On September 18, 2025, representatives of Baikal Communications Group participated in the IT Industry GR Summit held at the Patriot Congress and Exhibition Center as part of the International Technology Congress.

The Summit served as an important platform for dialogue between business and government, addressing strategic issues in the development of the digital economy. Baikal Communications Group contributed to shaping the professional agenda by delivering two key presentations.

Chief Executive Officer Eduard Voytenko outlined the core requirements for a modern GR professional. These include the ability to align business interests with governmental KPIs, identify emerging trends, and assess regulatory risks. He emphasized the importance of maintaining a balance between strong sector-specific expertise and soft skills in communication and influence. According to him, government relations should not be viewed as direct sales, yet they have the effect of “deferred sales,” exerting a direct impact on a company’s financial performance. Special attention was devoted to educational programs, notably an advanced training course at MGIMO, as well as the development of practice-oriented formats, including case championships for students and young professionals.

Valery Afanasiev, Director of the GR and Regulatory Risk Assessment Practice, delivered a report on the transformation of analytical tools in GR and lobbying. He noted that contemporary methodologies rely on a combination of internal (analytical) and external (communication) approaches. Monitoring is moving beyond purely regulatory reviews to become a comprehensive instrument that incorporates international, political, economic, and sanctions-related factors. A key trend is the automation and digitalization of analytics, which reduces time expenditures and minimizes the risk of errors.

Baikal Communications Group has already implemented digital analytical solutions internally and intends to launch an adapted product for the market in the near future. Afanasiev underscored that the future of analytics lies in combining automation with expert evaluation: while digitalization accelerates the identification of risks and opportunities, effective engagement with them remains possible only through professional expertise and constructive dialogue with regulators.

The event was attended by representatives of major Russian companies and IT associations, including RUSSOFT, APKIT, Astra, Basalt SPO, Ostrovok, Cian, Naumen, Cyberprotect, NooSoft, among others.

Baikal Communications Group’s participation in the GR Summit reaffirmed the company’s pivotal role in advancing the institution of government relations in Russia and in strengthening professional standards of business–government interaction under conditions of global change.

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