The SME Forum

Development of the value chains has become a global phenomenon and this session will explore the potential measures governments should implement to maximize the benefits of global value chains.
Key topics to be addressed at the session:
• Regulation of the customs value of goods imported into Russia.
• What is the role of SMEs in creating and developing value chains?
• What issues are relevant for businesses in the context of value chain development?
• How can the ‘Made in Russia’ brand be obtained and what advantages does it give?
• What are the success stories of involving SMEs in value chain development?

Moderator
Julia Ermilova, Head of Direction, Russian News Agency TASS

Julia Ermilova

Head of Direction, Russian News Agency TASS

Head of the «Small and medium-sized enterprises and support of the individual entrepreneurial initiative» editorial at TASS News Agency.
The «Medium-sized enterprises» editorial of TASS was founded in 2016 as a separate tass.ru rubric. Furthermore, from 2019 on, there is a «Small and medium-sized enterprises and support of the individual entrepreneurial initiative» section on the news portal «Futurerussia.National Projects», which is also operated by TASS. Julia Ermilova, an experienced journalist and entrepreneur, is the head of the both projects. In just a few years, TASS has become one of the widely acknowledged media-ambassadors of the enterprise popularization using different formats: news, interviews, reportages. The TASS team created over 100 entrepreneurial success stories and published more than one thousand news about business development in Russia, that orientate business owners in the changing legislation of the small and medium-sized enterprises sector.
Juliya Ermilova is the official ambassador of the «Suppliers portal», which was launched by the Government of Moscow in 2013 to carry out purchase procedures of the Moscow companies. She possesses professional and governmental rewards, such as: award of the Government of Moscow «The best result in the formation of the competitive environment and contribution to the development of the contract system», the certificate of the Government of Moscow «For contribution to the enterprise popularization in Moscow». Moreover, Julia Ermilova is the winner of the all-russian competition «Make friends with finance» conducted by the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation.
Julia Ermilova works as a journalist since 2011, she produced news stories and programs on «Russia 1» and «Channel One Russia» TV-Channels.

Panellists
Nikita Bantsekin, Member of the Management Board, Head of Public Relations and International Activities Directorate, Russian Small and Medium Business Corporation
Elena Bondar, Deputy Director, Customs Cost Control Division, North-West Customs Office (Federal Customs Service of Russia)
Azat Gazizov, First Vice President, All-Russian Non-Governmental Organization of Small and Medium-Sized Businesses OPORA RUSSIA
Ekaterina Lebedeva, Vice President, Saint-Petersburg Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Cui Lianbao, Vice Chairman, China International Cooperation Association of Small and Medium Enterprises
Jaana Rekolainen, Chief Executive Officer, Finnish-Russian Chamber of Commerce
Kirill Sergashov, Deputy Director of Investment Policy and Entrepreneurship Development Department, Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation

Nikita Bantsekin

Member of the Management Board, Head of Public Relations and International Activities Directorate, Russian Small and Medium Business Corporation

Elena Bondar

Deputy Director, Customs Cost Control Division, North-West Customs Office (Federal Customs Service of Russia)

Azat Gazizov

First Vice President, All-Russian Non-Governmental Organization of Small and Medium-Sized Businesses OPORA RUSSIA

Ekaterina Lebedeva

Vice President, Saint-Petersburg Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Date of birth: December 09, 1983, place of birth: the city of Saint-Petersburg

In the year of 2005 graduated from the School of International Relations of Saint-Petersburg State University, received Bachelor Degree.

In the year of 2007 graduated from Master's degree program of the School of International Relations of Saint-Petersburg State University, obtained the Master degree.

Since the year of 2007 has been employed by Saint-Petersburg Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the Department of external relations.

For the years of 2010 – 2013 held the position of deputy Director of Department of external relations of Saint-Petersburg Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

For the years of 2013 – 2014 held the position of Director of Department of external relations of Saint-Petersburg Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

From April 2014 to the present day holds the position of vice-president of Saint-Petersburg Chamber of Commerce and Industry with the fields of responsibility as follows: issues of international and inter-regional cooperation with both international and regional partner organizations and business community of regions of Russian and other countries alike.

Was honored with Certificates of gratitude by Saint-Petersburg Chamber of Commerce, Industry, and Committee for the External Relations of Government of Saint-Petersburg.

Language proficiency: English, Spanish, French.

Cui Lianbao

Vice Chairman, China International Cooperation Association of Small and Medium Enterprises

Jaana Rekolainen

Chief Executive Officer, Finnish-Russian Chamber of Commerce

Kirill Sergashov

Deputy Director of Investment Policy and Entrepreneurship Development Department, Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation

Front row participants
Alina Lavrentieva, Partner, Private Business Consulting Leader, PwC Russia
Rustam Hafizov, Deputy Director, Association of Innovative Regions of Russia (AIRR)
Maxim Khudalov, Director of Corporate Ratings Group, Analytical Credit Rating Agency (ACRA)

Alina Lavrentieva

Partner, Private Business Consulting Leader, PwC Russia

Alina Lavrentieva is a partner in PwC’s Russia practice and the Private Business Consulting Leader.

Alina has a Ph.D. in Economics and is a Certified Auditor, one of PwC Russia’s leading specialists in providing consulting services to retail and consumer companies. Alina has many years of experience in advising leading multinationals and Russian companies on corporate taxation, accounting and related issues.

Alina is a Chairperson of the Taxation Committee of the Association of European Businesses (AEB) in the Russian Federation.

Alina is a regular speaker at conferences, both in Russia and internationally, she has spoken at events held by AEB, the Adam Smith Institute and other events.

Rustam Hafizov

Deputy Director, Association of Innovative Regions of Russia (AIRR)

Khafizov Rustam - Deputy Director of the Association of Innovative Regions of Russia. Currently, the Association includes 16 regions of Russia leaders in the field of economic and innovative development. The Association assists in promoting of joint innovative, economic, scientific, technical and educational projects of the regions - members of AIRR.

From 2007-2014 he worked in the Government of the Volgograd Region on the implementation of investment and innovative projects in the region.

2014-2018 worked in the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation on issues of innovative development of regions of Russia for the formation and implementation of cluster policy, he was engaged as well in supporting of high-tech export-oriented companies and foreign economic activity.

Maxim Khudalov

Director of Corporate Ratings Group, Analytical Credit Rating Agency (ACRA)

Maxim joined the ACRA team in 2016 and is responsible for the metallurgical sector. Maxim has more than 15 years of working experience in the fields of metallurgy and finance. He worked in strategic marketing at Mechel and Severstal, where he assessed the stocks of Russian metallurgical companies, and also at IFC Metropol. Maxim participated in the management of large gold and coal assets of PPF Investments Russia Ltd. and Gazprombank. He also participated in the restructuring of debt owed by large clients to Gazprombank.