Programme

Born 1954, M.Sc. (Soc.Sc.). From 2009 to 2012, Mr. Esko Aho was the Executive Vice President of Corporate Relations and Responsibility at Nokia Corporation. Before joining Nokia Mr. Aho served as a member of Finnish parliament for 20 years, from 1983. Mr. Aho has enjoyed a distinguished career, including the post of Prime Minister of Finland from 1991 to 1995. In 2000 he joined the Harvard University as a lecturing professor. Following the retirement from the Finnish Parliament, Esko Aho worked as a private consultant. In July 2004 he was appointed President of the Finnish Innovation Fund, SITRA. Currently, Mr. Aho is board member of the Board of the Skolkovo Foundation and Chairman of the Industrial Advisory Board of the Skolkovo Foundation since 2012. Mr. Aho is an invited member of the Club de Madrid, an independent organization of former heads of state and government dedicated to strengthening democracy. Mr. Aho is also visiting lecturer at Beijing University and Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy. In 2013 Mr. Aho was appointed as an Executive Chairman of East Office of Finnish Industries representing the leading Finnish corporations in Russia. He was also appointed to head the Business Team for Russia – the cooperation venture of the Finnish-Russian Chamber of Commerce, East Office and the Confederation of Finnish Industries EK’s Russia functions.

In 1972 Mr. Yakunin graduated from Leningrad Mechanical Institute. He holds a DSc in Political Science. He began his career as Junior Research Associate at the State Institute of Applied Chemistry. After serving in the Army, he worked as engineer and senior engineer at the State Committee for International Trade of the Council of Ministers and Head of the Foreign Relations Department at the Ioffe Physico-Technical Institute under the USSR Academy of Sciences. 1985 to 1991: in diplomatic service (Second and later First Secretary of the Diplomatic Mission of the USSR to the UN). In subsequent years, he was Head of the Government Accountability Office’s Northwest Region Inspectorate . From October 2000: Deputy Minister of Transport of the Russian Federation. From February 2002: First Deputy Minister of Railway Transport of Russian Federation From October 2003: Senior Vice-President of Russian Railways June 2005 to 2015: President of Russian Railways Mr. Yakunin is Chairman of the Board of Trustees, National Glory Centre and St. Andrew the Apostle Fund; Co-President of the Franco-Russian Dialogue Association; Head of the Public Politics Department in the Political Science, Faculty at Moscow State University; Visiting Professor at Stockholm School of Economics; Doctor Emeritus at the Diplomatic Academy under Russia’s MFA. He has received a Russian Government award for contribution to science and technology.

Mikael Aro, 48 years, eMBA, has been working in his present position in VR Group since 2009. From 2001 to 2009 he worked in various positions in Carlsberg Group, including work as Senior Vice President, Northern Europe, Carlsberg Breweries AS for years 2007-2009 and CEO of Finnish beer brewery Sinebrychoff for years 2005-2009. He also holds numerous positions of trust as board chairman or board member in many companies and corporations. He is married and has three children.

Born on November 1, 1964 in the Dzhambul Region, Kazakhstan, Alexander Drozdenko graduated from Leningrad Agriculture Institute in 1986 with a degree in the economics and organization of agriculture. He obtained a PhD in Economics in 2007. Between 1988 and 2002, he worked in various positions in the Kingisepp District of the Leningrad Region. In November 2002, Alexander Drozdenko was invited to join the Government of the Leningrad Region and appointed as the Region’s Deputy Governor and Chairman of the Leningrad Region Committee on State Property Management. In May 2012, the Legislative Assembly of the Leningrad Region, on the recommendation of the President of the Russian Federation, elected Drozdenko as Governor of the Leningrad Region. He was inaugurated on May 28, 2012. On May 12, 2015, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree “On the Early Termination of the Powers of the Governor of the Leningrad Region.” Alexander Drozdenko has been appointed acting Governor of the Leningrad Region.

Born 1974, M.Sc. (Eng.), B.Sc. (Econ.). Mr. Kari Kauniskangas was appointed YIT’s President and CEO in early 2013. Prior to that he served as Business Segment Director of International Operations since the start of 2008. He came to YIT in 1997, working as a site engineer and quality and development engineer until 2000. In 2000-2001, he worked for Sonera Living Oy as chief of a product group. Mr. Kauniskangas was director of the Oulu House Building unit of YIT Construction up to 2005, and director of the Business Premises Division until the end of 2007.

Born 1947, M.Sc. (Eng.) Primary working experience: SRV Group Ltd, Managing Director (1987-2000). Perusyhtymä Ltd, Director (1974-1987). Other positions of trust: Confederation of Finnish Industries, Chairman of the Board (2013-2014). Pontos Oy, Chairman of the Board (2001-). Kesko Corporation, Board member (2006-2015). Former positions of trust: The Finnish-Russian Chamber of Commerce SVKK, Vice Chairman (2006-2012), Chairman of the Board (2012-2013).

Mr Tapio Kuula is President and CEO of Fortum Corporation since May 2009. He joined Fortum in 1996 and has been a member of the Management Team since 1997. Tapio Kuula holds a Master's degree both in electrical engineering and economics. He is Dr.h.c. from Lappeenranta University of Technology. His earlier positions are within forest industry and managing director positions of several utility companies. He is the Chairman of the Board of OAO Fortum, Deputy Chairman of the Board of East Office of Finnish Industries, member of the Board of Finnish-Russian Chamber of Commerce and member of the Board of EURELECTRIC. He is the Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Varma Mutual Insurance Company and member of the Supervisory Board of Finnish Fair Corporation. He is Co-chairman of Northern Dimension Business Council. He has been the Chairman/Vice Chairman of the Boards of several power and heat and distribution companies in Finland, Sweden, Russia, Germany and the UK.

Born in 1965, Alexey Mordashov has been working for Severstal since 1988. He started his career as a senior economist, becoming Chief Financial Officer in 1992. In December 1996, he was appointed as Severstal’s Chief Executive Officer. Between 2002 and 2006 he served as CEO of Severstal Group and was Chairman of Severstal’s Board of Directors. Since the introduction of the new structure of corporate governance in December 2006 Mr. Mordashov has been CEO of Severstal. From December 2014 till June 2015 Alexey served as CEO of AO "Severstal Management" - managing organization of PAO Severstal. In May he was elected as Chairman of Severstal’s Board of Directors. Vice-Chairman of World Steel Association. Head of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs’ Committee on Integration, Trade and Customs Policy and WTO. Serves on the Entrepreneurial Council of the Government of Russian Federation. Co-chairman of the “Trade as a Global Driver” Taskforce of the “Business 20” of “Group of Twenty”. Co-chairman of the Northern Dimension Business Council. Vice-President of Russian-German chamber of commerce, member of the Russian-German workgroup responsible for strategic economic and finance issues. Member of the EU-Russia Business Cooperation Council. Alexey earned his undergraduate degree from the Leningrad Institute of Engineering and Economics. He also holds an MBA degree from Newcastle Business School of Northumbria University (UK).

Родился 26 апреля 1965 в г. Лиепая, Латвийская ССР. Born April 26, 1965 in Liepaya, Latvia. 1987 graduated Makarov Academy in Leningrad. Between 1987 and 1991 worked at Baltic Shipping Company. Between 1991 and 1994 - deputy CEO of Infotek Baltika As of 1994 – director of Infotek Baltika Mr. Olersky has been awarded the medal “Commemoration of 300 year anniversary of St Petersburg” and medal “For excellence in marine activity”. July 30, 2009 appointed deputy minister of transportation of Russian Federation.

Born 1960, M.Sc. (Econ.) President and CEO of Tikkurila Oyj Finnish citizen Joined Tikkurila in 2009 Career history • President and CEO, Rautakirja Corporation, 2001-2008 • Senior Vice President, Kiosk Operations, Rautakirja Corporation, 1997-2001 • Vice President, Marketing (Nordic), Vaasamills Ltd, 1991-1996 • Managing Director, Siljans Knäcke AB, 1995-1996 • Marketing Manager, Vaasamills Ltd, 1990-1991 • Product Manager, Marketing Manager, Fazer Bakeries, Oy Karl Fazer Ab, 1984-1990 Positions of trust • YIT Oyj, Member of the Board since 2013 • CEPE (European Council of Paint, Printing Ink and Artists' Colours Industry), Member of the Board since 2013 • Snellman Ltd, Member of the Board since 2011 • East Office of Finnish Industries Ltd, Member of the Board since 2011 • Association of Finnish Paint Industry, Member of the Board since 2009 • Chemical Industry Federation of Finland, Member of the Board since 2009 • Association of Finnish Advertisers, Member of the Board since 2009 • Helsinki Chamber of Commerce, Member of the Board since 2009 • Economic Information Office, Member of the Board since 2007 • Confederation of Finnish Industries (EK) in Helsinki, Member of the regional offices since 2011