Business programme

The partnership between the United Arab Emirates and Russia demonstrates stability and development despite all the current difficulties. This positive dynamic is reflected in the trade statistics between the two countries: over the past five years, trade turnover has increased almost sixfold, and last year reached a historic high of USD 9 billion, while in January–September 2023 it increased by 63% year-on-year. Currently, the UAE confidently holds the position of Russia’s largest business partner among the countries of the Arab world. Russian companies view the UAE as one of the leading manufacturing and logistics centres. Experts note that a wide range of potential opportunities are opening up against the backdrop of changes in the economic order: cooperation in industry and trade, development of the technology sector, and jointly ensuring the food security of their respective countries. During a lively discussion, representatives of government, business, science, technology companies, and investors from both countries, all participants in the business dialogue, will find points of synergetic growth and answer the following questions. What infrastructure solutions exist now to develop trade and investment ties between the UAE and Russia? What is the basis for the UAE’s technological progress and what is the role of Russian companies in it? How can Russia’s unique agro-industrial potential be integrated into the UAE’s efforts to ensure regional food security? How to support larger, multisectoral, and deeper cooperation between the countries?

Moderator
Sergey Gorkov, Member of the Management Board, Rosgeologia

Sergey Gorkov

Member of the Management Board, Rosgeologia

Date and place of birth: December 1, 1968, town of Gai, Orenburg region
1986-1987: study in Moscow Mining Institute 1994: graduation from the Federal Counter-Intelligence Service Academy, specialty: Jurisprudence 2002: graduation from the Russian Economic Academy named after G.V. Plekhanov, specialty: Economics
1994-1997: senior positions in MENATEP Bank
FROM 1997 to 2005 – senior positions in JSC Oil Company Yukos, LLC Yukos, CJSC Yukos Refining and Marketing, including position of Vice-President of LLC Yukos-Moscow
1999: senior positions in Schlumberger
2007-2008: Member of the Board of Directors of FESCO Transportation Group
2008-2016: Head of Department, Deputy Chairman of the Board of PJSC Sberbank
2016-2018: Chairman of Vnesheconombank
2018-2019: Deputy Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation
Since April 2019: General Director - Chairman of the Board of JSC RosGeo
Medal of the Order of Merit for the Fatherland of the II degree, Diploma of the Government of the Russian Federation

Panellists
Abdallah Sultan Al Owais, Chairman, Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Abdullah Al Hameli, Chief Executive Officer, Economic Cities and Free Zones, AD Ports Group
Alexander Vanchura, Chairman of the Board, Concern RUSICH
Kirill Varlamov, Head, Internet Initiatives Development Fund (IIDF)
Alexey Gruzdev, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation
Nikita Gusakov, Chief Executive Officer, EXIAR; Senior Vice President, Russian Export Center
Aleksey Dukhanin, Executive Director, Wildberries
Hans-Joachim Frey, Stage Director; Artistic Director, Talent and Success Foundation

Abdallah Sultan Al Owais

Chairman, Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Abdullah Al Hameli

Chief Executive Officer, Economic Cities and Free Zones, AD Ports Group

Alexander Vanchura

Chairman of the Board, Concern RUSICH

Kirill Varlamov

Head, Internet Initiatives Development Fund (IIDF)

Kirill Varlamov is a head of Internet Initiatives Development Fund (IIDF), created by the current President of Russia, Vladimir Putin. IIDF was established in March 2013. IIDF main goals are financial and consulting support of internet projects at all stages of development, searching and selecting startups and growing them to a highly valuable business.
Kirill is also a CEO at Naumen, company cofounded with Аleksandr Davydov in 2001. Naumen is one of the leading companies in software development in Russia.
Born in 1974 in a city of Sverdlovsk, Kirill graduated Ural State Technical University in 1996, attended classes at Bradley University, Peoria, IL. In 2012 Kirill graduated Moscow management school Skolkovo as Executive MBA. In November 2012 Kirill became a winner at national finals of Ernst & Young “Entrepreneur Of The Year” in IT section. That contest is being held for 27 years in 140 cities of 50 countries around the world.

Alexey Gruzdev

Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation

Nikita Gusakov

Chief Executive Officer, EXIAR; Senior Vice President, Russian Export Center

Aleksey Dukhanin

Executive Director, Wildberries

Dukhanin Alexey
CEO Wildberries
(33 y.o.)

Education:
● BA in Economics ( Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation)
● BA in International Commerce (Russian Foreign Trade Academy)
● MBA

Experience:
● 2015: Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation
● 2017: Russian Embassy in Slovakia (Commerce Chamber)
● 2020:
● 2023: Deputy CO Wildberries
● 2024: CEO Wildberries

Hans-Joachim Frey

Stage Director; Artistic Director, Talent and Success Foundation