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The SPIEF Presentation Area supported by EY and the Foreign Investment Advisory Council (FIAC) will run from 5 to 8 June as part of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum exhibition programme. The Russian news agency TASS will serve as the area’s operator with the support of the Roscongress Foundation. 

This year, the platform will showcase large Russian and international investment projects, present the results of international analytical research, host business sessions and discussions on a variety of topics, and hold a number of agreement signings. Participants will have the opportunity to have an open dialogue with Russian and international business representatives, government officials, and investors.

On 5 June, the area will host its first event, a presentation about the EY Growth Navigator programme, which is meant to supporting fast-growing companies and entrepreneurs. The programme is based on the EY ‘7 Factors of Growth’ methodology, the result of EY’s 30 years of experience of working with the most rapidly growing companies and market leaders. EY will present the results of studies about the entrepreneurship segment, examples of cutting-edge best practices, and a demo version of the EY Growth Navigator. The project will be presented by EY’s Head of CIS Business Development Department Maria Bantysh and EY’s Senior Manager of Business Development Department Olga Treshchalova. 

On 6 June, EY and the Federal Tax Service of Russia will host the session ‘Tax Monitoring: Trust-Based Online Interaction or Traditional Audits?’ featuring the participation of Deputy Head of the Federal Tax Service of Russia Daniil Egorov. Tax monitoring is a form of tax administration and control that is new to Russia. It is based on the principles of transparency and trust between taxpayers and tax authorities. Tax monitoring replaces traditional audits with online interactions based on remote access to the taxpayer’s information systems. The event will be moderated by Partner and Head of CIS Tax and Law Practice at EY Irina Bykhovskaya.

Some of the key events held at the SPIEF Presentation Area will include a presentation on the business and investment opportunities in Hainan Province on 6 June from 13:30 to 16:15. The speakers will talk about Hainan Province’s position as China's largest experimental free-trade zone and the construction of its free-trade port. The event will also include the opening ceremony for the special project ‘Charming Hainan – Island of Opportunity’ on the TASS website, as well as an introduction to the region’s cultural traditions and tourism potential.

On the same day, the American Chamber of Commerce in Russia and EY will present the results of a study on the trade and economic ties between the US and Russia that provides a realistic assessment of the development of American business in Russia. Alexander Ivlev, CIS Managing Partner and Deputy Regional Accounts Leader for Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe & Central Asia at EY, and Alexis Rodzianko, President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Russia will present reports at the event. One of the Presentation Area’s most significant events – ‘Industrial Policy of the Metropolis’ – will be held on 7 June. At the event, executives from the Technopolis Moscow Special Economic Zone, owners of industrial businesses, and experts will discuss strategies for industrial growth in an urban environment. Panellists will include: Head of the Moscow City Department of Investment and Industrial Policy Alexander Prokhorov, Chief Executive Officer of the Technopolis Moscow Special Economic Zone Igor Ishchenko, Soltex Group President Manish Kumar, Vice Chairman of SUN Group Shiv Vikram Khemka, and Technology Entrepreneur and Swanland Management Chairman Jack Lau, among others. The event will be moderated by EY’s Olga Arkhangelskaya, Partner and Team Leader for the provision of services to companies in real estate, transport, infrastructure, and state-owned companies in the CIS. The discussion will centre on issues such as sustainable urban development and economic performance, industry specialization and manufacturing formats in metropolises, the role of industrial infrastructure in solving social problems, and global trends in the development of urban industrial sites and special economic zones. 

The session ‘Export Potential of Russian Pharmaceuticals: In Search of Growth Points’ invites panellists to discuss ways to increase the export of pharmaceutical products in Russia. According to forecasts by the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade, by 2030, exports of Russian-made pharmaceutical products could increase five-fold if state support measures are implemented. Panellists will discuss questions such as: ‘Which support measures are necessary to reach the set goal?’ ‘What is hampering the export of Russian medicines?’ ‘How can the state support domestic producers?’ and ‘What else do Russian manufacturers need to grow their export potential?’

Some of the key events held at the SPIEF Presentation Area will include a presentation about Hainan Province’s business and investment projects and its free-trade zone (port), as well as an introduction to the region’s cultural traditions and tourism potential. 

The SPIEF Presentation Area supported by EY and FIAC will be located in Pavilion H and will be open every day of the Forum to participants of all categories. To learn more about the SPIEF 2019 Presentation Area programme and participants, please visit the official Forum website. 

SPIEF 2019 is organized by the Roscongress Foundation.