Full-scale collaboration with ASEAN member states is one of Russia’s foreign policy priorities. This year marks two important anniversaries in the history of cooperation between Russia and ASEAN – 30 years of relations, and 25 years of full-scale dialogue-based partnership. And 2022 is set to be declared the Russia–ASEAN Year of Cooperation in Science and Technology. This initiative by the Russia–ASEAN Business Council will shine the spotlight on science, technology and innovation – areas of keen mutual interest. The sustainable exploitation of natural resources, an unmatched business environment in the Far East, and substantial experience of working successfully with international partners are all factors which offer great prospects for joint ventures. Areas of potential cooperation include energy, agriculture, timber, tourism, the Northern Sea Route, and investment- and tech-related collaboration via the Russky Centre of Scientific and Technological Innovation in Primorye Territory. Continued promotion of the Greater Eurasian Partnership is another key area. Through strengthening regional relations, the initiative will facilitate cooperation in trade, economics, and investment between nations of the EAEU, ASEAN and the SCO, and help the populations of member states to enjoy greater prosperity. What has been achieved over the long period of cooperation in trade, economics, and investment between Russia and ASEAN? What problems and barriers are hindering deeper economic cooperation between Russia and ASEAN’s 10 member states? What are the prospects for cooperation in science and technology? What can be done to boost non-commodity trade between regions of the Far Eastern Federal District and ASEAN member states? To what degree does the Greater Eurasian Partnership dovetail with ongoing dialogue between Russia and ASEAN, and what opportunities might this initiative offer to business?

Moderator:
Ivan Polyakov — Chairman, Russia–ASEAN Business Council

Panellists:
Musa Adnin — Managing Director, Adinin Group of Companies (online)
Quoc Viet Do — Member of the Management Board, Vietnam Businessmen's Association
Sergey Katyrin — President, Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation
Armi Lopez Garcia — Chairperson, Philippine-Russian Business Assembly Inc (online)
Elena Lysenkova — Deputy Head, Federal Agency for Tourism (Rosturizm)
Sergey Machekhin — Deputy General Director Project Engineering and International Cooperation, RusHydro
U Zaw Min Win — President, Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (online)
Winnie Teo — General Director, Progression Engineering (S) Pte Ltd (online)

Video address:
Nguyen Hong Dien — Minister of Industry and Trade of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam

The changes to the global economy and geopolitics brought about by the first year of the pandemic have had significant implications for development in the Far East and Arctic region, as well as global economic integration with the region – most importantly is the sharp increase in constraints on globalization. International cooperation, trade and investment are now being conducted under different political and economic conditions from when Russia began its turn towards Asia. These changes have had both positive and negative impacts in terms of implementing Russia’s stated policy goals for the region. The scale of continental trade and integration with Eurasia is increasing and digitalization is experiencing a real boom, while on the other hand new non-tariff barriers are being introduced and international mobility has decreased by an order of magnitude. A serious discussion about the practical issues affecting the region’s development is clearly impossible without taking global and regional factors into account. The key advantages of the Far East and Arctic at present are the high levels of integration into established global transport and logistics systems, an openness to the development of new green technologies and the unique investment climate fostered by the Russian government in recent years. The Far East and Arctic are open to prospective partners, and these regions are far from areas of international instability. The aim of the session is to identify the most important new external factors that need to be considered during the current stage of development of the Far East and Arctic region.

Moderator:
Timofei Bordachev — Academic Supervisor, Centre for Comprehensive European and International Studies, National Research University Higher School of Economics

Panellists:
Andrei Bystritskiy — Сhairman of the Board of the Foundation for Development and Support of the Valdai Discussion Club
Glenn Diesen — Professor, University of Southeast Norway (online)
Kevin Michael Rudd — President, Asia Society Policy Institute (ASPI); Prime Minister of Australia (2007–2010, 2013) (online)
Vyacheslav Ruksha — Deputy Director General – Director for the Northern Sea Route Directorate, State Atomic Energy Corporation ROSATOM
Atsushi Sunami — President, Sasakawa Peace Foundation (online)
Yury Trutnev — Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation and Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District (online)
Alexey Chekunkov — Minister of the Russian Federation for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic (online)

Although new investment projects are under way and a range of traditional industries are undergoing development, there remains a lack of qualified personnel. This is a particularly pressing issue in the Far Eastern Federal District and Arctic. Russia is experiencing an acute shortage of workers in several industries, particularly in construction, resource extraction, and agriculture. It is therefore essential to build a cutting-edge training system which is focused on the needs of individual industries and prospective investment projects. Migrant workers should also be included in the scheme. The issue is that there is currently no adequate analysis and forecasting system in place for the labour market. Such a system would need to factor in all development initiatives, be they at an industry, regional, national, or other level. An effective forecasting and analysis system would provide an understanding of the kind of workers, qualifications and skills needed, both for major individual investment projects and entire industries. What are the steps to building an effective national labour market forecasting system? What needs to be done to make jobs more attractive to local workers? What measures need to be taken to build a personnel training system that is tailored to the needs of major investment projects and specific industries? What can be done to attract highly qualified migrant workers?

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

Panellists:
Anton Kotyakov — Minister of Labour and Social Protection of the Russian Federation
Lilia Ovcharova — Vice Rector of the National Research University Higher School of Economics
Nikita Stasishin — Deputy Minister of Construction, Housing and Utilities of the Russian Federation
Robert Urazov — General Director, Professional Skills Development Agency (WorldSkills Russia)
Irina Yarovaya — Deputy Chairman of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation

Front row participants:
Alexander Bugaev — First Deputy Minister of Enlightenment of the Russian Federation
Artem Levin — General Director, Management Company Kolmar
Dmitry Platygin — General Director, Federal State Budgetary Institution "All-Russian Research Institute of Labor" of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Russian Federation

It is not just entrepreneurs who are interested in small business development in the Far East – the state shares this concern as well. Small and medium businesses are the lifeblood of the urban economy; they generate added value, bring in tax revenue and create jobs. Developing SMEs is a major step towards achieving many of the region’s socio-economic development goals. Analysing the situation in the Far East provides an insight into the unique and most pressing challenges faced by small businesses on a daily basis. Such challenges must be addressed to ensure economic development and foster entrepreneurial spirit in the region. What are the main problems when running a small business in the Far East and how do entrepreneurs see them being resolved? Given the uniqueness of running a small business in the Far East and the peculiarities of developing SMEs in the northern territories and the Arctic, what are some specific solutions to the problems outlined? What is the most effective way of stimulating SME development in cities, and where are the most promising markets located? Could access to the Asia-Pacific Region solve the problem of insufficient demand?

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

Panellists:
Pavel Volkov — State Secretary, Deputy Minister for the Development of the Russian Far East and the Arctic
Aleksandr Isayevich — Member of the Board of Directors, General Director - Chairman of the Management Board, Russian Small and Medium Business Corporation
Sergey Lelyukhin — Director General, Far East Auction Fish House
Maxim Parshin — Deputy Minister of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media of the Russian Federation
Xue Xulou — Chairman, Heilongjiang Association of Foreign Investment Enterprises (online)
Konstantin Shestakov — Head of the City of Vladivostok

Front row participants:
Konstantin Basmanov — Head of Small and Medium Enterprises Unit, Promsvyazbank
Oleg Kostenko — Acting Minister of Investment, Industry and Enterprise of Kamchatskiy Krai
Sergey Mazunin — General Director, NTK Close Corporation
Marina Romanova — Chief Managing Director for SMEs and Procurements, VEB.RF
Aleksandr Timofeev — General Director, Far Eastern Peat Company

The advantages of the agricultural sector in the Far Eastern Federal District include the accessibility of a significant land bank and proximity to sales markets in East and Southeast Asia. Agro-industrial products are one of the most important commodities for the Far Eastern Federal District in terms of production and export. In 2020, the Far East accounted for 3.4% of all agro-industrial products manufactured in Russia. In order to achieve the goal of increasing export volumes to USD 45 billion by 2024, as well as reducing dependence on food imports across the Far Eastern Federal District, the agricultural land bank must remain active as efficiently as possible. How can new potential agricultural land be brought into circulation? How can export barriers be removed, allowing the industry to achieve the necessary export targets? What are the potential solutions to issues of transportation, storage and transshipment of agricultural products? What products are expected to see demand from domestic and foreign markets? What conditions need to be created in the Far East in order to attract investors and trading partners from the Asia-Pacific region? How can effective sales channels for Far Eastern products be created in Asia-Pacific markets?

Moderator:
Vadim Moshkovich — Chairman of the Board of Directors, Rusagro

Panellists:
Choi Won Bo — Head of the Far East Representative Office, Lotte International (online)
Dmitriy Zhilyakov — Head of the Center for Strategic Analysis of Large Business, Russian Agricultural Bank
Nikita Zakharov — Director, Joint-Stock Company «National Mercantile Exchange»
Sergey Levin — Deputy Minister of Agriculture of the Russian Federation
Dmitry Savenkov — General Director, Legendagro Primomorye LLC
Alexander Sarapkin — General Director, Amuragrocenter
Ilya Strokin — Director of the Agribusiness Center of Excellence, KPMG in CIS
Oleg Turkov — Minister of Agriculture of the Amur Oblast
Denis Tsesarenko — Founder, Teros LLC; Founder, Sporos LLC

Front row participants:
Galsan Dareev — Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Republic of Buryatia - Minister of Agriculture and Food of the Republic of Buryatia
Maxim Kobin — Vice President, Russian Export Center
Mikhail Maltsev — Executive Director, Fat-and-Oil Union of Russia
Valery Nagel — Beneficiary, Plemennoi Zavod Komsomolets
Vladimir Sitnov — Senior Vice President, Sberbank
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

For the Russian Federation and the Far East in particular, hydrocarbons are a strategic resource for development and will remain so in the coming decades. Gas boasts hugely important competitive advantages as an energy resource: it is the cleanest fossil fuel, large and accessible gas reserves are available and, most importantly, the technologies for the extraction, transportation and storage of gas have already been developed. The gas sector is highly profitable, while the proximity of the Far East to the rapidly developing markets of the Asia-Pacific nations and the region’s significant resource potential point to the possibility of accelerated development for export-oriented projects. High added value must be achieved in gas and hydrocarbon production, including production integrated with oil refineries, in order to maximize gross regional product (GRP) and tax revenues. At the same time, the domestic needs of the regions must not be forgotten. Levels of gasification in the Far East are almost three times lower than the national average, while two thirds of thermal power stations in the Far Eastern Federal District still run on coal. Connecting industrial and residential facilities to gas will drive economic development, create new jobs, increase incomes and reduce air pollution caused by emissions from the combustion of coal and fuel oil. The gasification of the Far East should take into account the fuel and energy mix of each specific region. In some areas proximity to the trunk infrastructure will make efficient pipeline gasification possible, while in others the best option will be independent gasification. In some cases, a large industrial enterprise serving as an anchor consumer will be required in order to make gasification economically feasible. How can the implementation of export-oriented projects be prioritized and what should the areas of focus be? How can capital expenditure on the maintenance and development of the gas pipeline system be reduced? Are the state support measures already in place sufficient for the effective development of gasification in the regions of the Far Eastern Federal District? What conditions must be in place in order to develop petrochemical plants, including those that are integrated with oil refineries? What else needs to be done in order to accelerate the development of mini LNG projects? Should the issue of decarbonization be taken into account when implementing gasification in the Far Eastern Federal District?

Moderator:
Grigory Berezkin — Chairman of the Board of Directors, ESN Group

Welcome Remarks:
John Gordon — Managing Director, Johnson Matthey
Satoru Ichinokawa — Chief Operating Officer, Chemicals Div., Marubeni Corporation
Pierroberto Folgiero — Chief Executive Officer, Managing Director, Maire Tecnimont

Panellists:
Grigory Vygon — Managing Director, VYGON Consulting
Eduard Gudkov — Deputy Chairman of the Management Board, NOVATEK
Gadzhimagomed Huseynov — First Deputy Minister of the Russian Federation for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic
Andrey Zelenskiy — Chief Managing Director, VEB.RF
Dmitry Konov — Chairman of the Management Board, SIBUR Holding
Vitaly Markelov — Deputy Chairman of the Management Committee, Member of the Board of Directors, Gazprom
Pyotr Pak — Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Amur Region
Nikolay Sabitov — General Director, Himproekt
Pavel Sorokin — Deputy Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation

Front row participant:
Stanislav Neverov — General Director, East Arctic Oil and Gas Corporation

Tourism is transforming in Russia and becoming a major sector of the economy that is attractive to a broad range of investors. By developing tourism, we are improving transport accessibility within and between regions, creating stylish and modern urban spaces, and opening the unique nature of our country as well as its cultural and gastronomic diversity to Russians and foreigners. How is the construction of modern hotels setting a new standard of quality? What prospects exist for improving the system of connectivity between the regions and places of interest, including small-scale aviation in tourism and the integration of waterways and railway routes? What are the prospects for the concept that has been prepared to develop cruise tourism in Russia, including cruises in the regions of the Far East, as well as to further expand Arctic routes? How can we safely and fully resume international tourism with a focus on the Asia-Pacific partnership?

Moderator:
Tatiana Remezova — Anchor, Russia Television and Radio (VGTRK)

Panellists:
Rishat Bagautdinov — General Director, Vodokhod
Zarina Doguzova — Head, Russian Federal Agency for Tourism
Andrey Ignatiyev — President, Russian Tourism Union
Lee In-Young — Minister of Unification of the Republic of Korea (online)
Anton Perin — Senior Managing Banker, Real Estate Project Management and Asset Management Unit, VEB.RF
Oleg Khorokhordin — Head of the Altai Republic

Front row participants:
Alexis Delaroff — Chief Operating Officer, Accor Russia, Georgia, Ukraine & the CIS (online)
Alexey Erokhin — Director of the Far Eastern Branch, EY
Sagid Zaremukov — Director, Russian Convention Bureau
Dashi Namdakov — Founder, Fund for the Promotion of Culture and Art named after Dashinima Namdakov
Alexander Osipov — Governor of Trans-Baikal Territory

The circular economy not only mitigates environmental damage but also stimulates economic growth by creating a new recycling sector, reducing production costs, lowering price risks, attracting investment, and increasing real disposable household income. This kind of economic model creates jobs and drives innovation. What’s more, countries in Europe and the Asia-Pacific Region have already resorted to a planned economy, having implemented the relevant directives and general plans, along with the national legislation which underpins them. What are the opportunities in the Far East and Arctic regions for recycling household rubbish? What support measures need to be taken to develop manufacturing using waste materials?

Moderator:
Sergey Podoynikov — Executive Director, EcoTyresUnion

Panellists:
Denis Butsayev — General Director, Russian Environmental Operator Public Law Company
Viktor Evtukhov — State Secretary – Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation
Yuriy Korotaev — General Director, Duracell Russia
Vladimir Solodov — Governor of Kamchatka Territory
Dmitriy Tetenkin — Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation

Front row participants:
Sergey Komyshan — Executive Director for Marketing and Sales, Procurement, Innovation and Business Development, SIBUR
Aleksandr Finogenov — Director of the Investment Activities Block, InfraVEB

In today's multipolar world, there are many different processes of gradual and deep integration of individual national economies into the global system of production and trade in goods and services. However, with the development of multi-polar integration processes in the world economy, one can clearly notice the increasing challenges of the dollar-centric financial system that emerged in the second half of the twentieth century. In addition to the fundamental economic disadvantage of the existing financial system for developing countries, there are other problems: the dependence of national monetary systems on external factors, the greater vulnerability to a potential crisis in the US economy, the inability to ensure confidentiality of international payments, the use of the reserve currency and its infrastructure (SWIFT) as a leverage in political issues, as well as unjustified transaction costs. A number of government officials, economists and experts in world trade suggest reconsidering the principles of regulation and ownership of the universal exchange equivalent and exploring the transition from the US national currency as the basis of world trade to fundamentally new supranational money, which would be managed by the widest range of states on the basis of partnership.

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

Panellists:
Alexander Galushka — Vice President of the Civic Chamber of the Russian Federation
Kong Dan — Chairman of the Board, CITIC Reform and Development Research Foundation (online)
Grigory Marchenko — Advisor to the Chairman of the Management Board, Eurasian Development Bank; Governor of the National Bank of the Republic of Kazakhstan (2009–2013) (online)
Alexander Osipov — Governor of Trans-Baikal Territory
Tu Xinquan — Professor, Dean, China Institute for WTO Studies, University of International Business and Economics (UIBE) (online)
Guo Jun — Deputy Secretary-general, Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee; Vice President, China Economic and Social Council (CESC) (online)

There are thousands and thousands of kilometres between Italy and the Russian Far East. However, this distance shouldn't be an excuse for not developing trade and economic cooperation. It is espe-cially important in the current difficult period, when the economy all over the world is beginning to overcome the pandemic crisis. Right now, every direction and every opportunity is important to re-turn together to stable and sustainable growth, and to create jobs and conditions for social and eco-nomic prosperity for all parties. What areas of interaction are opening up between Italy and Russia's Far East?

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

Panellists:
Alexander Kalinin — President, All-Russian Non-Governmental Organization of Small and Medium-Sized Businesses OPORA RUSSIA
Vladimir Padalko — Vice President, Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation
Rosario Pedicini — General Manager in Tokyo, Intesa Sanpaolo SpA
Giorgio Starace — Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Italian Republic to Japan (online)
Oksana Tarasenko — Corporate Secretary in the Vice President Rank, PJSC Rosneft Oil Company
Antonio Fallico — President, Conoscere Eurasia Association; Chairman of the Board of Directors, Banca Intesa

Front row participants:
Antonello Colussi — President, Danieli Russia; Chairman of the Board of Directors, Danieli Volga
Pavel Serebryakov — Chairman of the Board of Directors, Management Company Slavda
Vittorio Torrembini — President, Association of Italian Entrepreneurs in Russia (GIM Unimpresa)

Video address:
Sandro Bergamo — Managing Director, DKC Group
Pasquale Terracciano — Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Italian Republic to the Russian Federation

The rapid introduction of digital technologies in all walks of life in recent years has led to significant changes in the nature and structure of work, global trade and economic relations. The global transition to a new technological order is revolutionary in nature. Entire industries are dying out, new ones are emerging, and transaction costs are falling sharply in sectors that have undergone digitization. The development of digital technologies and their penetration into all spheres of life – the economy, social sector, culture, education, politics, etc. – is not only changing the order, but is also affecting the functioning and prospects of key institutions, the most important of which is the state, which is now faced with the need to preserve its most important attribute – sovereignty. Should the state protect its digital sovereignty through barriers or new practices? Is joint or coordianted digital sovereignty important for the EAEU? Can public-private partnerships become a tool for protecting digital sovereignty? How can we ensure leadership in the international competition for digital sovereignty?

Moderator:
Andrey Bezrukov — President, Technological Sovereignty Exports Association; Professor, Department of Applied International Analysis, MGIMO University

Panellists:
Igor Drozdov — Chairman of the Board, Skolkovo Foundation
Maxim Parshin — Deputy Minister of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media of the Russian Federation
Tigran Sargsyan — Deputy Chairman of the Board, Eurasian Development Bank
Aleksei Iuzhakov — Chairman of the Board of Directors, Promobot
Artur Yusupov — Head, Chairman of the Board, Moi Bizness Association of Entrepreneurship Development Institutes

In attracting investments, the Far East has to compete with other regions of Russia in addition to the countries of the Asia-Pacific region. If at the start of the development plans for the Far East, investors could obtain unique advantages in the form of an advanced regulatory and legal framework based on the best practices in the Asia-Pacific region, the benefits of Advanced Development Territories zones (TOP), e-visas and other novelties, today these tools have already become best business practices throughout the country. During the pandemic, many countries have taken new steps in favor of the openness, acceleration, simplification, and digitalization of public services and investment processes, with a number of these measures included in anti-crisis packages. The Russian government has introduced mechanisms for agreements on the protection and promotion of capital investments (SZPK), a strict regulatory measure aimed at improving the investment climate in Russia. The question arises: what should the Far East have or acquire in this new reality in order to remain competitive and get ahead? Is the Far East competitive today in the race for investments? What do investors expect in this changed world? What bold, new ideas in shaping the investment climate can the Far East provide as a new leap forward?

Moderator:
Vladimir Solodov — Governor of Kamchatka Territory

Panellists:
Anatoliy Bobrakov — Deputy Minister of the Russian Federation for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic
Sergey Kolesnikov — Co-owner, Managing Partner, TECHNONICOL Group of companies
Alexander Kondrashin — Director General, Agency for Investment Development of Sakha Republic (Yakutia)
Mikhail Orlov — Partner, Head of Tax and Legal, KPMG in the CIS
Leonid Petukhov — Managing Partner, Sistema PJSFC
Valeriya Repkova — General Director, Project Initiatives Development Agency
Roman Trotsenko — Founder, Chairman of the Board of Directors, AEON Corporation
Roman Chichkanov — Deputy General Director for Investments, Far East and Arctic Development Corporation

Front row participant:
Alexander Osipov — Governor of Trans-Baikal Territory

It is not just entrepreneurs who are interested in small business development in the Far East –the state shares this concern as well. Small and medium businesses are the lifeblood of the urban economy; they generate added value, bring in tax revenue and create jobs. Developing SMEs is a major step towards achieving many of the region’s socio-economic development goals. However, the development policy of the Far Eastern Federal District and Arctic region often centres around the support and development of major projects – sometimes to the detriment of small business. Analysing the situation in the Far East provides an insight into the unique and most pressing challenges faced by small businesses on a daily basis. Such challenges must be addressed to ensure economic development and foster entrepreneurial spirit in the region. What are the main problems when running a small business in the Far East and how do entrepreneurs see them being resolved? Given the uniqueness of running a small business in the Far East and the peculiarities of developing SMEs in the northern territories and the Arctic, what are some specific solutions to the problems outlined? What is the most effective way of stimulating SME development in cities, and where are the most promising markets located? Could access to the Asia-Pacific Region solve the problem of insufficient demand?

Moderator:
Roman Karmanov — Chief Executive Officer, Presidential Fund for Cultural Initiatives

Panellists:
Gulnaz Kadyrova — Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation
Aysen Nikolaev — Head of Sakha Republic (Yakutia)
Igor Nosov — General Director, Far East and Arctic Development Corporation
Alexey Okhlopkov — First Deputy Governor of Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area–Yugra
Zelfira Tregulova — General Director, The State Tretyakov Gallery

Front row participants:
Elena Zelentsova — Head of the Department of Territorial Development, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA)
Yulia Klimko — Director, Enso Foundation for Cultural Initiatives

The past year has been a challenge for the oil and gas sector. The petrochemical industry, however, has once again shown its resilience to financial and economic shocks, achieving growth in a number of areas. In view of the growing prominence of the climate agenda, it is forecast that by the 2040s oil and petroleum products will no longer dominate the global energy mix. New niches for petrochemical products will be identified, while companies and nations developing this industry today will be able to diversify their production and provide a reliable source of fuel with a low carbon footprint and high added value. The Far East is home to major hydrocarbon reserves and is close to some of the world’s largest petrochemical markets. In view of the effective state support measures, the region is set to become a platform for the implementation of major projects to support the creation of new industrial clusters and the development of new technologies, including green technologies, in turn attracting foreign investment. What is the prognosis for oil and gas processing present-day projects in the Far East? How can we solve the main issues concerning the industry’s development – infrastructure and technology? What are promising areas for the development of petrochemical clusters? And what is the expected demand in domestic and foreign markets for high value-add products?

Moderator:
Dmitriy Akishin — Director, Gas and Chemicals, VYGON Consulting

Panellists:
Viktor Evtukhov — State Secretary – Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation
Mikhail Karisalov — Chairman of the Management Board, Chief Executive Officer, SIBUR
Vadim Medvedev — Vice President, ESN Group
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:
Anton Drozdov — Deputy Chairman, Promsvyazbank

The fishing investment quota mechanism was first put in place five years ago and since then, investment by Russian fishing companies has increased almost fivefold. To date, 24 new fish processing plants have either been built or are under construction in the Russian Far East and Arctic, along with 85 new fishing and crab-catching vessels. At the same time, the COVID-19 pandemic has posed new challenges to Russian fishers and further highlighted a long-standing issue – that of inadequate infrastructure. What metrics demonstrate that the investment quotas are effective at facilitating growth in the fishing industry? What have been the biggest challenges that fishing companies have faced with regards investment quotas, and what changes need to be made? What should be the main area of focus when expanding investment quotas? Would it be more effective for the government and industry to concentrate on processing marine bio-resources at sea or on land? What should be prioritized in the coming years in terms of developing logistics for the fishing sector?

Moderator:
Alexander Krutikov — Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Investment Partnership "Ryba.RF" Corporation

Panellists:
Aleksandr Verkhovsky — Founder, Hydrostroy
Ivan Mikhnov — President, Antey Group of Companies
Yuliya Morozova — Acting Deputy Chairman of the Government of Kamchatskiy Krai; Minister of Economic Development and Trade of Kamchatskiy Krai
Sergey Nesvetov — Executive Director, North West Fishing Consortium
Alexey Rakhmanov — Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, United Shipbuilding Corporation (online)
Vladimir Sitnov — Senior Vice President, Sberbank
Sergey Tarusov — Chairman, Lenin Collective Farm Fishery
Gleb Frank — Chairman of the Board of Directors, Russian Fishery Company
Ilya Shestakov — Head, Federal Agency for Fisheries (Rosrybolovstvo)

Front row participants:
Anatoliy Bobrakov — Deputy Minister of the Russian Federation for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic
Alexey Buglak — President, Russian Pollock Cachers Association
Aleksei Osintsev — President, Association of Fishing Fleet Shipowners

The Far East is a vast region. As well as having a harsh climate, many areas are located far from Russia’s major population centres. However, the region also boasts a wealth of natural resources, and enjoys proximity to the fast-growing market of the Asia-Pacific region. As a result, the region possesses enormous potential that is still to be fully realized. The last 18 months have seen a marked drop in passenger and cargo traffic, as well as disruption to global supply chains. Consequently, there has been a palpable shift in the global economic and geopolitical landscape. Periods of turbulence, however, invariably bring with them great opportunities and great change. For the Russian Far East, this period could also serve as a springboard for future success in the new reality. The country’s leadership has stated that the development of the Far East is to be a national priority for the entire 21st century. Accordingly, it has paid close attention to the region, together with the Arctic. This fact, together with a focus on advanced economic development and the creation of comfortable living conditions for the population, mean that the region’s potential for intensive growth is continuing to increase. The region enjoys proximity to the major sales markets of Japan, China, South Korea and other countries of the fast-growing Asia Pacific region. In addition, work to develop the Northern Sea Route continues apace. These factors are helping to support and scale up successful initiatives aimed at boosting the region’s export potential. At the same time, it is crucial to remember that the quality of work done to develop projects, as well as adherence to time frames, can have a bearing on their success for decades to come. In light of this, two ambitious landmark megaprojects in the region deserve special attention – the construction of a tidal power plant at Kamchatka’s Penzhin Bay (together with the development of green hydrogen at the plant), and the creation of a hydrogen cluster on Sakhalin. Is the region’s hydrogen agenda a utopian fantasy, or does it represent a genuine opportunity to attain a new status and level of development? What economic benefits will these megaprojects bring to the country? To what degree is Russia prepared to implement these megaprojects and unlock the region’s development potential in the period to 2030? Who are the main consumers of new forms of energy? And what impact will they have on the geopolitical situation in the Asia-Pacific region?

Moderator:
Vasily Savin — Partner, Head of Power and Utilities, KPMG in the CIS

Panellists:
Roman Berdnikov — First Deputy General Director, Member of the Management Board, RusHydro
Pavel Grachev — Chairman of the Board of Directors, H2 Clean Energy
Gadzhimagomed Huseynov — First Deputy Minister of the Russian Federation for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic
Artem Dovlatov — Deputy Chairman, Member of the Management Board, VEB.RF; General Director, VEB.DV
Valery Limarenko — Governor of Sakhalin Region
Anton Moskvin — Vice President for Marketing and Business Development, Rusatom Overseas

Front row participant:
Konstantin Korotov — General Director, Kamchatka Development Corporation

Building agglomerations on the basis of existing and new cities is a popular global trend and an effective new tool for the economic and social development of cities. Despite its relatively small population, the Far East has all the prerequisites for the scaling up of its cities and regions. Projects driving the integrated development of a number of territories are currently being developed in several Far Eastern regions. It is hoped that integration processes will facilitate the more effective use of the Far East’s natural advantages, infrastructure, human capital and financial resources, and will provide an additional incentive for business development through the expansion of the services market and the creation of new niches. How can a spatial development strategy for cities in the Far East be implemented? Why are masterplans necessary and how are smart cities created? Will high-quality architecture improve living standards in the Far East?

Moderator:
Dmitry Pristanskov — State Secretary – Vice-President, Norilsk Nickel

Panellists:
Konstantin Bogdanenko — Co-owner, The DNS Corporate Group
Igor Egorov — Member of the Management Board, Vice President for Infrastructure Development, MTS PJSC
Tatiana Mokhova — General Director, Unity LLC
Sunguk Moon — Head of Global Business, KT Corporation
Alexey Muratov — Partner, KB Strelka
Vitaly Mutko — Chief Executive Officer, DOM.RF
Alexander Tarabrin — Head of Real Estate Project Management and Asset Management Unit – Member of the Board, VEB.RF
Natalya Trunova — Auditor, Accounts Chamber of the Russian Federation
Alexey Chekunkov — Minister of the Russian Federation for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic (online)
Konstantin Shestakov — Head of the City of Vladivostok

Front row participants:
Maxim Dankin — Deputy Director for Regional Development, Information and Analytical Center of the State Commission for Arctic Development
Nikita Stasishin — Deputy Minister of Construction, Housing and Utilities of the Russian Federation

As restrictions were imposed in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, so trade and economic cooperation between all nations suffered, including Russia and China. In 2020, trade between the two nations was valued at USD 107.77 billion – a 2.9% decrease compared to the same period the year before. At the same time, however, trade between China and the Far Eastern Federal District was valued at USD 10.8 billion – a 3.3% increase compared to the same period the year before. Even during a pandemic, the foundation built over many years of partnership between the Russian Far East and China meant that a positive trend in cooperation was maintained. Clearly, the potential exists to achieve a great deal more, and new approaches need to be developed accordingly in the new reality. The objective is to turn intentions into tangible results. What industries are becoming increasingly important in terms of investment-related cooperation in the Far Eastern Federal District? Which projects have been designated as priorities, and which require more attention? What steps need to be taken to bring the value of trade between the Russian Far East and China to USD 15 billion by the next meeting of the Russian-Chinese Interparliamentary Committee for Cooperation and the Development of the Far East and Baikal Region of Russia and Northeast China?

Moderators:
Zhou Liqun — President, Elus Union of Chinese Entrepreneurs
Vadim Moshkovich — Chairman of the Board of Directors, Rusagro

Panellists:
Zhu Bixin — Chairman of the Board of Directors, China Chengtong Holdings Group Ltd (online)
Yang Ruobing — Chairman of the Board of Directors, MCC International Corporation (online)
Konstantin Lashkevich — Chief Executive Officer, RFP Group
Dmitry Savenkov — General Director, Legendagro Primomorye LLC
Lu Hao — General Director, KitayStroy LLC
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
Yang Huaiyi — General Director, Branch of Sinopec Overseas Oil and Gas Ltd
Alexey Chekunkov — Minister of the Russian Federation for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic (online)
Yihe Chen — Chairman of the Management Committee, Energy Industry Corporation (online)
Li Shaoshi — General Director, Xinxing Far East Corporation LLC
Andrey Sharonov — President, Moscow School of Management SKOLKOVO
May Yunhun — Chairman of the Board, Country Garden Agricultural Holding; Vice President, Country Garden Group (online)

Front row participant:
Yan Wenbin — Consul General of the People's Republic of China in Vladivostok

Video address:
Zhang Hanhui — Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People's Republic of China in the Russian Federation

Today, a modern healthy city is one that combines a balance of environmental, social, and economic development interests, including parks and green areas that act as points of attraction for residents. These new public spaces can become both centres for healthy activity and places for social activity. How do we create a positive image of a city and encourage residents to play sports outdoors? Can foreign experience in transforming areas into green spaces generate ideas for greening the cities of the Far East? What infrastructure from park zones is optimal for the cities in the Far Eastern Federal District?

Moderator:
Ekaterina Kucheryavenko — Managing Project Director, KB Strelka

Panellists:
Melita Vujnovic — Representative to the Russian Federation, Head of Office, World Health Organization Office in the Russian Federation (online)
Sergey Kravchuk — Mayor of Khabarovsk
Andrey Samokhin — Chief Executive Officer, Head of Analytics and Marketing Unit, VEB.RF Group
Kirill Solgalov — Deputy Director, Chief Architect, SPI Planning Group
Marat Shamyunov — Deputy Minister of the Russian Federation for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic

Russia has set a key strategic goal for transport and logistics development in order to increase cargo transit between Asia and Europe tenfold by 2030. To realize this objective, the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation is implementing a project to create unmanned logistics corridors with a digital infrastructure that will ensure the safe movement of autonomous trucks for all global vehicle manufacturers. The starting point will be the M-11 Neva, the world's first motorway that will be populated by unmanned lorries by 2024. The proven solutions will then be scaled to the Central Ring Road, the M-12 road from Moscow to Yekaterinburg, which is currently under construction, and approximately 20,000 kilometres of federal highways. With this approach, Russia will gradually build a digital bridge between Asia and Europe. Which companies will be the first participants in the Europe and Asia project, and when can we expect unmanned trucks to transport goods from Asia to Europe and back? What steps has Russia already taken to create the world's first transit corridors for autonomous road transport?

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:
Kirill Bogdanov — Deputy Minister of Transport of the Russian Federation
Evgeniy Ditrikh — Chief Executive Officer, GTLK
Anton Zamkov — General Director, RT-Invest Transport Systems; Director, Digital Transport and Logistics Association
Igor Kashirin — General Director, GLOSAV
Sergei Yavorski — General Director, Volvo Vostok

Front row participants:
Oleg Pankratov — Chief Executive Officer, VTB Infrastructure Holding
Sergey Sergushev — Deputy General Director for Logistics, Russian Post
Anatoliy Smorgonskiy — General Director, Gett in Russia

In striving for sustainable economic growth and prosperity across Asia-Pacific, APEC economies assumed that higher education was the main driving force of vibrant markets and solid socio-economic progress for regional prosperity. Thus, APEC’s development as regards education has become of utmost importance in acquiring essential competencies to develop human resources, foster innovation and technology, and enhance employment opportunities.
For ten years, APEC Conference on Cooperation in Higher Education has been committed to strengthening ties between educational institutions of Russia and Asia-Pacific economies. The Conference and Far Eastern Federal University as its key organizer have become a reliable platform for discussing trends and challenges in the development of the regional educational community, while also offering a visionary framework for policymaking.
Participants of the 10th APEC CCHE are invited to contemplate the future of cooperation in higher education in Asia-Pacific and beyond.
Key topics:
• The changing face of higher education: trends, challenges, and determinants of development in Asia-Pacific;
• New and existing frameworks to foster education and lifelong learning;
• APEC education strategies: looking back and moving forward;
• Best educational practices of the decade in APEC economies.

Moderator:
Victoria Panova — Vice-Rector for International Relations, Far Eastern Federal University

Welcome Remarks:
Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana — Executive Secretary, UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) (online)
Galina Karelova — Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation (online)
Alexey Koshel — Acting Rector, Far Eastern Federal University (FEFU)

Panellists:
Nikita Anisimov — Rector, National Research University Higher School of Economics
Kirill Barskiy — Ambassador-at-Large, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation
Nguyen Van Phuc — Deputy Minister of Education and Training of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (online)
Victor Godoy Veiga — Executive Secretary, Ministry of Education of the Federative Republic of Brazil (online)
Luciano Concheiro Borquez — Undersecretary of Higher Education, The Ministry of Education of Mexico (online)
Evgeny Primakov — Head, Federal Agency for the Commonwealth of Independent States Affairs, Compatriots Living Abroad, and International Humanitarian Cooperation (Rossotrudnichestvo)
Christopher Tremewan — Secretary General, Association of Pacific Rim Universities (online)
Valery Falkov — Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation
Kiyoshi Yamada — Rector of Tokai University

In September 2020, the National Programme for the Socioeconomic Development of the Far East until 2024 and with a View to 2035 was approved, which provides guidance to authorities at all levels, business, and society focus their efforts on the key priorities for the development of the region. The main goals of the programme are to accelerate the development of the region’s economy, improve the demographic situation, and better people’s quality of life. What are the initial results of the implementation of the National Programme, and how does this affect the achievement of national goals for the accelerated development of the Far East, as well as most importantly, generate real improvements in people’s lives? What projects and decisions related to the economic development of the Far East have already been adopted and how do they affect the achievement of the goals for accelerated economic growth? What steps should be taken to assure the successful implementation of the National Programme in the future?

Moderator:
Mikhail Kuznetsov — Director, Eastern State Planning Center (FANU Vostokgosplan)

Panellists:
Sergey Kirov — Member of the Board, First Deputy Director General, RusHydro
Elena Martynova — Deputy Head,The Federal Service for State Registration, Cadastre and Cartography (Rosreestr)
Nikita Stasishin — Deputy Minister of Construction, Housing and Utilities of the Russian Federation
Marat Shamyunov — Deputy Minister of the Russian Federation for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic
Alexander Shokhin — President, Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs

Front row participants:
Ivan Abramov — Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Economic Policy of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation
Yuliya Morozova — Acting Deputy Chairman of the Government of Kamchatskiy Krai; Minister of Economic Development and Trade of Kamchatskiy Krai
Vasiliy Nagibin — Acting Head of Economic and Social Policy Affairs Department, Office of the Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District
Aysen Nikolaev — Head of Sakha Republic (Yakutia)

As of 1 January 2022, a blanket ban on the export of unprocessed softwood logs and high-value hardwood logs will come into force in Russia. Given the insufficient processing capacity in the Far Eastern Federal District, there is a risk of job losses in the logging industry. There are also a number of factors constraining the development of the timber industry, including the lack of up-to-date information about timber reserves, the absence of forest roads and power supply systems, the use of low-productivity manual labour in timber harvesting, and the fragmentation of non-leased forest areas. What should the timber industry development strategy to 2030 entail and how should it be implemented? What state support measures are needed in order to minimize the socioeconomic risks associated with the ban on unprocessed timber exports, and how can the raw material base be used more efficiently? What should be done to ensure the regeneration of timber resources? How can regulatory challenges in the forestry sector be overcome, and does the problem of illegal logging in the Far East still need addressing? When will the federal state information system launch its forestry project, and how should timber businesses prepare? How can data about timber resources be better utilized, and how can the process for acquiring forest leases be simplified?

Moderator:
Alexander Abramov — Chairman of the Board of Directors, EVRAZ plc

Panellists:
Kirill Berman — Executive Director of Digital Transformation, Far East and Arctic Development Corporation
Anatoliy Bobrakov — Deputy Minister of the Russian Federation for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic
Oleg Bocharov — Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation
Dmitrii Dobrynin — Vice President, New Forest Pro
Nikolay Ivanov — Managing Director, Segezha Group
Konstantin Lashkevich — Chief Executive Officer, RFP Group
Vladimir Sitnov — Senior Vice President, Sberbank
Viacheslav Spirenkov — Deputy Head, Federal Forestry Agency
Hiroshi Tomishima — Senior Managing Director, Iida Group Holdings Co Ltd

In the new economy, continuous self-improvement is a key to success, and it is no longer enough for a modern person to possess previously acquired knowledge, as contextual and cross-contextual skills need to be continuously learned, updated and developed. Access to lifelong learning is essential for everyone, but it can be difficult for women in particular given their typical family obligations to find the time and opportunity for lifelong professional development. In an environment where competencies are rapidly renewed, even a minor interruption in work has the consequence of a loss of professional relevance, lack of career progression and reduced pay. The pandemic and self-isolation proved once again that the best way to invest is in one's own growth, and it is women in senior or self-employed positions who have the opportunity to invest the most in their own development. How do we learn to learn for professional development, and how can we make lifelong learning accessible to all? What projects are needed to increase educational opportunities for women?

Moderator:
Maria Afonina — Vice-rector for Educational Activities, "Senezh" Management Workshop

Panellists:
Evgeniya Dolmatova — Founder, School of Ballet and performing arts «Artist»; Ballerina of the Mariinsky Theater and the Bavarian National Ballet
Elena Druzhinina — Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation (online)
Vera Podguzova — Senior Vice President, Director of External Relations Directorate, Promsvyazbank
Svetlana Fefilova — Deputy General Director, Gazprom-Media Holding
Anna Tsivileva — Chairman of the Board of Directors, Kolmar Group

Front row participants:
Olga Badma-Khalgaeva — President, ANO DO "Academy of the Future ProfessoriUM"
Lyudmila Talabaeva — Member of the Committee of the Council of the Federation of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation for Agrarian and Food Policy and Environmental Management

Establishing specially protected national areas has long been a form of environmental protection in the Russian Federation. Embedded in the country’s environmental doctrine is the idea of creating and developing different levels of protected areas and regulations which cover key areas of state environmental policy. These protected areas are seen as way of developing ecotourism. In an age of rapid development, environmental bodies are playing an increasingly important role; they are not only ensuring environmental protection but are also delivering countless sustainable development projects. The topic of sustainable development, along with CSR, ESG and IGP, is therefore gaining momentum. Major companies are involved in these areas, which underscores their relevance. How can we solve challenges linked to the preservation and promotion of biodiversity? How can we create public-private partnerships in this sector? Can scientific development in protected areas pave the way for localised sustainable development and enhanced environmental safety for industrial enterprises? What measures are needed to develop ecotourism, including in protected areas?

Moderator:
Alexandra Suvorova — Anchor, Russia 24 TV Channel

Panellists:
Dmitry Gorshkov — Director, World Wildlife Fund Russia
Andrey Grachev — Vice President for Federal and Regional Programs, Norilsk Nickel
Sergei Ivanov — Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation on Environmental Protection, Ecology and Transport
Alexander Osipov — Governor of Trans-Baikal Territory
Petr Shpilenok — Director, Kronotsky State Natural Biosphere Reserve

Front row participants:
Alexey Kumarkov — Minister of Natural Resources and Ecology of the Kamchatka Territory
Evgeny Tatarinov — Commercial Director, VTB Leasing
Elena Topoleva-Soldunova — Member of the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation; Chairman, Commission for the Development of the Non-Profit Sector and Support of Socially Oriented NPOs; Director, "Agency of Social Information"

Sustainable development issues are playing an increasingly important role for the Russian manufacturing industry. Manufacturing has a significant impact on the environment. Tens of thousands of people are employed in factories across Russia. Interest in ESG issues and the extent to which manufacturing companies run their business responsibly is growing, not only from a regulatory and societal point of view but from the point of view of international investors. Meanwhile, the transboundary nature of many environmental problems, such as climate change, and the complex nature of social challenges are forming common concerns and establishing a shared agenda for the manufacturing industry across the world. Russian industrialists and their international colleagues need to establish fruitful cooperation to exchange experience in solving sustainable development problems. What forms might this cooperation take? Are there real-life examples of this cooperation and what trajectory should it take in future? What know-how can Russian companies impart to their foreign colleagues? What kinds of solutions are urgently needed by Russian companies?

Moderator:
Igor Korotetskiy — Partner, Head of Operational Risk and Sustainability, KPMG in the CIS

Panellists:
Pavel Grachev — Chief Executive Officer, Polyus
Rohitesh Dhawan — Chief Executive Officer, International Council on Mining and Metals (online)
Sergey Komyshan — Executive Director for Marketing and Sales, Procurement, Innovation and Business Development, SIBUR
Alexander Liberov — President, Siemens in Russia
John Mulligan — Climate Change Lead and Market Relations, World Gold Council (online)
Yuliya Shabala — Deputy Director General for Sustainable Development and Corporate Affairs, Udokan Copper
Claude Schimper — Senior Vice President for Russia Operations, Kinross Gold Corporation

Front row participant:
Mikhail Sutyaginskiy — Chairman of the Board of Directors, Titan Group of Companies

The rapid socio-economic development of the Far East is one of the most important objectives of state policy set by the Russian President. To achieve this effectively, it is necessary to overcome a number of serious challenges. These include higher risks for investors and the resulting cost of funding. Experience shows that the barriers to investors in the Far East can be effectively overcome in partnership between business and government, with the involvement of development institutions. In recent years, such large-scale investment projects have been implemented with their participation, creating a radically new economic landscape in the Far East, such as the gas chemical cluster in the Amur Region, the production of ships and mineral fertilizers in the Primorye Territory, copper and gold mining in the Khabarovsk Territory, the modernization of airports, etc. A number of promising projects are on the way that could have significant socio-economic effects for the macro-region's economy and residents. How can we ensure the rapid socio-economic development of the Far East? What role does infrastructure play in this development? What steps should be taken to realize the region's tourism and export potential? How can we accelerate urban development and achieve a sustainable influx of people into the macro-region?

Moderator:
Artem Dovlatov — Deputy Chairman, Member of the Management Board, VEB.RF; General Director, VEB.DV

Panellists:
Konstantin Basyuk — Chairman of the Board of Directors, Khabarovsk Airport
Sergey Bachin — General Director, Vasta Discovery
Alexander Krutikov — Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Investment Partnership "Ryba.RF" Corporation
Stalbek Mishakov — CEO, Northern Star LLC
Alexey Muratov — Partner, KB Strelka
Vladimir Solodov — Governor of Kamchatka Territory
Konstantin Shestakov — Head of the City of Vladivostok

Front row participants:
Andrey Anikin — Deputy General Director for Project Development and Support, USK MOST JSC
Aleksandr Devyatkin — Head of Infrastructure and PPP Projects Financing, Credit Department, VTB Bank
Konstantin Sukhorebrik — General Director, Aurora Airlines

It will not be possible to achieve accelerated development in the Far East unless economic ties between regions and established centres of growth are strengthened and expanded. In other words, an agglomeration effect needs to be achieved on a national scale, and a developed transport infrastructure is a prerequisite to this process. What’s more, transport infrastructure needs to develop at a more rapid rate than other sectors. This should ultimately translate into reduced transport costs for all business entities, and to these ends, efforts need to focus on three areas: expanding and overhauling traditional forms of transport in the Far East – rail, road and air; essential infrastructure for maritime multimodal transportation needs to be put in place (particularly Northern Sea Route) including river transport and inland waterway infrastructure; and driverless transport. What are the current requirements with regards infrastructure? What can be done to support the flow of imports and exports and do tariffs need to be put in place pertaining to the access to infrastructure? What potential does multimodal transportation hold for the economy of the Russian Far East? What prospects exist for inland waterways and driverless transport in the Far East?

Moderator:
Roman Trotsenko — Founder, Chairman of the Board of Directors, AEON Corporation

Panellists:
Maxim Akimov — Chief Executive Officer, Russian Post
Oleg Belozerov — Chief Executive Officer – Chairman of the Executive Board, Russian Railways
Gadzhimagomed Huseynov — First Deputy Minister of the Russian Federation for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic
Evgeniy Ditrikh — Chief Executive Officer, GTLK
Alexandrs Isurins — President, Chairman of the Executive Board, TransContainer
Ekaterina Lyakhova — Director for Business Development, The State Atomic Energy Corporation ROSATOM; Deputy Director, Chairman of the Board of Directors, JSC Atomenergoprom
Irina Olkhovskaya — Chief Officer for Seaport and Railway Projects, UMMC
Stephan Solzhenitsyn — Chief Executive Officer, Siberian Generating Company; Chief Executive Officer, SUEK
Vadim Shvetsov — General Director, Sollers Group

Front row participants:
Alexander Krutikov — Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Investment Partnership "Ryba.RF" Corporation
Nikolay Chernetsov — Director of Strategic and Operational Consulting Practice, KPMG in the CIS

The Far Eastern Federal District and the Arctic are among the most vulnerable regions on earth. As well as being characterized by their harsh climate, they are home to indigenous peoples, unique flora and fauna, and a wealth of resources. Consequently, a deliberate and particularly careful approach is required when it comes to local development and protecting each region’s unique heritage for future generations. Leading European and Asian powers are focusing on issues surrounding climate change and the shift to a low-carbon economy. This is in turn opening up new prospects for the Russian Far East and the Arctic. As the potential of the Northern Sea Route is unlocked, so regional opportunities are expanding in terms of shipping and proximity to sales markets. In addition, favourable geographical conditions are paving the way for the regions to become leaders in hydrogen production and renewable energy. At the same time, cutting-edge digital and telecommunications technologies are making business management more efficient with regard to dealing with large distances, energy efficiency, and labour productivity. Could digital and green technologies become new competitive advantages for the Far East and Arctic, and herald a shift away from the regions’ traditional economies? Could the regions attract European investment with the view to exporting to the Japanese, Chinese, and South Korean markets?

Moderator:
Tadzio Schilling — Chief Executive Officer, Association of European Businesses

Panellists:
Alexander Malikov — Vice-President for development, Orange Business Services
Sergey Machekhin — Deputy General Director Project Engineering and International Cooperation, RusHydro
Anton Moskvin — Vice President for Marketing and Business Development, Rusatom Overseas
Edgars Puzo — Chief Executive Officer, Russia and CIS, Atos
Antti Helantera — Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Finland in the Russian Federation
Alexey Chekunkov — Minister of the Russian Federation for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic (online)
Anton Chudaev — General Director in Russia, ROMA S.A.S

Front row participants:
Francois Borgida — Vice President for Russia, TotalEnergies (online)
Denis Butsayev — General Director, Russian Environmental Operator Public Law Company
Yaroslav Gamzikov — General Director in Russia, Smoove
Dmitry Grigoriev — General Director in Russia, E.ON Connecting Energies
Alexis Delaroff — Chief Operating Officer, Accor Russia, Georgia, Ukraine & the CIS (online)
Dmitry Zavgorodniy — Managing director, Member of the Management Board, Hyve Russia
Tore Morten Loeseth — Senior Vice President of International Exploration and Production, Equinor
Pavel Shinsky — General Director, French-Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (online)

The wave of healthcare modernization that took place in 2020 could potentially spur the development of medical tourism in Russia. The pandemic forced us to mobilize the resources of the healthcare system and significantly enhance its accessibility, including for people who come to Russia for treatment. In order to enhance the investment appeal of the medical export market as well as further integrate Russia into the global medical services market, it is crucial to pursue a targeted policy of improving the customer-oriented approach of medical services and take it to the level of international standards. The Far Eastern Federal District’s strategic proximity to countries of the Asia-Pacific region could provide an advantage in terms of developing medical tourism, as long as it boosts the transfer of modern medical technologies to Russia, the number of clinics and the construction of high-quality competitive medical infrastructure. Can medical tourism in Russia become a driver of economic development? How can investment and the volume of medical services be increased and potentially generate exports from Russia? What strategies should be used to help improve the quality of medical care in Russia as it applies to tourism? Will rehabilitative medicine and the growing demand for related services due to COVID-19 become a driver for the development of the medical tourism industry? How can we utilize the potential of international cooperation and boost the transfer of the best innovative technologies from APEC countries to the Russian healthcare industry? What steps should be taken to increase the Far Eastern District’s potential in the export market and turn the district into one of the most attractive tourist destinations?

Moderator:
Evelina Zakamskaya — Editor-in-Chief, Doctor Channel; Anchor, Russia 24

Panellists:
Elena Zhidkova — Head, Central Healthcare Directorate, Russian Railways
Galina Izotova — Deputy Chairman, Accounts Chamber of the Russian Federation
Oleg Pak — Vice Rector for Medical Affairs, Medical Centre, Far Eastern Federal University (FEFU)
Oleg Salagay — Deputy Minister of Health of the Russian Federation (online)
Sergei Sidorov — Chairman of the Board of Directors, Medscan
Andrey Shuvalov — Managing Partner, Medicare

Front row participant:
Sergey Davydov — General Director, "Academy of Health" Innovation Clinic

Measures were put in place last year aimed at curtailing the off shoring Russian operations including: instituting stricter requirements for international tax information exchange; a re-evaluation of double taxation avoidance agreements with a number of countries; and offing plans to expand this practice to other traditionally low-tax jurisdictions. This has been coupled with the enhancement of SAR policies to incentivize the re-domiciliation of foreign companies in the Russian Federation. At present, over 47 holding companies have made the decision to move to special administrative regions of the Russian Federation, however, take-up of SAR policies on Russky Island remains extremely low. Over the 2018–2021 period the total investment by SAR residents of Russky Island was RUB 300 million, while SAR investments at Oktyabrsky Island have already exceeded RUB 2 billion. With business interest towards SAR policies mounting, new plans have been announced for unprecedented measures aimed at stimulating economic and investment activity on the Kuril Islands. Given equal SAR conditions, what would businesses need to see in order to move to Russky Island? What extra measures are needed to ensure a comfortable return to the Russian Federation for businesses? Can we expect a second wave of migrations given the planned changes, and what kind of businesses should we expect to see in SAR within the next two years? Will the insular territories of the Russian Federation become an alternative to foreign offshore companies for businesses?

Moderator:
Mikhail Orlov — Partner, Head of Tax and Legal, KPMG in the CIS

The Far East has a great filmmaking tradition. Residents of Khabarovsk were first introduced to this global industry with the opening of the city’s first cinema in 1910. And in 1925, the Far Eastern Newsreel Studio was established in the city, making it the oldest of its kind in the country (and it still exists to this day). The acclaimed Vasilyev brothers’ film Chapaev was filmed in Primorye Territory, while in 1975, Tokyo hosted the world premiere of Dersu Uzala, which was shot almost in its entirety outdoors in Khabarovsk Territory. The film picked up an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, making it one of three Russian films to win an Oscar. It also took the gold prize at the 9th Moscow International Film Festival in 1975. Today, the Far East is attracting a great deal of interest from Russian and international filmmakers, making it all the more important to offer new forms of support to the industry. What are the prospects for establishing a film cluster in the Far East? What can be done to encourage production companies to make films in the region? What forms of support are likely to be most effective with regard to the development of the film industry?

Moderator:
Aleksandra Maksimets — General Director, "SEAWOLF. Cinematic stories creation" LLC

Panellists:
Yefim Zvenyatsky — Artistic Director, Primorsky Academic Drama Theatre named after M. Gorky; Russian Government Cultural Affairs Award 2016 Winner
Alexander Melnik — Film Director, Screenwriter, Member of Russian Guild of Film Directors
Dina Podprugina — General Director, Baikalkino
Alexey Romanov — Artistic Director, Autonomous Institution of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) State Oil Company "Sakhafilm"
Fedor Scherbakov — General Director, Lenfilm Film Studio

Front row participant:
Afanasiy Savvin — General Director, Sakha Republic Development Corporation

Six of Russia’s ten largest regions by area are located in the Far Eastern Federal District, and of Russia’s five regions characterized by a low population density and harsh climate, four are also in the Far East. What’s more, ten of the Far Eastern Federal District’s eleven regions have a fiscal capacity below that of the Russian average, with four falling below the minimum amount. How will regions of the Far East be able to attain national targets with such levels of fiscal capacity? Might it be possible to move forward without a development budget? To what degree are fiscal imbalances dangerous and why do negative intergovernmental transfers exist at a municipal level, but not at a regional level? Will additional support measures help improve quality of live and stem the flow of people leaving the Far East? Why is it that in the past ten years, the average fiscal capacity of the Far Eastern Federal District has risen by a mere 13%? A number of decisions have been taken this year regarding measures to support the regions. Are these steps sufficient to restore budget equitability? Would increasing the volume of intergovernmental transfers (including grants) prove effective, or would it be better to transfer certain powers to the federal authorities?

Moderator:
Vladimir Solodov — Governor of Kamchatka Territory

Panellists:
Vladimir Klimanov — Director, Institute for Public Finance Reform (IPFR); Head of the Regional Policy Center, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA)
Alexander Osipov — Governor of Trans-Baikal Territory
Tatyana Polovaikina — First Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Amur Region
Diana Samandas — Minister of Finance of the Magadan Oblast
Natalya Trunova — Auditor, Accounts Chamber of the Russian Federation
Marat Shamyunov — Deputy Minister of the Russian Federation for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic

Front row participant:
Mariya Avilova — First Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Khabarovsk Krai

Russia is one of the world’s three largest gold producers and five largest silver producers by volume. At the same time, significant volumes of raw materials containing precious metals are exported without passing through domestic refineries. The projected depletion of global precious metal reserves, whose value is expected to increase over time, raises questions about the optimal use of the country’s resource potential. Russia’s Ministry of Finance is developing mechanisms to regulate precious metal export volumes and create economic conditions to support refining within the country, including in the Far East. What is gold’s economic role as a defensive asset? What major projects are already being implemented in the industry and which areas could be developed in the near future? What infrastructure is required by domestic companies in order to maintain independence from western industry organizations and associations?

Moderator:
Alexander Markin — Chairman, "Association of Refineries" Non-Profit Partnership

Panellists:
Sergey Zhuravlev — Vice President of Government Relations, Polyus
Yury Zubarev — Head, Federal Assay Chamber (online)
Sergei Kushuba — Chairman, Union of Gold Producers of Russia (online)
Alexei Moiseev — Deputy Finance Minister of the Russian Federation
Alexander Pleshakov — Vice President, Polymetal Management Company
Anatoly Popov — Deputy Chairman of the Executive Board, Sberbank
Tatiana Fic — Director of Public Policy and Central Banking, World Gold Council (online)

Front row participant:
Pavel Volkov — State Secretary, Deputy Minister for the Development of the Russian Far East and the Arctic

India and Russia are strategic partners, and the two nations have set the ambitious goal of increasing trade turnover to USD 30 billion by 2025. What measures need to be taken to achieve this aim? What non-commodity and non energy exports from the Far East and Arctic could play a key role in this regard? What could be done to build upon bilateral cooperation in producing and shipping coking coal? What else needs to be done to expand and boost partnership, and what other areas of the mining industry possess the biggest potential for investment related cooperation in the Russian Far East and Arctic? What are the prospects for increasing cooperation between Russia and India in the field of hydrogen power?

Moderator:
Yuri Levin — Rector, Moscow School of Management SKOLKOVO

Panellists:
Alok Kumar Gupta — Managing Director, Chief Executive Officer, ONGC Videsh Limited
Venkatesh Varma Datla Bala — Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Indian Republic in the Russian Federation
Shri Manoj Jain — Chairman, Managing Director, GAIL (India) Limited
Sergey Machekhin — Deputy General Director Project Engineering and International Cooperation, RusHydro
M. M. Murugappan — Non-Executive Chairman, Murugappa Group (online)
Irina Olkhovskaya — Chief Officer for Seaport and Railway Projects, UMMC
Shri P. Ravendran — Chairman, Chennai Port Trust (online)
Sri Hardip Singh Puri — Minister of Oil and Natural Gas of the Republic of India
Vladimir Sitnov — Senior Vice President, Sberbank
Anna Tsivileva — Chairman of the Board of Directors, Kolmar Group
Uday Shankar — President, FICCI (online)
Nikolay Shulginov — Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation

Front row participant:
Vennelakanti Kalyana Rama — Chairman of the Board of Directors, Managing Director, Container Corporation of India Ltd. (online)

Taking into account the on the ground experience of fighting the pandemic, our national healthcare systems must meet the challenge of crisis, as well as institute sustainable cross-border partnerships to develop effective strategies to confront health challenges. Economic cooperation amongst Asia-Pacific countries remains vital as they were the first to be hit by the Coronavirus. The core issue in the transformation of global health today is national health security, not only in terms of strategies to prevent similar disasters from occurring, but also new areas of treatment and therapeutics that ensure high-quality medical care for all citizens remains available. What are the attributes of a sustainable healthcare system that meets the challenges of national security? What international best practices in building sustainable healthcare systems are most relevant to these goals? What steps need to be taken in the near future in order to ensure sustainable cross-border healthcare cooperation and remove barriers to fruitful interaction? Which current trends are influencing the development of medical cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region? How has the experience of the pandemic contributed to healthcare provision reforms in the Far East? What are the prospects for developing healthcare in the Far East given the proximity of Japan, China, Singapore and other countries with advanced medical technologies? How can public and private investment contribute to the development of advanced technologies in the Far East?

Moderator:
Evelina Zakamskaya — Editor-in-Chief, Doctor Channel; Anchor, Russia 24

Panellists:
Melita Vujnovic — Representative to the Russian Federation, Head of Office, World Health Organization Office in the Russian Federation (online)
Kirill Dmitriev — Chief Executive Officer, Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) (online)
Galina Izotova — Deputy Chairman, Accounts Chamber of the Russian Federation
Andrey Kaprin — Director, Federal State Budgetary Institution National Medical Research Radiological Centre of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation (online)
Stanislav Kuznetsov — Deputy Chairman of the Executive Board, Sberbank
Aleksandr Petrov — Head of the Subcommittee on Circulation of Medicines, Development of the Pharmaceutical and Medical Industry, Committee of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation on Health Protection
Veronika Skvortsova — Head, Federal Medical-Biological Agency of the Russian Federation (online)
Guzel Ulumbekova — Head, Higher School of Healthcare Organization and Management
Victor Fisenko — First Deputy Minister of Health of the Russian Federation

We live in one of the most dynamic periods of human history, defined in large part by big data and high speeds conductivity. Technology is changing our lives, providing an unending flow of information. The chief role of the state according to this paradigm is to act as the owner and custodian of spatial data. A national spatial data system is currently being developed in Russia, and is set to become a development tool in Russia’s, increasing the capitalization of the national territory and improving the quality of property transactions. One of the first steps in this direction will be the implementation of a trial single information resource for land and real estate. This will provide citizens, the state and business with access to the most complete information about any given parcel, including information about housing construction and the provision of plots of land, as well as bring unused sites into economic circulation. What executive decisions about land resource allocation are being dictated by new trends? What will a single special data resource for all look like? How can land in the Far East be more effectively managed? What mechanisms and services can be used to increase the availability and quality of housing and infrastructure in the Far East?

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

Panellists:
Vyacheslav Alenkov — Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Sakhalin Region
Fredrik Zetterquist — Chair, Bureau of the Working Party on Land Administration, United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (online)
Sergey Karutin — General Director, Roscartography
Mikhail Kuznetsov — Director, Eastern State Planning Center (FANU Vostokgosplan)
Pavel Lyakhovich — Member of the Management Board, Managing Director, SIBUR LLC
Hartmut Muller — Senior Professor, Department of Geoinformatics and Surveying, Mainz University of Applied Sciences (online)
Anatoly Pechatnikov — Deputy President – Chairman of the Management Board, VTB Bank
Oleg Skufinskiy — Head, The Federal Service for State Registration, Cadastre and Cartography (Rosreestr)
Nikita Stasishin — Deputy Minister of Construction, Housing and Utilities of the Russian Federation
Rumyana Tonchovska — Senior Land Administration Officer-IT, Partnerships, Advocacy and Capacity Development Division, The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations (online)

Front row participants:
Nadezda Kamynina — Rector, Moscow State University of Geodesy and Cartography
Igor Korotetskiy — Partner, Head of Operational Risk and Sustainability, KPMG in the CIS
Alexander Levintal — Managing Director for the Far East, DOM.RF

Tourism is set to become a driver not only of sustainable development but also social stability in the Far East, contributing to an increased quality of life for the region’s residents. Active efforts in federal and regional tourism policy in recent years have included the introduction and operation of advanced special economic zones (ASEZs) and the Free Port of Vladivostok (FPV), the consolidation of joint public–private initiatives and the implementation of tourism projects in the Far East. Clearly, a main issue in terms of attracting investments is reducing the time frame for implementing investment projects, which is a possibility thanks to increased tourist flows and the region’s increased visibility. What are the factors hindering the development of tourism, what needs to be changed and what effective tools exist to support integrated development in tourist areas?

Moderator:
Sergey Bachin — General Director, Vasta Discovery

Panellists:
Pavel Volkov — State Secretary, Deputy Minister for the Development of the Russian Far East and the Arctic
Taras Demura — General Director, TUI Russia
Alexander Kozlov — Minister of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation
Elena Lysenkova — Deputy Head, Federal Agency for Tourism (Rosturizm)
Dashi Namdakov — Founder, Fund for the Promotion of Culture and Art named after Dashinima Namdakov
Olga Surikova — Director, Tax and legal, KPMG in the CIS
Aleksandr Tertychnyy — General Director, Anterra
Alexey Tsydenov — Head of the Republic of Buryatia

In many regions of the Far East, there is no market for social services, primarily due to low population density, dilapidated or often non-existent infrastructure, and low tariffs that do not allow for immediate improvements in the quality of services. In international practice, so-cial services are provided using extrabudgetary sources and private operators, creating compe-tition in this market and ensuring a higher quality of services. And in this case, the Far East acted as a flagship: in the regions, private operators are already implementing projects using mechanisms to attract private investment. For example, Yakutia launched Russia's first social impact project. Now 4 out of 5 projects are being implemented in the Far East and 3 more are under development. Another area of impact investment is infrastructure investment. Attract-ing private investors to create infrastructure for social services and healthcare will enable the regions, together with a private partner, to solve social problems with less budgetary ex-penditure on its creation. Today, there are already examples of private investors creating and targeting social facilities in major Russian cities, but given the low demand, particularly due to the low population density in the Far East, such private initiatives need government support. What is the vision for the further development of impact investment from the main partici-pants: government and business. What motivation do investors have? What tasks will be solved in the regions using this mechanism? What areas of social services need to be devel-oped? How will private investments and the competences of non-governmental organizations influence the improvement of the quality of services provided to the population? What needs to be done in order to achieve growth of impact investment in Russia?

Moderator:
Oksana Kosachenko — President, Sistema Charitable Foundation

Panellists:
Anatoliy Bobrakov — Deputy Minister of the Russian Federation for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic
Kirill Bychkov — First Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)
Anton Drozdov — Deputy Chairman, Promsvyazbank
Sin Chih-Hoong — Chairman, Traverse Ltd (online)
Svetlana Yachevskaya — Deputy Chairman, Member of the Board, VEB.RF

Front row participants:
Alexey Mavrin — General Director, OPECA
Andrei Modestov — General Director, Medskan Group of Companies

The new normal is erasing all boundaries and today, anybody with a smartphone can become a broadcaster or an opinion leader. Bloggers are turning into journalisms, and traditional media are scrambling to transition into new media organizations in order to retain their audiences. How will the work of journalists be transformed over the near future? How might the behaviour of subscribers of different generations and their information consumption patterns change? Will the transition to omnichannel and convergence strategies help legacy media?

Moderator:
Anton Serikov — Deputy General Director, Russia - the Country of Opportunities

Panellists:
Irina Akopyan — Instagram Blogger (@irina_mamaclub) (online)
Bogdan Bulychev — YouTube and Instagram Blogger; Author, About Travel Channel (@bogdee)
Irina Karikh — Head, TopBLOG
Lyubov Malyarevskaya — Director General, Russian Mediagroup
Vera Podguzova — Senior Vice President, Director of External Relations Directorate, Promsvyazbank
Svetlana Fefilova — Deputy General Director, Gazprom-Media Holding

The modern world is opening up many opportunities for women while posing a huge number of challenges. 21st century women are active participants in all kinds of social and economic processes, while continuing to bear the responsibility of providing a healthy future for their children and, by instilling constructive behavioural patterns, contributing to the health of society at large. How can women look after themselves, their loved ones and their family and raise their children to be healthy while participating in the modern world of multitasking? How can women shoulder the responsibility for building a healthy society? The conditions allowing women ambassadors of a healthy society to interact with each other and support each other should be created both at the state level and in the form of public initiatives, with effective measures put in place to facilitate the strengthening of this alliance. Can the agenda for promoting public health and building a healthy society become a unifying cause for modern women? Are modern women ready to lead the mission of promoting healthy values in society, and are women-led initiatives seeing success and demand in the regions? What tools and resources can help women ambassadors of a healthy society to create communities that will boost and support each other? What are the difficulties associated with supporting interaction between women leaders and the subsequent integration of women-led projects? Are there currently any platforms or other initiatives that can bring women together in the mission to build a healthy society?

Moderator:
Anastasia Stolkova — First Deputy Director for Development, Roscongress Foundation

Panellists:
Elena Aksenova — Director, Research Institute for Healthcare Organization and Medical Management of Moscow Healthcare Department (online)
Maria Afonina — Vice-rector for Educational Activities, "Senezh" Management Workshop
Oksana Drapkina — Director, National Medical Research Center for Preventive Medicine of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation (online)
Elena Zhidkova — Head, Central Healthcare Directorate, Russian Railways
Galina Karelova — Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation (online)
Saniyam Koval — President, Podari Solnechny Svet Charitable Foundation
Olga Postnikova — Chief Executive Officer, Dobroe Delo Social Care Centre ANPO
Tatyana Yakovleva — First Deputy Head, Federal Medical-Biological Agency of the Russian Federation (online)

Front row participants:
Victoria Madianova — Deputy Director, Higher School of Healthcare Leadership and Management, I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation (online)
Olga Starikova — Acting Head of National Project Support Division, Natsionalnye Prioritety ANPO (online)