From 25 to 30 October 2021 the seventh advanced training program “GR and Lobbying in Business and Nonprofit Sector” has been successfully held. The program is a joint educational project of the MGIMO School of Business and International Proficiency and the lobbying company Baikal Communications Group.

All MGIMO Graduate Certificates have been awarded by Mr. Eduard Voytenko, Academic Director of the advanced program and, concurrently, CEO and Managing Director of Baikal Communications Group.

Since the sixth graduate course the program has been arranged within the six days period, and it comprised 60 academic hours. Over the course of the program attendees study approaches, principles and lobbying methodology, GR-toolkit and technologies for establishing communication between business and public authorities, using different examples from the real economy, incl. from companies where government is a shareholder. On top of that, this autumn the very substantial part of the program was devoted to the analytical support of GR and lobbying projects, such as: the regulatory environment analysis and legal expertise of legislative initiatives and other legal acts. It was the first course, where the role of GR in the climate and ESG agenda was covered and specifically considered.

All the lectures were delivered by state officials, public activists and executive management of Russian and international companies. Particularly, among them were: CEO and Managing Director of Baikal Communications Group Eduard Voytenko, Russian Corporate Affairs Lead for Cargill, Inc. Andrey Lyan, Regional GR-Director in Russia and Ukraine for Olam International Anton Eropkin, Director-General of the Research Centre for Legal Expertise Anastasia Parfenchikova, Deputy Head of “Rossotrudnichestvo” Dmitriy Polikanov, President of the National Association of Professional Collection Agencies – NAPCA and Head of the Board of the Self-Regulatory Organization “Microfinance and Development” Elman Mekhtiyev, Senior Director of Government Relations for McDonald’s Russia Andrey Zyryanov, Director of Government Relations and Market Access for CJSC BIOCAD Alexey Torgov, Senior Government Relations Director in Eastern Europe for Baltika Breweries/part of Carlsberg Group Irina Fedorova, Head of Public Relations and Government Relations for Lenta Maria Filippova, Director of the Self-Regulatory Organization “Union of Dietary Supplements Producers” Alexander Zhestkov, Head of the Law Section of the Russian newspaper “Rossiyskaya Gazeta” Alexander Moskovkin, Senior Manager of the Public Relations Department PJSC “Lukoil” Vitaliya Tsarik, Head of Government Relations for PJSC “Fortum” Alexander Pavlenko, Director of Government Relations for the metallurgical holding company Novostal-M LLC. Nikita Ryblenkov, Director of Government Relations for PJSC “Uralkali” Oleg Kalinskij, Director of Public Affairs Department of JSC “The United Shipbuilding Corporation” Nikita Pichugin, Government Relations and Policy Director for Russia & CIS for Cisco Systems Inc. Anna Smirnova, Director of Federal Government Relations for JSC “VimpelCom” Dmitriy Kononov, Director of Government Relations for Alibaba.com (ru) Sergey Lebedev, Head of Government Relations for Skyeng Makar Goncharov, Corporate Relations Manager in Russia for Diageo Plc. Elena Ushanova, Head of the Entrepreneurship Advocacy Section at the Department for the Development of Entrepreneurship of the Eurasian Economic Commission Artyom Yulegin and CEO of the Lake Baikal Foundation Anastasia Tsvetkova.

Within the seventh course the number of attendees hit the record high – the audience exceeded 45 people. Among them were representatives of such companies, as: Innotech Holding, PJSC Bank Zenit, PJSC “PIK-Specialized Homebuilder”, JSC “MOEK” (“Moscow Integrated Power Company”), PJSC “RussNeft”, Novostal-M LLC., UMATEX, Polyplastic Group, Roche, Johnson & Johnson, PTC Therapeutics, Yandex, Naumen Consulting LLC., Headhunter LLC., online school Foxford, Delivery Club, Citymobil LLC., CarPrice, Baltika Breweries/part of Carlsberg Group, British American Tobacco, NAFI Research Centre, The Delegation of German Economy in Central Asia and other organizations.

The advanced training program “GR and Lobbying in Business and Nonprofit Sector” is to be held twice a year. Registration for the eighth graduate course in 2022 is still open.

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