Financial inclusion is integral to the development of the Russian Far East and improving the lives of the people who live there. Despite the progress that has been made, there are still a number of unsolved challenges due to the unique characteristics of the region, including its geography, demographics, and economic conditions. What are the main barriers in the way of financial inclusion in the Russian Far East and how can they be overcome? What drivers could help achieve equal levels of financial inclusion in urban and rural areas? This session will also consider the results of the Bank of Russia's pilot project to improve financial inclusion in the Far East.

Moderator:
Mikhail Mamuta — Head of Service for Protection of Consumer Rights and Ensuring the Availability of Financial Services, Member of the Board of Directors, Central Bank of the Russian Federation

Panellists:
Sergey Belov — Head of the Far Eastern Main Branch, Central Bank of the Russian Federation
Vladimir Komlev — Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, National Payment Card System
Sergey Maltsev — Senior Vice-President – Head of Sales Network Department, Sberbank
Mikhail Oseevskiy — President, Chairman of the Management Board, Rostelecom
Maxim Taluk — Head of the Far East Macroregion, Post Bank

Front row participants:
Mikhail Bolonyaev — Senior Vice President, VTB Bank
Roman Kapinos — Deputy Chairman of the Board, SME Bank
Maxim Lubomudrov — Deputy Chairman of the Board, Russian Agricultural Bank
Alexander Pakhomov — Member of the Management Board, Head of the Regional Network Management Unit, Otkritie Bank
Ekaterina Reznikova — Vise President, Member of the Management Board, Head of the Digital Business Unit, MTS Bank

Central Russia accounts for 27% of the country’s population, 28.5% of investments, 55% of foreign trade, and 73.3% of financial investments. Half of the regions that make up the Central Federal District are among the top 20 in the national investment climate rating. As of the end of 2018, the investment growth rate in the Central Federal District (8.9%) was more than double the national average (4.3%), and even increased to 16.4% in the first quarter of this year. Russia’s pivot east has created new opportunities for investment cooperation between Central Russia and the countries of the Asia-Pacific. Chinese, Japanese, South Korean, and Indian companies have provided a number of examples of successful investment. However, the potential for mutually beneficial economic cooperation is nowhere near exhausted. What can Central Russia offer foreign investors? What measures to support the implementation of investment projects are already working? What else needs to be done?

Moderator:
Artur Niyazmetov — Deputy Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Central Federal District

Panellists:
Sergei Kachaev — Co-Chairman, Council on Investment Authorized in the Central Federal District
Maxim Kondratyev — Chief Executive Officer, Alfa Automative Technologies
Vadim Khromov — Deputy Chairman of the Moscow Region Government
Rajesh Sharma — Chief Executive Officer, Advanced Group
Igor Shchegolev — Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Central Federal District

The concept of lean production has been proven to be effective all over the world. It seeks to make more from less, that is, increasing the volume of production from less resources, money, space, and workers. This is the essence of lean production. Russia is implementing lean ideas by creating nationwide projects, such as Lean Government and Lean Healthcare. What’s more, modern trends in industrial development, technology, and society demand change. In Japan – the country that invented kaizen – a plan to reform work patterns is being developed as a new way of increasing productivity, which is aimed at implementing strategies to revitalize the Japanese economy. This experience may well prove to be beneficial to Russia, too. What new ideas and principles can help increase productivity on a global scale? Why is lean production not being used everywhere and at all times? How can we construct a process of continuous improvement and create a system of lean learning? How can we implement new equipment based on the kaizen model? What is a lean start-up and a minimum viable product? How can we reconstruct our way of thinking and become a lean leader?

Moderator:
Maxim Protasov — Head, Russian Quality System (Roskachestvo)

Panellists:
Michael Akim — Vice President, ABB Ltd
Jorge Javier Roman Garate — Business Excellence and Benchmarking Advisor, Dubai Police Force of the United Arab Emirates
Nikolay Solomon — General Director, Federal Competence Centre (FCC)
Isaac Sheps — Chair, Central Committee for Standardizing Management Systems, The Standards Institution of Israel

The Asia Pacific not only continues to be the main driver of global economic growth, but also demand for hydrocarbons at all process stages. Access to this market is therefore key to success. A combination of technological effectiveness, efficiency, and logistics is needed in order to be competitive. Petrochemicals make up a segment offering the highest added value, thereby giving investors added returns. As external competition intensifies, so it becomes ever-more crucial to select the right development path for petrochemical projects in the Far East’s cluster. The immediate proximity to the premium market of the Asia Pacific, offering potential exports of over RUB 230 billion, provides an additional benefit to petrochemical projects. The Power of Siberia and the Eastern Siberia–Pacific Ocean pipelines are providing new opportunities to attract investment and spur regional growth. The Amur gas and chemical cluster, Sakhalin, and Nakhodka could become key hubs for creating a new petrochemical production infrastructure. What needs to be done to unlock this potential? In what way is the strategy for developing the Far East’s petrochemical cluster unique, and how might it be affected by global trends and various development scenarios in the industry? Should major companies be increasing low-tonnage production of chemicals, or is this the prerogative of niche players? What high value-added products will be in demand on the domestic and international markets? Will the tax reform affect the cost of raw materials for the petrochemicals sector? What forms of support need to be put in place for investors and the sector as a whole?

Moderator:
Marina Belyakova — Partner, EY

Panellists:
Grigory Berezkin — Chairman of the Board of Directors, ESN Group
Viktor Evtukhov — State Secretary – Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation
Dmitry Konov — Chairman of the Management Board, SIBUR Holding
Andrey Kutepov — Chairman of the Committee on Economic Policy, Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation
Pavel Sorokin — Deputy Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation
Mikhail Sutyaginskiy — Chairman of the Board of Directors, Titan Group of Companies

Front row participant:
Anastasiya Nabatchikova — Head of Director Petrochemicals, Far East Investment and Export Agency

The transshipment of coal and bulk cargo in the Far East is of great importance to the economies of the Far East, as well as to Russia and Asian countries, but environmental issues need to be addressed. The open-air transshipment of dusty cargoes in seaports ill-equipped to handle them leads to increased air pollution, impacting the environment of the surrounding area. Currently, it is impossible to completely abandon the practice of open-air coal transshipments, but in the interests of residents living close to ports, new advanced technologies for the transshipment of goods based on the most stringent environmental standards are required. How can regulatory organizations ensure effective control of the coal transshipment process in the Russian Far East? How can we encourage stevedores to use modern, environmentally friendly technologies in order to protect the health of the region’s inhabitants? What needs to be done to set up effective environmental monitoring systems? What Russian and international experience in minimizing dust generation during coal transshipment in ports can we draw from?

Moderator:
Victor Ryadinsky — Expert, Federal Supervisory Natural Resources Management Service, Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment of the Russian Federation; Winner of the Ecology Prize of the Government of the Russian Federation

Panellists:
Alexander Agоshkov — President, Pacific Academy of Environmental and Health Sciences; Head of the Department of Life Safety in Technosphere, Far Eastern Federal University
Yana Blinovskaya — Doctor of Technical Sciences; Professor, Department of Life Safety in Emergencies and Environmental Protection, Far Eastern Federal University (FEFU)
Vladimir Grigoryev — Member of the Board of Directors, Association of Commercial Sea Ports; General Director, AO Nakhodka Trade Seaport
Sergey Ostakh — Head, Scientific and Technical Section for Best Available Technique Reference Documents, Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation
Alexander Shabarov — Professor, University of Tyumen (UTMN); Honoured Scientist of the Russian Federation

The number of tourists visiting the Russian Far East is continuing to grow unabated. In 2018 the figure reached a record 6.9 million people, representing a 53% increase over the previous three years. Of these, 980,000 came from outside Russia. A number of steps are being taken to support investment projects in this area. A simplified electronic visa system is in place for tourists from 19 countries, as is a VAT refund system. Flights to the Far East are subsidized, the hotel industry is exempt from income tax, the Eastern Ring of Russia interregional project is under way, and new tourist attractions are being developed. Nevertheless, a range of barriers still need to be overcome. Transport infrastructure remains insufficiently developed, levels of service can be low, flights within the Far East are expensive, and there is not enough high-quality accommodation. What should be done to develop the region’s airport infrastructure? Should they be managed independently, or should professionals be brought in from elsewhere? What are the prospects for developing cruise tourism? How many new hotels does the Far East need?

Moderator:
Olga Arkhangelskaya — Partner, Head of Real Estate, Hospitality, and Construction Services, Head of the Transportation, Infrastructure and Government, and Public Group in the CIS, EY

Panellists:
Sergey Bachin — General Director, Roza Khutor
Olga Golodets — Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation
Taras Demura — General Director, TUI Russia
Zarina Doguzova — Head, Russian Federal Agency for Tourism
Ueki Yoshiharu — Representative Director, Chairman, Japan Airlines
Choi SeungHwan — Chief Executive Officer, Hanchang Co., Ltd
Evgeniy Chudnovskiy — Director General, Airports of Regions

Front row participants:
Roman Glushak — Head, Representative Office in the Far East Federal District, Russian Export Centre
Mark Dudley — Regional Director, InterPacific Aviation and Marketing, Inc.
Alexander Idrisov — President, Founder, Strategy Partners Group
Valeriy Nagorny — General Director, Vladivostok Sea Terminal
Nataliya Pakholkova — Acting Head, Agency for Tourism of Sakhalin Region
Alexander Romanov — Executive Director, Infrastructure Financing Division, VTB Capital
Elena Stratonova — Head, Agency for Tourism and External Relations of Kamchatskiy Krai
Olga Tkacheva — Deputy General Director for Strategic Development and Marketing, Flotiliya
Alexey Tsedenov — Head of the Republic of Buryatia
Konstantin Shestakov — Director of Tourism Department, Administration of the Primorsky Krai

The development of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is a key to accelerating economic growth in the Russian Far East. Today, the sector employs approximately 20% of those living in the Far East. The government is taking steps to stimulate business activity and support enterprising individuals who have decided to start their own businesses. The conditions for attracting financing for small enterprises in the Russian Far East are more favourable than the national average. However, despite these efforts, the number of new enterprises continues to fall. Small businesses are also finding it difficult to sell their products and services on the domestic and foreign market. The unique difficulties faced by small and medium-sized enterprises seeking to enter foreign markets means that SMEs require additional attention and special support. In order to increase exports by SMEs, it is particularly important to effectively implement regional export standards and create a consolidated export promotion system. How much will these measures contribute to the goals of increasing the share of small businesses in the economy by 2024 from 22% to 32.5% of GDP and their share of exports to 10%? What can be done to increase the number of people involved in the SME sector, reduce red tape, and create an integrated system for supporting small businesses? How can the creation of new enterprises and startups be simplified, making businesses in the Far East truly competitive?

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

Panellists:
Alexander Braverman — General Director, Chairman of the Board, Russian Small and Medium Business Corporation
Vadim Zhivulin — Deputy Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation
Andrey Slepnev — Chief Executive Officer, Russian Export Center
Xue Xulou — Chairman, Association of Heilongjiang Province Entrepreneurs
Konstantin Chekmyshev — Deputy Head, Federal Tax Service of the Russian Federation

Front row participants:
Vyacheslav Arutyunyan — Acting Chairman of the Management Board, Orient Express Bank
Konstantin Bogdanenko — Acting Vice Governor of Primorsky Territory
Dmitry Golovanov — Chairman of the Board, Member of the Supervisory Board, SME Bank
Alexey Gorodkov — Director, Ecoresursy Primorya
Andrey Griciuc — Partner, Head of Regional Development, KPMG in Russia and the CIS
Denis Gros — Managing Partner, DA! Development Group; Executive Director, Avangard Industrial Park
Marina Zhunich — Director for Government Relations, Google Russia
Kirill Kamenev — Managing Director of Investment Department, Far East and Baikal Region Development Fund
Maxim Lubomudrov — Deputy Chairman of the Board, Russian Agricultural Bank
Anatoly Popov — Deputy Chairman of the Executive Board, Head of Corporate Investment Business, Sberbank
Alexander Shumatov — General Director, Children’s Health Centre

Improving the quality of Russia’s national jurisdiction, along with enhancing the level of judicial protection when settling commercial and investment disputes, is paramount to creating a favourable investment climate and developing the economy as a whole. The legal system must meet the challenges of the times. The global community has developed new and better ways to settle legal disputes and regulate business. It has also created special regimes to attract investors. We must clearly understand what actions need to be taken so that the mechanisms used to grant preferences or benefits are effective and accessible to the business community. How can we overcome the flaws of national jurisdiction? How should we take into account best practices to attract foreign investment and protect intellectual property? What legal incentives can be used to bring back the capital that has flowed out of the country, as well as entrepreneurs who have changed their tax residency?

Moderator:
Stanislav Alexandrov — Managing Director – Chief of Staff, Member of the Board, Association of Lawyers of Russia

Panellists:
Igor Drozdov — Chairman of the Board, Skolkovo Foundation
Alexander Konovalov — Minister of Justice of the Russian Federation
Aleksey Serko — State Secretary, Deputy Minister of the Russian Federation for Civil Defence, Emergencies and Elimination of Consequences of Natural Disasters
Boris Titov — Presidential Commissioner of the Russian Federation for the Protection of Entrepreneurs’ Rights
Roman Trotsenko — Founder, Chairman of the Board of Directors, AEON Corporation
Yury Chayka — Prosecutor General of the Russian Federation
Wenhua Shan — Dean, MoE Chair Professor of Law, School of Law, School of International Education, Xi’an Jiaotong University (XJTU)

Front row participants:
Elena Bezdenezhnykh — Vice President for Regional Policy and Government and Administration Relations, RUSAL
Dmitriy Dyakin — Partner, Egorov Puginsky Afanasiev & Partners; Deputy Chairman of the pPesidium, Arbitration Centre, Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RSPP)
Kirill Udovichenko — Partner, Monastyrsky, Zyuba, Stepanov & Partners
Alexey Chichkanov — First Vice President, Gazprombank

The global emergence of the digital economy is transforming the institution of governance around the world. Digitalization is a key theme in the transformation of governance and the provision of public services. Many countries, including Russia, have a plan to improve governance through the introduction of digital technologies. The experience of other countries shows how governments collect and process large amounts of data using new digital technologies. This work has resulted in the creation of new products and services that are in high demand among society, business, and governments. Governments play a key role alongside high-tech businesses in establishing a digital economy and ensuring a country attains a leading position. What strategic national projects exist for building a digital state to improve the quality of people’s lives and businesses? What factors are driving and hindering development in the race for high technologies in governance? What public services will be in demand among citizens and the business community in the new technological era?

Moderator:
Yermolai Solzhenitsyn — Senior Partner, McKinsey & Company

Panellists:
Maxim Akimov — Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation
Alexander Vedyakhin — First Deputy Chairman of the Executive Board, Sberbank
Alexey Kornya — President, MTS
Aysen Nikolaev — Head of Sakha Republic (Yakutia)
Mikhail Oseevskiy — President, Chairman of the Management Board, Rostelecom
Maxim Parshin — Deputy Minister of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media of the Russian Federation
Nikolai Podguzov — General Director, Russian Post
Maxim Topilin — Minister of Labour and Social Protection of the Russian Federation
Tharman Shanmugaratnam — Senior Minister, Coordinating Minister for Social Policies of the Republic of Singapore
Alexander Shokhin — President, Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RSPP)

Front row participants:
Aleksandr Pronyushkin — Member of the Committee on Economic Policy, Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation
Oleg Fomichev — Director for Strategic Planning and Development, ComplexProm
Savva Shipov — Deputy Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation

In August 2019, a strategy for the development of tourism in the Russian Federation by 2035 was approved. Its implementation plan outlines measures to be taken on statutory regulation in the industry as well as on organizing a management system and providing state support to boost tourism. The latter will be largely guided by a federal project to develop domestic and inbound tourism in the Russian Federation by 2024. Defining priority territories and developing them via a cluster approach will be one of the main ways in which the country will be able to increase exports of tourism-based services. Optimal approaches for the use of land and sites of state importance, including cultural heritage sites, will be established using a smart management model which will create tourist recreational clusters. The renewed strategy to develop Russky Island, alongside Kronstadt, will act as pilot projects for the use of smart management models to implement integrated territorial development projects with the aim of developing tourism. What new forms of state support will be aimed at developing tourist zones and territories in the Far Eastern Federal District? What will attract foreign investors? Public-private partnership in the tourism industry: which steps are businesses expecting the government to take to facilitate their involvement in similar projects?

Moderator:
Andrey Sokolov — Deputy Director General, TASS Russia

Panellists:
Alexis Delaroff — Chief Operating Officer, Accor New East Europe
Marika Korotaeva — Co-Organizer, Project Kronstadt. Fort Island
Evgeny Popov — Deputy Chairman of the Board, Gazprombank
Yury Saprykin — Vice President for Regional and International Development, Skolkovo Foundation
Oleg Teplov — Chief Executive Officer, VEB Innovation
Andrey Fedotov — Permanent Representative of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) to the President of the Russian Federation; First Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)
Vera Shcherbina — First Vice Governor of Primorsky Territory
Irina Yarovaya — Deputy Chairman of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation

Front row participants:
Raymond Abu Fadel — Regional Director for Russia, AECOM
Movses Barseghyan — Chief Executive Officer, Innovation Euro-Asian Trade House
Andrey Baryshnikov — Director, Information and Analytical Centre for the Support of Reserve Management and Studies
Alexey Kalachev — Chief Executive Officer, Russia Convention Bureau
Aslan Kanukoev — Acting General Director, Corporation for Far East Development
Ekaterina Pronicheva — Chairperson, Moscow Tourism Committee
Olga Tkacheva — Deputy General Director for Strategic Development and Marketing, Flotiliya
Ksenia Shoygu — Member, Kronstadt Development Working Group

The regulatory sandbox is a type of legislative regime, enabling test runs of initiatives whose implementation is made difficult or even impossible due to regulatory barriers. A number of leading countries are already using regulatory sandboxes to develop the optimal regulatory environment for the digital economy in the shortest amount of time – something that is impossible using conventional measures. Sandboxes are an effective response to both rapidly developing technologies and solutions, and to lack of clarity when it comes to regulating innovations without having analysed the market behaviour of the proposed product or service. Currently, regulatory sandboxes can be focused on a single economic sector (e.g. fintech sandboxes) or a number of industries in the digital economy, which is known as a universal regulatory sandbox. How do regulatory sandboxes currently function? What are the prospects for this type of legal experiment?

Moderator:
Savva Shipov — Deputy Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation

Panellists:
Alexander Vedyakhin — First Deputy Chairman of the Executive Board, Sberbank
Igor Drozdov — Chairman of the Board, Skolkovo Foundation
Ruslan Sarkisov — Chief Executive Officer, Far East High Technologies Fund
Chris Skinner — Chairman, The Financial Services Club
Vladimir Solodov — Chairman of the Government of Sakha Republic (Yakutia)
Maria Shklyaruk — Chief Executive Officer, Center for Advanced Governance (CAG); Scientific Director, Digital Transformation Leadership Training Centre, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA)

Virtual space has become just another dimension of real space, just like the earth’s surface or its atmosphere. In the coming years, many elements of Eurasia's critical infrastructure will go digital. However, digital construction can turn into a perilous venture if electrical grids, utilities, transport systems, or urban activity are in danger of being sabotaged. With trade and technological wars waged from the outside, there is a need for digital sovereignty and technological independence: any country must be able to control and secure its own digital space and critical infrastructure. This raises questions of shared rules in the digital space and of a unified effort in Eurasia to create a zone of digital trust. What challenges exist on the path towards creating a zone of digital peace and cooperation in the region? What do governments and businesses have to do to create a zone of trust? What partnerships can be formed to achieve this goal? What does Russia have to offer?

Moderator:
Alexey Bobrovsky — Head of the Economic Programme, Russia 24 TV Channel

Panellists:
Andrey Bezrukov — President, Technological Sovereignty Exports Association
Iliya Dimitrov — Digital economy ombudsman
Stanislav Kuznetsov — Deputy Chairman of the Executive Board, Sberbank

Today, the construction industry, being one of the main drivers of regional development, is faced with the challenge of transforming into an economically effective and competitive economic sector. The processes currently being launched to modernize the construction industry come from Moscow and must be targeted, with consideration given to the unique needs of the regions of the Far Eastern Federal District. The general trend towards the development of modern information technologies and platform solutions, facilitating collective information management and seamless project planning, construction, and operation processes for major construction projects will allow the regions’ unique needs to be taken into account and integrated in the construction industry’s common digital space. Developing the construction industry in the Far East will generate significant investments in fixed assets and support the development of related industries. This should help further unlock the economic potential of the region and increase living standards. Is the Far Eastern Federal District’s construction industry attractive to investors? Improving price setting in construction: how to balance government prices and construction companies’ costs in the Far Eastern Federal District to improve the effectiveness of projects being implemented with government participation? Reforming government construction projects: how can competition in the Russian Far East be increased without harming the industry? Information modelling technologies: a tool for reducing time spent on project planning and project construction costs? Is it possible to create a standardized economically effective project documentation system as a tool for implementing the goals of the National Housing and Urban Environment Project in the Russian Far East? Developing a qualification system in construction: how can we attract head engineers, architects, and finance managers to Far Eastern construction companies, given the changing nature of the construction industry?

Moderator:
Bela Liauv — Special Correspondent, Vedomosti

Panellists:
Yuhang Wang — Vice President, China CAMC Engineering Co., Ltd.
Anton Glushkov — President, National Association of Builders (NOSTROY)
Akira Iwata — Partner, Representative in Russia and CIS, Nomura Research Institute Ltd.
Igor Manylov — Chief Executive Officer, Main Department of State Expertise (Glavgosexpertiza of Russia)
Mikhail Petrov — Acting Vice Governor of Primorsky Territory
Gennadiy Sakharov — Director of Capital Investments, State Construction Supervision and State Expertise, ROSATOM State Atomic Energy Corporation
Hong Ha Pham — Minister of Construction of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam
Vladimir Yakushev — Minister of Construction, Housing and Utilities of the Russian Federation

Front row participants:
Yevgeny Virtser — General Director, INSYSTEMS
Sergey Kolesnikov — President, TechnoNICOL Corporation

The government of the Russian Federation is considering building a new conference and exhibition centre in Primorsky Territory. Global experience shows that running major international events has a significant effect on the region’s economy. Many countries purposefully establish the relevant infrastructure along with the specific conditions to run events on their soil. The Far East is a priority in the development strategy of the Russian Federation. Modern and well-designed infrastructure in the events sector will allow the region to increase its economic potential while making it more competitive and attractive for investors, both from a national and international standpoint. How should we evaluate the feasibility of building a conference and exhibition centre in the Far East? What criteria must be considered with regard to the centre? What practical steps in promotion and sales must be taken to advance this new platform? From conferences to multi-format events: can the conference and exhibition centre become a focal point in the region? How can we evaluate the effectiveness of the new infrastructure for the economy and its potential to foster interregional cooperation?

Moderator:
Sergey Katyrin — President, Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation

Panellists:
Anatoliy Bobrakov — Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Far East and Baikal Region Development Fund
Konstantin Bogdanenko — Acting Vice Governor of Primorsky Territory
Mikhail Grudinin — President, Giprogor Project City Planning Institute of Spatial Modelling and Development
Venkatesh Varma Datla Bala — Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of India in the Russian Federation
Vera Yermilova — General Director, Dalexpocenter LLC
Alexey Kalachev — Chief Executive Officer, Russia Convention Bureau
Alexander Stuglev — Chief Executive Officer, The Roscongress Foundation

Front row participants:
Ma Li — Mayor, Heihe Municipal People's Government
Victoria Panova — Vice-Rector for International Relations, Far Eastern Federal University (FEFU)

In Russia, the deterioration of utilities infrastructure is a significant problem. Work to upgrade obsolete infrastructure and ensure that water supplies and wastewater treatment facilities meet quality standards requires a higher level of financing than the state alone can provide. The costs cannot be borne by the final consumer, while tariffs sometimes do not even cover operating expenses, not to mention the funds needed to provide a return on investment. To address the problem, an integrated approach is needed involving the Ministry of Construction, Housing and Utilities and market participants under the Housing and Utilities Strategy 2035. This programme outlines a key goal to provide high-quality and reliable housing and utilities services at an affordable price. The strategy will consist of several sections: heat supply, water supply and sanitation, housing, investment, and environmental and HR policy. Put together, it will be possible to comprehensively analyse current problems and find solutions. The adoption of long-term and business friendly rules also forms a key component of the strategy. But what does business think about the investment potential of housing and utilities? Are there any opportunities to increase investment in this area, and will the digitalization of the industry help? Will national projects enable additional private investment to be raised to augment programmes to replace the utilities infrastructure? What changes does business consider necessary for the regions to receive the necessary funds, and does the state agree? These issues, approaches, and practices will be discussed by business and regional government representatives with the support of the Ministry of Construction, Housing and Utilities.

Moderator:
Lev Gorilovskiy — President, Polyplastic Group

Panellists:
Kirill Bychkov — Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)
Elena Parkhomenko — Acting Vice Governor of Primorsky Territory
Ekaterina Reznikova — Vise President, Member of the Management Board, Head of the Digital Business Unit, MTS Bank
Vasily Savin — Partner, Head of Power and Utilities, KPMG in Russia and the CIS
Dmitry Tvardovsky — First Deputy General Director, VEB Infrastructure

Front row participant:
Anatoliy Popov — Chief Executive Officer, Primteploenergo

2018 marked the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Russia and Singapore. Today, relations have reached the next level: commercial and business exchanges in various economic sectors are gradually increasing, while the level of mutual investment is growing and several high-tech projects in transport, energy, and infrastructure are under way. To fulfil the potential for cooperation and attract investors in Russia and Singapore, there need to be mutual and reliable guarantees regarding investment protection. Negotiations on the establishment of a free trade zone between Singapore and the Eurasian Economic Union are under way, while cooperation in the field of alternative dispute resolution between Russian and Singaporean jurisdictions has been stepped up and preferential regimes in the Russian Far East are being developed in order to attract investment. What do investors in Russia and Singapore need to ensure they have a beneficial investment framework? What particular investment protection mechanisms should be implemented? What other elements are crucial to the success of future relations between Russia and Singapore?

Moderator:
Igor Krasnov — Senior Vice President, State Development Corporation "VEB.RF"

Panellists:
Andrey Gorlenko — Executive Administrator, Russian Arbitration Centre at the Russian Institute of Modern Arbitration
Dmitriy Dyakin — Partner, Egorov Puginsky Afanasiev & Partners; Deputy Chairman of the pPesidium, Arbitration Centre, Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RSPP)
Nikolay Zapryagaev — Deputy General Director for Residential Policy and Project Management, Far East Development Corporation
Francis Xavier — S.C.; Partner, Rajah & Tann Singapore
Kirill Udovichenko — Partner, Monastyrsky, Zyuba, Stepanov & Partners