Programme

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.

Timothy J. Colton is Morris and Anna Feldberg Professor of Government and Russian Studies and Chair of the Department of Government at Harvard University. His research interests include Russian and post-Soviet government and politics. He is the author of The Dilemma of Reform in the Soviet Union (1986); Moscow: Governing the Socialist Metropolis (1995), which was named best scholarly book in government and political science by the Association of American Publishers; Transitional Citizens: Voters and What Influences Them in the New Russia (2000); Popular Choice and Managed Democracy: The Russian Elections of 1999 and 2000 (with Michael McFaul, 2003); and Yeltsin: A Life (Basic Books, 2008), which came out in a Russian edition in 2013. He is currently working on a the Russia book in the Oxford University Press “What Everyone Needs to Know Series” and on a study of Russia’s relations with its neighbors, and is co-chair of the Working Group on the Future of U.S.-Russia Relations, funded by the Carnegie Corporation and the Higher School of Economics, Moscow. He was a Fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, a member of the Joint Committee on Soviet Studies of the Social Science Research Council and the American Council of Learned Societies, and Vice Chairman of the National Council for East European, Russian, and Eurasian Research. He is a member of the editorial board of World Politics and Post-Soviet Affairs.

Diploma in Economics, Moscow State University named after M. Lomonosov. In 1992 Yaroslav Kuzminov and Evgeny Yasin came forward with the project of a new type of university specializing in Economics. In 2011 Y. Kuzminov headed the Expert Group “Labor market, Professional Education, and Migration Policy” in the framework of the development of the Russian Federation “Strategy 2020”. Yaroslav Kuzminov is Deputy Head of the National Coordination Council for Supporting Young Gifted People; member of presidium of Presidential Economic Council; member the Presidential Commission on for Civil Service and Management Personnel Pool established; member of the Government Commission for the Coordination of the Open Government; member of the Government Commission on Economic Development and Integration et etc. Professor Kuzminov is an author of more than 100 academic works published in Russia and abroad, and a co-author of over 10 monographs and textbooks. He has been also regularly writing for leading Russian and foreign periodicals. By decrees of the President of the Russian Federation Y. Kuzminov has been awarded the Order For Merit to the Fatherland (2012) of the IV class and the Order of Honour (2002).

David Owen is the CEO of Deloitte CIS. David has over twenty years of experience in Consulting with Deloitte in South Africa and the UK. Prior to this he gained nine years’ experience in industry. Since joining Deloitte he has been involved in some of the firm’s most prestigious and important clients as a Consulting Partner, bringing multidisciplinary solutions to a range of leading international companies and public sector organisations. He joined Deloitte in South Africa in 1987, becoming a Partner in 1990 and then transferred back to the UK firm in 1994. He has held a number of leadership roles in the firm, taking responsibility for the Manufacturing industry programme in Consulting in the UK from 1996, then assuming full leadership of the UK Consulting division in 2000. In 2011 David left the UK to become Deloitte CIS CEO. He is a graduate of London University. David is married with four children.

Maxim Topilin, Minister of Labour and Social Protection of the Russian Federation From 1988 to 1994, engaged in scientific research. Since 1994, various posts in Russian Government Office. In 2001, appointed Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Protection of the Russian Federation. Supervised the issues of employment and human resources development. In 2004, appointed Head of the newly formed Federal Service for Labour and Employment. In 2008, appointed Deputy Minister of Health and Social Development of the Russian Federation. Нe was responsible for issues of national labour market policy, and social and demographic policy. One of Mr. Topilin’s successful projects was the development of anti-crisis measures for the labour market during the economic crisis of 2008-2010. Moreover, family social support measures taken at that time improved the demographic situation in the country. Mr. Topilin directly participated in the development of the 2011-2015 state programme "Friendly environment" aimed at the improvement of the quality of life for people with disabilities. On 21 May, 2012, Mr. Topilin was appointed Minister of Labour and Social Protection of the Russian Federation. The following issues fall within his competence: labour-management relations, employment, demographic policy, social protection, social security, including retirement security, and state civil service.

Born on July 17, 1949, in Leningrad (now St Petersburg). 1971 – graduated from Zhdanov Leningrad State University; Doctor of Physics and Mathematics. 1971-1991 – junior researcher, laboratory head, deputy director for research, leading researcher at the Ioffe Physical Technical Institute of the Soviet Academy of Sciences, Leningrad. 1991-1993 – Vice President of Advanced Technology Centre, St Petersburg. 1994-2001 – Director of Regional Foundation for Scientific and Technological Development, St Petersburg. From 2000 – Chairman of the Academic Council of the Centre for Strategic Research North-West Foundation. 2001-2002 – Deputy Minister of Industry, Science and Technology of the Russian Federation. From June 2002 – First Deputy Minister of Industry, Science and Technology of the Russian Federation. From December 2003 – Acting Minister of Industry, Science and Technology of the Russian Federation. March 9, 2004 – appointed Minister of Education and Science of the Russian Federation. Since May 21, 2012 – Aide to the President of the Russian Federation. State award – Honorary Diploma of the Government of the Russian Federation.

EDUCATION DEC. 2000 – DEC. 2003: Doctor of Philosophy in East European History, University of Cologne OCT. 1992 – SEPT. 1993: London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), Master of Science (Econ) APR. 1989 – SEPT. 1992: Studies at the University of Cologne and at the Volgograd State University, USSR CAREER OVERVIEW JUN. 2007 – PRESENT: Chief Executive Officer, Association of European Businesses in the Russian Federation (AEB) JUL. 2001 – JUN. 2007: Advisor, Foreign Policy to the Party Executive of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD), Berlin OCT. 2001 – APR. 2005: Lecturer, Institute for East European Studies, Free University, Berlin JULY 1999 – JUNE 2001: International Secretary, Young Socialists, Bonn/ Berlin DEC. 1998 – DEC. 2003: Chairman, German Youth Council (DNK) JULY 1996 – JUNE 1999: Managing Director, Social Democratic Youth Organisation in the Rhineland, Cologne SEPT. 1995 – AUG. 1996 Research in the Russian Archives, Moscow MAY 1995 – MAY 1996 Project Manager, Association for Social Security Policy and Research (GVG), Cologne APR. 1994 – MAY 1995 Clerk, City Administration of Cologne PUBLICATIONS Monography and articles