Programme

In 1985-1991, Andrey Bystritskiy was engaged in research as a Senior Fellow at the Academy of Pedagogical Sciences. He has been in the media industry since 1991, starting as the Head of the Audience Research Department of the All-Russia State Television and Radio Company (RTR), author and host of radio and television broadcasts. In 1993-1996, Andrey Bystritskiy headed sociological research at the Company. From 1996 to 1997, he was in charge of the "Society" Department at the Itogi (Russian Newsweek) magazine. In 1997-1998, Andrey Bystritskiy was Deputy Director General for Information at TV Tsentr. Between 1998 and 1999, he was the Producer of the Russian news service on BBC. In 1999, he joined the Organizing Committee of the Unofficial Moscow Festival as one of its Co-Chairs, he was also a member of the Editorial Board of the Moscow Alternative newspaper and Chairman of the Mayak State Radio Broadcasting Company (main information radio in Russia). In 2000, Bystritskiy became the Director General of the Vesti State Television Company (an entity of RTR). From 2000 to 2008, he was Deputy Director General of RTR and the Director of the Department of Information Programmes of the Russia TV. In 2000-2013 Bystritskiy was a member of the Board of Directors and Vice President of international broadcasting company Euronews. Between 2005 and 2007, he was the Editor-in-Chief of the Apologia monthly magazine. From 2008 to 2014, he was the Chairman of the Voice of Russia State Radio Company (Russian international broadcaster in 44 languages). Andrey Bystritskiy has been at the National Research University – Higher School of Economics since 2001, as a Dean of the Faculty of Communications, Media and Design since 2014. Since 2008, he has been the head of the Council of the Heads of Government and Public Television and Radio Organizations of CIS Countries. Since 2014, Bystritskiy has been the Chairman of the Board of the Foundation for Development and Support of the Valdai Discussion Club and the Chairman of the Public Supervisory Council of the Russian Ministry of Communications. Andrey Bystritskiy is a Professor and PhD (Pedagogics, 1989). He is a member of the Union of Writers. In June 2007, he received the Order of Honour. Andrey Bystritskiy is the author of books, including such works as Youth Subcultures and Russia's Intelligentsia During the Demise of the Soviet System (1991), and numerous publications in newspapers and magazines.

Fyodor Lukyanov was an international journalist in 1990-2002. He collaborated with numerous newspapers, radio and television broadcasters. Since 2002, he has been the Editor-in-Chief of the Russia in Global Affairs journal. In 2012, Lukyanov was appointed as the Chairman of the Presidium of the Council on Foreign and Defense Policy – one of the oldest Russian NGOs. Since 2015, Fyodor Lukyanov has been the Research Director of the Foundation for Development and Support of the Valdai Discussion Club. Fyodor Lukyanov is a Research Professor at the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs, National Research University – Higher School of Economics. He is considered one of the most well-known Russian experts in the field of international relations and foreign affairs, author of numerous articles in Russian and foreign media. Lukyanov received the Government Award of the Russian Federation in 2011 for his contribution to international journalism.

Mario Mehren is the Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of Wintershall. From 2011 until assuming this role in 2015 he was a member of the Board with responsibility for the Russia board department and for exploration and production in Russia, North Africa and South America. He first joined Wintershall as the Head of Finance and Information Management in 2006. Prior to Wintershall Mr. Mehren worked at BASF from 1998 to 2006, where he was successively a specialist adviser in the Corporate Finance department; Head of Finance and Accounting for BASF Schwarzheide GmbH; and Managing Director of Finance and Administration for BASF Chile S.A. Mr. Mehren holds a degree in Business Administration from Saarland University in Saarbrücken, Germany.
Wintershall, based in Kassel, Germany, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BASF in Ludwigshafen. The company has been active in the exploration and production of crude oil and natural gas for over 75 years. Wintershall focuses on selected core regions, where the company has built up a high level of regional and technological expertise. These are Europe, North Africa, South America, as well as Russia and the Middle East. Today the company is Germany's largest producer of crude oil and natural gas.

He was born on October 30th, 1978 in Komárom.
He is an economist who earned his degree in International Relations from the Budapest University of Economic Sciences and Public Administration in 2002.
He joined Fidesz in 1998. He was elected to member of the municipal government in the same year in the city of Győr, and then he obtained a mandate between 2006 and 2010 again.
In 2005 he was elected to president of Fidelitas, the youth organization of Fidesz. He occupied this position until 2009.
He first became member of the National Assembly in 2002. He received mandates in 2006, 2010 and 2014 as well; currently he serves his fourth term as member of the Parliament.
He served as communications director and spokesman of the Fidesz between 2006 and 2010, and he was chief of staff of the party’s president from 2009 to 2010.
During his parliamentary work he was deputy faction leader of Fidesz and chairman of the Parliament's Budget Committee.
He served as the Prime Minister’s spokesman from June 2010 to June 2012, and headed the Prime Minister’s staff in charge of press, international and organizational affairs.
In June 2012 he was appointed to State Secretary for Foreign Affairs and External Economic Relations of the Prime Minister’s Office.
He served as Government Commissioner for Hungarian-Russian Relations and Hungarian Chinese Bilateral Relations from March 2013.
In June, 2014, he was appointed to Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Parliamentary State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Since September, 2014, he serves as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Born December 3, 1953. Graduated with honours from the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO - University) and joined diplomatic service in 1976. Started his diplomatic career in Greece, then worked at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Moscow and in Cyprus. Served as Deputy Head of the Russian delegation to the OSCE in Vienna (Austria), Deputy High Representative for Bosnia Peace Implementation in Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina) and Russian Special Representative for Cyprus and the Balkans. In 2002 appointed Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation. Since 2005 has occupied a post of Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community in Brussels (Belgium). Conducted analytical research on European security, OSCE, Russia-EU and Russia-NATO relations, Mediterranean, Balkans, problems of Cyprus and Northern Ireland, peace-keeping operations.

Alexander N. Shokhin was born 25 December, 1951. Graduated from the Moscow State University in 1974. Doctor of Economics, Professor. Twice, in 1991-1994 and in 1998, Mr. Shokhin held the post of Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation. In 1991-1994 he also held positions of Minister of Labor, Minister of Economics, Chairman of the Russian Agency for International Cooperation and Development. From 1994 to 2002 – Deputy of the State Duma, with the posts of First Vice Chairman of the State Duma, leader of the Duma party bloc 'Our Home is Russia', Head of the Duma Committee on Credit Institutions and Capital Markets. Since 1995 - President of the National Research University – Higher School of Economics. From 2002 to 2006 – Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Investment Group "Renaissance Capital". From 2005 to 2009 – member of the RF Public Chamber. Since 2005 – President of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs. Mr. Shokhin is a member of several deliberative bodies under the Russian President and Government. He is also an independent director on the Boards of several companies, including ALROSA, Russian Railways, TMK and others.