The event was well attended by a variety of companies from the UK and overseas all with a common interest in finding out how their business can maximise from these major events. Russia is the biggest country in the world and is one of the most active nations in the major events market offering tender opportunities worth billions of dollars. Therefore this briefing aimed to provide delegates with a solid base of Russian business culture in order for them to do business and trade successfully in Russia.
David Cant, Managing Director of Albion (Overseas) LTD UK www.albionoverseas.com, opened proceedings sharing his 20+ years of experience working in Russia, offering delegates some practicalities of doing business in Russia. David expressed the various misconceptions displayed by particularly UK businesses when considering Russia as a place to trade. However David challenged these with a clear message of doing research about the culture preparing yourself for bureaucratic delays and complicated customs, nevertheless he proclaimed that Russia is for everyone especially smaller businesses. David concluded that by understanding Russian culture and to some extent the language as well as managing costs by using well known agents to assist establishment in Russia enabling your business to succeed. Albion (Overseas) Ltd will host an interactive conference about doing business in Russia on the 24th November 2011 offering a more in depth approach. David’s briefing and presence at the event illustrated how organisations such as MEI can reduce the heavy lifting faced by a business in the early stages of targeting a new market by offering these one stop shop sessions where individuals can meet face to face with the correct experts.
MEI’s Key Account Executive for Russia Natalya Tueva gave an overview of the opportunities surrounding the up and coming Major Events 2013 University Games, 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics and 2018 FIFA World Cup. Natalya elaborated on David’s comments about Russia being the largest country in the world and therefore encompassing 1200 airports and 44 million telephone lines demonstrating a colossal infrastructure creating endless business opportunities. The common business opportunities across the 3 events are in transport for underground services, metro lines and aero express. Natalya also pointed out that it is not only the host cities creating these opportunities but also 15 other cities across Russia. Furthermore beyond the 2018 FIFA World Cup there will also be a Festival of Supporters generating additional business opportunities for companies all over the world. Natalya’s briefing outlined the expertise across the MEI team in highlighting the opportunities around the world born out of Major Events.
The briefing then shifted focus to Sochi 2014 in particular, with a presentation by Evgeny Otnelchenko, Advisory Consulting Partner for PwC Russia – www.pwc.ru/en a Partner and the Official Professional Services Provider to Sochi 2014. Evgeny explained that compared to Vancouver, where the majority of the infrastructure was already in place, Sochi is seeing infrastructure construction in preparation for the Games on a much larger scale - which is a bonus for companies wishing to provide their services and products in support of these preparations. Evgeny recommended the international investment forum in Sochi www.forumkuban.com to be kept up to date with the business opportunities in the Russian regions and around Sochi 2014, and announced that the period 2011-2013 will see contracting of tier 2 partners and tier 3 official suppliers of the Sochi Games. Also he invited the business community to participate in the Sochi 2014 licensing program sochi2014.com/en/team/licensing/, which is currently ongoing. Once again, Evgeny offered delegates an insight into the organising of such an event while sharing advice and tips for getting the most out of the business opportunities.
Yevgeny Merkel, Partner at Excelion Partners International www.excelionpartners.com sponsors of this event, brought the focus back to the culture and etiquette for doing business in Russia. He discussed a couple of large well known brands who have been successful in Russia and explained the reason for their success was their understanding and appreciation of the Russian culture, very much supporting David Cant’s points raised earlier in the session. He demonstrated how the Russians are very driven by first impressions and are impressed if you know some of the language and follow the dress etiquette. If a business was looking to employ Russian staff, he explained how it is a very employee friendly environment and they will be drawn to the environment in which the work as opposed to the remuneration. Moreover when looking for business partners in Russia, it is important that you get in front of the key decision makers otherwise your meetings could be a waste of time. Once again demonstrating the importance of understanding the Russian culture in order for your business to succeed.
The briefing was met with much enthusiasm around the room and stimulated much debate around the opportunities in Russia. This was followed by a chance for the delegates to mingle with the speakers over a glass of wine and have more in depth one to ones and really find out where their business could fit into the Russian market.
David Cant, Managing Director of Albion (Overseas) LTD UK www.albionoverseas.com, opened proceedings sharing his 20+ years of experience working in Russia, offering delegates some practicalities of doing business in Russia. David expressed the various misconceptions displayed by particularly UK businesses when considering Russia as a place to trade. However David challenged these with a clear message of doing research about the culture preparing yourself for bureaucratic delays and complicated customs, nevertheless he proclaimed that Russia is for everyone especially smaller businesses. David concluded that by understanding Russian culture and to some extent the language as well as managing costs by using well known agents to assist establishment in Russia enabling your business to succeed. Albion (Overseas) Ltd will host an interactive conference about doing business in Russia on the 24th November 2011 offering a more in depth approach. David’s briefing and presence at the event illustrated how organisations such as MEI can reduce the heavy lifting faced by a business in the early stages of targeting a new market by offering these one stop shop sessions where individuals can meet face to face with the correct experts.
MEI’s Key Account Executive for Russia Natalya Tueva gave an overview of the opportunities surrounding the up and coming Major Events 2013 University Games, 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics and 2018 FIFA World Cup. Natalya elaborated on David’s comments about Russia being the largest country in the world and therefore encompassing 1200 airports and 44 million telephone lines demonstrating a colossal infrastructure creating endless business opportunities. The common business opportunities across the 3 events are in transport for underground services, metro lines and aero express. Natalya also pointed out that it is not only the host cities creating these opportunities but also 15 other cities across Russia. Furthermore beyond the 2018 FIFA World Cup there will also be a Festival of Supporters generating additional business opportunities for companies all over the world. Natalya’s briefing outlined the expertise across the MEI team in highlighting the opportunities around the world born out of Major Events.
The briefing then shifted focus to Sochi 2014 in particular, with a presentation by Evgeny Otnelchenko, Advisory Consulting Partner for PwC Russia – www.pwc.ru/en a Partner and the Official Professional Services Provider to Sochi 2014. Evgeny explained that compared to Vancouver, where the majority of the infrastructure was already in place, Sochi is seeing infrastructure construction in preparation for the Games on a much larger scale - which is a bonus for companies wishing to provide their services and products in support of these preparations. Evgeny recommended the international investment forum in Sochi www.forumkuban.com to be kept up to date with the business opportunities in the Russian regions and around Sochi 2014, and announced that the period 2011-2013 will see contracting of tier 2 partners and tier 3 official suppliers of the Sochi Games. Also he invited the business community to participate in the Sochi 2014 licensing program sochi2014.com/en/team/licensing/, which is currently ongoing. Once again, Evgeny offered delegates an insight into the organising of such an event while sharing advice and tips for getting the most out of the business opportunities.
Yevgeny Merkel, Partner at Excelion Partners International www.excelionpartners.com sponsors of this event, brought the focus back to the culture and etiquette for doing business in Russia. He discussed a couple of large well known brands who have been successful in Russia and explained the reason for their success was their understanding and appreciation of the Russian culture, very much supporting David Cant’s points raised earlier in the session. He demonstrated how the Russians are very driven by first impressions and are impressed if you know some of the language and follow the dress etiquette. If a business was looking to employ Russian staff, he explained how it is a very employee friendly environment and they will be drawn to the environment in which the work as opposed to the remuneration. Moreover when looking for business partners in Russia, it is important that you get in front of the key decision makers otherwise your meetings could be a waste of time. Once again demonstrating the importance of understanding the Russian culture in order for your business to succeed.
The briefing was met with much enthusiasm around the room and stimulated much debate around the opportunities in Russia. This was followed by a chance for the delegates to mingle with the speakers over a glass of wine and have more in depth one to ones and really find out where their business could fit into the Russian market.
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