Business programme

Over the past decade, Russian agriculture has become one of the leading sectors in the domestic economy. Russia produces its own food and is actively expanding its export market. But to strengthen its leading positions on global markets, the country must assess and make sense of long-term trends. The technological revolution has already permeated the agricultural industry, with the emergence of plant protein, 3D meat and hydroponics, among other things. Large companies are increasingly investing in the development of modern technologies, and start-ups are actively attracting venture capital. But not all of them are meeting demand. The COVID-19 epidemic has placed a renewed focus on the essential needs of the population and has shifted the focus away from the hype of technology. The sharp surge in demand for food supplies during the pandemic led to food shortages. And the lack of nutritious food has been a major problem which has acutely affected the most vulnerable in society. What do we really need from AgroTech and FoodTech? What technologies can help to provide enough healthy food without harming the planet? How are they transforming agriculture and changing the average human diet? What kind of support is required?

Moderator
Bradley George Jakeman, Co-Founder, Managing Partner, Rethink Food NYC Inc

Bradley George Jakeman

Co-Founder, Managing Partner, Rethink Food NYC Inc

Panellists
Victoria Abramchenko, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation
Mohamed Badr Al-Sadah, Chief Executive Officer, Hassad Food Company
Sergey Dankvert, Head, Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance (Rosselkhoznadzor)
Jan Dunning, Chairman of the Management Board, President, Chief Executive Officer, Magnit
Marc Carena, Managing Director, McDonald's Russia
Oleg Kobyakov, Director, Liaison Office with the Russian Federation, The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations
Boris Listov, Chairman of the Management Board, Russian Agricultural Bank
Evgeny Lyashenko, Executive Director, EFKO Group of Companies
Dmitry Mazepin, General Director, URALCHEM
Tom Szaky, Chief Executive Officer, Founder, TerraCycle (online)
Alexander Shenderyuk-Zhidkov, Director, Sodruzhestvo

Victoria Abramchenko

Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation

In 1998 she graduated from the Krasnoyarsk State Agrarian University. In 2004 from the Russian Presidential Academy of Public Administration. In 1998 – 2000 she worked in the Committee for Land Resources and Land Management of Roskomzem. In 2000 – 2001 she worked in the Federal State Institution "Land Cadastre Chamber". In 2001 – 2005 she held different positions, including the position of Deputy Head of Department in Roszemkadastr and in Rosnedvizhimost. In 2005 – 2011 she held various positions in the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation, including the position of Deputy Head of Real Estate Department of the Ministry of Economic Development. In 2011 – 2012 – Deputy Head of Rosreestr. In 2012 – 2015 – Head of the Department of Land Policy, Property Relations and State Property of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation. In 2015 – 2016 she worked as State Secretary - Deputy Minister of Agriculture of the Russian Federation. By order of the Government of the Russian Federation of 11.10.2016 № 2141-r she was appointed Deputy Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation – Head of Federal Service for State Registration, Cadastre and Cartography. Victoria Abramchenko was awarded honorary certificates of the Government of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation and certificate of acknowledgement of the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of the Russian Federation. Active State Adviser of the Russian Federation, Class 3 (Decree of the President of the Russian Federation of 10.07.2014 № 498). Married, has a son.
2020 January, 21st - Appointed as a Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation.

Mohamed Badr Al-Sadah

Chief Executive Officer, Hassad Food Company

Mr. Al-Sadah joined Hassad Food as Chief Executive Officer back in June 2017. He holds an Engineering degree from the University of Arizona, USA. He has a wide experience in different fields, acquired from working across various sectors, like Oil and Gas, Investments and Telecom.
Moreover, Al-Sadah currently holds a number of other senior positions including Chairman of Widam food, Vice Chairman of Baladna, Vice Chairman for the Arab Qatari Company for Poultry Production (AlWaha), Board Member in Qatar Development Bank (QDB), Board Member in the Arab Co. Livestock development (ACOLID), and Vice Chairman of International Seafood Company (Oman).
Previously, Al-Sadah led several central functions in the capacity of Chief Operating Officer and Chief Business Development, at Vodafone Qatar. Furthermore, Al-Sadah held other senior posts in the period he worked for Qatar Investment Authority. He started his career as an engineer for one of Qatar’s top Gas companies, during that time he spent two years in Japan, in which, he took part in Dolphin Energy’s project development.

Sergey Dankvert

Head, Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance (Rosselkhoznadzor)

Sergey Dankvert is a Russian statesman, Head of the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance, Member of the State Border Commission under the Russian Government, Government Commission on Agro-Industrial Sector, as well as the Commission of the Russian Government for Development of Fisheries. He is a Class I Active State Advisor.Mr Dankvert has been awarded the title “Honoured Worker of Russian Agriculture”, the order For Merits to the Fatherland IV class, the order of Honour, the medal For Distinguished Labour, the gold medal of the Russian Ministry of Agriculture “For Contribution to the Development of the Agro-Industrial Complex of Russia”, and the medal “For Contribution to Establishment of the Eurasian Economic Union” of the second degree.

Jan Dunning

Chairman of the Management Board, President, Chief Executive Officer, Magnit

Jan Dunning was Operations Director of Metro Cash & Carry Russia and then General Manager of Metro Cash & Carry Ukraine. Jan’s previous experience also includes three years as General Manager of the Lukas Klamer wholesale business, a subsidiary of the Metro Group in the Netherlands, and over ten years with Aldi North. Over the last 25 years, he has worked in a broad range of retail functions including leadership roles in operations, development, sales, marketing, purchasing and finance.

In 2011-2018, Jan worked as a Chief Executive Officer of Lenta.

In January 2019 Jan Dunning was appointed the President of Magnit and joined Magnit Management Board. In May 2019 Mr. Dunning was elected a Member of Magnit Board of Directors. In June 2019 Jan Dunning assumed the role of the Chief Executive Officer of Magnit.

Marc Carena

Managing Director, McDonald's Russia

Marc Carena is appointed General Director, McDonald’s Russia as of July 2018.
Swiss by origin Marc joined McDonald’s in August 2017 as Corporate Vice President, International Lead Markets (UK/Ireland, Germany, Australia/New Zealand, France and Canada).
Prior to joining McDonald’s Marc had an extensive experience in Retail (6,5 years) and FMCG (9 years).
Marc held increasingly senior marketing, sales and general manager positions in Nestlé spanning 10 countries across Europe, Asia and Africa, culminating as member of the European Management Committee of Nestlé Professional running South Europe (14 countries).
Thereafter Marc worked in B2B and B2C Retail for the Metro Group in senior roles in Marketing/E-commerce in Eastern Europe up to CEO of Metro Cash & Carry Croatia as well as president of the Supervisor Board of the common Metro/Spar Austria Joint Venture in Croatia
Marc graduated from the University of Berne, Switzerland, with an MA in Business Administration.
Marc has a strong track record of driving success in many countries; caring about people and using his high energy and dynamic leadership style. He brings with him strong food and retail sector experience and knowledge of the system committed to further enhance McDonald’s brand moving forward in Russia.
«I feel very honored to have received the opportunity to lead McDonald’s in Russia and to continue its 30 years history of success” - says Marc Carena.

Oleg Kobyakov

Director, Liaison Office with the Russian Federation, The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations

Evgeny Lyashenko

Executive Director, EFKO Group of Companies

Evgeny Lyashenko – CEO of EFKO Group, shareholder.

Date and place of birth:
7 May 1974, Ust-Kamenogorsk city in the Kazakh SSR.

Education:
Voronezh State University, majoring in Economics.

Evgeny Lyashenko started his career in EFKO in 1996. In 2002–2004, he worked as CFO of APIK EFKO CJSC; since 2004 Mr. Lyashenko has held the position of CEO of EFKO Management company JSC. During this time, the company’s revenue increased from 4 to 108 billion RUB. Under the leadership of Mr. Lyashenko, the company has grown from a regional oil extraction plant to the systemically important company in Russian food industry and became one of the Fat&Oil market leaders in the Eurasian Economic Union.

Dmitry Mazepin

General Director, URALCHEM

Born in 1968. Graduate of Minsk Suvorov Military School and Moscow State Institute of International relations (Department of Economics). From the middle 1990s Mr. Mazepin held the top management positions in large companies such as Tyumen oil company, Nizhnevartovskneftegas, Kuzbassugol Coal company. From 2002 till 2003 Mr. Mazepin held the position of Chief Executive Officer of AK SIBUR. Since 2007, Dmitry Mazepin is Chairman of the Board of Directors of URALCHEM.

Alexander Shenderyuk-Zhidkov

Director, Sodruzhestvo