Business programme

The experience of major developed and developing markets has shown that private equity is a key factor in effectively employing capital in the economy. Private equity investments fuel the M&A (mergers and acquisitions) market and offer exit strategies for venture projects, stimulating the emergence of new and innovative enterprises. Portfolio companies of private equity funds provide a constant flow of new IPOs (initial public offerings), thereby helping to develop the stock market and ensure the reinvestment of funds back into the economy. Thanks to its low base, Russia offers huge potential for international private equity and, given favourable conditions, could see growth reach levels not seen since 2013. In recent years, most direct equity investments have been backed by Russian or foreign sovereign wealth funds, while the role of international institutional investors has declined as large-scale private capital based in Russia has grown. What is correct balance of domestic and international investors for optimum sustainable development in the sector? What regulatory changes should be made concerning private equity activities in order to ensure sustainable growth, and what economic sectors might spark a breakthrough in accelerating private equity deals?

Moderator
Tom Blackwell, Chairman, Partner, Co-Founder, EM

Tom Blackwell

Chairman, Partner, Co-Founder, EM

Tom Blackwell is the CEO and co-founder of EM, an investor relations and strategic communications consultancy focused on Russia and other emerging markets, with offices in New York, London, Moscow, Hong Kong and Beijing. EM was created following the successful MBO and carve out from M: Communications, where he worked as the head of the UK agency's operations in Russia and CIS. Prior to joining M: Communications, Tom worked for The PBN Company, where he was Managing Director of the firm's Moscow office and led its financial communications practice. Blackwell served as adviser on dozens of IPOs and secondary listings on London and Moscow stock exchanges as well as on a number of high-profile international M&A deals. He is also a well-known expert in crisis communications and special situations in emerging markets. He has lived and worked in Moscow for 15 years and is fluent Russian

Panellists
Mansoor bin Ebrahim Al-Mahmoud, Chief Executive Officer, Qatar Investment Authority (QIA)
Dmitry Gusev, Chairman of the Management Board, Sovcombank
Elena Ivashentseva, Senior Partner, Baring Vostok Capital Partners
Alexander Savin, Senior Partner, Elbrus Capital
Ivan Tavrin, Founder, Kismet Capital Group

Mansoor bin Ebrahim Al-Mahmoud

Chief Executive Officer, Qatar Investment Authority (QIA)

Mr. Al-Mahmoud was appointed Chief Executive Officer of QIA in September 2018. Under his oversight, QIA has pivoted its investment strategy to have a greater focus on diversification and on investments that have clear ESG goals. Mr. Al-Mahmoud has also overseen the adoption of a new operating model. Prior to his appointment at QIA, Mr. Al-Mahmoud was the CEO of Qatar Museums, where he led the opening of the National Museum of Qatar.
His previous roles include being CEO of Qatar Development Bank (QDB), Director of Investment Affairs for H.E. the Former Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Head of Risk Management at QIA. Mr. Al-Mahmoud holds a number of government and board roles, including: Vice-Chairman of Qatar Exchange, the Doha- Based International stock exchange; Special Advisor to Qatar Museums’ Chairperson, H.E. Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani; and board member for QNB, Qatari Diar, the Doha Film Institute and Hamad Bin Khalifa University. Mr. Al-Mahmoud holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Finance from George Washington University in the US.

Dmitry Gusev

Chairman of the Management Board, Sovcombank

In 1998 Dmitry graduated from the Finance Academy under the Government of the Russian Federation majoring in Finance and Credit. Later in 2001 he was awarded a PhD degree in Economics after the approval of his thesis in international taxation.
In 1997 Dmitry Gusev joined the Russian office of Coopers & Lybrand before it merged with Pricewaterhouse to become nowadays PwC. In 2001 he moved to Deloitte in Russia and joined the department of taxes and law. In 2005 – 2007 he held the position of partner and head of international tax advisory team in Russia and CIS at Deloitte Moscow office.
In 2007 Dmitry Gusev joined Sovcombank team as a member of the Board of Directors. Since 2011 holds the position of the Chairman of Management Board and is also one of the minority shareholders of the Bank.

Elena Ivashentseva

Senior Partner, Baring Vostok Capital Partners

Elena Ivashentseva is a Senior Partner at Baring Vostok Capital Partners and has led investments by the Baring Vostok funds in the mass media, telecommunications and information technology sectors, including Yandex, Ozon.ru, Avito, 1C, CFT, Itransition, ER Telecom, Ivi.ru, CTC Media and others. Elena graduated from the London School of Economics with a Master’s Degree in Finance and Accounting. She also has a diploma with honors in Economics from Novosibirsk State University.

Alexander Savin

Senior Partner, Elbrus Capital

Ivan Tavrin

Founder, Kismet Capital Group

Ivan Tavrin is a prominent Russian investor and entrepreneur, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Kismet Capital Group and Sponsor of 3 NASDAQ-listed SPACS.

Kismet Capital Group owns and operates major TMT and Consumer businesses in Russia and invests in technology companies globally both as a Private Equity investor and SPAC platform.

Kismet Capital Group is the only platform outside the USA with three live SPACs listed on Nasdaq.


In 2012-2016 Ivan Tavrin served as a CEO of MegaFon, the second largest Russian mobile operator and led MegaFon to its $1.82bn IPO dual-listed on London Stock Exchange and Moscow Stock Exchange and $11bn market cap. For a long time it has been the largest Russian TMT IPO by offer size.

Ivan Tavrin has been involved in various businesses in TMT for over 20 years having led or established multiple companies, including Regional Media Group, Media-1 Holding, “Vyberi Radio” Group, TV-3, NetByNet holding, as well as having been a significant minority shareholder of “VK” and having led some of the largest M&A transactions in TMT.

Ivan Tavrin graduated from the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO)

Front row participant
Dmitri Sedov, Co-Head, Goldman Sachs Russia

Dmitri Sedov

Co-Head, Goldman Sachs Russia

Dmitri is co-head of the firm's Moscow office, co-head of the Russia/CIS business in the Investment Banking Division (IBD) and oversees M&A for Russia/CIS. He is also a member of the Russia Executive Leadership Group. Dmitri joined Goldman Sachs in 2007 as an executive director in the IBD Russia/CIS team in Moscow, focusing on Technology, Media and Telecom, Infrastructure, Industrials and Healthcare clients in the region. He was named managing director in 2010.
Prior to joining the firm, Dmitri worked in the Investment Banking Division of Lehman Brothers International in London, where he focused on telecom clients in EMEA. Earlier in his career, he worked in investment banking at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette in London, in investment banking and equity research at CA IB Investment Bank AG in Moscow, and in the management consulting department of Price Waterhouse & Co in Moscow.
Dmitri earned a degree in telecommunication engineering from Moscow Technical University of Telecommunications in 1994 and an MBA from Duke University in 2001.