Nowadays many states face serious economic challenges. Embargos, trade blocs, increase in customs duties are just a few examples of heavy “weapons” application in the economic arena. However, often challenges and obstacles open the doors to new opportunities and breakthrough solutions. How will the global economic shifts affect the China-Russian interaction? What are the prospects of a greater agricultural cooperation between countries? What role does the Russian Far East play in these relations?

Panellist:
He Zhenwei — Secretary General, China Overseas Development Association

The current challenges become a driver which inevitable transforms the economic model from linear to circular type. One of the key elements in this process is the re-use of waste in production, which allows reducing the amount of natural resources extracted and the associated processes intensity. Plastic pollution is at the top of the global public agenda nowadays, while the most relevant solution to this issue is a well-designed system for the plastic collection, processing and disposal. R&D investments, regulatory measures, educational projects all around the world are aimed at implementing this model. Harnessing the potential of plastic recycling is in the focus of the petrochemical industry as well. What are the prospects of plastic waste management? What are the differences between processing technologies? Can biopolymers become a universal solution to the problem?

Panellist:
Dmitry Konov — Chairman of the Management Board, SIBUR Holding

The Periodic Table of the Elements is recognized globally and associated with the name of Dmitry Mendeleev all around the world. Its phenomenality allowed it to become the universally accepted language of all natural sciences, thus different scientists, including chemists, physicists, astronomists, geologists, physicians, biologists and geographers, apply the Table in their studies. The influence of Mendeleev`s discovery made 150 years ago is not erasing, but growing now. Tremendous work of the scientists has created a harmonious system, which explains the interconnection between elements, as well as allows predicting the emergence of new chemical elements and materials. The Periodic Table today stands at the center of the economy, while it plays essential role in the material production. The electronic devices, solar panels, smart clothes, environmentally friendly fuels, medicines and medical diagnostics - all that is created by chemists using knowledge of elements and their characteristics.

Panellist:
Alexander Sergeev — President, Russian Academy of Sciences

Nutrients, such as carbohydrate, lipid, protein, vitamins and minerals, are essential for daily activities and growth of our body. However, there are organic compounds in food materials, which do not belong to these categories but have beneficial effect to human health. Foods, which contain these compounds, are defined as functional foods. How do these products look like? What are the molecular mechanisms, which make compounds work in the human body? How does fundamental science interact with modern market nowadays?

Panellist:
Yuji Yamamoto — Professor, Vice-President, Director of NODAI Research Institute, Tokyo University of Agriculture

The digital economy radically transforms our public relations values. The Fourth Industrial Revolution has already affected the people`s daily lives: mobile payments, self-driving cars, branchless banks and digital identification are inevitably changing our perception of values in the business and private life. The information "extraction" becomes more in demand than the extraction of oil, while the use of personal data for various purposes, including criminal ones, is now extremely easy to access. How humans are going digital in the 21st century, and why every organization must reassess its business processes in order to survive in a new competitive environment? How to live and prosper in the ValueWeb era, and where the digital revolution is heading now? Why do smartphones change our values? What is the role of a human in the context of comprehensive automation?

Panellist:
Chris Skinner — Chairman, The Financial Services Club

Building a digital state is one of the key priorities of Russia today and one of the most popular topics at the forum. Our country has traditionally been and remains among the leaders in the use of mobile and digital services. How to maintain this leadership on the verge of a new technological revolution, which speed knows no analogues in history? What technological trends will become decisive on the road to building a digital state? How to direct AI, Big Data and other advanced solutions for the benefit of society and mitigate possible risks? How to avoid a brain drain and create conditions for the best minds of the country to remain in Russia and together with leading technology companies to create breakthrough innovative solutions that are competitive on the international arena?

Panellist:
Alexey Kornya — President, MTS

Panellist:
Svetlana Chupsheva — General Director, Agency for Strategic Initiatives to Promote New Projects

Business styles differ significantly while working across geographies. It is hence no wonder that expected synergies amongst two strong partners may fail to materialize due to the inability to foster cross-cultural adaptability. Being able to tune into a culture without pre-conceived biases or judgment is an imperative skill needed for success in today’s complex, global organizations in order to yield high productivity, successful collaborations and breakthrough innovations. Global leaders with a suite of intercultural skills and knowledge are better placed to harness and manage cross –cultural differences. How to raise the generation of this kind of leaders and managers? How these leaders can coach others to adapt and grow as well?

Panellist:
Gurinder Singh — Professor, Amity University Group Vice Chancellor

In our globalized and fast-changing world, all countries are falling at risk of big economic and social challenges. As one of the rapidly growing emerging powers, India is also significantly affected by those challenges, which cause divides and inequalities. What are they? How is India striving to tackle them? How the entrepreneurial mindset becomes the only way to overcome the challenges of the future and develop the competencies, which are essential nowadays? How important is leadership for an entrepreneurial mindset. What is ethical and altruistic leadership? Why is it essential for reducing universal inequity?

Panellist:
Shiv Vikram Khemka — Vice Chairman, SUN Group