Programme

The Caspian region shows great potential for successful social economic growth. The Caspian Sea, with its rich natural resources and strategic position between the Caspian territories and the Persian Gulf, provides rich opportunities for regional development. Though the global sea trade continues to grow, the potential for cooperation in the Caspian region is not being utilized to its fullest potential, as the volume of cargo flowing through Russian ports decreases each year. Potential solutions include attracting Iran to the free trade zone, developing maritime cooperation with Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan, and ensuring transit through those territories to the countries of the Persian Gulf and Asia. By increasing the cargo turnover through the Caspian Sea, Russia will boost its competitiveness, strengthen its geopolitical and political presence in the Caspian region, and develop sustainable economic and cultural ties with the Caspian states. What are the prospects for increasing the cargo flow through the Russian Caspian region? Is it possible to create a sustainable and mutually beneficial transport and logistics corridor with the other Caspian states? What are the prospects for passenger transport development in the Caspian region?

Moderator
Marina Kim, Anchor, Channel One Russia

Marina Kim

Anchor, Channel One Russia

She was born on August 11, 1983 in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg). Marina was born in international family: her father is a Russian Korean, and her mother is Russian. Marina has an older brother. As a child Marina worked as a model and starred in music videos.
After graduation, she was accepted to St Petersburg State University’s department of International Relations where she studied for 2 years. At the age of 19 Kim moved to Moscow. She graduated from the Moscow State Institute, Department of International Relations with a major in North American Studies.
In 2004 Marina worked as a TV presenter of the economy program Markets on RBC channel. From 2007 to 2013 she worked as the host of news program Vesti and made segments for various Vesti outlets as a correspondent. In 2012 she came in second in the 7th season of Dancing with the Stars. In 2014 she joined Channel One as a presenter at Dobroe Utro.
Ms. Kim moderated multiple round tables at various events including APEC Summit in Vladivostok in 2012, First International Anti-Counterfeit Forum, St Petersburg International Economic Forum.

Panellists
Mikhail Bazhenov, Partner, Capital Projects & Infrastructure, Debt Advisory Leader, PwC
Stanislav Georgievskiy, Deputy Director of Trade Policy Department, Eurasian Economic Commission
Ivan Grishanin, General Director, Russian Container Company
Vitaly Mankevich, President, Russian-Asian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs
Mukul Sarkar, Chief General Manager, Export-Import Bank of India
Azer Talibov, Deputy Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation
Xu Jinli, Chief of Representative Office in Russia, China Council for the Promotion of International Trade
Sergey Chebotarev, Minister of North Caucasus Affairs of the Russian Federation

Mikhail Bazhenov

Partner, Capital Projects & Infrastructure, Debt Advisory Leader, PwC

Education:
• St. Petersburg State University of Economics and Finance; diploma in Finance and;
• Member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants
Working experience:
• 2003- present time. PwC Russia. Partner, Capital Projects & Infrastructure, Debt Advisory Leader
Areas of specialization:
Mikhail Bazhenov is the partner in PwC Infrastructure and Project Financing practice and has already over 15 years’ experience in providing services in project financing, strategic advisory, project structuring and project financing and transactions on private-public partnership basis. Mikhail’s projects portfolio comprises a number of significant projects in transportation sector.
Over the last 6 years, Mikhail led about 30 engagements in the port industry (projection of cargo base, valuation, raising finance, structuring PPP projects, completion of M&A transactions, change of tariff regulation) both for private and public companies. Additionally to his engagements in Russia, Mikhail carried out some port projects in Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Poland and Romania.

Vitaly Mankevich

President, Russian-Asian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs

Mukul Sarkar

Chief General Manager, Export-Import Bank of India

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”.

Sergey Chebotarev

Minister of North Caucasus Affairs of the Russian Federation

Front row participants
Alexey Klyavin, President, All-Russian branch association of employers “Russian Chamber of Shipping”
Kazbek Kokov, Acting Head of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic
Andrey Levakin, Acting General Director, Federal Treasury Institution “Directorate of the State Customer for Realization of the Federal Target Program “Modernization of Transport System of Russia”
Rudolf Lukavsky, Commercial Counsellor, Embassy of the Republic of Austria in the Russian Federation
Mikhail Maltsev, Executive Director, Ural Tourism Association
Abdel Hafiz Nofal, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the State of Palestine in the Russian Federation