Business programme

With new challenges, digitalization and automation, new career opportunities are opening up for women in the industrial sector. In recent years, many countries have expanded the range of jobs in which women can work in safe conditions. In Russia, for example, the list of jobs previously closed to women has been reduced by a factor of four, from 456 to 100, and the proportion of women workers in industry is growing by the year, with over 3.8 million women workers in Russia alone. Moreover, active involvement of women in the advance of industrialization, including in managerial positions, contributes to creation of modern, high-tech companies with the best possible conditions for investors. The programmes and resolutions of international organizations and associations, including UNIDO’s core mandate, are aimed at realizing these objectives. What measures are most effective in increasing involvement by women in industrial development? In which areas of industry are women most successful and creating new projects? What initiatives to increase women’s involvement in industrial development can complement the agenda of international organizations, including UNIDO?

Moderator
Ekaterina Inozemtseva, Co-founder, Russian Lakes Project; Coordinator, Women for Regional Development and Domestic Tourism Project, Council of the Eurasian Women’s Forum

Ekaterina Inozemtseva

Co-founder, Russian Lakes Project; Coordinator, Women for Regional Development and Domestic Tourism Project, Council of the Eurasian Women’s Forum

Since 2003, Ekaterina was employed at the performance improvement department of PricewaterhouseCoopers. In 2005, she was director of the auditing department for power-engineering companies at the Siberian Coal Energy Company (SUEK). In 2008, Ekaterina was Deputy Director of the Internal Audit Service of the United Metallurgical Company, where her main task was to create an internal audit function from the ground up. Ekaterina joined the Skolkovo Foundation team on 1 June 2011 – almost from the very beginning of the Foundation's operation. Under Ekaterina's supervision, the Foundation established a system of strategic goal-setting, prepared and approved strategy for the Foundation and the innovation center until the year 2020, prepared the government subprogramme of the Skolkovo Innovation Centre and had it approved by the Government of the Russian Federation. In February 2018, Ekaterina headed of Skolkovo Forum, whose main objectives is to organize and host events aimed at promoting technological entrepreneurship and raising awareness of the current means of governmental and non-governmental support for technology startups in the country and abroad. She has a Letter of Acknowledgment from the Government of the Russian Federation for her contribution to the development of technology business undertakings in the country.

Panellists
Galina Karelova, Deputy Chairman, Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation
Daria Kryachkova, Vice-President of Personnel Policy, Norilsk Nickel
Vera Podguzova, Senior Vice President, Director of External Relations Directorate, Promsvyazbank
Ekaterina Priezzheva, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation
Alla Sbitneva, Coordinator, Women in Light Industry Project, Council of the Eurasian Women’s Forum; Project Director, Sberbank
Astha Tyagi, Vice-President, Invest India
Lyudmila Scherbakova, Co-Founder, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Velpharm; Member of BRICS Women’s Business Alliance Russia Chapter

Galina Karelova

Deputy Chairman, Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation

Deputy Chairperson of the Federation Council of the Russian Federation
Born on 29 June 1950 in the city of Nizhnyaya Salda, Sverdlovsk Region. In 1972, she graduated from the Sergei Kirov Urals Polytechnic Institute with a degree in engineering and economics. PhD in Economics and DSc in Social Sciences, professor. For 20 years she was engaged in teaching and research. Author of over 150 papers on economic, social and political issues.
Since 1990 – delegate, Deputy Speaker (1992–1993) of the Sverdlovsk Regional Parliamentarian Council.
1994–1996 – Deputy of the Council of Federation of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, Chairperson of the Federation Council Committee on Social Policy.
1996–1997 – Deputy of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, Chairman of the Subcommittee on International Humanitarian, Scientific and Cultural Cooperation of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs.
Since 1997 – Deputy and since 2000 – First Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Affairs of the Russian Federation.
April 2003 – March 2004 – Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation on Social Affairs.
April 2004 – December 2007 – Chairperson of the Social Insurance Fund of the Russian Federation.
On 2 December 2007, she was elected a deputy to the Fifth State Duma, Deputy Speaker of the State Duma Committee on Budget and Taxes.
On 4 December 2011, she was elected a deputy to the Sixth State Duma, First Deputy Chair of the State Duma Committee on Labour, Social Policy and Veteran Affairs.
Since 22 September 2014, she is a Representative of the executive authority of the Voronezh Region in the Federation Council. Deputy Speaker of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, member of the Federation Council Committee on Social Policy. Initiator and drafter of more than 40 laws, including laws on social protection. Full State Counsellor 1st Class of the Russian Federation. Decorated with state orders and medals.

Daria Kryachkova

Vice-President of Personnel Policy, Norilsk Nickel

Over 18 years' experience in HR management with major Russian companies such as Severstal, Sberbank-Service, and Nornickel. Darya’s main specialisation is building the HR function in a large manufacturing company, developing HR strategy and corporate culture to support strategic business transformation, and implementing organisational efficiency and remuneration projects.
Speaker and moderator at HR events both in Russia and internationally. Management Board member at Women in Mining Russia, member of the Council on Professional Competences in HR Management, Co-Chair of the HR Committee at the Russian Managers Association.
Degree in Mathematics and additional degree in HR Management from Moscow’s Skolkovo School of Management, GRP. Ranked among the top 1000 Russian managers in 2020, 2021, and 2022.

Vera Podguzova

Senior Vice President, Director of External Relations Directorate, Promsvyazbank

Ekaterina Priezzheva

Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation

Alla Sbitneva

Coordinator, Women in Light Industry Project, Council of the Eurasian Women’s Forum; Project Director, Sberbank

Astha Tyagi

Vice-President, Invest India

Lyudmila Scherbakova

Co-Founder, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Velpharm; Member of BRICS Women’s Business Alliance Russia Chapter