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            [post_date] => 2025-04-30 18:19:44
            [post_date_gmt] => 2025-04-30 15:19:44
            [post_content] => 28–29 April, 2025 the final round of the second GR & Lobbying Case Championship was held in person at MGIMO University. The event was organized by Baikal Communications Group in partnership with the MGIMO Law Club. This remains the first case competition in Government Relations (GR) and lobbying in Russia and the CIS.

The championship served as a unique platform for students from leading Russian universities who are interested in the interaction between business, non-profit organizations, and government authorities. Participants progressed from analyzing legislative initiatives to presenting full-scale advocacy strategies on behalf of a hypothetical client.

A total of 116 teams registered for the competition, with 224 participants at the starting stage. Students from 26 cities across Russia took part, including Moscow, St. Petersburg, Pushkin, Kaliningrad, Kirov, Vladimir, Tula, Oryol, Pskov, Nizhny Novgorod, Samara, Volgograd, Rostov-on-Don, Saratov, Nalchik, Makhachkala, Cheboksary, Chelyabinsk, Yekaterinburg, Omsk, Barnaul, Tyumen, Surgut, Kyzyl, Khabarovsk, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, and others.

Participating universities included: MGIMO University, Lomonosov Moscow State University (MSU), National Research University Higher School of Economics (HSE – Moscow and Nizhny Novgorod campuses), Kutafin Moscow State Law University (MSAL), Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA – Moscow, Altai, Vladimir, and regional campuses), Moscow City University (MCU), Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT), Russian State University for the Humanities (RSUH), the Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN), National Research University MPEI, Gubkin Russian State University of Oil and Gas, St. Petersburg State University (SPbU), St. Petersburg State University of Economics, ITMO University, Pushkin Leningrad State University, Tula State University, Pskov State University, Vyatka State University, Volgograd State University, Samara State University, Saratov State Law Academy, Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University, Kabardino-Balkarian State University, Dagestan State University, Orel State University, Chuvash State Pedagogical University, Dostoevsky Omsk State University, Tuvan State University, South Ural State University, Tyumen State University, Surgut State University, Ural State Law University, Sakhalin State University, Eastern European University, and Pacific National University.

Before the in-person stage, a qualifying round was held, in which teams analyzed the regulatory framework of a specific sector. Fifteen teams advanced to the semifinals.

In the semifinal round, participants acted as GR consultants and were tasked with:

 	
Assessing the risks embedded in a draft law identified in the qualifying round;
 	
Analyzing the socio-political context surrounding the initiative;
 	
Developing a stakeholder map;
 	
Preparing a risk mitigation plan that incorporated both analytical and communication tools of GR and lobbying.



Participants presented their findings to a jury panel acting as potential clients, tasked with selecting an optimal government engagement strategy.

In the final round, the selected teams conducted stakeholder negotiations with representatives of government bodies. Each team was required to:

 	
Formulate a well-reasoned company position;
 	
Adapt arguments to align with specific public officials;
 	
Propose alternative regulatory solutions that considered both business interests and government priorities.



The final stage offered a realistic simulation of GR practice: participants had to balance the interests of a hypothetical client with the need to find common ground in dialogue with the state.

Team presentations were evaluated by a distinguished jury panel, which included Eduard Voytenko and Valery Afanasyev, representing Baikal Communications Group.

Based on the results, the following teams received top honors for their analytical rigor, strategic thinking, and persuasive argumentation:

 	
1st Place – “Shadow Advisors” (MSU).
 	
2nd Place – “Crew” (MGIMO).
 	
3rd Place – “Publicans” (HSE & MSAL).



The winning teams were awarded diplomas and offered internships at Baikal Communications Group.

The championship enabled students to apply GR and lobbying tools to a real-world case scenario and confirmed the growing interest in this field among future professionals.

Baikal Communications Group remains committed to its mission of developing the professional GR and lobbying community and supporting educational initiatives that help prepare the next generation of experts.
            [post_title] => The Second GR&Lobbying Case Championship Concludes
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            [post_date] => 2025-04-28 10:31:47
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            [post_content] => On April 23, 2025, students enrolled in the Government Relations (GR) Master’s Program and members of the GR Student Club at the Faculty of Law, Lomonosov Moscow State University, met with Eduard Voytenko, Ph.D. in Political Science and CEO of Baikal Communications Group.

During the meeting, Eduard Voytenko spoke about contemporary models of lobbying regulation, highlighting the importance of self-regulation through the development of codes of ethics and professional associations for government relations specialists. He emphasized that the evolution of the GR and lobbying sector in Russia should be driven by the gradual establishment of professional standards and the enhancement of educational programs for future practitioners.

Particular attention was given to the GR and lobbying tools employed by Baikal Communications Group to advocate for the interests of businesses and non-profit organizations within governmental bodies. Students gained valuable insights into the nuances of building sustainable and long-term relationships with the State Duma, the Government of the Russian Federation, key federal executive agencies, and regional authorities. Voytenko illustrated the application of GR and lobbying instruments with case studies involving the successful representation of both Russian and international companies.

The discussion also covered career development opportunities within the GR and lobbying fields, the competencies required for professional success, and the growth prospects of the GR and lobbying services market in Russia. Special emphasis was placed on the role of specialized education and the importance of direct engagement between students and industry practitioners.

Baikal Communications Group remains committed to supporting initiatives aimed at fostering the professional GR community and advancing educational programs that contribute to the development of the next generation of experts.
            [post_title] => Eduard Voytenko’s Guest Lecture for MSU Students
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            [post_date] => 2025-04-15 14:47:33
            [post_date_gmt] => 2025-04-15 11:47:33
            [post_content] => 7-12 April, 2025 MGIMO completed the 15th round of the advanced training program “GR and lobbying in Business and Nonprofit Sector”, implemented by Baikal Communications Group in cooperation with the MGIMO School of Business and International Proficiency.

The purpose of the program is to master and improve the activities of professional specialists in presenting and promoting the interests of business and NGOs in government bodies at the federal and regional levels, as well as in the supranational and international space.

The course program consists of disciplines dedicated to various aspects of GR and lobbying activities: building communication between businesses and government authorities (regional, federal, international, and supranational levels) amid geopolitical uncertainty; GR’s role in sustainable development and M&A transactions; cooperation with business and industry associations, think tanks and academic institutions, state corporations and development institutions; and interaction with the Subcommission of the Government Commission for Monitoring Foreign Investment in the Russian Federation. The core part of the program includes training in the ethics and regulation of GR and lobbying, internal and external GR and lobbying tools such as personal contacts, insider information, stakeholder mapping, GR and lobbying strategies, written communications with government bodies, monitoring and analyzing the regulatory environment, assessing regulatory risks and opportunities, legal and sectoral analysis of draft laws and other regulations, PR tools, event management, and more.

24 experts spoke during the course, including:

 	
Denis Abdrahmanov – Director of the Center for Legal Initiatives, Agency for Strategic Initiatives
 	
Lyubov Aksenova – GR Director, EkoNiva Group
 	
Irina Arkhipova – Professor at HSE, Director of Corporate Relations and Sustainability, Kraft Heinz (Russia)
 	
Dmitry Ashin – Head of Regulatory Initiatives, Yandex.Taxi
 	
Eduard Voytenko – PhD in Political Science, Associate Professor at MGIMO, CEO, Baikal Communications Group
 	
Kirill Dozmarov – Associate Partner, Baikal Communications Group; Expert, Center for Economic and Legal Expertise (MSU)
 	
Anton Yeropkin – Director of Government Relations in Russia and the CIS, Olam Russia
 	
Anastasia Ivanova – GR Director, Gaskar Group
 	
Roman Kletskikh – GR Director, NAUMEN; Chairman of RUSSOFT
 	
Dmitry Kononov – Head of GR, PJSC VimpelCom; State Councillor of the Russian Federation, 3rd class
 	
Dmitry Krokhmalev – Director of Government and Regional Relations, JSC Mashinostroenie (Rosatom)
 	
Alexander Likhanov – CEO, National Champions Association
 	
Andrey Lyan – Director of Government Relations, Cargill Russia
 	
Anastasia Maletina – Government Relations Lead, VkusVill
 	
Alexander Moskovkin – Head of the Law Department, Rossiyskaya Gazeta
 	
Evgenia Ovchinnikova – Head of Foreign Trade Support, BIOCAD
 	
Dmitry Polikanov – PhD in Political Science, Deputy Head, Rossotrudnichestvo
 	
Nikita Ryblenkov – Deputy CEO, Novostal-M LLC
 	
Nikita Smirnov – PhD in Political Science, Associate Professor, Director of Government Relations, Krasny Oktyabr
 	
Gleb Sukhanov – PhD in Economics, Head of Government Relations, PJSC T Plus
 	
Irina Fedorova – Vice President of Government Relations, Baltika Breweries
 	
Anastasia Tsvetkova – CEO, Lake Baikal Foundation
 	
Artyom Yulegin – Head of Business Advocacy, Department of Entrepreneurship Development, Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC)
 	
Representative of the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation

The speakers shared their GR expertise from various sectors of the economy and NGOs: agriculture and food industry, FMCG, e-commerce and telecom, IT, unmanned aviation systems, high-tech domestic companies, pharmaceuticals, retail, metallurgy and mining, companies with state participation, and natural monopolies (e.g., energy and utilities), environmental NGOs, and more. Special focus was given to GR strategies for mitigating political and regulatory risks under sanctions regimes.

During the six days of interactive sessions and master classes, participants explored the principles and functions of lobbying, its tools and methods, and GR practices in foreign and Russian B2G communications under sanctions and countersanctions, using real-life examples from different industries. The course also covered specifics of GR communications between NGOs and government bodies. A distinctive feature of the 15th edition was the inclusion of master classes on evaluating the economic efficiency of a company's GR department and developing GR and lobbying strategies to address specific regulatory challenges in various industries.

Participants included representatives from organizations such as: Gazprom Neft PJSC, Gazprom Export LLC, KNGK-INPZ LLC (Ilsky Refinery), East Mining Company LLC, Polyus Management Company LLC, Steel Construction Development Association, Uzum Market (Uzbekistan), O2O Holding LLC, Expomobility LLC, MTS PJSC, ITMS JSC, Siglo de Oro Cigar Factory, AgroTerra Group, EkoNiva-APK Holding LLC, Port Alliance JSC, FESCO (DVMP PJSC), Petrochemical Transport Company LLC, Saint-Gobain Construction Products Rus LLC, Aero Disk LLC, Coldiz LLC, ACADEMIA Boutique Hotels, ADV LLC, Prosveshchenie Publishing House JSC, StandUp Innovations LLC, Alnilam LLC, Polyus Charitable Foundation, Office of the Microfinance Ombudsman (Kazakhstan), National Association of Healthcare Managers, Eurasian Economic Commission, and others.

At the end of the program, 32 participants received MGIMO state standard certificates of advanced training.

Registration is open for the 16th cohort, which is scheduled for October 13-18, 2025. The course duration is 6 days (60 academic hours).
            [post_title] => 15th graduate course «GR and lobbying in business and nonprofit sector»
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            [post_date] => 2025-03-03 07:56:37
            [post_date_gmt] => 2025-03-03 04:56:37
            [post_content] => On the 25th February, 2025, the Research Centre for Legal Expertise became a member of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RSPP). It is worth noting that the organization is part of the ecosystem of Baikal Communications Group and was created to assist the government, businesses, and non-profit organizations in legislative tasks.

As part of the membership process in the business association, CEO of the Center, Sofia Strakhova, participated in a business breakfast with RSPP President Alexander Shokhin and other new members of the Union. During the meeting, the head of the RSPP outlined the key areas of the union’s work and highlighted the priority tasks for its committees and commissions. In turn, Sofia Strakhova discussed the activities of the Center and its plans for working within the RSPP framework.

In cooperation with the Union, the Research Centre for Legal Expertise will focus on improving legislation and developing mechanisms for legal regulation. In this regard, the organization has joined the RSPP Committee on Regulatory Policy, which has resumed its activities after a three-year hiatus.

The Research Centre for Legal Expertise has identified several key areas for its work within the committee. Firstly, it has been decided to concentrate on the preparation and expert discussion with stakeholders of the draft federal law "On Normative Legal Acts in the Russian Federation." The absence of such a normative legal act, according to some experts, creates challenges for systematic quality control of legislative decisions made. Its adoption could facilitate a more transparent dialogue between business and government, formalizing interaction procedures among the subjects and objects of state regulation.

Secondly, the Research Centre for Legal Expertise plans to participate in the development of the regulatory impact assessment (RIA) system. This mechanism has proven to be one of the effective tools for interaction between the government, businesses, and society, although its potential could be fully realized, especially within parliamentary procedures.

On the same day, the first meeting of the updated RSPP Committee on Regulatory Policy took place during the forum "RIA and Other Tools for Business and Government Interaction." The discussion included RSPP President Alexander Shokhin, AVTOVAZ President Maxim Sokolov, State Secretary – Deputy Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation Alexey Khersontsev, Deputy Minister of Justice of the Russian Federation Konstantin Panferov, representatives from the Ministry of Economic Development of Russia, the Federation Council, the Expert Council under the Government of the Russian Federation, and other experts.

The Research Centre for Legal Expertise hopes that its active participation in RSPP activities and interaction with professionals in the field will contribute to enhancing the quality of legal regulation in the interests of both business and government.
            [post_title] => The Research Center for Legal Expertise Joins RSPP
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            [post_date] => 2025-02-18 10:09:11
            [post_date_gmt] => 2025-02-18 07:09:11
            [post_content] => On February 14–15, 2025, the first group of participants completed training as part of the GR Laboratory organized by Baikal Communications Group and the Eurasian Cooperation Center.

The GR Laboratory is a new educational project. It consists of two-day intensive courses where participants acquire and refine skills in advocating and promoting interests within federal and regional governmental bodies, as well as in the international arena.

The academic supervisor of this new educational program is Eduard Voytenko, PhD in Political Science, CEO of Baikal Communications Group and Edward's East Strategies.

Featured speakers at the GR Laboratory included specialists from Russian and international companies in the real sector of the economy, as well as representatives from governmental bodies:

 	
Eduard Voytenko – Candidate of Political Sciences, Associate Professor at MGIMO, CEO of Baikal Communications Group and Edward's East Strategies.
 	
Yana Kotukhova – Candidate of Medical Sciences, Director for Government Relations and External Communications in the EAEU countries, Servier.
 	
Alsu Hakimova – Candidate of Legal Sciences, Head of the Expert and Analytical Department of the Central Committee of the "United Russia" Party.
 	
Nikita Smirnov – Candidate of Political Sciences, Associate Professor, Director for Interaction with Government Authorities, AO "Krascvetmet."
 	
A representative from the Department for Business Development of the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC).

The intensive program included the following topics:

 	
Tools for promoting business interests within governmental bodies during geopolitical turbulence.
 	
Peculiarities of communication with federal, regional, and supranational (EEC) authorities.
 	
Regulatory impact assessment and other methods of engagement with government authorities.
 	
A system for evaluating the economic effectiveness of a company's GR unit.
 	
Interactive case studies from various industries.
 	
Personal professional experiences of experts from both business and government, among others.

Participants in the first cohort of the educational program represented the following companies: SNF Vostok LLC, Boiron, Nordgold, AO "IL DE BOTÉ," LLC Naos Vostok (Bioderma), Ascensia Diabetes Care LLC, ITE Expo, Pfizer, and others.

To find out the date of the next GR Laboratory cohort, follow updates on the company's website and Telegram channel.
            [post_title] => The First Cohort of the GR Laboratory Has Concluded
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