

Jack Earle is Chairman of the International Franchise Association. He heads Earle Enterprises, LP and is a franchisee of McDonald’s restaurants in Southeastern Pennsylvania and Southern New Jersey. He joined the system in 1983 and has served in a variety of leadership positions during his franchising career, which spans more than two decades. Earle served as chairman of IFA’s Franchisee Forum. Currently he is a board member of the McDonald’s Political Action Committee and an Executive Committee member of the company’s Regional Leadership Council for the Philadelphia Region. In past years, he served as secretary-treasurer, partners brands chairman for the National Leadership Council, as well as vice president of the region’s advertising cooperative. Earle has also been treasurer and member of the Philadelphia Ronald McDonald House board of directors. Prior to joining McDonald’s, he was vice president, national lending division head of Fidelity Bank in Philadelphia.