From 6 to 11 April 2026, the seventeenth intake of the professional development program “GR and Lobbying in Business and NGOs” was held at MGIMO University. The program is delivered by Baikal Lobridge in partnership with the MGIMO School of Business and International Competencies.
The course focused on the practical aspects of government relations and lobbying in Russia and the EAEU countries. Participants discussed how companies interact with public authorities, support regulatory and legislative initiatives, and operate in a rapidly evolving regulatory environment. It also covered participation in public-private partnership projects, as well as cooperation with industry associations, state corporations, development institutions, and supranational regulators.
A separate module was devoted to GR tools, including strategic planning, stakeholder mapping, development of GR strategies, assessment of regulatory risks and opportunities, and approaches to evaluating the effectiveness of the GR function within a company. In addition, participants examined key instruments such as regulatory agenda monitoring, management of GR communications, ethics in engagement with government authorities, and the use of digital tools in the work of GR teams.
Sessions were delivered by experts from business, government institutions, and industry organizations working in the field of government relations and lobbying.
The course focused on the practical aspects of government relations and lobbying in Russia and the EAEU countries. Participants discussed how companies interact with public authorities, support regulatory and legislative initiatives, and operate in a rapidly evolving regulatory environment. It also covered participation in public-private partnership projects, as well as cooperation with industry associations, state corporations, development institutions, and supranational regulators.
A separate module was devoted to GR tools, including strategic planning, stakeholder mapping, development of GR strategies, assessment of regulatory risks and opportunities, and approaches to evaluating the effectiveness of the GR function within a company. In addition, participants examined key instruments such as regulatory agenda monitoring, management of GR communications, ethics in engagement with government authorities, and the use of digital tools in the work of GR teams.
Sessions were delivered by experts from business, government institutions, and industry organizations working in the field of government relations and lobbying.
Course lecturers and experts included:
Alexander Zhestkov, Executive Director, Self-Regulatory Organization “Union of Food Supplement Manufacturers”
Alexander Kudinkin, Head of Government Regulation, Directorate for Government Relations, Polymetal Management Company JSC
Alexander Likhanov, Chief Executive Officer, National Champions Association
Alexander Moskovkin, Head of Legal Affairs, Rossiyskaya Gazeta
Anastasia Maletina, Director of Government Relations, VkusVill
Anastasia Tsvetkova, Chief Executive Officer, Lake Baikal Foundation
Anton Eropkin, Director for Government Affairs in Russia and the CIS, Olam Russia
Anton Zharinov, PhD in Economics; Head of Federal Government Relations, Government Relations Department, Gazprom Neft PJSC
Artem Yulegin, Head of the Entrepreneurship Advocacy Division, Department for Entrepreneurial Development, Eurasian Economic Commission
Denis Abdrakhmanov, Director, Center for Legal Initiatives, Agency for Strategic Initiatives
Dmitry Ashin, Deputy Director, Legal Department, Yandex Go
Dmitry Kononov, Head of GR, VimpelCom PJSC; Active State Councillor of the Russian Federation, 3rd Class
Dmitry Krokhmalev, Director of Government and Regional Relations Department, Rosatom Mechanical Engineering LLC
Dmitry Polikanov, PhD in Political Science; Deputy Head, Rossotrudnichestvo
Evgeniya Ovchinnikova, Head of Foreign Economic Activity Support, BIOCAD
Ivan Voloshin, Managing Director, DOM.RF
Irina Arkhipova, Professor, HSE University; Director, Corporate Affairs and Sustainability, Kraft Heinz (Russia)
Irina Fedorova, Director for Corporate Affairs and Government Relations, Baltika Brewing Company LLC
Kirill Kuznetsov, Director, Corporate Affairs, ITMS Group
Lyubov Aksenova, Director, Government Relations, Ekoniva Group
Maria Dronova, Director for Government Relations and Corporate Philanthropy, EVRAZ
Roman Kletskikh, Vice President for Government Relations, RUSSOFT
Roman Timoshenko, Head of Division, Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation
Eduard Voytenko, PhD in Political Science, Associate Professor, MGIMO; General Director, Baikal Lobridge
Yulia Khramaykova, Director for Government Relations in the Agro-Industrial Sector, EFKO Group
During the course, participants analyzed case studies from a range of industries, including IT and telecommunications, retail, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, metallurgy, mining, state-owned companies, and the non-profit sector. The discussions also covered regulation of digital platforms and ESG policy issues.
The cohort represented companies and industry organizations, including PJSC Gazprom Neft, LLC Gazpromneft — Industrial Innovations, Polymetal Management Company JSC (Khabarovsk branch), ALROSA PJSC, EuroChem — Usolsky Potash Plant LLC, R-Pharm LLC, Tricolor Media Holding JSC, NPF Mikran JSC, MIRTEK LLC, Neurosoft LLC, and ANO Dialogue Regions, among others.
Upon completion of the program, 29 participants received an official MGIMO state-standard professional development certificate.
Registration is now open for the eighteenth intake of the program.
Dates: 12–17 October 2026
Duration: six days (60 academic hours).
Alexander Kudinkin, Head of Government Regulation, Directorate for Government Relations, Polymetal Management Company JSC
Alexander Likhanov, Chief Executive Officer, National Champions Association
Alexander Moskovkin, Head of Legal Affairs, Rossiyskaya Gazeta
Anastasia Maletina, Director of Government Relations, VkusVill
Anastasia Tsvetkova, Chief Executive Officer, Lake Baikal Foundation
Anton Eropkin, Director for Government Affairs in Russia and the CIS, Olam Russia
Anton Zharinov, PhD in Economics; Head of Federal Government Relations, Government Relations Department, Gazprom Neft PJSC
Artem Yulegin, Head of the Entrepreneurship Advocacy Division, Department for Entrepreneurial Development, Eurasian Economic Commission
Denis Abdrakhmanov, Director, Center for Legal Initiatives, Agency for Strategic Initiatives
Dmitry Ashin, Deputy Director, Legal Department, Yandex Go
Dmitry Kononov, Head of GR, VimpelCom PJSC; Active State Councillor of the Russian Federation, 3rd Class
Dmitry Krokhmalev, Director of Government and Regional Relations Department, Rosatom Mechanical Engineering LLC
Dmitry Polikanov, PhD in Political Science; Deputy Head, Rossotrudnichestvo
Evgeniya Ovchinnikova, Head of Foreign Economic Activity Support, BIOCAD
Ivan Voloshin, Managing Director, DOM.RF
Irina Arkhipova, Professor, HSE University; Director, Corporate Affairs and Sustainability, Kraft Heinz (Russia)
Irina Fedorova, Director for Corporate Affairs and Government Relations, Baltika Brewing Company LLC
Kirill Kuznetsov, Director, Corporate Affairs, ITMS Group
Lyubov Aksenova, Director, Government Relations, Ekoniva Group
Maria Dronova, Director for Government Relations and Corporate Philanthropy, EVRAZ
Roman Kletskikh, Vice President for Government Relations, RUSSOFT
Roman Timoshenko, Head of Division, Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation
Eduard Voytenko, PhD in Political Science, Associate Professor, MGIMO; General Director, Baikal Lobridge
Yulia Khramaykova, Director for Government Relations in the Agro-Industrial Sector, EFKO Group
During the course, participants analyzed case studies from a range of industries, including IT and telecommunications, retail, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, metallurgy, mining, state-owned companies, and the non-profit sector. The discussions also covered regulation of digital platforms and ESG policy issues.
The cohort represented companies and industry organizations, including PJSC Gazprom Neft, LLC Gazpromneft — Industrial Innovations, Polymetal Management Company JSC (Khabarovsk branch), ALROSA PJSC, EuroChem — Usolsky Potash Plant LLC, R-Pharm LLC, Tricolor Media Holding JSC, NPF Mikran JSC, MIRTEK LLC, Neurosoft LLC, and ANO Dialogue Regions, among others.
Upon completion of the program, 29 participants received an official MGIMO state-standard professional development certificate.
Registration is now open for the eighteenth intake of the program.
Dates: 12–17 October 2026
Duration: six days (60 academic hours).
