In 2018, decisions were taken to create a financial centre and special administrative district (offshore) on Russky Island. Both of these decisions are aimed at ensuring that Russia can offer the globally competitive conditions needed to attract and retain capital, and that its financial market and financial technologies incorporate the latest developments. What new solutions for developing Russia’s financial market will be implemented in the Vladivostok Free Port financial centre? What conditions are needed to attract international credit organizations to Russia? What is needed in order to create and develop a cryptocurrency exchange? How competitive are CAP regimes when it comes to protecting capital?

Moderator:
Maxim Filimonov — Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Chief Editor, TASS Russia

Panellists:
Alexander Krutikov — Deputy Minister for the Development of the Russian Far East
Chow Loletta — EY Global Leader, China Overseas Investment Network
Maxim Oreshkin — Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation
Zhou Xiaochuan — Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors, Boao Forum for Asia
Denis Tikhonov — General Director, Corporation for Far East Development
Alexey Chekunkov — Chief Executive Officer, Far East and Baikal Region Development Fund

Front row participants:
Elena Avakyan — Executive Director, Non-Profit Partnership for Advancement of Corporate Law; Counsel, Egorov Puginsky Afanasiev & Partners
Andrey Gorlenko — Executive Administrator, Russian Arbitration Centre at the Russian Institute of Modern Arbitration
Aleksandr Shenderyuk-Zhidkov — Director, Sodruzhestvo
Gao Yang — President, BANK OF CHINA RUSSIA

The transition from state budget financing to public-private partnership represents a new challenge for the development of sporting infrastructure and new opportunities for investors. Which mechanisms of attracting extra-budgetary investment are already operating in this field? How can SMEs be encouraged to take an interest in the sports industry? What are the requirements that the banking sector imposes with respect to sporting infrastructure projects? Is it feasible to replicate successful examples of the construction and operation of sporting facilities through the PPP mechanism? What is the payback period? What type of support do potential investors in sporting infrastructure expect from the regions? How can interagency and interregional relations be optimized and the legal framework strengthened to increase the investment attractiveness of building and managing sporting infrastructure?

Moderator:
Tatiana Remezova — Anchor, Vesti News Show, All-Russia State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company

Panellists:
Alexander Brechalov — Head of the Udmurt Republic, Co-Chairman of the Central Staff, All-Russia People's Front (ONF)
Dmitry Golovanov — Chairman of the Board, Member of the Supervisory Board, SME Bank JSC
Olga Golodets — Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation
Pavel Kolobkov — Minister of Sport of the Russian Federation
Dmitriy Svischev — Chair, Interdepartmental Working Group on the Development of Public-Private Partnership in Physical Education and Sport under the Government of the Russian Federation
Alexey Tsedenov — Head of the Republic of Buryatia
Vladimir Yakushev — Minister of Construction, Housing, and Utilities of the Russian Federation

Front row participants:
Anna Belichenko — Head, Organizing Committee of the Regions Sustainable Development Annual Public Award Competition
Viktor Lukyanov — Head of Brand Strategy Development Directorate, VTB Bank

Since 2015, targeted infrastructure support has been provided in the Russian Far East in the form of a direct free and non-repayable grant. This subsidy has become one of the first tools for supporting major investors in the region, and has been awarded to 12 companies implementing projects worth more than USD 3.5 billion. The ASEZ mechanism has also reduced demand for infrastructure grants as an independent form of support. From 2019, a new infrastructure support tool will be introduced which will include reimbursement of investor expenditure on building utilities and social infrastructure facilities for new production assets through future taxes. What results have been achieved by the targeted infrastructure mechanism employed to support investors in the Russian Far East? How will a ‘taxes for infrastructure’ mechanism operate, and what risks does business see in this?

Moderator:
Alexander Krutikov — Deputy Minister for the Development of the Russian Far East

Panellists:
Sergey Barsukov — Vice President, PJSC ALROSA
Andrey Zhzhenyh — General Director, SKIF Group of Companies
Dmitry Kudinov — General Director, Mazda Sollers Manufacturing Rus
Aysen Nikolaev — Acting Head of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)
Denis Tikhonov — General Director, Corporation for Far East Development
Yury Tyamushkin — General Director, VaninoTransUgol JSC
Valery Tsivilev — General Director, Kolmar Group

Front row participant:
Sergey Zhuravlev — Vice President of Government Relations, Polyus

The number of advanced special economic zone (ASEZ) and Free Port residents has almost tripled in the course of the last year (from 454 to 1,200), indicating increased interest and readiness on the part of the business community to develop entrepreneurship in the Russian Far East. Although the results achieved by the ASEZ and Vladivostok Free Port regimes have been impressive, however, there remains a clear need to increase competitiveness in the international arena and improve existing tools. Practice has shown that a number of incentives are either inapplicable or not in demand, and that existing support measures are insufficient for implementing projects. What needs to be done in order to increase the competitiveness of incentive regimes, both within the country and at an international level? How can cooperation among residents be increased, and how can they be helped to bring their products to market? What measures must be taken to protect the rights of investors and remove administrative barriers? How can the processes involved in cooperating with investors be digitalized and consolidated?

Moderator:
Mikhail Orlov — Partner, Head of Tax and Legal, KPMG Russia

Panellists:
Vadim Zhivulin — Deputy Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation
Aleksey Kozlov — Managing Director, SIBUR
Sergey Kolesnikov — President, TechnoNICOL Corporation
Dmitry Kudinov — General Director, Mazda Sollers Manufacturing Rus
Boris Titov — Presidential Commissioner of the Russian Federation for the Protection of Entrepreneurs’ Rights
Denis Tikhonov — General Director, Corporation for Far East Development
Sergey Tyrtsev — First Deputy Minister for the Development of the Russian Far East
Nikolay Kharitonov — Chairman of the Committee for Regional Policy and Issues of the North and Far East, State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation
Anna Tsivileva — Chairman of the Board of Directors, Kolmar Group

Front row participants:
Dmitry Alexeev — General Director, DNS
Vladimir Valter — Chief Executive Officer, Terminal Seroglazka
Yevgeny Virtser — General Director, INSYSTEMS
Denis Gros — Executive Director, Avangard Industrial Park LLC
Alexander Lopatnikov — General Director, Marine Aquaculture Ho Xiang LLC
Dmitry Makarenko — General Director, Artayar
Irina Olkhovskaya — First Deputy General Director - Commercial Director, Port Management Company
Denis Sarana — Member of the Board of Directors, JSC “Vladivostok Sea Fishing Port”
Alexander Shumatov — General Director, Children’s Health Centre

High-tech products account for less than 15% of the Russian Far East’s GRP. Meanwhile, the Far Eastern Federal District remains fifth for innovative development among Russia’s federal districts, and is failing to attract investment in high-tech projects from direct investment and venture capital funds. At the same time, a wide range of major companies and corporations operating in the Russian Far East are actively implementing innovations and purposefully increasing the share of high-tech products in their overall output. What prospects exist for creating a competitive business environment for the high-tech sector? How can a competitive ecosystem be established for developing innovation and high-tech projects in the Russian Far East which is equivalent in scale to those found in other Asia-Pacific region countries? What are the priorities of the Far Eastern Fund for Developing and Implementing High Technology?

Moderator:
Dmitry Peskov — Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation on Digital and Technological Development; Director of the Young Professionals direction, Agency for Strategic Initiatives

Panellists:
Vasily Brovko — Director for Special Commissions, Russian Technologies State Corporation (Rostec)
Dmitry Golovanov — Chairman of the Board, Member of the Supervisory Board, SME Bank JSC
Kirill Kaem — Senior Vice-President for Innovations, Skolkovo Foundation
Denis Manturov — Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation
Aysen Nikolaev — Acting Head of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)
Alexander Povalko — Chief Executive Officer, Chairman of the Management Board, RVC
Alexey Rakhmanov — President, United Shipbuilding Corporation
Ruslan Sarkisov — Chief Executive Officer, Far East High Technologies Fund LLC
Oleg Teplov — Chief Executive Officer, VEB Innovation LLC
Vadim Shvetsov — Chief Executive Officer, Member of the Board of Directors, SOLLERS
Sergey Emdin — Chief Executive Officer, Tele2

Front row participant:
Dmitry Zemtsov — Head of the National Technology Initiative working group on developing continuing and non-formal education, Study Group Movement

There can be no rapid economic development without smooth integration of new market participants into the economic and legal environment. To a significant extent, the attractiveness of the Far East is dependent on the competitive conditions it has created for investment and doing business. The most important of these are the tax incentives available in advanced special economic zones (ASEZs) and Vladivostok Free Port, and the special services offered to investors. The ease and convenience of registering a project, and indeed a business, as well as the emphasis on customer service, a risk-oriented approach, and the transparency of the tax authorities in the region, give residents of ASEZs and Vladivostok Free Port and investors confidence in the region’s tax regime and tax support for businesses. How can we develop a sense of partnership between taxpayers and tax authorities? How might the digitalization of tax administration and electronic services contribute to this? What benefits might a business enjoy from legally declaring its tax base? What more could be done to create investment and business standards in the Russian Far East that are competitive with standards across the Asia-Pacific region? What pilot projects could be implemented in the field of tax administration and cooperation between tax authorities and businesses? How can we improve mechanisms for increasing the competitiveness of tax-compliant businesses and integrate tax technologies into the digital business environment? What impact might technological and legislative solutions have on this?

Moderator:
Alexey Repik — President, Delovaya Rossiya (Business Russia)

Panellists:
Alexander Kalinin — President, All-Russian Non-Governmental Organization of Small and Medium-Sized Businesses OPORA RUSSIA
Alexey Kalitsev — Managing Director, Hyundai Motor Company/CIS LLC
Alexander Kozlov — Minister for the Development of the Russian Far East
Alexander Mechetin — Chairman of the Executive Board, Beluga Group
Mikhail Mishustin — Head, Federal Tax Service (FTS of Russia)
Andrey Tarasenko — Acting Governor of Primorsky Territory
Daniele Troisi — Director for Global Tax Policy, Huawei Technologies Co Ltd

Front row participant:
Vasily Orlov — Acting Governor of Amur Region

A competitive national legal system represents new opportunities for national business and foreign investors. Russia presently faces the challenge of creating a legal system which will improve the competitiveness of its national jurisdiction for domestic and foreign business. It is vital to build a unified and streamlined legal system, where regional and local legislation is organically integrated into a common concept which does not collide with, but rather rationally complements federal legislation. The development of the digital economy is a chance to put in place the conditions needed to ensure the transparency of judicial proceedings, improving trust in Russian courts as it does so. Together with the introduction of new technologies into the judicial system, issues surrounding the development of an extrajudicial system for regulating disputes and the competence of representatives of the national judiciary also remain current.
To what extent is the competitiveness of the national jurisdiction affected by the pressure of sanctions, and what measures are essential to ensure legal protection for business?

Moderator:
Vladimir Gruzdev — Chairman of the Board, Association of Lawyers of Russia

Panellists:
Duong Thanh Bak — Vice President, Vietnam Lawyers Association
Elena Bezdenezhnykh — Vice President for Regional Policy and Government and Administration Relations, United Company RUSAL Plc
Victoria Bortkevicha — Head of the Branch, Clifford Chance CIS Limited
Andrey Gorlenko — Executive Administrator, Russian Arbitration Centre at the Russian Institute of Modern Arbitration
Aleksandr Shenderyuk-Zhidkov — Director, Sodruzhestvo

Front row participants:
Elena Avakyan — Executive Director, Non-Profit Partnership for Advancement of Corporate Law; Counsel, Egorov Puginsky Afanasiev & Partners
Olga Boltenko — Partner, Fangda Partners
Aleksei Dudko — Partner, Head of Dispute Resolution Practice, Hogan Lovells CIS

Russia has numerous different tools for creating a favourable business environment and encouraging cooperation with entrepreneurs. Until recently, however, these processes have not been centralized. In 2018, the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation, together with the Agency for Strategic Initiatives and leading business associations, launched a new mechanism for managing systemic changes in the business environment, called ‘Transforming the business climate’, a tool which allows government departments to respond promptly to queries from the business community. It facilitates the removal of existing barriers to doing business. The new mechanism strengthens the role of entrepreneurs at every stage: from setting up initiatives to monitoring their implementation. But what kinds of tools really do help businesses? What kinds of problems requiring improvements to regulations do entrepreneurs face? How can processes be synchronized in order to improve the business environment? What should the ‘Transforming the business climate’ mechanism include?

Moderator:
Alexander Ivlev — Country Managing Partner for CIS, EY

Panellists:
Alex de Valukhoff — General Director, Aggreko Eurasia
Vadim Zhivulin — Deputy Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation
Shiv Vikram Khemka — Vice Chairman, SUN Group
Christopher Miller — Program Leader, World Bank Russian Federation
Alexander Shokhin — President, Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RSPP)

Front row participants:
Mikhail Khomich — Deputy Prime Minister, Udmurt Republic
Yury Chayka — First Deputy Chair of the Government of Khabarovsk Territory for Investment and Priority Projects
Andrey Shubin — Executive Director, All-Russian Non-Governmental Organization of Small and Medium-Sized Businesses OPORA RUSSIA

The 2018 Russian Regional Investment Climate Index shows that Russia’s Far Eastern regions have produced some impressive results, including an increase in the total number of points across the whole Index which was 1.5 times better the national average, Khabarovsk Territory featuring among the top 20 regions for the first time, and Sakhalin Region appearing among the top three growth regions and demonstrating the most dynamic trajectory of all regions in the federal district. How can collaboration be developed between regional governments, regional departments of federal executive bodies, and business associations in order to keep improving the investment climate in the Far Eastern Federal District? What policy changes are regional leaders planning to make in order to improve the investment climate? In the opinion of entrepreneurs, what positive and negative changes have taken place in the regions of the Russian Far East over the past year? What are the major needs and requirements of business with respect to the regional authorities right now?

Moderator:
Andrey Sharonov — President, Moscow School of Management SKOLKOVO

Panellists:
Andrei Belousov — Aide to the President of the Russian Federation
Vladimir Ilyukhin — Governor of Kamchatskiy Territory
Oleg Kozhemyako — Governor of Sakhalin Region
Alexander Kozlov — Minister for the Development of the Russian Far East
Roman Kopin — Governor of Chukotka Autonomous Area
Alexander Levintal — Governor of the Jewish Autonomous Region
Aysen Nikolaev — Acting Head of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)
Sergey Nosov — Acting Governor of Magadan Region
Vasily Orlov — Acting Governor of Amur Region
Andrey Tarasenko — Acting Governor of Primorsky Territory
Robert Urazov — Chief Executive Officer, Agency for the Development of Professional Communities and Skilled Workers (WorldSkills Russia)
Svetlana Chupsheva — Chief Executive Officer, Agency for Strategic Initiatives
Vyacheslav Shport — Governor of Khabarovsk Territory

During the 3rd Eastern Economic Forum in 2017, entrepreneurs from the Russian Far East asked hard-hitting questions about the protection of their rights in disputes with regulatory bodies. The Prosecutor General's Office of Russia and the Ministry for the Development of the Russian Far East have set up a working group on protecting investors’ rights, which has identified numerous violations in the work of customs, tax, and veterinary authorities in the region. Following these investigations, systemic solutions have been adopted. ‘Anti-rankings’ of regulatory bodies with respect to investors in the Russian Far East: what responsibility should these bear? What is the working group on protecting investors’ rights planning to focus on going forward? What innovations are regulatory bodies in the Russian Far East planning to introduce?

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

Panellists:
Olga Epifanova — Deputy Chair, State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation
Alexander Kalinin — President, All-Russian Non-Governmental Organization of Small and Medium-Sized Businesses OPORA RUSSIA
Alexander Kozlov — Minister for the Development of the Russian Far East
David John Ogilvie Cruickshank — Chairman, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited
Kliment Rusakomsky — Managing Partner, Founder, Law Group PARADIGMA
Boris Titov — Presidential Commissioner of the Russian Federation for the Protection of Entrepreneurs’ Rights
Yury Chayka — Prosecutor General of the Russian Federation

Entrepreneurs in the Far Eastern Federal District continue to experience problems associated with a lack of financial resources and high rates of taxation. In order to increase the number of small and medium-sized businesses, it is vital to maintain existing forms of support and to implement new solutions. In this process, special attention should be devoted to those areas which show the greatest potential growth in demand for services provided by SMEs, including exports and tourism. How and with the help of what mechanisms can the national project’s target figures be achieved in the Russian Far East?

Moderator:
Andrey Sharov — Vice-President, Head of GR Directorate, Sberbank

Panellists:
Vyacheslav Arutyunyan — Acting Chairman of the Management Board, Orient Express Bank
Konstantin Bogdanenko — Vice-Governor of Primorsky Territory
Dmitry Golovanov — Chairman of the Board, Member of the Supervisory Board, SME Bank JSC
Yasukazu Irino — Executive Vice President, Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO)
Maxim Oreshkin — Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation
Vasily Orlov — Acting Governor of Amur Region
Vladimir Rimer — Co-Founder, Safe Roads of the JAR

Front row participants:
Alexander Braverman — General Director – Chairman of the Board, Russian Small and Medium Business Corporation
Alexander Kalinin — President, All-Russian Non-Governmental Organization of Small and Medium-Sized Businesses OPORA RUSSIA
Ivan Kovtun — President, Russian Association of Rural and Farm Enterprises and Agricultural Cooperatives of Sakhalin Region (AKKOR)
Alexey Nazarov — Partner, Head of Global Strategy Group in Russia, Head of Public Sector, KPMG in Russia and the CIS
Roman Petrutsa — Director, Industrial Development Fund
Ilya Polyakov — Chairman of the Management Board, ROSBANK

Prospects for developing cross-border trade with the countries of the Asia-Pacific region are dependent on the competitive advantages enjoyed by Russian exporters – geographical proximity, long-standing trade links, and the ability to quickly organize international cooperation. Small and medium-sized businesses could play a special role in increasing exports to the Chinese, Mongolian, South Korean, North Korean, and Japanese markets. At the present time, however, the percentage of entrepreneurs from the small and medium-sized segment involved in export activity remains small. A significant increase in exports could be achieved by engaging producers who have previously been focused exclusively on Russia’s domestic market in foreign trade. Important factors in unlocking export potential and increasing trade include effective non-financial support measures and financial services, which entrepreneurs from the SME segment are able to receive in tandem. How can potential SME exporters make effective use of existing means of non-financial support? How can financial risks be reduced and small and medium-sized businesses be helped to take their first steps in Asia-Pacific markets? What opportunities are online international trade portals creating for SMEs, and how can they make effective use of these? What models for cooperation between development institutes and strategically important credit organizations, aimed at creating a comprehensive product to stimulate export activity among small and medium-sized businesses, will be in demand in the SME segment?

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

Panellists:
Dmitriy Bratynenko — Vice-Governor of Primorsky Territory
Sergey Katyrin — President, Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation
Ilya Kretov — General Manager Russia and Emerging Europe, eBay Inc.
Anatoly Popov — Deputy Chairman of the Executive Board, Sberbank
Andrey Slepnev — Chief Executive Officer, Russian Export Center

Front row participants:
Anastasia Vasyuk — Development of the Free Port of Vladivostok Sea Tourism Project Manager, o. Russky LLC
Alexander Kalinin — President, All-Russian Non-Governmental Organization of Small and Medium-Sized Businesses OPORA RUSSIA
Sergey Lebedev — Director for Government Relations, Alibaba Russia
Sergey Legkiy — Managing Director, Primorsky Confectioner
Christopher Miller — Program Leader, World Bank Russian Federation
Sergey Oskolkov — General Director, Olgales
Roman Sultanov — Director, Customs Portal
Martin Tate — Founder, Tate Agro

A range of measures are presently being implemented in Vladivostok Free Port to simplify customs procedures. The introduction of special customs regulations in ASEZs and in Vladivostok Free Port has already yielded practical results. What interim results have been achieved by the implementation of the Comprehensive Programme for the Development of the Russian Federal Customs Service by 2020? What measures to simplify and speed up customs operations are most in-demand? How can the efficiency of customs operations be increased and the administrative burden on those engaged in foreign trade be reduced through the use of information technologies? Do the new customs tools reflect the successful practices of Asia-Pacific countries? What next steps should be taken to improve customs administration mechanisms? How is the implementation of new customs legislation (including the Customs Code of the Eurasian Economic Union and the Federal Law ‘On Customs Regulation’) helping to speed up and simplify customs processes and to attract investors?

Moderator:
Mikhail Orlov — Partner, Head of Tax and Legal, KPMG Russia

Panellists:
Vladimir Bulavin — Head, Federal Customs Service of the Russian Federation
Alexander Kalinin — President, All-Russian Non-Governmental Organization of Small and Medium-Sized Businesses OPORA RUSSIA
Sergey Kolesnikov — President, TechnoNICOL Corporation
Dmitry Kudinov — General Director, Mazda Sollers Manufacturing Rus
Anton Skorik — Chairman, Vladivostok Free Port Residents Support Association; General Director, Renaissance
Yury Tyamushkin — General Director, VaninoTransUgol JSC
Yuriy Tsvetkov — Deputy Minister of Transport of the Russian Federation; Head, Federal Agency for Maritime and River Transport
Ma Zhizhong — Chairman of the Board of Directors, Jolanpu; Member of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, Hao

Front row participant:
Pavel Polyakov — Chairman, Legal and Commercial Committee, Association of Sea Commercial Ports; Director for Organization and Partner Communications, Global Ports Investments Plc.

The currently used tools for the advanced development of the Far East region, such as ASEZs, the Free Port regime in Vladivostok, infrastructure support for investors, Far Eastern Hectare programme and others are aimed at the future, yet have already produced some tangible results. This became possible due to consistent and rapid establishment of institutional and legislative basis for the development of the Far East. The participants of the round table will discuss the legislative aspects of implementing the development strategy for Far Eastern regions; key areas and goals of social and economic policy; as well as increase in the investment attractiveness of industries that are driving economic growth of the Far East.

Moderator:
Denis Kravchenko — Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Economic Policy, Industry, Innovative Development and Entrepreneurship, State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation

Panellists:
Viktor Evtukhov — State Secretary, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation
Grigoriy Kuranov — Deputy Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District of the Russian Federation
Sergey Sopchuk — Member of the Committee on Transport and Construction, State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation
Vyacheslav Timchenko — Deputy Chairman of the Council of the Federation of the Russian Federation Committee on Economic Policy
Ilya Shestakov — Deputy Minister of Agriculture of the Russian Federation; Head, Federal Agency for Fisheries (Rosrybolovstvo)

The social and economic development of the Russian Far East is one of the factors that will determine Russia’s success in the international arena. Investment in establishing favourable conditions for business communications and incentives for business activity could prove to be a key element of this development, including by cultivating the region’s potential to host events and creating a comfortable sociocultural environment for guests. Today, many new convention and exhibition centres are being built throughout the world, and money is being invested in renovating existing venues both in developing areas, and in well-known locations which enjoy high demand from organizers of international events. Hosting international events boosts the profile of both the host city and the country as a whole, increasing their attractiveness to tourists and investors, facilitating socioeconomic development, providing an additional impulse for the growth of various economic sectors, and helping to improve the region’s position in the global arena. Russia has every chance of becoming a leader in the international events market through harnessing the potential of new areas like the Far East of the country. Could a cluster approach be employed to develop regional events potential? How can the Russian Far East effectively apply the similar experience and development model of the Asia-Pacific countries? What criteria should modern convention and exhibition venues meet? Could public–private partnership become a tool for the effective development and improvement of regional events infrastructure? What is the best way to choose international events and attract them to the region? What is the role of the social and cultural environment in boosting the attractiveness of the region from the point of view of event organizers and participants?

Moderator:
Alexey Muratov — Partner, KB Strelka

Panellists:
Nikita Anisimov — Rector, Far Eastern Federal University (FEFU)
Vasily Grebennikov — Deputy General Director, Far East Development Fund
Alexey Kalachev — Chief Executive Officer, Russia Convention Bureau
Elena Myakotnikova — Corporate Director, Agency for Strategic Initiatives
Wang Ping — Chairman, China Chamber of Tourism
Evgeny Podshivalov — Deputy General Director, Monotowns Development Fund

Front row participant:
Vera Yermilova — General Director, Dalexpocenter LLC

Investing in infrastructure is considered to be one of the best ways of stimulating economic development. Given that Russia’s regions are facing budget deficits, public–private partnership is one of the key tools available for developing infrastructure, attracting investment, and improving the quality of public services. What experience do regions in the Russian Far East have of public–private partnership projects to build social infrastructure? What opportunities are there for new projects?

Moderator:
Elena Kuznetsova — Partner, McKinsey & Company

Panellists:
Anatoliy Bobrakov — Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Corporate Affairs, Far East and Baikal Region Development Fund
Sergey Gostev — Deputy General Director for Economics and Finance, Chief Executive Officer, GV Gold (Vysochaishy, PJSC)
Alexander Krutikov — Deputy Minister for the Development of the Russian Far East
Ayna Neustroyeva — Member of the Board, Union of Builders of Yakutia
Vladimir Solodov — Acting Chairman of the Government of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)
Andrey Chibis — Deputy Minister of Construction, Housing and Utilities of the Russian Federation