IRINA ANTONOVA
Director of The Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts (GMII)

Alexandrovna Antonova is a member of the Russian Academy of Education, a member of the Russian Academy of Arts, a doctor at the Russian State Humanitarian University, an Honoured Worker of Arts in Russia, and a member of the Presidential Board for conferring State Prizes. She has been awarded the following honours: “Red Banner of Labour”, “October Revolution”, and “For service to the Fatherland” class III. She was the winner of the State Prize of Russia (1995).

In 1945, Irina Antonova graduated from Moscow State University. In 1949, she completed a post-graduate degree. She is an arts critic specialising in the field of Italian art from the Renaissance period.

In April 1945, Ms. Antonova started work at GMII as a research worker. In 1961, she became director of the museum.

Ms. Antonova is the author of around 80 publications (catalogues, articles, albums, television programmes, scripts for educational films). She has done teaching work for many years (at the faculty of art at MGU, at the Institute of Cinematography, at the auditorium at Pushkin GMII and at the Institute for Eastern Languages in Paris).

Irina Antonova is one of the leading museum figures in Russia:

- in 1974, she oversaw the radical reorganisation of the museum's exhibitions;
- in 1994, she opened the new department of Pushkin GMII - the Museum of personal collections, donated to the state;
- in 1996, she opened the I. V. Tsvetaev Educational Art Museum, which is located in the building of the Russian State Humanitarian University. This department of Pushkin GMII was based on the museum's collection of copies of sculptures from the ancient world, the middle ages and the Renaissance;
- in 1998, on the initiative of Ms. Antonova, the Hall of History of the Museum was opened;
- in 1998, Ms. Antonova founded yet another department in the museum - the Sviatoslav Richter flat museum.
Irina Antonova has delivered addresses as the organiser of a number of large international exhibitions, including “Moscow-Paris”, “Moscow-Berlin” and “Cézanne and the Russian avant-garde”.

Irina Aleksandrovna was born on 20th March 1922 in Moscow. 

Ms. Antonova speaks fluent German, French and Italian, as well as a little English. She loves the theatre, ballet and music. Her favourite hobby since childhood has been reading. Her passions include driving, which she has been doing since 1964. She loves swimming.

ARKADY DVORKOVICH
Aide to the President of Russia

Born on March 26, 1972, in Moscow.

1994 - Graduated from Moscow State University with a degree in economic cybernetics and from New Economic School (Moscow)

1997 - Graduated Duke University (USA) with a Master in Economics.

1994 – 2000: Adviser and then Head of the Economic Expert Group of Russia’s Ministry of Finance.

2000 – 2001: Expert in Strategic Development Center, Adviser to Minister of Economic Development and Trade.

2001 – 2004: Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Trade.

2004 – 2008: Head of the Presidential Experts’ Directorate of the Presidential Executive Office.

Since May 13, 2008: Aid to the President.

Since May 19, 2008: Russian Sherpa in the Group of Eight leading industrial nations.

Speaks English and German.

GOH CHOK TONG
Senior Minister, Republic of Singapore, Chairman, Monetary Authority of Singapore

Born on 20 May 1941, Mr Goh Chok Tong received his secondary school education at Raffles Institution, Singapore's oldest school. He studied Economics at the University of Singapore where he graduated with First Class Honours.

Mr Goh joined the Administrative Service of the Singapore Government in 1964 where he served in the Economic Planning Unit. Two years later, he was awarded a fellowship for postgraduate studies in Development Economics at Williams College, Massachusetts, USA. After receiving his Masters Degree, he returned to Singapore to work in the Ministry of Finance. In 1969, he joined the national shipping company, Neptune Orient Lines, as the Planning and Projects Manager. Later, he was appointed Finance Director, and in 1973, Managing Director.  He remained in this position through 1977.

Mr. Goh was elected in December 1976 as a Member of Parliament for the Marine Parade Constituency. Nine months later, he was appointed Senior Minister of State for Finance. Between 1979 and 1981, Mr Goh was the Minister for Trade and Industry. In January 1981, he was given the additional portfolio of Minister for Health. Six months later, he left Trade and Industry to take on the appointment of Second Minister for Defence, in addition to being Health Minister. In 1982, Mr Goh became Minister for Defence, a post he held until 1991. In 1985, he was also appointed First Deputy Prime Minister.

On 28 November 1990, Mr Goh succeeded Mr Lee Kuan Yew as Singapore's second Prime Minister. On 12 August 2004, Mr Goh relinquished the office of Prime Minister to pave the way for political self-renewal. At the request of his successor, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Mr Goh remained in the Cabinet as Senior Minister. He also took on the appointment of Chairman of the Monetary Authority of Singapore.

In the ruling People's Action Party, Mr Goh has served in the Central Executive Committee since 1979. He was Second Assistant Secretary-General (1979-1984) and Assistant Secretary-General (1984-1992).  From 1992 to December 2004, he was the Secretary-General. In December 2004, Mr Goh relinquished the position of Secretary-General to enable a younger team to assume the party's leadership. However, he remains a member of the Central Executive Committee.

As Prime Minister, Mr Goh was Chairman of the People's Association, a statutory board promoting racial harmony, social cohesion, community services and grassroots activities. He is also a permanent member of the Presidential Council for Minority Rights, chaired by the Chief Justice of Singapore. Mr Goh had served on various boards affiliated with the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC).  In recognition of his contributions, Mr Goh was conferred the Medal of Honour in 1987 and the Distinguished Comrade of Labour Award in 2001 by the NTUC.

Mr Goh was awarded the Gold Olympic Award by the International Olympic Committee in 2001 for his efforts in promoting and developing sports in Singapore.

POLITICAL CAREER

1 Mr Goh Chok Tong was the Prime Minister of Singapore (after Mr Lee Kuan Yew) for 14 years, from 1990 to 2004. In that time, he set Singapore in a direction that secured its position as one of the most successful economies in the world.

2 He was the driver of Singapore's regionalisation strategy that has led to Singapore's major business ventures in many of the fastest growing markets in the world, including India, China and Vietnam.  He called it growing the “external wing of the Singapore economy”.  To expand the opportunities for Singapore companies in foreign markets, Mr Goh successfully launched Singapore's Free Trade Agreement (FTA) strategy and concluded landmark FTAs with key partners such as the US, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.  With the US, Mr Goh was instrumental in persuading then President Clinton to launch negotiations for a free trade agreement, leading to the signing of the US-Singapore FTA by President George W. Bush and Mr Goh in Washington in May 2003.  The US President paid tribute to Mr Goh in 2004, describing him as “one of Asia's great leaders”.

3 Mr Goh's interventions in Singapore's foreign policy had an impact that went beyond Singapore.  When the Cold War ended, he decided that it was time for the Asia-Pacific to have a security forum and initiated the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) that had its inaugural meeting in Thailand.  Mr Goh played a leading role in pushing for an ASEAN Economic Community - a single market and production base with the free flow of goods, services and skilled labour and the freer flow of capital by 2020 - that would be a competitive response to the rise of India and China.  Building on Singapore's open economic orientation, he also moved ASEAN to develop stronger links with the dynamic economies of China, Japan, Korea and India. In 1996, he proposed ASEAN summits with China, Japan or Korea as a group; the first annual summit was held in 1997.
 
4 With 9/11 and a growing danger of a backlash in the West against Islam and the Arabs, Mr Goh took an unprecedented step to launch a diplomatic initiative to build links between Singapore and Asia and moderate Islamic and Arab countries.  Thus, the Asia-Middle East Dialogue (AMED) was formed.  In the 1990s, he had played a central role in shaping greater inter-regional cooperation and understanding: he mooted and worked with our regional countries to form the the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) as well as the  East Asia-Latin America Forum (EALAF). 

TEIMURAZ GUGUBERIDZE
Managing Director, Chairman of Board of Administration of GUM Trading House

Year of birth: 1973
Education:
Abkhazian State University, 1992
Tbilisi Humanities and Economic Institution, 1998

Position during the last 5 years:

From 2003 to 2004
Organisation: LLC. Sporttovari Bosco
Field: Commerce
Position: General Director

From 2004 to 2004 Organisation: Agency of Atlas Project Management Limited company
Field: Commercial activity and management consultations
Position: Assistant managing director

From 2004 to present Organisation: agency of Atlas Project Management Limited Company
Field: Commercial activity and management consultations
Position: Managing director, chairman of the board

GUM Trading House Joint Stock Company, one of Russia's oldest retailers, has a rich and unique history of development that has in many ways determined its present market position, the forms and types of its operations and the amount, quality, and structure of the company's existing assets.

GUM's unique location on the Red Square distinguishes it from other shopping centres. Taking advantage of its historic location, GUM strives to occupy a dominant position in its deluxe niche. The global leaders in the manufacture of luxury goods are interested in opening shops in the historical centre of Moscow and Russia.

KARL JOHANSSON
Managing Partner, CIS, Ernst & Young

Karl Johansson joined Ernst & Young on 15 December 1975 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, after completing his BA from the University of Minnesota (1972) and his law degree from the University of Pennsylvania (1975). In 1985, he became the partner in charge of tax for the company's Minneapolis office. From 1995 to 2000, Karl was the Managing Partner of Ernst & Young CIS based in Moscow, Russia. He moved to Vienna as Regional Partner for Eastern Europe, including the CIS. Karl has served as Global Vice Chair of Tax and member of the Global Practice Council. He has also worked in China to assist in the development and expansion of Ernst & Young China, serving as COO of the Tax Practice and member of the Management Committee.

Karl coordinated the combination of Arthur Andersen/Ernst and Young practices in the CIS, Eastern Europe, Baltics, Nordic countries, and the Middle East.

Karl has significant experience in serving multinational accounts and the senior executives of these accounts. He has coordinated international tax engagements, mergers and acquisitions, and due diligence projects in key global markets.

Karl has coordinated the Foreign Investment Advisory Council to the Russian Government, and advised senior members of the Russian Government on issues affecting foreign investments (including Herman Gref, Alexei Kudrin, Oleg Vjugin and others). He has been a member of the Emerging Europe Business Council and Corporate Governance Task Force of the World Economic Forum, and other advisory groups in the CIS and Eastern Europe.

Karl has been advisor to the Economist Group for Central and Eastern Europe. He has been a member of the Foreign Investors' Councils of Kazakhstan, Ukraine and Latvia.

LEONID KAZINETS
President, Barkli corporation, First Vice-President of the Russian Builders Association

Recipient of the title Honorary builder of Russia; assistant on a voluntary basis to the Head of the State Duma Property Committee, State Duma; Adviser of the Department for City-Planning Policy, Moscow Government; member of the Expert Council for Housing Construction, Federation Council.

Born in 1966 in Moscow.

In 1989, graduated with honors from the Moscow Engineering Institute of Geodesy, Aerial Photography and Cartography, Applied Cosmonautics faculty.

In 1993, established Barkli investment and construction corporation, which is now one of the leading market players in the field of elite housing construction and business class real estate. Under his direction, the corporation deals with investment construction and the development and management of projects in Moscow and Eastern Europe. Altogether, over the past 13 years, Barkli has built and reconstructed more than 30 projects for different purposes (elite mansions in the center of Moscow, class A business centers, buildings completed to state orders).

Over this period, the corporation has earned a stainless reputation among its clients and contractors.

Leonid Kazinets has been rewarded with numerous honors and diplomas from the Moscow Government and Russian Federation state structures for his important and efficient work.

At Leonid Kazinets' initiative, Barkli corporation carries out sponsorship and charitable projects: It supports talented domestic musicians and sportsmen and takes part in municipal improvement projects.

CONSTANTINE MARAKHOV
Head of Business Development, Centre for Global Growth Companies, World Economic Forum, Switzerland

The World Economic Forum is an independent international organisation committed to improving the world by engaging leaders in partnerships to shape global, regional and industry agendas. Incorporated as a foundation in 1971, and based in Geneva, Switzerland, the World Economic Forum is impartial and not-for-profit and is not tied to any political, partisan or national interests.

Personal: Business development and Corporate Finance professional; Ph. D in Economics, Institute for Economic Forecasting, Kiev, Ukraine; MBA, University of Oregon, U.S.A. Formerly with: Maastricht School of Management, associate professor; Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Expert on International Financial Organisations; JP Morgan Chase limited TACIS consortium, Ukraine, Investment Banker; C.E.I. Ltd, Ukraine, Managing Director.

ANDRE SCHNEIDER
Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer, World Economic Forum, Switzerland

The World Economic Forum is an independent international organization committed to improving the state of the world by engaging leaders in partnerships to shape global, regional and industry agendas. Incorporated as a foundation in 1971, and based in Geneva, Switzerland, the World Economic Forum is impartial and not-for-profit; it is tied to no political, partisan or national interests.

Personal: Classical Orchestra Musician; Diploma, Richard Strauss Konservatorium, Munich; Ph. D in Computer Science, University of Geneva. Formerly with: Philharmonic Orchestra of Berlin; Staatsheater Kassel; Symphony Orchestra of Radio Saarland; Lucerne International Festival Orchestra. Researcher in parallel computers, European Community; with IBM including: Product Developer; Consultant and Principal, IBM Consulting Group. Consultant, various companies and organisations, Speaker on IT-related topics. Currently: Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer, World Economic Forum; Vice-President of the Foundation Board, Disaster Resource Network; Member of the Foundation Board, Projects in Health, Switzerland.

ANDREI SHARONOV
Managing Director, Troika Dialog Group

Andrei Sharonov was appointed Managing Director, Troika Dialog Group in July 2007.

Before joining Troika Dialog, Andrei Sharonov held the position of State Secretary/ Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Trade of the Russian Federation. Mr. Sharonov had been working at the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade for 10 years, for nine of which he was Deputy Minister.

Prior to that, from 1992 through 1996, Mr. Sharonov held the position of Chairman of the Russian Federation Youth Committee. He began his career in Public Administration in 1991 as Chairman of Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic State Committee for youth policy, after serving as a people's deputy of the U.S.S.R. from 1989 through 1991.

Mr. Sharonov graduated from Ufa State Aviation Institute in 1986 and received his degree in law from the Russian President's Academy of Civil Service in 1996. He holds a Masters Degree in Sociology.

WILFRIED VANHONACKER
Dean of the Moscow School of Management SKOLKOVO

Wilfried R. Vanhonacker is recognised worldwide as a leading scholar in the field of marketing science and an expert on doing business in China and emerging markets.

Professor Vanhonacker graduated from University Faculties St. Ignatius (UFSIA), Antwerp, Belgium. He started his career in business education in 1979 as Assistant Professor of Business at the Graduate School of Business of Columbia University, New York, U.S.A., where he had been teaching for 10 years. In 1988, he joined the faculty at INSEAD, Fontainebleau, France, where he was Professor of Marketing during the period 1990-2000. Simultaneously, Vanhonacker took the position of Professor of Marketing and Department Head of School of Business and Management in Hong Kong (HKUST). In 2000, he accepted an invitation to become Dean and Vice-President of CEIBS, Shanghai, and played a key role in its formation and development. Afterwards, he returned to HKUST and headed its Marketing Faculty. As Executive Director of Center for Marketing and Distribution at HKUST, he was the author of three-dimensional studies of retail trading in China.

Professor Vanhonacker is author of numerous academic publications and four books. His classic 1997 Harvard Business Review article on China entry strategies was reprinted in the best-selling book Harvard Business Review on Doing Business in China (HBS Publishing 2004).

A Belgian national, resident in Hong Kong and Shanghai, he speaks Dutch (native language), English, and French fluently, and has a working knowledge of German and Mandarin Chinese.

Since January 2008, Wilfried Vanhonacker has been Dean of the Moscow School of Management SKOLKOVO.

RUBEN VARDANIAN
Chairman of the Board of Directors and CEO of Troika Dialog Group
President of the Moscow School of Management SKOLKOVO

Ruben Vardanian has been working at Troika Dialog since it was founded and has been head of the company since 1992. Mr. Vardanian is one of the leading figures on Russia's capital markets, having played a key role in developing almost all segments of the country's stock market. He is an active member of many respected business organisations, notably the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, where he sits on the Management Committee. He is also the Chairman of the organisation's Corporate Governance Committee and the Arbitrator of its United Committee on Corporate Ethics.

Mr. Vardanian is a Member of the Board of Directors of RusSpetsStal, a Member of the Board of Directors and Member of the Board Committee for Strategic Planning and the Chairman of the Board Audit Committee of URSA Bank, a Member of the Council of the National Committee for Economic Affairs with Japan, the Chairman of the Russia-Kuwait Business Council on behalf of Russia, a Member of the Board of Directors of Armimpexbank, a Member of the Board of Directors and the Chairman of the Strategy Committee, the Chairman of the Personnel and Remuneration Committee of AK Bars Bank, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Sukhoi Civil Aircraft, a Member of NOVATEK's Board of Directors and the Chairman of the organisation's Corporate Governance and Compensation Committee. He was appointed CEO of Rosgosstrakh in 2002-2004 and was the Chairman of the company's Board of Directors in 2004-05.

Mr. Vardanian is a Member of Investment Committee of the Russia New Growth Fund, the joint Private Equity Fund of Troika Dialog and Temasek Holdings, President of the Moscow School of Management SKOLKOVO, a Member of the Russian branch of the Young Presidents' Organisation, a Member of the Marsh & McLennan Companies International Advisory Board, a Member of the Coordination Board of the Armenia 2020 project. He is also Director of a fund established by the International Baccalaureate Organisation to promote education worldwide, a Member of the Expert Council, Presidential Council for National Priority Projects and Federal Population Policies and a Member of the Advisory Board of the Endowment Fund of New Economic School in Russia.

In 1992, Mr. Vardanian graduated with a Distinction from the Economics Faculty of Moscow State University. He then went on to complete post-graduate training at BANCA CRT in Turin, Italy, and Merrill Lynch's Emerging Markets Training Program in New York City in 1992. He has also completed courses at INSEAD (France) and Harvard Business School.

ANDREI VOLKOV
Dean of the Moscow School of Management SKOLKOVO

Andrei Volkov has worked as Dean of the Moscow School of Management SKOLKOVO since its founding in 2006. Andrei was a part of the team that developed SKOLKOVO concept.

He is one of the leading experts in the sphere of higher education in Russia. While working as an Advisor to the Minister of Education and Science of the Russian Federation, he was the leader of the expert team that prepared the programme for developing Russia's higher education system and led a group of experts from the G8 countries on Russia's initiatives in education.

Prior to joining SKOLKOVO, Andrei worked as a Vice Rector at the Russian Government Academy of National Economy where, among other activities, he developed and managed several educational programmes for top executives from the biggest Russian state companies, such as RAO  Unified Energy System and Sberbank, as well as for the Central Bank and the Ministry of Industry and Energy.

Between 1991 and 2002, Mr. Volkov worked at the Togliatti Academy of Management in the Samara Region, an institution known for its innovative experimental educational approach. There, he held the posts of the Dean of Faculty in Information Systems and Rector.

Andrei Volkov graduated from the Moscow Institute of Engineering and Physics (MIFI) in 1984. Between 1984 and 1991, he worked as a research fellow at the Scientific Research Institute of Atomic Reactors.

Among his social activities, Andrei serves as President of the Russian Mountaineering Federation. He climbed Mount Everest in 1992.

Andrei Volkov was decorated with the Order of Friendship of the Peoples in 1993 as well as with the Medal of the Order for the Services to the Fatherland in 2006 for his efforts in the preparation for the G8 Summit in Russia.