День международной кооперации

Amidst political and economic transformations around the world, Russia and South Africa are looking for new points of interaction and opportunities to expand trade turnover and cooperation in various sectors of the economy. South Africa ranks first among sub-Saharan African countries in terms of trade turnover with Russia. Russia and South Africa actively cooperate within the framework of BRICS and regularly interact at the international level, which creates numerous business opportunities for both countries. Promising areas of cooperation include energy and infrastructure projects, the creation and development of transport corridors and logistics routes, agriculture, and the tourism sector. As of the end of 2023, South Africa had become the main destination in sub-Saharan Africa for Russian tourists. At the same time, the lack of direct non-stop flights between the largest cities of the two countries and the existing practice of mutual settlements remain significant constraints. How is Russian-South African trade, economic, and investment cooperation changing? In which sectors of the economy is business prepared to collaborate? What opportunities exist for mutual settlements in national currencies, and what financial mechanisms could businesses from the two countries use in bilateral trade? What solutions will help to overcome the factors that limit trade and economic cooperation?

Welcome Remark
Vladimir Padalko, Vice President, Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation

Vladimir Padalko

Vice President, Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation

Vladimir Padalko is an entrepreneur and formerly a USSR overseas trade specialist.
He has a diploma in Economics and is fluent in several foreign languages.
His main focus is foreign trade with countries in East Asia.
In 1990-s Vladimir Padalko was one of Russia’s pioneers in China and Hong Kong markets.
He got his second degree in Beijing.
Joined Russian Chamber of Industry and Commerce in 1995. Between 1996–2012, Vladimir Padalko represented RCIC abroad a number of times, including his position of the Head of RCIC regional office in East Asia.
He has been actively creating common economic space between Russia and the countries of Central Asia and the Pacific Rim. Represented RCIC in intergovernmental commissions with Asian countries, as well as expert councils of international entrepreneurial organizations.
Joined RCIC top management in July 2012.

Moderator
Alexander Kalinin, President, All‑Russian Non‑Governmental Organization of Small and Medium‑Sized Businesses OPORA RUSSIA

Alexander Kalinin

President, All‑Russian Non‑Governmental Organization of Small and Medium‑Sized Businesses OPORA RUSSIA

Born on November 4, 1966 in the city of Chelyabinsk.
In 1989 graduated with honors from the Chelyabinsk Polytechnic Institute, specialization in robototronics, diploma qualification in electrical engineering.
From 1989 to 1991 has undertaken postgraduate training program at the Department of Engineering Economics of the Chelyabinsk Polytechnic Institute.
In 1991 founded a wholesale and retail company engaged in export and import operations. Fluent in spoken English.
In 1995-1998 has graduated from the Ural Academy of Public Administration with a degree in law.
In 1998 invested in the creation of a manufacturing company. The company designs and manufactures motor control centers, co-author of an invention patent.
In 2002 became a founding member of All-Russian Non-Governmental Organization of Small and Medium Business “OPORA RUSSIA”.
In 2005 was elected Chairman of the Chelyabinsk regional office of “OPORA RUSSIA”.
In 2007 was elected to the Board of “OPORA RUSSIA”.
In 2012 was elected first Vice-President of “OPORA RUSSIA” on energy, infrastructure and cluster policy.
Since 2013 – member of the Government Commission on Electric Power Development.
In 2013 was elected Co-Chairman of the Staff of the Chelyabinsk regional branch of the All-Russian Public Movement “People's Front” for Russia!”
Since 2014 – member of the Board of Directors of JSC “ROSSETI” (June 2014), member of the Board of Directors of RAO “UES” (August 2014).
October 29, 2014 was elected President of All-Russian Non-Governmental Organization of Small and Medium Business “OPORA RUSSIA” and Non-Profit Partnership “OPORA”
Awarded with certificates of acknowledgement of the Presidential Administration, Government of the Russian Federation, Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation, Governor of the Chelyabinsk Region, Legislative Assembly of the Chelyabinsk region.

Panellists
Maksim Astashin, Commercial Director, Volga-Dnepr Airlines
Alexander Afonin, Director of the Department for Work with Industrial Enterprises, Moscow Credit Bank
Igor Butman, Musician, Composer
Vasily Grudev, Minister of Investment Policy, Government of the Sakhalin Oblast
Fedor Degtiarev, President, Union South Urals Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Elias Monage, Member of the BRICS Business Council of the Republic of South Africa; Chairman, The Black Business Council (BBC)
Mpumi Mpofu, Chief Executive Officer, Airports Company
Alina Pribytkina, Head of Financial Institutions Division, Petersburg Social Commercial Bank
Valery Salygin, Director, International Energy Policy and Diplomacy Institute of Moscow State Institute of International Relations under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia (MIEP MGIMO)
Maxim Sergeev, General Director, Inter RAO – Export LLC
Andrey Stolyarov, Deputy Director of the Africa Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation
Alexey Texler, Governor of Chelyabinsk Region
Vladislav Shapsha, Governor of Kaluga Region
Pavel Yakovlev, General Director, Company of Automobile Plant Ural; Chairman of the Russian part of the Russia-South Africa Business Council

Igor Butman

Musician, Composer

Vasily Grudev

Minister of Investment Policy, Government of the Sakhalin Oblast

Valery Salygin

Director, International Energy Policy and Diplomacy Institute of Moscow State Institute of International Relations under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia (MIEP MGIMO)

In 1961, Mr. Salygin graduated from Moscow Mining Institute. In 1964, he joined a postgraduate course and took his PhD (Technical) and in 1973 he took his doctorate degree (Technical). Starting from mid-1960s, Mr. Salygin was actively involved not only in research but also in teaching, working in positions of associate professor, professor and department head at different higher education establishments.
In 1978, Mr. Salygin was transferred to the USSR Ministry of Higher Education where he headed the Research and Development Directorate and later worked as a Deputy Minister.
In 1990, he was elected Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of sciences and in 1997 - Vice President, International Fuel and Energy Academy.
Since 2000 Mr Salygin has been working as Director, International Institute of Energy Policy and Diplomacy, MGIMO, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation (MIEP MGIMO). He heads MIEP MGIMO Strategic Research Center that has accomplished a number of research works in the fields of world energy policy, global energy security, world energy markets development and in the field of Russian fuel and energy industry international strategy development.
Since 2003 Mr. Salygin has held a diplomatic rank of Minister Counsel.
V.I. Salygin is a member of the Commission for State Decorations under the President of the Russian Federation, a member of the Energy Expert Council of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, a member of the Scientific and Technical Council of PJSC Gazprom.
Mr. Salygin won numerous decorations, awards, titles, prizes and commendations from different government and other organizations.

Maxim Sergeev

General Director, Inter RAO – Export LLC

Alexey Texler

Governor of Chelyabinsk Region

Born on January 19, 1973 in the city of Chelyabinsk.
Education / specialty
Norilsk Industrial Institute with a degree in Economics and Management in Metallurgy
Brief biographical note
In 1995 he graduated with honors from the Norilsk Industrial Institute with a degree in Economics and Management in Metallurgy, an engineer-economist.
From 1990 to 2007 He held various positions in the JSC "Norilsk Mining and Metallurgical Combine them. A.P. Zavenyagin "and OJSC MMC Norilsk Nickel, from specialist to CEO of Norilsk Support Complex, LLC, a subsidiary of OJSC MMC Norilsk Nickel.
In 2008 - 2009 He was the head of the administration of Norilsk.
From 2011, he was Managing Director - Head of the Krasnoyarsk business unit Polyus CJSC.
In 2013, he was appointed Deputy Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation. Since November 2014, he served as First Deputy Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation.
Valid State Counselor of the Russian Federation 2 classes.
March 19, 2019 Russian President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, by his Decree, appointed A.L. Texler Acting Governor of the Chelyabinsk region.
Awards:
Honorary title "Honorary Power Engineer" - 2017
Medal of the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, II degree - 2016
Commemorative Medal "XXII Olympic Winter Games and XI Paralympic Winter Games of 2014 in Sochi" - 2014
Diploma of the Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation - 2014
Awards of other departments.
Family status
Married, has a son

Vladislav Shapsha

Governor of Kaluga Region