The international system and its main participants, including Russia and countries in North America, are currently facing a number of serious challenges. In addition to already established limiting factors, such as geopolitical instability and trade limitations and restrictions, the world is now facing phenomena such as climate change and related natural catastrophes, new rapidly spreading infections, as well as the consequences of measures taken to counteract these new threats. All of these factors have a negative effect on the structure of economic ties and the prospects of trade and investment cooperation, destabilizing the financial and stock markets and threatening global supply chains. That said, cooperation in addressing these problems for the common good can both reveal new opportunities for implementing specific business projects and contribute to the development of new constructive modalities and vectors for Russian – North American cooperation. Potential areas of cooperation include various aspects of sustainable development, including healthcare, climate change and environmental protection, cooperation in the Arctic, the Asia-Pacific region, and third country markets, food security, and supporting global financial stability. Collaborating in areas of mutual interest can increase trust, which in turn can create the conditions necessary to overcome negative external barriers. Those positive effects can then spill over to other cooperation sectors and turn crises into opportunities. How are global business leaders reacting to the rapid changes in doing business in this new reality? What can be done to minimize risks in the context of bilateral and multilateral cooperation? Which objectives and geopolitical and environmental challenges can and should be addressed together and which sectors are currently the most relevant and promising for international cooperation?
Alexis Rodzianko, President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Russia, came to this role after three decades as a banker in New York and Moscow. He held senior positions in IFC Metropol, Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank, and JP Morgan in Moscow from 1995 through 2013. Previously he was a senior banker at Chemical Bank in New York in the Emerging Markets business of the bank. Before receiving his MBA from Columbia University in 1980, he served as an interpreter at the SALT II negotiations in Geneva. He is a 1973 graduate of Dartmouth College. Co-chair of the International Council for Cooperation and Investment of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RSPP). Independent director of SKB Bank in Russia and member of the Board of the Charitable Foundation “United Way”. A fluent Russian speaker, he owns the Moscow Polo Club and represents Russia at the International Polo Federation (FIP). He is married and lives in Moscow with his wife Inna.
David Iakobachvili
President, Orion Heritage
David Iakobachvili is one of the founders of the largest Russian company – JSC Wimm-Bill-Dann – the manufacturer of dairy products, juices and beverages. In 2001 JSC Wimm-Bill-Dann issued shares and successfully signed on the in the NISE. For more than ten years David Iakobachvili was the Chairman of the Board of Directors of this company. In 2011, PepsiCo bought the company. At present David Iakobachvili is the President of Orion Heritage Ltd, joint proprietor of Petrocas Energy Holding Ltd, and a Deputy Chairman of the Board of Directors of Sistema JSFC. He is a member of the steering bodies of influential Russian and international organizations. David Iakobachvili is the Vice President and a member of the BUREAU of board of Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RUIE), Head of RUIE Committee on Corporate Social Responsibility and Demographic Policy, Head of the United Committee on Ethics within the framework of RUIE, a member of the Task group of RUIE BUREAU of board on financial stability and economic growth. He is a member of the Board of Directors of Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation (ChCI RF), President of the Russian-American Business Council, Chairman of the Directors Board of RusBrand non-commercial partnership, a member of Coordination Council on protection of intellectual property, a member of the General Council of “Business Russia” LLC, and a member of the World Economic Forum in Davos. He is the chairman of the Target group on job creation, unemployment and investments into the human capital of B20, the member of the International Business Advisory Council (IBAC was created within B20 in 2015), a member of Association the French-Russian dialogue, a member of Advisory Council on food security, a member of the Presidential international Council of University of New York (NYU), a member of Bureau of Presidium of the Russian-Jewish congress. David Iakobachvili is a member of the Public Council within the framework of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, a member of the Public council of the Ministry of Construction, Housing and Communal services of the Russian Federation. David Iakobachvili is a member of the Musical Box Society of Great Britain.
Panellists Andrey Bugrov,
Senior Vice President for Sustainable Development, Norilsk Nickel Sergey Kravchenko,
President, Boeing Russia/CIS Tim Myers,
Chief Executive Officer, Arconic Corporation Ekaterina Pogodina,
Managing Director, Janssen, the Pharmaceutical Division of Johnson & Johnson, Russia & CIS, General Director, Johnson & Johnson LLC Daniel Russell,
President, Chief Executive Officer, US–Russia Business Council (USRBC) Lorenzo Simonelli,
Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, Baker Hughes Company Zakhar Smushkin,
Chairman of the Board of Directors, Ilim Group Boris Titov,
Presidential Commissioner of the Russian Federation for the Protection of Entrepreneurs’ Rights
Nathan Hunt,
Chairman of the Moscow Board, Canada Eurasia Russia Business Association (CERBA) Vladislav Shapsha,
Governor of Kaluga Region
Andrey Bugrov
Senior Vice President for Sustainable Development, Norilsk Nickel
Andrei Bougrov is a Deputy Chairman of the Board of Directors of MMC Norilsk Nickel and Member of its Management Board. He also served as Chairman and Member of the Board of Directors of MMC Norilsk Nickel and was Senior Managing Director of Interros Holding Company. Prior to that in 1993-2002 Mr. Bougrov was Russia’s Principal Resident Representative and Executive Director at the World Bank. Before joining the World Bank Mr. Bougrov was a senior staff member of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in London. He received a BA and a Master’s Degree with first class honors from the Moscow State Institute for International Relations, completed post-graduate studies and received a Ph.D. in economics.
Sergey Kravchenko
President, Boeing Russia/CIS
Sergey Kravchenko holds post of president of Boeing Russia/CIS since 2002, he is responsible for leading all Boeing business activities in Russia and the CIS. Kravchenko joined The Boeing Company in 1992. He directly participated in Boeing 777 and Boeing 787 Dreamliner program design, held leading positions in engineering departments in Seattle responsible for production and relations with suppliers and partners. In Russia, he led Boeing projects on participation in ISS, establishment of two Boeing joint ventures with Rostec /VSMPO, Boeing Design Center in Moscow, Boeing Flight Training Center in Skolkovo. Before Kravchenko joined Boeing in 1992, he worked as a professor and as the lead scientist of the Russian Academy of Sciences. He also taught in Moscow and worked as a research consultant in Europe, the United States and Asia. Sergey Kravchenko is one of the leading specialists in Russia on modern management of large international projects and companies. Kravchenko is a professor and holds a doctorate degree of engineering science, earned in 1990. He holds over 20 patents in various areas of engineering and has published more than 50 research papers.
Tim Myers
Chief Executive Officer, Arconic Corporation
Mr. Myers is the Chief Executive Officer of Arconic Corporation. From October 2017 until April 2020, Mr. Myers was Executive Vice President and Group President, Global Rolled Products, which included the Extrusions and Building and Construction Systems businesses, of Arconic Inc.
From May 2016 to June 2019, he served as Executive Vice President and Group President of Arconic Inc.'s Transportation and Construction Solutions segment, which then comprised Arconic Wheel and Transportation Products and Building and Construction Systems and which segment was eliminated in the third quarter of 2019, with the Building and Construction Systems business then moved to the Global Rolled Products segment.
Prior to that assignment, he was President of Alcoa Wheel and Transportation Products, from June 2009 to May 2016. Mr. Myers was Vice President and General Manager, Commercial Vehicle Wheels for the Alcoa Wheel Products business from January 2006 to June 2009.
Mr. Myers joined Arconic Inc. in 1991 as an automotive applications engineer in the Commercial Rolled Products Division, and held a series of engineering, marketing, sales and management positions with Arconic Inc. since that time.
Arconic has a strong commitment to the Russian market and is highly engaged as the owner and operator of Arconic SMZ (Samara), a key asset in Arconic’s global portfolio, employing around 3,000 people and generating approximately 9% of the company’s total sales in 2020.
Arconic entered the Russian market in 1993 and, since 2005, operates Arconic SMZ. The plant is one of Russia’s largest producers of fabricated aluminum, including a wide variety of flat-rolled, extruded, and forged products serving customers across various markets such as transportation, packaging, aerospace and industrial.
Ekaterina Pogodina
Managing Director, Janssen, the Pharmaceutical Division of Johnson & Johnson, Russia & CIS, General Director, Johnson & Johnson LLC
Katerina began her career with Janssen in 2001, holding a number of positions in the Sales, Marketing and Market Access teams. She has been a member of the Russian board of directors since 2010 and was appointed Country Manager Russia in 2015, and then she was promoted to the position of Managing Director Russia & CIS in 2017. In April 2019 Katerina was appointed CEO of Johnson & Johnson Russia & CIS. Throughout her 17-year career with Janssen, Katerina has consistently demonstrated high standards of quality and strong results. She led the launch of a whole range of new products and work across a number of therapeutic areas, as well as establishing several new business units. In her role as Commercial Operations Director, Russia, Katerina successfully led commercial teams in close collaboration with other departments, which yielded great business results and drove the company’s overall success. Katerina graduated with distinction from the International University in Moscow, where she studied law. She also completed specialist education for senior executives at the London School of Economics and Political Science and Moscow School of Management Skolkovo. Since 2015 Katerina has been a member of the board of directors of the Association of International Pharmaceutical Manufacturers (AIPM). Forbes magazine contributor, speaker of the Second Eurasian Women’s Forum.
Daniel Russell
President, Chief Executive Officer, US–Russia Business Council (USRBC)
Daniel A. Russell is the President and CEO of the U.S.-Russia Business Council. Previously, he was Deputy Assistant Secretary of State responsible for relations with Russia, Ukraine, Moldova, and Belarus and for international security and arms control issues in the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs until July 2013. A career member of the Foreign Service, Mr. Russell served as Chief of Staff to Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs William Burns from 2008 to 2009, as Deputy Chief of Mission in Moscow from 2005 to 2008 and as Deputy Chief of Mission in Almaty, Kazakhstan from 2000 to 2003. Since joining the Foreign Service in 1983, Mr. Russell has held positions in Washington and abroad, including Director of the Office of Russian Affairs, Director of the Office of European Political and Security Affairs, Consul General at the U.S. Consulate in Yekaterinburg, Special Assistant for Europe to the Under Secretary of Political Affairs, and First Secretary at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow. Mr. Russell has worked in the State Department offices responsible for relations with the United Kingdom and Cuba and served at the U.S. Embassies in El Salvador and the Dominican Republic. Mr. Russell holds a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Maine and an M.A. in International Affairs from George Washington University.
Lorenzo Simonelli
Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, Baker Hughes Company
Lorenzo Simonelli is Chairman and CEO of Baker Hughes (NYSE: BKR). Baker Hughes is an energy technology company that combines innovation, expertise and scale to provide solutions for energy and industrial customers worldwide. Simonelli was named Chairman of the Board in October 2017 and has been President and CEO since the Company’s creation in 2017, where he oversaw the successful merger of GE Oil & Gas with Baker Hughes Inc. Since 2013, he served as President and CEO of GE Oil & Gas. Previously, Simonelli served as President and CEO of GE Transportation, a global transportation leader in the rail, mining, marine and energy storage industries. During his five-year tenure, he expanded and diversified GE Transportation by focusing on advanced technology manufacturing, intelligent control systems, and a diverse approach to new propulsion solutions. He has also served as CFO Americas for GE Consumer & Industrial, as well as General Manager, Product Management for GE Appliances, Lighting, Electrical Distribution and Motors. Simonelli joined GE’s Financial Management Program in 1994, where he worked on assignments in GE International, GE Shared Services, GE Oil & Gas, and Consolidated Financial Insurance. He currently serves on the Boards of CNH Industrial and C3.ai, Inc. Originally from Tuscany, Italy, Simonelli is a Business & Economics Graduate from Cardiff University in South Wales. He is married and resides in Houston.
Zakhar Smushkin
Chairman of the Board of Directors, Ilim Group
Born in 1962 in Leningrad. Graduated from the Leningrad Technological Institute of Pulp and Paper Industry. After graduation he worked at VNIIgidroliz, a scientific research institute. In 1992, together with a group of aspiring businessmen founded a forestry company Ilim Pulp Enterprise where he served as CEO until 2001. From 2001 to 2007 Mr. Smushkin served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of ZAO Ilim Pulp Enterprise and was involved in building Russia's largest vertically-integrated forest industry corporation. Since July 2007 Zakhar Smushkin is Chairman of the Board of Directors, Ilim Group.
Boris Titov
Presidential Commissioner of the Russian Federation for the Protection of Entrepreneurs’ Rights
Boris Titov was born on December, 24, 1960 in Moscow. He is a graduate of the Moscow state institute for international relations in 1983. In 1983-1989 worked for the foreign trade association “Soyuznefteexport”. 1989-1991 – chemistry department chief at the soviet-dutch joint enterprise “Urals”. 1991-2012 - executive director of Solvalub group of companies. 2001-2002 – the president of the JSC “Agrochemical corporation “Azot”. 2006-2012 – chairman of board of directors, general director of “Abrau-Durso” wine producing company. 2000-2005 – member of the bureau of the board of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs. 2004-2012 – chairman of the All-Russia public organization “Delovaya Rossiya” (“Business Russia”). 2006-2009 – member of the Civic Chamber of the Russian Federation. In June 2012 was appointed the Presidential Commissioner for Entrepreneur’s rights. Member of the Presidential Economic Council since July 2012. In April 2014 was appointed the Chairman of the Russian part of the Russia-China Committee for Friendship, Peace and Development Elected as the chairman of board of directors of the Association of Managers of Russia (AMR) in September 2014 In February 2016 became the official leader of the political party “The party for growth” Awarded the Order for Merit to the Fatherland, I degree and the Stolypin Medal, II degree, Order of Honor of the Russian Federation, Chevalier of the Legion of honor
Nathan Hunt
Chairman of the Moscow Board, Canada Eurasia Russia Business Association (CERBA)
Vladislav Shapsha
Governor of Kaluga Region
Front row participants Markus Gebauer,
Regional Manager for Middle East and Eurasia, Caterpillar Eurasia & Middle East Alexander Sharabaika,
Member of the Management Board, Deputy General Director for Finance and International Projects, PhosAgro Barry Sheridan,
Chairman of the Board, American Express Bank LLC
Markus Gebauer
Regional Manager for Middle East and Eurasia, Caterpillar Eurasia & Middle East
Markus Gebauer manages the distribution of Caterpillar’s Portfolio in Middle East & Eurasia and is responsible for dealer administration in both regions. Previously, he held the following positions within Caterpillar: 2015 – 2021 Europe Region Manager 2012 – 2015 District Manager, Munich Germany – Portfolio management Ger/A/CH 2009 – 2012 GCI Sales Manager, Munich Germany – Large construction machine sales 2006 – 2009 CRSI Region Manager, Geneva Switzerland – Used equipment dealer development & wholesale business development 2003 – 2006 Used Equipment Representative, Munich Germany – Co-creating and implementing the CCU Brand in Europe.
Markus is currently holding the following additional responsibilities: • Caterpillar Energy Solutions – Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Directors • American Chamber of Commerce in Russia - Board of Directors Caterpillar Representative • Swiss-American Chamber of Commerce – Board of Directors Caterpillar Representative • Young Professionals @ Caterpillar – EAME Advisory Role.
Prior to Caterpillar he worked for a variety of different companies among them Siemens Mobile & Siemens Transportation Systems, and Holt Company of Texas. He also worked in various Sales & Marketing functions for companies in the US, Italy, Germany and in Northern Ireland.
He holds an MBA from University of Kentucky under a Fulbright Scholarship as well as a Bachelor in Business Administration from Fachhochschule Augsburg, Germany
Alexander Sharabaika
Member of the Management Board, Deputy General Director for Finance and International Projects, PhosAgro
Barry Sheridan
Chairman of the Board, American Express Bank LLC
Barry Sheridan graduated from University College Dublin (Ireland) in 1989 and began his career with Chase Manhattan Bank working in their London and New York offices. While in New York in 1997 Barry moved to American Express Bank where he was responsible for providing international banking services to US and Canadian financial institutions. For the following 11 years he continued this work with American Express Bank with assignment postings in Moscow, Istanbul, Sydney and London.
In 2008 Barry moved to Standard Chartered Bank and was based in Moscow responsible for the CIS region. In 2012 he returned to American Express Company where in 2015 he was appointed CEO of American Express Bank LLC Russia with a business focus on providing expense management solutions and supplier financing to companies in Russia.
American Express Bank (AEB LLC) is a wholly owned subsidiary of American Express Company. AEB LLC is registered as a Bank with the Central Bank of Russia and authorized as a Payment System Operator in accordance with the National Payment System Law. AEB LLC issues products in Russian Rubles including Business Travel Account for regular business travel expenses and Lodge Account for other corporate expenses. In addition, AEB LLC distributes International Currency Cards products on behalf of American Express Services Europe Limited, UK and American Express Europe S.A., Spain. AEB LLC also provides acquiring services for merchants in B2B sector and supports operational infrastructure for American Express partners of the Global Merchant & Network Services (GMNS) business in issuing and acquiring for consumer business.
Barry is also the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) in Russia.
