Programme

The interest shown by Russian and German businesses in implementing joint projects remains strong, as the position paper adopted in January 2019 by the German Eastern Business Association demonstrates. This document focuses on the future development of close economic cooperation in 15 areas of the economy, ranging from digitalization to cooperation in space. Representatives of Russian and German business communities will share their experience and exchange views on how modern, innovative enterprises in Russia and Germany can work together to enhance their competitiveness at the international level, thus giving a new impetus to the idea of a common European economic space.

Moderator
Klaus Mangold, Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Knorr-Bremse

Klaus Mangold

Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Knorr-Bremse

Klaus Mangold was born on June 6, 1943. After graduating from high school he studied law and economics at the universities of Munich, Geneva, London, Heidelberg and Mainz.
He held various positions in German industry prior to being a Management Board member and Chairman of the Management Board of Rhodia AG, a subsidiary of the French group Rhône Poulenc, from 1983 to 1990. He was Chairman of the Board of Management of Quelle AG from 1991 to 1994 and joined DaimlerChrysler AG as a Member of the Board of Management in 1995.
As a member of the DaimlerChrysler AG Board of Management from 1995 to 2003, Klaus Mangold was responsible for DaimlerChrysler AG's Services division and its Central and Eastern European markets. At the same time, he was CEO of DaimlerChrysler Services AG.
Klaus Mangold is Chairman of the Supervisory Board of TUI AG, Germany, and member of a number of Supervisory and Advisory Boards, including those of Alstom S.A., France, Ernst & Young, United States, and Continental AG, Germany. He also is Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Rothschild GmbH, Frankfurt and Chairman of the “Mangold Consulting GmbH”, which was founded in 2003. From 2000 until 2010 he was Chairman of the Committee on Eastern European Economic Relations of German Industry. He is Commander of the Legion of Honour (France) and Professor of the European Business School, Schloss Reichartshausen.

Panellists
Peter Altmaier, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy of the Federal Republic of Germany
Igor Bogachev, Chief Executive Officer, Zyfra
Alexey Mordashov, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Severstal
Mikhail Oseevskiy, President, Chairman of the Management Board, Rostelecom
Vasily Osmakov, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation
Alexander Pumpyanskiy, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Joint-Stock Commercial Bank of Support to Commerce and Business
Klaus Rosenfeld, Chief Executive Officer, Schaeffler
Sabrina Soussan, Chief Executive Officer, Siemens Mobility GmbH
Azer Talibov, Deputy Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation
Heinz Hermann Thiele, Owner, Knorr-Bremse
Manuela Schwesig, Minister-President of the State of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

Peter Altmaier

Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy of the Federal Republic of Germany

Introduction:
Since 14 March 2018 Peter Altmaier is Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy of Germany.
Previous positions:
2013-2018
Head of the Federal Chancellery, Federal Minister for Special Tasks and Refugee Coordinator of the German Federal Government (since 2015)
2012-2013
Federal Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety
2009-2012
Chief Whip of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group
2005-2009
Parliamentary State Secretary in the Federal Ministry of the Interior
2004-2005
Parliamentary Legal Counsel of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group
2002-2003
Spokesman of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group in the First Investigation Committee
1999-2003
Delegate of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group to the European Conventions on the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU and on the Constitutional Treaty
1994-2004
Member of the Committee on European Affairs
1994-1998
Member of the Committee on Legal Affairs
1990-1994
Official of the European Commission; Secretary-General for the Administrative Commission on Social Security for Migrant Workers from 1993 to 1994
As of 2006 Peter Altmaier has been the President of the Europa-Union (German branch of the Union of European Federalists) and since the end of 2011 he took over the office as Honorary President.
Peter Altmaier was born on June 18th, 1958 in Ensdorf (State of Saarland).

Igor Bogachev

Chief Executive Officer, Zyfra

With deep expertise in overseeing the innovation lifecycle, right from the drawing board through to full market commercialisation, Igor Bogachev has a rich and nuanced understanding of cutting-edge trends and developments in IT, as well as the industry's best practices and how to implement them.
He has a strong standing in the national IT sector and currently chairs the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs Subcommittee on the Digital Economy and Innovations.
Igor was previously a Vice President at the Skolkovo Foundation, whose overarching goal is to create a sustainable ecosystem of entrepreneurship and innovation, engendering a startup culture and encouraging venture capitalism. He was the executive director of the foundation's IT Cluster.
Before Skolkovo, he served as the CEO of SAP CIS, a position to which he advanced following 12 years at Xerox, where he was responsible for business development, sales, and maintenance service.
Igor Bogachev was born in Moscow in 1971. In 1994 he graduated from the economics faculty of the Moscow Aviation Institute. He received his MBA from the Moscow International Higher Business School (MIRBIS) and London Metropolitan University. Igor is a Green Belt in the Six Sigma methodology of process improvement.

Alexey Mordashov

Chairman of the Board of Directors, Severstal

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).

Mikhail Oseevskiy

President, Chairman of the Management Board, Rostelecom

In March 2017 he was appointed President of PAO Rostelecom. Has proven experience in a variety of major state and business structures.

Professional Experience

1986–1993 – Efremov Institute of Electrophysical Apparatus (NIIEFA)
1993–1999 – Deputy Head, and then Head of St. Petersburg Currency Exchange
1999–2003 – Deputy Chairman of the Board, and then First Deputy Chairman of the Board, Promyshlenno-Stroitelnyy Bank (SPb).
2003–2011 – Vice-Governor of St. Petersburg, headed the Governor’s Administration
2011–2012 – Deputy Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation
2012–2017 – Deputy Chairman – CEO, VTB Bank
Education
Kalinin Polytechnic Institute, major in Engineering Electrophysics

Vasily Osmakov

Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation

Born June 8, 1983, Moscow. 2005: graduated from Moscow State University, Institute of Asian and African Studies.
2008: gained his CSc from the State University of Management in Moscow.
Career background: 2004–2008: Ministry of Industry and Energy: Head of Strategic Planning and Research Department; Assistant Administrator of Strategic Planning and Research Department; Assistant Administrator of Priority Projects Support under the Economic Analysis and Planning Division; Advisor to the Public Relations Department; Senior Expert of the PR Department. 2008–2012: Assistant and Advisor to the Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation.
2012–2016: Director of Strategic Development and Project Management Department, Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation. 31 August 2016: appointed Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation.
Since 2015, Mr Osmakov has held the title of Full State Counsellor. CSc in Economics. Married with a child.

Alexander Pumpyanskiy

Chairman of the Board of Directors, Joint-Stock Commercial Bank of Support to Commerce and Business

Sabrina Soussan

Chief Executive Officer, Siemens Mobility GmbH

Sabrina Soussan is CEO of Siemens Mobility, a leader in transport solutions covering rolling stock, rail automation and electrification, turnkey systems, intelligent traffic systems as well as related services. She is a member of the Board of Directors of ITT Inc. (since October 2018) and Schaeffler AG (since April 2019). She is also Chairwoman and Member of the Presiding Board of UNIFE, the European Rail Industry Association.
Over the past 20 years, Soussan has held a variety of leadership positions at Siemens Automotive Division, Building Technologies Division and Mobility Division in Germany, France, Switzerland, the UK and Japan.
She began her career at Renault in Paris as an engine research and development engineer. She holds a master’s degree in Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering from E.N.S.M.A – Aeronautical and Mechanical Engineering School in Poitiers, France, and an MBA from I.A.E Poitiers and University of Dublin, Ireland.
Born in Paris, Soussan currently works out of Germany. She is married and a proud mother.

Azer Talibov

Deputy Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation

Born on the 10 February 1979 in Moscow.
In 2002 graduated from Moscow state Institute of International Relations (Masters).
11.2002 – 06.2008 – served on various positions of the Ministry of Economic Development and trade of the Russian Federation.
06.2008 – 06.2012 – Assistant Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation.
06.2012 – 07.2013 – Head of the Russian President’s assistant apparatus.
07.2013 – 01.2017 – Head of the Secretariat of the President of the Bank of Russia.
From 28 January 2017 – Deputy Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation.
Presidential Decree awarded the Medal of the Order “For Services to the Fatherland, 2 degree”.

Heinz Hermann Thiele

Owner, Knorr-Bremse

Born: 2nd April 1941 in Mainz, Germany.
Marital status: married, 2 children.
Milestones:
1962-68 Law studies in Munich.
1969 Heinz Hermann Thiele joins Knorr-Bremse as a consultant for legal, patent and licence affairs.
1972 Head of legal and patent affairs.
1975 Director sales, Truck division.
1979 Managing Director sales Knorr-Bremse.
09/1985 CEO of Knorr-Bremse AG (corporate structure of the Knorr-Bremse Group).
12/1985 Heinz Hermann Thiele acquires a majority share in the company.
In the following years Thiele developed a global strategy with a technical focus on complete break systems. Later he added competence in automatic doors for railways and HVAC systems (climate control). The execution of the strategy was very successful.
2007 Heinz Hermann Thiele left the position as CEO and became Chairman of the Supervisory Board.

Manuela Schwesig

Minister-President of the State of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

Front row participants
Joerg Bongartz, Chief Executive Officer for Central and Eastern Europe, Deutsche Bank AG
Alexander Braverman, General Director, Chairman of the Board, Russian Small and Medium Business Corporation
Thilo Wieland, Member of the Board, Region Russia, Latin America and Transportation, Wintershall Dea GmbH
Alexander Klaeger, Chief Operating Officer, Head of Cloud Business for Middle and Eastern Europe, SAP
Niels Hessmann, General Director, Bayer; General Representative, Russia and CIS, Bayer AG

Joerg Bongartz

Chief Executive Officer for Central and Eastern Europe, Deutsche Bank AG

Joerg Bongartz is CEO for Central and Eastern Europe at Deutsche Bank AG with involvement in the bank’s activities in the region, oversight over local subsidiaries and offices, business development. He has been with the bank since 1982. Previously, he was Chairman of the Board of Deutsche Bank Ltd., Moscow, and Head of Global Transaction Banking Russia and supervised the firm’s activity in Cash Management, Trade Finance, Custody and other Trust and Securities Services. He was also responsible for coverage of Financial Institutions with particular focus on investment banking products. Until May 2006 he was head of Relationship Management for Financial Institutions in Central and Southeast Europe, CIS states and Turkey. In that capacity, he was in charge of the co-ordination and cross selling of all products as well as risk management issues for large commercial banks and central banks in the region. He was also Head of Cash Management Sales Financial Institutions CEE/CIS covering USD and EUR cash products for all FI customers in the region. Before this he was a member of Deutsche Bank's Project and Export Finance Team/Oil and Gas industries and managed a couple of years the bank's offices in Moscow and St. Petersburg.
Joerg Bongartz holds a degree in Business Administration from the University of Hagen.
Fluent in German, English, Russian.

Alexander Braverman

General Director, Chairman of the Board, Russian Small and Medium Business Corporation

Mr. Braverman was born on May 1, 1954. He graduated from Kharkiv Engineering and Economics Institute and completed graduate studies at Lomonosov Moscow State Institute of Fine Chemical Technologies. He is a Doctor of Economic Sciences and a professor. 1995–1997 – He served as president of the Russian Marketing Association. 1997–1999 – He was Deputy Chairman of the State Property Committee of the Russian Federation and then First Deputy Minister of State Property of the Russian Federation as well as acting Minister of State Property of the Russian Federation. 1999–2000 – He served as president of the Russian Marketing Association. 2000–2004 – He was Deputy Minister of Property Relations of the Russian Federation and a State Secretary. 2006–2008 – He served as Chairman of the Committee for the Development of an Affordable Housing Market under the Russian Presidential Council for the Implementation of Priority National Projects and the Demographic Policy. August 2008 – Under Order No. 1145-r of Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, he was appointed Director General of the Russian Housing Development Foundation.On Oct the 2nd 2015 A. Braverman was appointed as General Director of Joint-stock company «Russian Small and Medium Business Corporation» (JSC «RSMB Corporation» ). From October 12, 2015 he is a member of the Board of Directors of JSC «RSMB Corporation» ex officio.

Thilo Wieland

Member of the Board, Region Russia, Latin America and Transportation, Wintershall Dea GmbH

Thilo Wieland (49) is in charge of the Business Units Russia, Achimgaz, Argentina, Mexico, Brazil and Midstream. After studying Industrial Engineering at the Technical University of Berlin, he joined Wintershall Erdgas Handelshaus in Berlin in 1999. That was followed by various posts at the Wintershall Group. Among other things, he was responsible for Nord Stream and other gas transport projects. Also, he was Vice President Strategy and Portfolio Management as well as General Manager of Wintershall Libya. He was a member of Wintershall’s Board of Executive Directors from 2015 until May 2019, when he became Member of the Board at Wintershall Dea.

Niels Hessmann

General Director, Bayer; General Representative, Russia and CIS, Bayer AG

Niels Hessmann is the Managing Director of Bayer JSC and Senior Bayer Representative in Russia and CIS since March 1, 2015.
Niels Hessmann was born in Belgium and studied applied economic sciences at the University of Antwerp, Belgium. He began his career as a Market Research Manager in Schering (now Bayer) in Belgium in 1992.
In 1996, he headed the Marketing and Sales Department of Schering Romania and Moldova.
In 1999, he became the Managing Director of Schering Kazakhstan and was responsible for the company development in Central Asia.
In 2001, he was appointed the Managing Director of Schering Greece. In 2007, he headed Bayer Netherlands and was Bayer Healthcare Representative. During that period, Mr. Hessmann was also responsible for merging Bayer and Schering.
From November 2011 to February 2015, he was the Managing Director and Country Division Head Bayer HealthCare in South-Korea.