Programme

Prospects for the Forestry Industry in a Modern Economy

RUSSIAN ECONOMIC AGENDA
Panel Session
Congress Centre, Conference Hall D3

Despite the stable growth in forestry production, the sector’s contribution to Russian GDP remains below 1%. The Russian forestry development strategy for the period to 2030 is being finalized, and it is expected to result in more efficient manufacturers and enhanced value-added processing products. The priority objectives are access to raw materials, development of human capital, technological and scientific advancements, and improving the industry’s management system. How can new technologies contribute to reshaping the industry? How can we resolve the industry’s infrastructure problems? Will growing demand for timber housing spur a new growth opportunity?

Moderator:
Ilya Kopelevich , Editor-in-Chief, Business FM

Panellists
Ivan Valentik , Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation; Head of the Federal Agency for Forestry
Sergey Gorkov , Chairman, Bank for Development and Foreign Economic Affairs (Vnesheconombank)
Alexander Idrisov , President, Founder, Strategy Partners Group
Zhou Litsyun , General Manager, China Chengtong International Investment Ltd.
Denis Manturov , Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation
Alexey Mordashov , Chairman of the Board of Directors, Severstal
Zakhar Smushkin , Chairman of the Board of Directors, Ilim Group
Markku Tynkkynen , Vice Chairman of the Board and Partner, Vision Hunters
Ali Uzdenov , Senior Vice President, JSFC Sistema
Alexander Khloponin , Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation
Viacheslav Tsybulnikov , Vice President, Sberbank


Sergey Bratukhin , Sergey Bratukhin, Chairman of the Board, RFP Group
Igor Vasiliev , Acting Governor of Kirov Region
Kamil Zakirov , President, Chairman of the Board, Segezha Group
Ali Kiliс , General Director, KASTAMONU
Igor Orlov , Governor of Arkhangelsk Region
Klaus Herbert Peller , Managing Director, Mondi Syktyvkar
Petteri Pihlajamaki , Director, Poyry Management Consulting Oy
Mark Sutton , Chairman of the Board of Directors, Chief Executive Officer, International Paper
Yermolai Solzhenitsyn , Senior Partner, McKinsey & Company
Alexander Shestakov , President, Association of Furniture and Woodworking Enterprises of Russia

Broadcast

Key moments

Russia needs more project management expertise: not many projects end on time and very few projects are completed with cost savings, so we decided to set up a centre of competence in St Petersburg together with foreign partners to build the pulp and paper mill.
Sergey Gorkov
Chairman, Bank for Development and Foreign Economic Affairs (Vnesheconombank)
Priority investment projects are being phased out. We will consider special investment contracts as a tool for future periods.
Denis Manturov
Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation
The approach where an investor builds an enterprise and the government builds infrastructure can seriously accelerate the inflow of investments into the forestry sector.
Alexey Mordashov
Chairman of the Board of Directors, Severstal
Historically, the forest lease quota has been transferred to the regions, which is inefficient. It’s time to bring lease allocation for big projects back to the federal level. Only then can we solve this issue quickly and effectively.
Zakhar Smushkin
Chairman of the Board of Directors, Ilim Group
Big business and small players need to have equal conditions, otherwise the smaller companies simply chop down as much forest as they can and sell it for export.
Ali Uzdenov
Senior Vice President, JSFC Sistema
The government should be the impetus for the development of the forest industry.
Alexander Khloponin
Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation
We have serious ambitions. We want to occupy a large share of the financing market for this industry.
Viacheslav Tsybulnikov
Vice President, Sberbank
Forest resources are depleted around the main timber processing centres, so the introduction of intensive forest management is not only a necessity recognized by business, but also a state policy priority in forest relations.
Ivan Valentik
Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation; Head of the Federal Agency for Forestry