News https://baikal-lobridge.ru ru Mon, 13 Apr 2026 19:30:10 +0300 The Presentation of the Review of Regulatory Trends from Baikal Lobridge Took Place at AmCham https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/r9v8ehnca1-the-presentation-of-the-review-of-regula https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/r9v8ehnca1-the-presentation-of-the-review-of-regula?amp=true Fri, 27 Feb 2026 18:25:00 +0300 #events Zhanna Logacheva, an expert at Baikal Lobridge, presented the key regulatory and economic trends of 2025-2026 and their impact on business in Russia.

The Presentation of the Review of Regulatory Trends from Baikal Lobridge Took Place at AmCham

On February 18, 2026, the American Chamber of Commerce in Russia (AmCham) hosted a closed GM round table for AmCham executives, dedicated to the prospects for business development in Russia in the current environment.

The event participants discussed the geopolitical context and expectations of foreign businesses related to the intensification of the US-Russian dialogue.

Zhanna Logacheva, an expert at Baikal Lobridge, presented an analytical review of regulatory trends in Russia for 2025-2026. The presentation examined the key macrofactors that determine the legislative activity of regulators: economic, domestic political and geopolitical.

The main focus was on trends, having a direct impact on the activities of international companies in Russia:

  • fiscal tightening;
  • "whitewashing" of the economy and strengthening tax control;
  • counter-sanctions measures and protection of the domestic market;
  • a two-circuit model of foreign investment;
  • development of mechanisms for the redistribution of property;
  • changing the principles of state support and stricter localization requirements.

In conclusion, Zhanna Logacheva emphasized that in the current conditions, business opportunities remain, although they are selective. A deep understanding of geopolitical processes, economics, and regulatory trends makes it possible to transform challenges into a manageable element of a business strategy.

The full version of the review of regulatory trends 2025-2026 from Baikal Lobridge can be found here.
]]> Baikal Lobridge Takes Part in GR FORCE 2026 https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/5b1lcb3kz1-baikal-lobridge-takes-part-in-gr-force-2 https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/5b1lcb3kz1-baikal-lobridge-takes-part-in-gr-force-2?amp=true Tue, 03 Mar 2026 15:55:00 +0300 #events #employees On February 25, 2026, the 10th GR FORCE Forum took place. Baikal Lobridge experts presented regulatory trends for 2025–2026 and discussed the role of GR in crisis management. The company acted as the general partner of the event.

Baikal Lobridge Takes Part in GR FORCE 2026

On February 25, 2026, the 10th Independent Professional Forum of GR Directors, GR FORCE, was held. Representatives of Baikal Lobridge took an active part in the event.

Project Lead, GR & Risk, Zhanna Logacheva presented on “Regulatory Trends 2025–2026”. She provided a detailed analysis of the key factors shaping today’s regulatory policy, including macroeconomics, budget constraints, geopolitical factors, and features of the electoral cycle, all of which influence government priorities and legislative activity.

She also shared 12 key regulatory trends for 2025 with forecasts for 2026, based on the company’s analysis of legislative activity, enforcement practices, and business interest in regulatory topics.

At the conclusion of her presentation, Zhanna Logacheva highlighted three practical insights for the GR function in 2026: growing fiscal pressure on businesses, expansion of government control tools, and further development of counter-sanctions regulation as a stable element of the external environment.

Additionally, Valery Afanasyev, Partner, GR & Risk at Baikal Lobridge, took part in the roundtable on “The Role of GR in Crisis Management and Business Resilience.”

During the discussion, he noted that the role of the GR function in crisis situations is significantly expanding, as the government in Russia actively influences business conditions while simultaneously shaping both risks and opportunities for companies. Effective GR work starts long before the crisis hits, at the stage of early threat identification through monitoring regulatory initiatives, signals from authorities, and changes in the governmental priorities.

Special attention was given to crisis GR tools. Key elements include systematic analytics, preparation of arguments in a language understandable to the authorities, application of crisis PR and digital tools, communication with stakeholders, and coalition-building. Several company cases illustrated how these approaches are applied in practice.

Valery Afanasyev emphasized that during a crisis, it is important not only to minimize potential losses but also to leverage opportunities, such as government support and regulatory adjustments, which directly affect the financial resilience of businesses.

Baikal Lobridge acted as the general partner of the event.
]]> From Baikal Communications Group to Baikal Lobridge https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/jri5ixoid1-from-baikal-communications-group-to-baik https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/jri5ixoid1-from-baikal-communications-group-to-baik?amp=true Mon, 26 Jan 2026 18:00:00 +0300 #rebranding The scope of our projects, the profile of our clients, the complexity of our tasks, and the responsibility we assume have long exceeded our former positioning. That’s why in 2025, we decided to adopt a new brand.

From Baikal Communications Group to Baikal Lobridge

Over the past few years, the Government Relations (GR) market in Russia has changed significantly – both in terms of the scope of tasks and the expectations of businesses. Today, GR is not just a support function but a strategic tool for managing risks and industry developments, with direct impact on financial results.

GR is increasingly being integrated into corporate governance, influencing board agendas, top executives, and shareholder priorities. Key economic changes are more and more often driven by government decisions, requiring businesses to engage systematically with political, economic, and regulatory environments.

This evolution has directly affected our company as well. The scale of our projects, the profile of our clients, the complexity of our tasks, and the responsibility we assume have long exceeded our former positioning. That’s why in 2025 we decided to adopt a new brand – Baikal Lobridge (formerly Baikal Communications Group).

For us, the rebranding was a way to reflect our actual position: who we are for our clients today and the role we play in the system of interaction between business and government.

Rebranding Goals

The Baikal Communications Group brand reflected the essence of our work in the early stages of the company. Over time, however, it no longer corresponded to the actual scale of our business: essentially, we had become strategic partners for our clients, but our existing positioning did not fully reflect this.

While GR specialists remain our key audience, yet the expanded role of the GR function required us to adapt our approach to the needs of company leaders. We understand that our consulting helps companies make the right strategic decisions. The rebranding, therefore, was aimed to update the company’s image and capture its transformation while maintaining continuity in both name and values.

The new brand has been designed to speak clearly and consistently to the professional GR community as well as business owners, shareholders, boards of directors, and top management. Special emphasis has been placed on brand communications with different target groups, using clear and business-friendly language.

Eduard Voytenko, CEO of Baikal Lobridge:
“In early 2025, we turned to the branding agency Depot with a request for a rebranding that would reflect the company’s significant transformation and the growing strategic role of GR and lobbying in business. At the same time, it was essential for us to preserve the continuity, reputation, and core values we had developed over the years.

The result of this work is the Baikal Lobridge brand – systematic, coherent, and mature. The new name and visual identity have strengthened our position as a transparent and trusted partner for both business and government, while maintaining recognition among our current clients and simultaneously opening opportunities for further growth and international recognition.”
Naming and Our New Positioning

The new brand is built around a clear positioning: Baikal Lobridge is a structured GR partner operating fully within legal and institutional boundaries.

The new positioning required a new name, which gave rise to Baikal Lobridge. The word “Baikal” preserves continuity, which symbolizes trust earned over the years. It is also associated with the company’s charitable foundation dedicated to protecting the Baikal natural region.

The second part of the name, “Lobridge,” combines lobby + bridge and directly reflects the company’s role as a connecting link between business and government. The phonetic similarity between “lo” and “law” adds another layer of meaning, highlighting the company’s involvement in regulatory and lawmaking processes.

Effectively, the naming captures what previously had to be explained in detail: Baikal Lobridge is not just a communications group, but a systematic international consulting and lobbying company operating at the intersection of politics, economics, business, and regulation.

Today, Baikal Lobridge is positioned as the first mature and pioneering player in the Russian GR market – a brand that acts as a “bridge between business and government,” helping companies navigate complex political and legal landscapes, influence the rules of the game legally, and participate in setting industry standards in GR and Public Affairs.

Baikal Lobridge Digital Ecosystem and Website

As part of our work with Depot, we developed the Baikal Lobridge website, a central digital platform for our brand. The website is designed as an environment where clients and partners can easily engage with our services, expertise, and public initiatives.

Its architecture and design support the scaling of digital products, the development of analytical and educational projects, and the launch of new services – all within a unified style and communication logic.

For the Russian GR market, which is still emerging and where many players do not yet have a cohesive digital or visual language, Baikal Lobridge serves as a reference for how a leading industry player can present itself effectively in the digital space.

Brand Identity and Architecture

In addition to strategy and naming, significant attention during the rebranding process was devoted to the visual identity. The goal was to unify all areas of our work under one cohesive umbrella: analytics, legal and GR consulting, industry expertise, crisis communications, education, and digital tools.

Our new logo is more modern while preserving the rhythm of the previous design. The visual language introduces gradient “flows” and lines that reference connections and data movement.

The colour palette is based on a confident blue, associated with the financial and consulting sectors, with an accent green. This not only differentiates Baikal Lobridge from competitors but also subtly highlights social and environmental initiatives and the company’s connection to Baikal.

Within the new brand architecture, the analytics division has been established as a first-level sub-brand – B Analytics. This allows analytics to be presented as a standalone product, providing comprehensive protection and promotion of business interests.

The company’s ecosystem now fully incorporates educational initiatives, professional events, climate and GR research, professional publications, and social projects.

Expansion of Our Range of Services

The expansion of the brand architecture and our product portfolio reflect the changing needs of businesses: more and more companies require comprehensive solutions to protect their interests in a volatile and complex environment. This range of tasks goes beyond the traditional perception of GR and calls for seamless integration, legal expertise, and strategic communications.

A key area of development is the growing attention to GR from top executives. We design products and tools for CEOs, shareholders, owners, and boards of directors. These cover strategic and industry analytics, scenario planning, geopolitical expertise, support for entering new markets, assessment of sanctions risks, and GR support for transactions and investment projects.

At the same time, the company’s foundation remains unchanged. GR, lobbying, and regulatory engagement continue to form the core of Baikal Lobridge – and within the new brand architecture, these areas receive further enhancement, clearer product structuring, and scalability. At the same time, the role of media-political work (including digital tools) and the integration of GR with legal expertise continues to be a key focus.

What This Means for Clients

For current clients, the rebranding confirms continuity while also highlighting the level of challenges we are already addressing. The team, approaches, and core values remain the same, but they are now more clearly defined and structured.

For potential clients, the new brand provides a clear understanding of the types of tasks we handle, the way we work, and the managerial and business value we create for companies.

Baikal Lobridge represents the result of our business transformation and a step forward. The new brand reflects a simple truth: GR in Russia can be systematic, transparent, aligned with international best practices, and engagement with the government can be an integral part of a deliberate business strategy.

For more details on the rebranding, see Depot’s portfolio and Sostav.ru.


]]> Baikal Lobridge Joined the Russian Managers Association as a Corporate Member https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/7tu1ey3cf1-baikal-lobridge-joined-the-russian-manag https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/7tu1ey3cf1-baikal-lobridge-joined-the-russian-manag?amp=true Mon, 15 Jun 2015 14:00:00 +0300 #company Baikal Lobridge has joined the Russian Managers Association, strengthening its expertise in analytics, consulting, and GR projects.

Baikal Lobridge Joined the Russian Managers Association as a Corporate Member

Specialists of Baikal Lobridge joined a number of specialized groups of the Russian Managers Association for collaboration in the key areas of activities of the organization.

Russian Managers Association is one of the major business associations in Russia aimed at the professional development of managers’ community, transition to socially responsible business, integration into the global economy.

Eduard Voytenko, CEO and Managing Director at Baikal Lobridge, commented on the membership in the Association:
"The most difficult cases can be solved more efficiently by relying on resources of professional communities. Partnership with these communities is about to enhance the professional capacities of our group in analytical, legal, research areas as well as in the field of management and business consulting. This interaction is especially valuable for financial and investment projects and GR-campaigns, analysis of insider information and diversification of its sources, for operational scaling and tasks transformation. The work on the basis of mutually beneficial partnership creates advantages for our customers and ensures an expert approach to every aspect of the goal-setting domain".
]]> Baikal Lobridge Became a Partner of the Russian Film Week in Irkutsk https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/8ns3ilc551-baikal-lobridge-became-a-partner-of-the https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/8ns3ilc551-baikal-lobridge-became-a-partner-of-the?amp=true Mon, 24 Aug 2015 13:29:00 +0300 #events From August 30 to September 5, the "Russian Film Week" festival will take place in Irkutsk. Baikal Lobridge provides communications support to Viasat in organizing the event.

Baikal Lobridge Became a Partner of the Russian Film Week in Irkutsk

The Russian Film Week will be held in Irkutsk from August 30 to September 5. Baikal Lobridge provides the Viasat company communication support in the preparation and organization of the festival.

The Russian Film Week is a joint project of the TV channel “TV1000 Russian Kino” and the administration of the Angara region. This project aims at making high-quality Russian films accessible to the general audience. For two years, the festival was held in Moscow, and Irkutsk is going to become the first regional city to host the art films festival.
]]> Baikal Lobridge Participated in the 19th Fair for Investment & Trade in Xiamen, China https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/yh9nbm18y1-baikal-lobridge-participated-in-the-19th https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/yh9nbm18y1-baikal-lobridge-participated-in-the-19th?amp=true Sat, 12 Sep 2015 13:46:00 +0300 #events Representatives of Baikal Lobridge took part in the 19th Xiamen International Fair for Investment & Trade, held from September 8 to 11 in China. The company held a series of meetings aimed at strengthening business ties in the Asian.

Baikal Lobridge Participated in the 19th Fair for Investment & Trade in Xiamen, China

The 19th China International Fair for Investment & Trade, an international platform seeking to attract foreign investments into Chinese economy and helping Chinese investors enter overseas markets, was held on September 8-11.

International Fair for Investment & Trade is held annually under the patronage of the Ministry of Commerce with the support of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), International Finance Corporation (IFC), World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (WAIPA) and China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT). Various services, investment projects and products of companies from dozens of countries were presented at exhibition stands. Around 100K businessmen from 105 countries attended the event.

The team of Baikal Lobridge focused on strengthening business ties in the Asian region and took part in a series of events dedicated to the development of the Silk Road Economic Belt.
]]> Baikal Lobridge Won the First Public Procurement Tender https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/9h1lh0kdk1-baikal-lobridge-won-the-first-public-pro https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/9h1lh0kdk1-baikal-lobridge-won-the-first-public-pro?amp=true Tue, 15 Sep 2015 15:08:00 +0300 #company The project will cover over two thousand respondents and examine residents’ attitudes toward regional policies in Dagestan.

Baikal Lobridge Won the First Public Procurement Tender

Baikal Lobridge that had been established three months earlier won the public tender of the Ministry for Press and Information of the Republic of Dagestan.

The agency has to find out the attitude of various groups to the policy pursued by state authorities and the local administration of the Republic of Dagestan. In accordance with the developed research methodology, Baikal Lobridge will conduct a sociological survey covering opinions of more than 2 000 respondents.
]]> Eduard Voytenko, CEO of Baikal Lobridge, Listed in Top 1000 Russian Managers https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/f9m4nssht1-eduard-voytenko-ceo-of-baikal-lobridge-l https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/f9m4nssht1-eduard-voytenko-ceo-of-baikal-lobridge-l?amp=true Wed, 16 Sep 2015 15:36:00 +0300 #ratings and awards The Top1000 Russian Managers ranking recognized Eduard Voytenko's achievements in management and engagement with government authorities.

Eduard Voytenko, CEO of Baikal Lobridge, Listed in Top 1000 Russian Managers

For the second year in a row, Eduard Voytenko has been listed among the top three best Russian managers in the category "Professional Services", section "Directors for Interaction With Public Authorities" of the Russian Managers Association and Kommersant Publishing House.

The Russian Managers Association and Kommersant Publishing House released the 16th annual rating of Top 1000 Russian Managers. This rating is recognized as a key benchmark of quality management for professional managers. The names of the winners are synonymous with the success of leading companies in the market and the development of various sectors of the economy.

Rating to be found at the following link.
]]> Baikal Lobridge on the Jury of PEOPLE INVESTOR https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/79mjjzuig1-baikal-lobridge-on-the-jury-of-people-in https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/79mjjzuig1-baikal-lobridge-on-the-jury-of-people-in?amp=true Thu, 08 Oct 2015 15:58:00 +0300 #development of practices Eduard Voytenko, CEO of Baikal Lobridge, participated in the PEOPLE INVESTOR jury, evaluating projects on socially responsible business practices.

Baikal Lobridge on the Jury of PEOPLE INVESTOR

Eduard Voytenko, CEO of Baikal Lobridge, looked into the best and innovative practices of socially responsible business.

The PEOPLE INVESTOR project has existed since 2008 and during this period helped to create a community of business people who see intangible assets — people, knowledge, reliable partnerships, social reputation — as a priority for the successful operation of a company nowadays. The project is organized by the Russian Managers Association.

This year 6 companies won in 6 categories:

  1. Human Resource Management — MTS (RegiON Integration Competition project);
  2. Building relationships with partners and customers — LG Russia (Corporate volunteering. Donor Marathon commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Victory Day);
  3. Development of local communities — Norilsk Nickel (Charity Program “World of New Opportunities”);
  4. Eco-efficiency — Unilever (Zero Waste for Disposal project);
  5. Healthy staff — Nokian Tyres (Maintaining Health in the Workplace “Victory Over Yourself”);
  6. Audience Award — Orta (All-Russian competition of students’ and corporate communications projects EVENTIADA Awards).
]]> Baikal Lobridge Completed a Sociological Study under the Public Procurement Contract of the Ministry for Press and Information of the Republic of Dagestan https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/6736icdl31-baikal-lobridge-completed-a-sociological https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/6736icdl31-baikal-lobridge-completed-a-sociological?amp=true Sat, 28 Nov 2015 16:16:00 +0300 #development of practices The sociological study provided quantitative data on public perceptions of government policies and audience preferences in the media.

Baikal Lobridge Completed a Sociological Study under the Public Procurement Contract of the Ministry for Press and Information of the Republic of Dagestan

Mobile group of the company summed up the results of analytical sociological research aimed at studying the attitude of various social groups to the policy pursued by the state authorities and local administration of the Republic of Dagestan.

Baikal Lobridge carried out a project in the course of which quantitative data helping to determine the motivation of Russian supporters of the Islamic State, a terrorist organization banned in Russia, was collected. The company identified main communication channels for information delivery to the population, the most popular media formats (talk shows, analytical programs, news, reality shows), rated mass media sources of the Republic of Dagestan according to their popularity, level of confidence, rated programs, rubrics and columns in state media according to the same criteria. Moreover, the study included a comparative analysis of basic indicators of media consumption in the Republic of Dagestan and Russia on the whole.
]]> CEO of Baikal Lobridge Eduard Voytenko Reads Lectures on GR and Lobbying for MGIMO Students https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/v59vt6yom1-ceo-of-baikal-lobridge-eduard-voytenko-r https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/v59vt6yom1-ceo-of-baikal-lobridge-eduard-voytenko-r?amp=true Wed, 10 Feb 2016 16:52:00 +0300 #employees #development of practices The company’s proprietary course will provide students with knowledge of professional ethics, stakeholder analysis, and GR tools.

CEO of Baikal Lobridge Eduard Voytenko Reads Lectures on GR and Lobbying for MGIMO Students

For the second year in a row, during the semester Eduard Voytenko will read his author’s lectures “GR Technologies. Fundamentals of lobbying” at the PR Department of the School of International Journalism at MGIMO University.

The idea behind the author’s course of Eduard Voytenko implies the comprehensive immersion of students into particular GR case studies. It helps deliver for students the most important knowledge of how the theory is refracted in practice; it highlights the importance of the general classic communications basis that lays the foundation for multifaceted tasks and solutions.

This course allows students to acquire skills necessary for the analysis of interests of GR communication subjects, learn the methodology of work within this communications space, and gain knowledge of professional ethics.
]]> CEO of Baikal Lobridge Eduard Voytenko Speaks at the Conference on Ecology and Forest Protection Organized by All-Russia People’s Front https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/mit65g0zk1-ceo-of-baikal-lobridge-eduard-voytenko-s https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/mit65g0zk1-ceo-of-baikal-lobridge-eduard-voytenko-s?amp=true Thu, 25 Feb 2016 12:26:00 +0300 #events The report focused on the role of Lake Baikal in shaping the environmental agenda and strengthening Russia’s environmental image.

CEO of Baikal Lobridge Eduard Voytenko Speaks at the Conference on Ecology and Forest Protection Organized by All-Russia People’s Front

During the conference, the company’s CEO Eduard Voytenko presented a report titled "The Special Importance of Lake Baikal for the Development of Environmental Awareness in Russia and the Transformation of the Country’s Environmental Image."

The text of the report can be found at the following link (in Russian).
]]> Anastasia Tsvetkova, Director for Development and International Cooperation of Baikal Lobridge, Speaks at PR Russia Summit 2016 https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/p42y5yxkg1-anastasia-tsvetkova-director-for-develop https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/p42y5yxkg1-anastasia-tsvetkova-director-for-develop?amp=true Thu, 03 Mar 2016 12:46:00 +0300 #events #employees At the summit, Anastasia Tsvetkova discussed how crises and geopolitical risks affect the work of PR departments and what tools can help maintain communication effectiveness.

Anastasia Tsvetkova, Director for Development and International Cooperation of Baikal Lobridge, Speaks at PR Russia Summit 2016

Each year the summit brings together PR practitioners who share their experience and discuss successful PR cases.

Anastasia Tsvetkova took part in the session "Anti-Crisis Life Hacks: Risk Management, How to Neutralize a Crisis". She was talking about the impact of foreign policy risks on business and addressed concrete steps to respond to the situation.
"Today, new communications strategies are being designed in a time when companies reduce funding of PR activities. On the one hand, it threatens their efficiency but, on the other hand, because of that, heads of PR departments have to find ways to tackle the current communications tasks, optimize their activities and opt for integrated communications. Nobody can afford “docking and waiting out the crisis in a quiet harbor”, stakeholders from our communications industry have to quickly adjust the course so that their companies can continue their voyage,"— said Anastasia Tsvetkova.
She mentioned the following trends in the industry: traditional PR tools are coupled with additional GR products; the role of the digital segment is growing; the topics of CSR and sustainable development are relevant in the international dialogue.
]]> CEO of Baikal Lobridge Eduard Voytenko Speaks at the Meeting of the GR Committee of the Russian Managers Association https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/u47617as21-ceo-of-baikal-lobridge-eduard-voytenko-s https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/u47617as21-ceo-of-baikal-lobridge-eduard-voytenko-s?amp=true Fri, 04 Mar 2016 13:11:00 +0300 #events #employees Eduard Voytenko discussed modern GR consulting methods, addressed the challenges facing the Russian lobbying industry, and shared initiatives on developing a professional standard for business‑to‑government relations specialists.

CEO of Baikal Lobridge Eduard Voytenko Speaks at the Meeting of the GR Committee of the Russian Managers Association

The meeting was devoted to specific applications of GR tools in the current economic situation.

Head of Baikal Lobridge Eduard Voytenko delivered a speech "GR Consulting Responding to Current Challenges: Advanced Methods and Forms of Government and Business Interaction" at the meeting of the Government Relations Committee of the Russian Managers Association. In his speech he noted "the diversity of consulting companies operating at the international level" and highlighted problems of the Russian consulting business in the context of lobbying, in particular, he spoke of the flaws of lobbying institutions (RIA, Civic Chamber, and others) and the development of professional standards for experts in business and government relations by the Association of Government Relations Specialists.
]]> CEO of Baikal Lobridge Eduard Voytenko Was Elected Vice President for Communications at the Association of Government Relations Specialists https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/p29v8ep1r1-ceo-of-baikal-lobridge-eduard-voytenko-w https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/p29v8ep1r1-ceo-of-baikal-lobridge-eduard-voytenko-w?amp=true Wed, 09 Mar 2016 13:37:00 +0300 #events #development of practices Eduard Voytenko joined the leadership of the GR‑Liga Association, discussing with colleagues the development of the industry and the creation of professional standards for business‑to‑government relations specialists.

CEO of Baikal Lobridge Eduard Voytenko Was Elected Vice President for Communications at the Association of Government Relations Specialists

On March 1, participants of the general meeting of members of the Association of Government Relations Specialists discussed the current state of affairs in the GR community, and members of the Council finally elected senior executives of the Association.

The Association Council elected 12 new members — top managers for interaction with public authorities and representatives of consulting companies, as well as new vice presidents of the Association. Head of Baikal Lobridge Eduard Voytenko was elected Vice-President for Communications.

Participants discussed the revised draft of the National Anti-Corruption Plan for 2016-2017, summed up the results of the first St. Petersburg GR Forum, and identified the main activities of the Association of Government Relations Specialists’ working group for professional standards. Special attention was paid to the development of the information partnership with the Internet portal GR NEWS.

Find more information here.
]]> CEO of Baikal Lobridge Eduard Voytenko Co-authored "Electoral Russia 2015" https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/9nmv75tss1-ceo-of-baikal-lobridge-eduard-voytenko-c https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/9nmv75tss1-ceo-of-baikal-lobridge-eduard-voytenko-c?amp=true Tue, 29 Mar 2016 15:02:00 +0300 #announcements #employees Eduard Voytenko became a co-author of a collection by experts on Russian elections, in which he provided a detailed analysis of the gubernatorial campaign in Irkutsk Oblast and the role of the online space in electoral processes.

CEO of Baikal Lobridge Eduard Voytenko Co-authored "Electoral Russia 2015"

For the first time, publishers decided to specifically address the case of an election campaign on the Internet using the region where systemic opposition gained the upper hand as an example. The head of the company Eduard Voytenko described the course of the gubernatorial election campaign in the Irkutsk region.

In March 2016, the second annual collection of articles on Russian elections “Electoral Russia” by leading experts and political scientists, a project of the Agency for Strategic Communications “Niccolo M” and the Russian Association of Political Consultants, was released. The book “Electoral Russia 2015” is a must-read for political technologists, PR specialists, politicians, and all experts involved in Russian election campaigns.
]]> Baikal Lobridge PR Experts Certified by RASO https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/ayyshm0zz1-baikal-lobridge-pr-experts-certified-by https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/ayyshm0zz1-baikal-lobridge-pr-experts-certified-by?amp=true Fri, 22 Apr 2016 15:41:00 +0300 #employees #development of practices Anastasia Tsvetkova and Kirill Tuzov successfully completed the RASO certification, confirming their knowledge and professional level in the field of PR.

Baikal Lobridge PR Experts Certified by RASO

Anastasia Tsvetkova, Director for Development and International Cooperation, and Kirill Tuzov, Director for Political Communications and Special Projects, were awarded certificates No 200 and No 202 respectively.

The certification procedure is organized by the Russian Public Relations Association with the support of the Association of Consultancies in the Field of Public Relations (AKOS) and the Russian Managers Association. The certificate confirms the high professional level of a PR expert. Certificates remain valid indefinitely; holders of these certificates are recognized by the expert community as highly qualified professionals.
]]> Baikal Lobridge Expands the Company’s Presence in Professional Associations https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/1fuhujjr41-baikal-lobridge-expands-the-companys-pre https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/1fuhujjr41-baikal-lobridge-expands-the-companys-pre?amp=true Sat, 30 Apr 2016 15:53:00 +0300 #company The leaders of Baikal Lobridge joined RASO to share knowledge, participate in specialized committees, and strengthen professional standards in PR.

Baikal Lobridge Expands the Company’s Presence in Professional Associations

Leaders of the key working areas joined the Russian Public Relations Association.

Anastasia Tsvetkova, Director for Development and International Cooperation and Kirill Tuzov, Director for Political Communications and Special Projects, were admitted as members to the Russian Public Relations Association (RASO). Company representatives are planning to participate in the RASO committees, according to their specialization, and to share their experience in working groups of the Association.
]]> Baikal Lobridge Shortlisted in the Public Tender for the Project of EU Public Diplomacy in Russia https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/s9gjux3l51-baikal-lobridge-shortlisted-in-the-publi https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/s9gjux3l51-baikal-lobridge-shortlisted-in-the-publi?amp=true Tue, 10 May 2016 16:07:00 +0300 #development of practices Baikal Lobridge will take part in the EU public diplomacy project, developing strategies and facilitating dialogue between Russian and European experts.

Baikal Lobridge Shortlisted in the Public Tender for the Project of EU Public Diplomacy in Russia

In a consortium with the French consulting company Sofreco, the College of Europe, and the Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia, Baikal Lobridge is going to develop the soft power strategy for the EU in Russia.

On September 1, 2015, the European Commission announced the public tender for the implementation of the EU public diplomacy project in Russia “EU Policy and Outreach Partnership”. The project is aimed at building an efficient communications system between the Russian expert community and the EU, ensuring support for the European delegation in Russia in this sphere, enhancing opportunities for the EU public diplomacy in Russia on the whole, and better cooperation with the media community in particular. The project will be presented as a series of events across Russia in the format of conferences and round tables on topics covering various aspects of EU-Russia relations, as well as a number of missions with the participation of Russian and EU think tanks, academics, politicians, journalists.

10 international consortia of consulting and communications agencies, in partnership with universities, filed their applications to take part in the contest, 6 of them were shortlisted. One of the key selection criteria was the experience in implementing projects in public and cultural diplomacy, institutional development, PR, both in Russia and globally. In the course of the second selection stage, candidates will develop a project strategy that is going to offer efficient measures to achieve objectives of the EU in public diplomacy in Russia. The project is scheduled for September 2016.
]]> Baikal Lobridge Enhances the Area of Political Communications https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/gxc5ip5om1-baikal-lobridge-enhances-the-area-of-pol https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/gxc5ip5om1-baikal-lobridge-enhances-the-area-of-pol?amp=true Wed, 11 May 2016 16:23:00 +0300 #development of practices At Baikal Lobridge, Kirill Tuzov has taken the lead of political communications, developing projects and fostering dialogue with public and government organizations.

Baikal Lobridge Enhances the Area of Political Communications

Kirill Tuzov was appointed Director for Political Communications and Special Projects.

Kirill Tuzov will expand the pool of ​​the company’s political communications projects; he will be responsible for establishing an ongoing dialogue with leading civil society organizations, political parties and relevant authorities. Being a member of the specialized working group at the Association of Government Relations Specialists, Kirill Tuzov is currently drafting professional standards for experts in government relations.

Kirill Tuzov joined Baikal Lobridge in October 2015. Prior to that, Kirill Tuzov was involved in special projects aimed at ensuring political stability of local authorities in Russian regions; he carried out several major analytical studies commissioned by leading Russian political forces, he did strategic planning for a number of election campaigns, federal and regional political projects, collaborated with leading Russian communications companies (CROS, Mikhailov & Partners). In parallel with the project work Kirill Tuzov worked as an executive secretary at the Committee for Interethnic and Interreligious Relations at the Moscow branch of the United Russia Party. He graduated from the Philosophy Faculty of Moscow State University.
]]> CEO of Baikal Lobridge Eduard Voytenko Co-authored the Book “PR Fundamentals in Business” https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/if202nbat1-ceo-of-baikal-lobridge-eduard-voytenko-c https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/if202nbat1-ceo-of-baikal-lobridge-eduard-voytenko-c?amp=true Mon, 16 May 2016 16:38:00 +0300 #announcements #employees Eduard Voytenko contributed to a practical guide on PR in business, outlining key approaches to lobbying, government relations, and evaluating communication effectiveness.

CEO of Baikal Lobridge Eduard Voytenko Co-authored the Book “PR Fundamentals in Business”

CEO of Baikal Lobridge Eduard Voytenko contributed to the sections of the book on relations with public authorities, lobbying, and techniques for PR analysis and assessment.

The book “PR Fundamentals in Business” edited by Valery Solovey is a comprehensive practical guidebook on PR in the sphere of business. In addition to basic aspects of PR, the book mentions the trends of PR development in Russia and abroad, gives a detailed review of such practical challenges in communication sphere as crisis and intra-corporate PR, communication with state authorities and investors, lobbying, digital technologies in PR, performance assessment in PR.

Masthead: “PR Fundamentals in Business” // Solovey V.D., Voytenko E.M., Gryzunova E.A., Zaburdaeva E.V., Ionova O.E., Menshikov P.V., Minaeva L.V., Rozhkov I.Y., Rushkevich N.A., Salnikova L.S., Smolskaya E.P., Tarasov A.S. Under the general editorship of Solovey V.D., Moscow: Eksmo, 2016.
]]> Baikal Lobridge to Take Part in Summer Davos in China https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/1ufos236d1-baikal-lobridge-to-take-part-in-summer-d https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/1ufos236d1-baikal-lobridge-to-take-part-in-summer-d?amp=true Fri, 17 Jun 2016 17:13:00 +0300 #events #employees Anastasia Tsvetkova will participate in the “Summer Davos” in China as the sole representative of Russia in the Global Shapers community, discussing the use of “soft power” in international communications.

Baikal Lobridge to Take Part in Summer Davos in China

Anastasia Tsvetkova, Director for Development and International Cooperation, will take a trip to China to attend the Annual Meeting of the New Champions 2016 where she will work to bring communications spaces of Russia and world powers closer together.

The 10th-anniversary meeting of the World Economic Forum will be held on June 26-28, 2016, in the Chinese city of Tianjin, a global discussion platform that will gather heads of government, world’s leading experts, senior executives of the most influential global companies, representatives of international leadership communities: Young Global Leaders, Social Entrepreneurs, and Global Shapers.

Anastasia Tsvetkova, Director for Development and International Cooperation at Baikal Lobridge, will participate in the summit under a quota for the Global Shapers. Anastasia was listed as one of the top 30 global shapers selected from several thousand shapers from around the world and became the only representative of the country from the Russian shapers community.

Anastasia plans to focus her work on the dialogue, aimed to expand the use of the “soft power” by companies, business leaders, and the international community. She believes that it could be a productive and mutually beneficial alternative to communications activities that are deadlocked due to diplomatic and political contradictions, as well as mutual economic sanctions.

The Annual Meeting of the New Champions is to be held in China for the tenth time. WEF regularly organizes large-scale economic forums, the most famous of which is the annual meeting of world leaders in Davos, Switzerland, and the summer conference in Dalian and Tianjin. 150 business events revolving around the theme of the fourth industrial revolution and its transformational impact on all aspects of society are on the agenda. Over 1,500 participants from 90 countries, including heads and members of national governments, academics and innovators, representatives of large international business are expected to attend the summit.
]]> Baikal Lobridge Launched an Internship Program for Foreign Students https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/mh8jit9pb1-baikal-lobridge-launched-an-internship-p https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/mh8jit9pb1-baikal-lobridge-launched-an-internship-p?amp=true Mon, 04 Jul 2016 17:29:00 +0300 #company Students from Hong Kong will complete an internship at Baikal Lobridge, taking part in the company’s projects and learning about the specifics of the communications industry in Russia and internationally.

Baikal Lobridge Launched an Internship Program for Foreign Students

In July 2016, according to the agreement with the Moscow International Higher Business School MIRBIS (Institute), Baikal Lobridge welcomed the first students from Hong Kong who will practice their skills under the curatorship of the company’s leading management team.

During 6 weeks the students will have an opportunity to learn peculiarities of the communications industry in Russia and foreign countries. The program is structured in a way that allows them to acquire practical skills. For example, it includes students’ participation in working groups to develop the corporate open projects, execution of common researches on trending and interesting market topics, arrangement of workshops to train main skills with the specific focus on national differences which are initial for building careers in the communications domain.

Baikal Lobridge plans to broaden its cooperation with a number of universities based in the Eurasian region, which is aimed at providing young specialists with an opportunity to practice their theoretical knowledge and building sustainable communications bridges between countries of the region in general.
]]> Baikal Lobridge Extended a Number of International Agreements at the WEF Session in China https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/n9bbvh2731-baikal-lobridge-extended-a-number-of-int https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/n9bbvh2731-baikal-lobridge-extended-a-number-of-int?amp=true Thu, 14 Jul 2016 17:41:00 +0300 #company #events Anastasia Tsvetkova held meetings with representatives of international businesses on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum summit in China, discussing prospects for cooperation in the communications sector.

Baikal Lobridge Extended a Number of International Agreements at the WEF Session in China

Anastasia Tsvetkova, Director for Development and International Cooperation of Baikal Lobridge, took part in the Annual Meeting of New Champions, session of the World Economic Forum also known as “Summer Davos”.

Anastasia Tsvetkova conducted few business meetings with the top-management of the global companies representing interests of banking, infrastructure, healthcare, pharma, telecommunications and transport sectors. Negotiations were dedicated to potential cooperation in the field of international communications.

Besides, within the business program, Anastasia Tsvetkova participated in the task groups discussing healthcare of today and tomorrow, prospects of cooperation within the New Silk Road Initiative, geopolitical risks in the digital age, new technologies in media and entertainment. As a member of the World Economic Forum Global Shapers Community Anastasia Tsvetkova also took part in special sessions with Prof. Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum, Marc B. Benioff, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Salesforce, Ya-Qin Zhang President of the Baidu.

The 10th anniversary meeting of the World Economic Forum was held on June 26-29 in Tianjin, China. 2000 delegates from more than 90 countries, including the heads of government, senior executives of global companies, international experts, representatives of Davos leadership communities, attended the Summit to discuss the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The event report containing key thoughts and the Top 10 Emerging Technologies of 2016 according to the World Economic Forum is available here.
]]> Baikal Lobridge Launched the Chinese Version of the Corporate Website https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/656pck4pd1-baikal-lobridge-launched-the-chinese-ver https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/656pck4pd1-baikal-lobridge-launched-the-chinese-ver?amp=true Wed, 03 Aug 2016 18:01:00 +0300 #company Baikal Lobridge has launched a Chinese version of its website to strengthen communication with partners and clients in Asia and provide information in their native language.

Baikal Lobridge Launched the Chinese Version of the Corporate Website

Due to the expansion of business contacts in the Asian region, Baikal Lobridge develops its communication channels in the mother tongue of partners and clients.

The launch of the Chinese version of the corporate website is timed to coincide with the beginning of the autumn business season. In anticipation of the Eastern Economic Forum, the China International Fair for Investment & Trade in Xiamen, and other events, there is a growing need for communications services coming from the participating companies which look for strategically consistent and well-thought-out steps in the capitalization of their presence on the forums. Helping clients to achieve planned objectives, Baikal Lobridge aims to talk to them in the same language, both figuratively and literally.
]]> Baikal Lobridge Shortlisted for the Competition, Concerning the Arrangement of the EU Study Weeks in Russia https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/gs536t8kn1-baikal-lobridge-shortlisted-for-the-comp https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/gs536t8kn1-baikal-lobridge-shortlisted-for-the-comp?amp=true Mon, 15 Aug 2016 18:13:00 +0300 #company The company will develop new formats and educational programs for students and young professionals in international relations as part of the upcoming competition.

Baikal Lobridge Shortlisted for the Competition, Concerning the Arrangement of the EU Study Weeks in Russia

Delegation of the European Union to Russia invited a consortium led by Baikal Lobridge to develop a strategy for the EU Study Weeks in Russia 2016-2020.

The project called the EU Study Weeks provides Russian students studying international relations, history, law, economy, and allied disciplines with an opportunity to learn more about the European Union, the EU-Russia relations from the leading specialists in European Studies (both from Europe and Russia). Among the experts are diplomats, civil servants, scientists, entrepreneurs, NGOs representatives, journalists. During the several days of the program selected final year and PhD students participate in lectures, interactive games, workshops aimed at knowledge exchange and building strong connections. The project has been implemented since 1998. For this period more than 60 EU Study Weeks have been held in different Russian cities from Kaliningrad to Krasnoyarsk.

In June 2016 Delegation of the European Union to Russia opened a public tender to find a partner for the arrangement of the EU Study Weeks within the period 2016-2020. Baikal Lobridge in a consortium with the French consulting company Sofreco succeed at the first competition stage. Within the second stage shortlisted companies are obliged to prepare the EU Study Weeks program for the following four years, in particular, these companies need to offer innovations, regarding the event formats and effectiveness measurement mechanisms, develop the meetings’ agenda and expand the experts’ network.
]]> Baikal Lobridge is Oriented Towards China https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/hkue19oar1-baikal-lobridge-is-oriented-towards-chin https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/hkue19oar1-baikal-lobridge-is-oriented-towards-chin?amp=true Wed, 24 Aug 2016 18:29:00 +0300 #company The company has opened an office in Hong Kong to develop integrated international communications and strengthen collaboration with partners in Asia and Europe.

Baikal Lobridge is Oriented Towards China

The company moves closer to becoming a platform for information exchange between China, Europe, and Russia.

One year after its creation, Baikal Lobridge opened the representative office in Hong Kong, the third office following the representations in Paris in Europe and Xiamen in China. This structure was opened due to the growing demand for international integrated communications covering China, Russia, and the West. For now, the work in this area is carried out both through the representative offices and the reliable partnership network in these countries.
“Until now, communication ‘bridges’ between Russia and China were sporadic. However, the intensification of economic cooperation between our countries will create a window of opportunity to integrate Russian and Chinese information spheres. These are two fundamentally different environments. Their incipient integration will necessarily involve out-of-the-box communication solutions and the scope of work will be sufficient for the whole industry. I believe that soon the issue of communication between Russia and China will be featured in major professional media discourses”, – states Eduard Voytenko, CEO of Baikal Lobridge.
Representatives of China, in the spirit of the general foreign policy of this country, view Russia as a potentially efficient channel of transit. In the communications domain, such offers are few and far between. In fact, we are witnessing that Chinese companies, that are oriented towards building the New Silk Road, start demonstrating the deep interest in the modernization of their work in communications and the deep analysis of the feasibility of joint projects in China, Russia, and Europe.
“We believe that one of the main routes for the development of international communications in the near future will pass through China, Russia, and Europe and are already preparing an appropriate infrastructure for that. On the part of the Chinese partners, we see their interest in this work, as such development of communications is a logical continuation of the policy to build the New Silk Road. Currently, cooperation with China involves all four offices of our company: in Hong Kong, Xiamen, Paris and, of course, in Moscow”, – says Anastasia Tsvetkova, Director for Development and International Cooperation at Baikal Lobridge.
Expanding the experience of communications work with China in the field of analysis, monitoring, and communications design, this year the company is already implementing a number of projects, for example, a project related to the study of peculiarities of the Chinese sport’s reform commissioned by Russian semi-public entities. According to Mr. Voytenko, this possibility appeared thanks to the development of a cross-border communications strategy that covers both the Russian and Chinese information spaces. Launching the full version of the corporate website in the Chinese language, expanding the partnership networks in Asia, participating in key global summits in the region are the visible parts of the chosen strategy.

More information is available here.
]]> CEO of Baikal Lobridge Eduard Voytenko Listed in Top 1000 Russian Managers https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/7ejso90mr1-ceo-of-baikal-lobridge-eduard-voytenko-l https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/7ejso90mr1-ceo-of-baikal-lobridge-eduard-voytenko-l?amp=true Mon, 03 Oct 2016 11:21:00 +0300 #ratings and awards Eduard Voytenko has been included among Russia’s top executives. The Top 1000 Russian Managers ranking annually recognizes leaders whose decisions shape the development of the country’s leading companies.

CEO of Baikal Lobridge Eduard Voytenko Listed in Top 1000 Russian Managers

Eduard Voytenko has been listed among the best Russian managers in the nomination “Top 250 Leaders”.

The Founder and CEO of Baikal Lobridge Eduard Voytenko participated in the Top Leaders nomination for the first time after the professional changes and the establishment of his own company. In 2014 and 2015 Eduard Voytenko was listed among the top three best Russian managers in the category “Professional Services”, section “Directors for Interaction With Public Authorities”.

The Russian Managers Association and Kommersant Publishing House released the 17th annual rating of Top 1000 Russian Managers. This rating annually recognizes professional managers’ quality approach. The names of the winners are synonymous with the success of leading companies in the market and the development of the Russian economy in general.

Rating to be found here.
]]> Baikal Lobridge is Moving Towards the Ecology Agenda https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/038ik6n4x1-baikal-lobridge-is-moving-towards-the-ec https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/038ik6n4x1-baikal-lobridge-is-moving-towards-the-ec?amp=true Mon, 10 Oct 2016 11:36:00 +0300 #events Anastasia Tsvetkova spoke about the prospects of environmental cooperation between Russia and the EU at a scientific session in Saint Petersburg. Her presentation highlighted key joint projects and formats of dialogue.

Baikal Lobridge is Moving Towards the Ecology Agenda

Anastasia Tsvetkova, Director for Development and International Cooperation at Baikal Lobridge, presented her vision on the potential for the EU-Russia cooperation in the field of environment.

The presentation took place at the panel “EU-Russia S&T Cooperation. Related support instruments and future opportunities” within the scientific session of the medical academic cluster “Translational medicine” in St. Petersburg on October 6-8, 2016. Anastasia highlighted key milestones in cooperation between Russia and the EU in the field of environmental protection over the past two decades, in particular, the formal regulation of the dialogue conducted by DG Environment for the EU and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Ecology for the Russian Federation. Among the most successful projects, the speaker underlined initiatives within the Northern Dimension, for example, cooperation between Russia and the Nordic countries in the field of the Baltic Sea protection as well as cooperation on the Arctic, aimed at the preservation of flora and fauna within the framework of the Arctic Council activities. Besides, Anastasia told about the harmonization of ecological standards, the “Civil Defence” project aimed at responding to man-made and natural disasters, one more project aimed at developing the strategy for the management of the Black Sea coastal zone and other cooperation areas.

During the speech, Anastasia concluded that in spite of the current political Russia-EU tensions, ecological agenda continues to be an important communication bridge between Russia and the EU. Firstly, the Russian support of international agreements in the environmental field, such as the Kyoto protocol or the Paris agreement, allows the EU to maintain its ecological leadership. Secondly, there is a profound dialogue between Russia and some member-states of the EU, for example, Germany and Finland, which have a deep common interest in cooperation with Russia in the following areas: sustainable development, energy saving technologies, water resources protection. Thirdly, cooperation is implemented at the academic level. This dialogue is nonpolitical.

The last thesis was confirmed by other reports presented at the conference. Alexis Michel, Counsellor for Science and Technology of the French Embassy in Russia, Richard Burger, Research & Innovation Counsellor, Delegation of the European Union to the Russian Federation, Dr. Martin Krispin, Deputy Head of Office of DAAD and Coordinator of the German House for R&I (DWIH) in Moscow and representatives of the European and Russian research and development organizations told about the current opportunities for enhancing scientific cooperation on various levels – from financial programs coming from the EU Commission to research foundations and organizations support.
]]> Baikal Lobridge Occupied the First Place Among 10 Companies within the Hong Kong Students’ Ranking https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/03af2bbi31-baikal-lobridge-occupied-the-first-place https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/03af2bbi31-baikal-lobridge-occupied-the-first-place?amp=true Thu, 13 Oct 2016 11:55:00 +0300 #ratings and awards Students from Hong Kong named Baikal Lobridge the top company in their Moscow summer internship, gaining hands-on experience in communications and international projects.

Baikal Lobridge Occupied the First Place Among 10 Companies within the Hong Kong Students’ Ranking

The ranking is based on the results of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University students poll. According to the agreement with the Moscow International Higher Business School MIRBIS (Institute), 25 students of PolyU were on the internship in different companies in Moscow last summer.

The internship program in Baikal Lobridge aims to maximize the students’ involvement in practical acquaintance with the communication industry both in the Russian and international dimensions. Daily interaction between experienced curators and enthusiastic students becomes the keystone of the theoretical learning and the new joint products’ creation. For example, thanks to the close cooperation with the intern from Hong Kong this summer, Baikal Lobridge launched a research product related to sports reform in China. Besides, the company keeps in touch with the intern after the exact internship period and continues the student’s involvement in international projects which are useful in terms of professional knowledge and competencies acquisition.

Baikal Lobridge expands its cooperation with the Eurasian region universities to contribute to the preparation of young professionals with the best strategic approach to relevant market communication objectives and a deep understanding of the political aspects of interstate cooperation.
]]> Baikal Lobridge on the Jury of PEOPLE INVESTOR for the Second Year https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/f9h87oc621-baikal-lobridge-on-the-jury-of-people-in https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/f9h87oc621-baikal-lobridge-on-the-jury-of-people-in?amp=true Fri, 18 Nov 2016 12:12:00 +0300 #events Anastasia Tsvetkova, Development Director at Baikal Lobridge, evaluated the environmental initiatives of the contest participants and discussed their potential for

Baikal Lobridge on the Jury of PEOPLE INVESTOR for the Second Year

Anastasia Tsvetkova, Director for Development and International Cooperation of Baikal Lobridge, looked into the best and innovative practices of socially responsible business.

Anastasia was an expert in the nomination “Ecological efficiency”. The jury was presented by Elena Dolgikh, CEO of SGM Agency, Sergey Shevshukov, Advisor to the COO of the Russian Managers Association, Ivan Potravny, Candidate in Economic Sciences, Professor at the Department of Project Management, Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, Maxim Tselikov, coordinator, “Clean Games”, Moscow. The following projects participated in the nomination:

  • “Environmental initiative to collect waste paper and waste batteries “green space” – Sheremetyevo International Airport;
  • “Reconstruction of single filter station” – Severstal;
  • “Annual environmental volunteer initiative “360 minutes for Baikal” – En+ Group;
  • “Recultivation of tailings dam” – Polymetal International;
  • “Eco-program on remote forest restoration” – Pochta Bank.

Projects varied from investments in upgrading of non-waste production and land restoring to volunteer activities dedicated to waste paper collection with zero budget or to large-scale movements of garbage utilization and environmental education.

The winning project is “Recultivation of tailings dam” by Polymetal International, however, all participating projects were recognized by the jury members as important and having the potential scale for development.

Experts of the section “Ecological efficiency” agreed that within the Year of Ecology in Russia they will keep working on the popularization of responsible production and consumption. Besides, they will attract more companies to the competition and in cooperation with the Russian Managers Association will arrange practice sessions next year.
]]> Baikal Lobridge and MGIMO University Open Unique Opportunities for Young GR Specialists https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/j7pua58bm1-baikal-lobridge-and-mgimo-university-ope https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/j7pua58bm1-baikal-lobridge-and-mgimo-university-ope?amp=true Thu, 01 Dec 2016 12:24:00 +0300 #development of practices Baikal Lobridge and MGIMO are joining forces to give students from the PR and Political Communications department hands-on work experience, opportunities to participate in research, and new prospects for professional growth.

Baikal Lobridge and MGIMO University Open Unique Opportunities for Young GR Specialists

Baikal Lobridge signed the Memorandum on Coordination and Cooperation with the PR Department of the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO University).

The memorandum will establish the partnership and mutually beneficial relations between the enterprise and the institute. This format of cooperation will enable MGIMO students within the Government Relations and Political Communications programs to gain real working experience as a part of their internship, participate in serious case studies as well as build new connections and plot the future career path. For its part, Baikal Lobridge is ready to contribute to the improvement of training programs of the target Department, participate in giving talks, workshops, masterclasses, and other educational activities aimed at advancing the Department’s competitive strength and enhancing the professional capacities of MGIMO students.

This approach makes possible the necessary combination of education and professional activity allowing students to increase their potential and enhance their career prospects.
]]> Baikal Lobridge Established the Non-profit Lake Baikal Foundation for Environmental Applications and Research https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/2n5u1hlob1-baikal-lobridge-established-the-non-prof https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/2n5u1hlob1-baikal-lobridge-established-the-non-prof?amp=true Tue, 06 Dec 2016 12:39:00 +0300 #fund Baikal Lobridge has established the “Lake Baikal” Fund to support environmental research and projects aimed at preserving the Baikal Natural Territory, as well as to promote educational and eco-tourism initiatives.

Baikal Lobridge Established the Non-profit Lake Baikal Foundation for Environmental Applications and Research

The Lake Baikal Foundation for Environmental Applications and Research was established on November 22, 2016. The Foundation aims to deliver its assistance to academic institutions, protected areas, and other entities, interested in the preservation of Lake Baikal and its natural area.

Besides, the mission of the Foundation is to build an expert dialogue with the government, business, scientific community, and society within the Lake Baikal natural area context.

“Establishment of the Foundation is the consistent continuation of the corporate development strategy, which offers the systematic approach to corporate social responsibility and serves the global UN Millennium Development Goals in terms of ensuring environmental sustainability. 10% of the company’s profits will be granted to the development of the Foundation. Thus, the company will contribute to the implementation of specific projects within the Lake Baikal natural area and all the company’s customers will automatically become participants of the Foundation initiatives,”– CEO of Baikal Lobridge Eduard Voytenko said.
Recently the Lake Baikal Foundation has reached an agreement with the Research Institute of Biology of Irkutsk State University to support one of its key projects “Point No1”, long-term ecological monitoring of Lake Baikal. This project is at risk of being suspended due to the specifics of budgetary allocations for science. More than 5 million records have been collected throughout the period of monitoring, a heritage for various scientific studies. The monitoring was included in the Russian Book of Records as the longest (70 years-long) project of regular environmental monitoring in the history of science.

In addition to supporting basic research, the Foundation identifies the work dedicated to the development of educational and eco-tourism as a priority for the next year. Currently, the interaction formats with reserved territories are negotiated, and a special educational program on the popularization and promotion of smart tourism is being developed for the Mass Communications and Multimedia Department of Irkutsk State University.

As part of the project’s launch, in October 2016 the Lake Baikal Foundation in cooperation with the Analytical Center of the National Agency for Financial Studies conducted a poll entitled “What is Lake Baikal for the Russians?” According to the survey, the Russians take pride in Baikal and call it the second popular attraction in Russia after the Kremlin. 37% of respondents would like to travel to Lake Baikal; Lake Baikal is ranked among the top 3 destinations in Russia for our citizens (following Crimea (44%) and St. Petersburg (40%)). However, only every second respondent knows where the lake is situated. It is noteworthy that the majority of respondents (62%) agree with the statement that budgetary funds should be allocated for the environmental protection of Lake Baikal. The results of the poll were presented during the Tass press conference on December 5, 2016, on the 20th anniversary of Lake Baikal’s designation as a World Natural Heritage site by UNESCO.

More information you can find on the website.
]]> Campaign of the Rodina (Motherland) Party in Tambov Supported by Baikal Lobridge Won the Highest Expert Award https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/dx9ddz78o1-campaign-of-the-rodina-motherland-party https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/dx9ddz78o1-campaign-of-the-rodina-motherland-party?amp=true Mon, 26 Dec 2016 13:28:00 +0300 #ratings and awards Baikal Lobridge acted as a consultant for the successful campaign of the “Rodina” party in the Tambov region, which received the top expert award for effectively using digital technologies and engaging voters.

Campaign of the Rodina (Motherland) Party in Tambov Supported by Baikal Lobridge Won the Highest Expert Award

At the end of the year extraordinary for the Russian and international politics the community of leading Russian political consultants and strategists announced the winners of the Russian Association of Public Relations (RASO) prize the Hamburg Reckoning.

The prize known as the Oscar in political technologies includes a series of nominations covering different levels of political struggle in Russia and abroad.

The prize in category entitled “The best campaign of the opposition party in the elections to the Legislative Assembly” was awarded to the campaign of the Rodina party to the Legislative Assembly in the Tambov region. In the Tambov region Rodina showed high results (8.82%) that were qualitatively different from the party’s results in other regions.

Baikal Lobridge that assured the support of the campaign congratulates the Tambov branch of the Rodina party on this victory. It should be noted that Rodina’s campaign was carried out in a highly competitive political environment in the region, a real counter-propaganda and strong countermeasures from other (dominant) political forces. The success of the campaign is due to the efficient synthesis of leadership of Maxim Kosenkov, the head of the party in the region, and professional implementation of electorate mobilization technologies in digital space. Rodina’s campaign in the Tambov region was mainly realized in the Internet. This was in fact the last sphere where full-scale competition was possible: disproportionate resources of competing political forces and conservative agreements among the elites exerted strong pressure on the region. As part of Rodina’s campaign, mechanisms involving party’s promotion in social networks, promotion of specialized electronic resources, intellectual campaigning on all significant regional Internet sites were used in an integrated manner. As a result, this tactics of electorate involvement was proven to be efficient in practice.
“The regional office of the Rodina political party extends its gratitude to Baikal Lobridge for the development and implementation of promotion strategy in social media during the election campaign to the Legislative Assembly of the Tambov region,” said Maxim Kosenkov.
“In 2016, the Tambov region has become a “testing ground” for exceptional decisions of Baikal Lobridge to carry out election campaigns on the Internet. We address a demand for professional Internet-oriented political technologies that evidently comes from the establishment on the threshold of tectonic shifts in the political life of our country”, said Eduard Voytenko commenting on the campaign results.
The work of the Hamburg Reckoning jury deserves special attention and gratitude. According to the rules of the prize candidates do not initiate the application, therefore the best Russian political technologists really had to analyze a huge amount of data on regional, federal and international political campaigns of the outgoing year. Political technologies and political consulting love quietness, but public success cannot be silenced.
]]> Eduard Voytenko Became a Member of the Council on Sustainable Development and Priority Projects in the Republic of Dagestan under the Head of the Republic of Dagestan https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/107770db21-eduard-voytenko-became-a-member-of-the-c https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/107770db21-eduard-voytenko-became-a-member-of-the-c?amp=true Wed, 01 Feb 2017 16:23:00 +0300 #employees The CEO of Baikal Lobridge took part in a meeting of the Council under the Head of the Republic of Dagestan and presented proposals for improving the information support of the region’s priority projects.

Eduard Voytenko Became a Member of the Council on Sustainable Development and Priority Projects in the Republic of Dagestan under the Head of the Republic of Dagestan

Eduard Voytenko, CEO of Baikal Lobridge gave a talk entitled “Information support for the project activities of the Republic of Dagestan” at the meeting of the Council on Sustainable Development and Priority Projects of the Republic of Dagestan under the head of the Republic of Dagestan as a permanent member of the Council.

In his speech, Eduard Voytenko noted that continuous thoughtful and systematic work on a project requires a special approach to the information space activity. “A centralized project positioning system that combines information flows on all the seven projects at one information platform needs to be created. It is necessary to build a briefing system based on interaction with press services of relevant executive authorities of the Republic of Dagestan and information services involving the public”, said Eduard Voytenko. It will bring together the information on the projects and draw the population of the Republic of Dagestan into collaboration in all seven areas.

Among the seven priority projects of the Republic of Dagestan are “Economy Whitewashing”, “Points of Growth of the Republic of Dagestan”, “New Industrialization”, “Efficient Public Administration”, “Efficient Agribusiness”, “Human Capital”, “Safe Dagestan”.

The main ideas of Eduard Voytenko’s talk will form the basis of the instruction to be issued by the head of the Republic on the implementation of communication activities in the framework of the abovementioned projects.
]]> Annual Course on GR and Lobbying for MGIMO Graduate Students https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/0tjhso73l1-annual-course-on-gr-and-lobbying-for-mgi https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/0tjhso73l1-annual-course-on-gr-and-lobbying-for-mgi?amp=true Mon, 13 Feb 2017 16:38:00 +0300 #development of practices Eduard Voytenko teaches an author’s course on GR and lobbying at MGIMO, based on real case studies and international practice.

Annual Course on GR and Lobbying for MGIMO Graduate Students

For the third year in a row, Eduard Voytenko, CEO at Baikal Lobridge, will be giving a one-term author’s course at the PR Department of the Faculty of International Journalism at MGIMO.

The author’s course by Eduard Voytenko “GR Technologies. Basics of Lobbying” relies on students’ immersion into specific GR cases. Examples of non-profit organization’s work as well as an in-depth study of lobbyism in the United States and the EU will be included in this year’s program.

Students will get acquainted with the methodology of communication with public authorities, will have an opportunity to learn how to analyze the interests of GR communication subjects and will gain knowledge on the basics of professional ethics of lobbyism.
]]> Kirill Tuzov on Election Challenges for Media in the Republic of Dagestan https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/zbzje5ohm1-kirill-tuzov-on-election-challenges-for https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/zbzje5ohm1-kirill-tuzov-on-election-challenges-for?amp=true Fri, 10 Mar 2017 16:51:00 +0300 #events The Director of Political Communications at Baikal Lobridge spoke at a strategic media session in Dagestan, discussing new approaches for regional media during political campaigns.

Kirill Tuzov on Election Challenges for Media in the Republic of Dagestan

Kirill Tuzov, Director for political communications and special projects at Baikal Lobridge reported on the challenges for regional mass media during the election and political campaigns at the Strategic Session of All-republic and Local Mass Media “Media Development in the Republic of Dagestan”.

Kirill Tuzov stated that, for the regional media, pre-election period is an opportunity to put an end to the editorial policy stagnation and a decline in interest among target audiences. These opportunities are linked to the new communication technologies. It concerns expanding journalistic activity on social networks, the revision of stylistics and the content placement format. Moreover, it is about forging fundamentally new relationships with federal media to ensure an efficient export of coverage opportunities from the region as well as other technologies aimed at attracting audiences and enhancing the regional media status.

In this context, Dagestan media are confronted with a situation in which they are not a priority source of information for the public even within the region. Local media face an even more difficult situation. Restoring interest and trust in regional mass media in the Republic of Dagestan is a task that is directly linked to regional and national security.

The pre-election period marked by an increasingly competitive political environment and, at the same time, by an intensified media activity is a good chance to restore the strategic information balance in the Republic.
]]> Baikal Lobridge Strengthens its Positions in Europe https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/mrrmbknpb1-baikal-lobridge-strengthens-its-position https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/mrrmbknpb1-baikal-lobridge-strengthens-its-position?amp=true Mon, 13 Mar 2017 17:21:00 +0300 #employees Zhanna Vedren has been appointed Director of Baikal Lobridge Paris office, where she will focus on developing international practices, expanding the company’s European partner network, and participating in cross-border communications projects.

Baikal Lobridge Strengthens its Positions in Europe

Zhanna Vedrenne has been appointed new Director of the representative office in Paris. She will continue to expand partner network in Western Europe and will guarantee the company’s presence at specialized events. But her main task will be developing the international activity of Baikal Lobridge and increasing the pool of cross-border communication projects in non-profit and corporate segments.
“The arrival of an experienced international affairs specialist to the European representation follows the course of the Baikal Lobridge development strategy implementation that involves strengthening the competitiveness of the company in what concerns the participation in tenders by international donors, in particular the European Union and the World Bank”, commented the company’s CEO Eduard Voytenko.
Zhanna Vedrenne holds Master’s degrees in international relations from the Sorbonne University and St. Petersburg State University. In addition to working as a consultant, Zhanna led research and project activities at UNESCO, worked for the Organizing Committee of SPIEF and G20.
“What attracted me was a wide range of the company’s PR and GR services that overlaps with the communication bridge strategy between Europe and Asia and is combined with original techniques that are used by the colleagues. Europe has a request for reliable partners with a good knowledge of the Russian market specifics and a proactive approach. I am sure that interesting large-scale projects lie ahead”, said Ms Vedrenne.
The development of the European representative office corresponds with the positioning of Baikal Lobridge as a platform for information exchange between China, Russia and Europe.
]]> Baikal Lobridge Offers Internships for Students from Hong Kong https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/dakdfb89r1-baikal-lobridge-offers-internships-for-s https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/dakdfb89r1-baikal-lobridge-offers-internships-for-s?amp=true Thu, 20 Apr 2017 17:38:00 +0300 #development of practices This summer, students from Hong Kong will intern at Baikal Lobridge, gaining experience on Russia-China projects and participating in research initiatives organized by the "Lake Baikal" Fund.

Baikal Lobridge Offers Internships for Students from Hong Kong

From 26 June to August 4, 2017, following the agreement with the Moscow International Higher Business School (MIRBIS), Baikal Lobridge will place young specialists from Hong Kong.

The company has experience in organizing internships for students from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University majoring in “Information Technologies and Telecommunications” as well as “Marketing, Advertising, Mass Media and Journalism”. Last year, the company developed a special internship program that was highly appreciated by young professionals from Hong Kong.

This summer, students will get acquainted with the peculiarities of the communication industry both in Russia and globally and try their hand in a research project studying tourist flows from China to Lake Baikal initiated by the non-profit Lake Baikal Foundation. Moreover, they will participate in the promotion of this research in the Asia-Pacific region and learn about all the key stages of the project work. In addition, during the six weeks of internship the students will gain experience in working with Russian-Chinese commercial PR projects of the company.

Baikal Lobridge aspires to make the internship for Hong Kong colleagues extremely rich in comprehensive tasks related to communications. In consequence, the company plans to continue cooperation with the trainees engaging them for client projects in the Asia-Pacific region.
]]> Baikal Lobridge Supported the Annual Survey of the World Economic Forum Youth Community https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/1r30pffv91-baikal-lobridge-supported-the-annual-sur https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/1r30pffv91-baikal-lobridge-supported-the-annual-sur?amp=true Thu, 18 May 2017 18:09:00 +0300 #events переводThe company supported Global Shapers in conducting their annual survey, providing young people with a platform to express their views on important political, social, and economic issues.

Baikal Lobridge Supported the Annual Survey of the World Economic Forum Youth Community

We invite you to take a short survey from Global Shapers and share your opinion on political, social and economic topics concerning regional and global agendas.

The survey is available under the link until June 30 2017. The anonymous questionnaire can be filled out in Russian, English, Arabic, Spanish, Chinese and French. It will only take 15 minutes to complete the questionnaire. By participating in this survey, you help to make the young people’s voices heard and meaningful.

The survey is an annual initiative aimed at strengthening the voice of young people around the world. The results of the survey will be open for key decision-makers. The survey was developed, translated and distributed by the Global Shapers community of the Global Economic Forum.
]]> Baikal Lobridge Co-organized a Professional Conference PR-Russia 2017 https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/hibtl42ne1-baikal-lobridge-co-organized-a-professio https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/hibtl42ne1-baikal-lobridge-co-organized-a-professio?amp=true Mon, 26 Jun 2017 18:18:00 +0300 #events The company participated in organizing a professional conference focused on regional political PR and effective reputation management strategies.

Baikal Lobridge Co-organized a Professional Conference PR-Russia 2017

A forum for political strategists and specialists in the electoral domain took place on June 22-23 at the conference hall the Alfa hotel in Izmailovo.

Sergey Volodenkov, Konstantin Kalachev, Valery Solovey, Sergei Markov and other political leaders addressed the representatives of the Russian regions. Kyrill Tuzov, director for political and special projects at Baikal Lobridge opened the second day of the Conference with a talk “Anti-Crisis Measures in Public Policy”.

In his talk, he covered the practice of building new formats of interaction between regional authorities and federal media, the optimization of activity in the information space in the Russian regions, the positioning of the regions and their leaders in the Internet and social networks. Examples of political positioning of the past two years were quoted. Both positive and negative examples of reputational risks settlement in political PR oriented towards regional political forces were mentioned.
]]> GR at Nonprofit Organizations: What Works for Russia? https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/ce031hulh1-gr-at-nonprofit-organizations-what-works https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/ce031hulh1-gr-at-nonprofit-organizations-what-works?amp=true Sat, 15 Jul 2017 18:27:00 +0300 #events Anastasia Tsvetkova, Director of Development at Baikal Lobridge, led a session at the “Arkhyz XXI” forum, discussing strategies for NGOs to engage with government authorities and effective GR tools in Russia.

GR at Nonprofit Organizations: What Works for Russia?

Anastasia Tsvetkova, Director for Development and International Cooperation at Baikal Lobridge took part in the conference section on a dialogue with the authorities for nonprofit organizations.

This section was held as a part of the North Caucasus Civil Forum “Arkhyz XXI”. In her talk, Anastasia Tsvetkova noted that the tools for building relations with public authorities that have been employed in the West are only just taking shape in Russia, especially in the case of nonprofit organizations. The changes should start not so much with finding effective tools as with a paradigm shift: a ‘begging’ nonprofit organization should become an expert organization. Nonprofit organizations can serve as an informational, methodical, expertise resource for the state. Acting in public interest and the willingness to be a center of excellence for relevant federal executive authorities is the foundation for a dialogue on GR tools for the third sector.

Anastasia Tsvetkova highlighted that similarly to PR, GR needs its own strategy, a strategy of interaction with the state authorities, maps of stakeholders, understanding of federal and regional budget policy trends. The importance of working with the media cannot be underestimated: it is necessary to gradually shape the image of nonprofit organizations and to promote them as expertise links in their relevant professional fields. The panelists have also reviewed the examples of events with the participation of officials, engaging representatives of nonprofit organizations in various councils and state advisory bodies, as well as the mechanisms for joining the forces of several nonprofit organizations to achieve their goals. Finally, great attention was paid to personal contacts of organization employees and their capitalization, “packing up” ideas of nonprofit organizations as a product that makes sense for the authorities.

The Forum was held on July 12-14 2017 in Arkhyz resort and gathered the leaders of the North Caucasus federal area, mass media and the expert community.
]]> Baikal Lobridge in China: a New Round https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/ni3iknh4a1-baikal-lobridge-in-china-a-new-round https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/ni3iknh4a1-baikal-lobridge-in-china-a-new-round?amp=true Thu, 24 Aug 2017 10:47:00 +0300 #company Baikal Lobridge has signed a cooperation agreement with the Hong Kong–based agency Strategic Public Relations Group, expanding opportunities to support Russian and Chinese projects in China and across the Asia-Pacific region.

Baikal Lobridge in China: a New Round

Baikal Lobridge, the first Russian company to enter Chinese communications consulting market and open two offices in the country — in Xiamen and Hong Kong, signed a cooperation agreement with Strategic Public Relations Group (SPRG).

SPRG is one of the leading network agencies in the Asia-Pacific region and the largest agency in Hong Kong. The company’s offices are also located in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Taiwan, Singapore and Malaysia. In total, the staff of the company comprises 310 top-class professionals. It works in all areas of communications consulting.
"Partnership with SPRG became a logical step in the development of Baikal Lobridge in China after opening an office in Hong Kong last year and an office in Xiamen two years earlier. On the one hand, the new partner’s network will increase the capacity for comprehensive support of Russian clients in China and Asia-Pacific Region reducing any transportation costs inevitable in foreign campaigns to a minimum. On the other hand, Baikal Lobridge and Strategic Public Relations Group see a high potential for synergy in supporting investment projects from China to Russia. Operating activity with the new partner will be organized from the office of Baikal Lobridge in Hong Kong. I am sure that our partnership with SPRG will cement Baikal Lobridge place in China", – noted Eduard Voytenko, CEO.
Baikal Lobridge has four areas of activity in China: China-Russia, Russia-China, Russia-Asia-Pacific region and support of Chinese customers in China. Today, the portfolio of Baikal Lobridge in Asia-Pacific market includes IR consulting for Chinese investors interested in the Russian regions, communications support for Russian high-tech startups in China, support of Russian export companies from different industries in China and the Asia-Pacific region, a number of transportation and logistics projects, as well as a training on PR peculiarities in China and countries of the Asia-Pacific region.
]]> CEO of Baikal Lobridge Listed in Top 1000 Russian Managers https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/pfv3pzltl1-ceo-of-baikal-lobridge-listed-in-top-100 https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/pfv3pzltl1-ceo-of-baikal-lobridge-listed-in-top-100?amp=true Thu, 28 Sep 2017 11:18:00 +0300 #ratings and awards Eduard Voytenko has entered the "Top-1000 Russian Managers" ranking for the second time, recognizing his contribution to the development of his own company and the communications industry in Russia.

CEO of Baikal Lobridge Listed in Top 1000 Russian Managers

Eduard Voytenko has been listed once again among best Russian managers in the nomination “Top 250 Leaders”.

In 2014 and 2015 Eduard Voytenko was listed as the top three best Russian managers in the category “Professional Services” section “Directors for Interaction With Public Authorities”. In 2016 for the first time he has been listed among best Russian managers in the nomination “Top 250 Leaders”. New nominations was a result of Baikal Lobridge founding.

Russian Managers Association and Kommersant Publishing House released the 18th annual rating of Top 1000 Russian Managers. This rating annually recognizes professional managers’ quality approach. The names of the winners are synonymous to success of leading companies in the market and the development of the Russian economy in general.

Rating to be found at the following link.
]]> Baikal Lobridge Keeps Leadership in Hong Kong Polytechnic University Rating https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/sb46o09hs1-baikal-lobridge-keeps-leadership-in-hong https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/sb46o09hs1-baikal-lobridge-keeps-leadership-in-hong?amp=true Tue, 21 Nov 2017 11:28:00 +0300 #ratings and awards Students from Hong Kong gave high marks to their internship at Baikal Lobridge, highlighting the quality of projects and their immersion in Russian-Chinese communications practice.

Baikal Lobridge Keeps Leadership in Hong Kong Polytechnic University Rating

Moscow International Higher Business School MIRBIS interviewed 24 students from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, who did internship at partner companies in Moscow in the summer of 2017. According to the survey, Baikal Lobridge got 5 of 5 possible points for the second time in a row.

The internship program at Baikal Lobridge corresponds to the directions of the company’s development in the Asia-Pacific market. Students from Hong Kong are involved in solving practice-oriented PR-cases for Russian companies entering the Chinese market; developing analyses for Chinese entrepreneurs investing in Russian regions; research of the companies` products, connected with China and the APR. The Baikal Lobridge managers conduct daily strategic sessions for trainees and organize Russian-Chinese workshops, which maximizes the trainees` involvement in the communication industry at national and international levels. Basing on the results of the practice, the company keeps in touch with Chinese colleagues and attracts them to the projects with Baikal Lobridge`s customers in China and Asia-Pacific region.

In 2018 Baikal Lobridge will host new students from Hong Kong between May 28 and June 29.
]]> GR&Lobbying Case Championship III https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/ze2bjutsm1-gramplobbying-case-championship-iii https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/ze2bjutsm1-gramplobbying-case-championship-iii?amp=true Tue, 03 Mar 2026 17:00:00 +0300 #announcements The GR&Lobbying Case Championship III will take place at MGIMO on April 21–22, 2026. Students will work on practical GR and lobbying cases, present their solutions to an expert panel, and compete for an internship at Baikal Lobridge.

GR&Lobbying Case Championship III

On April 21–22, 2026, MGIMO will host the GR&Lobbying Case Championship, the third edition of the case competition in GR and lobbying, organized by Baikal Lobridge in partnership with the MGIMO Law Club.

As the first case championship in Russia and the CIS fully dedicated to GR and lobbying, it gives a unique chance to solve real-world challenges such as evaluating legal risks and spotting regulatory opportunities for business, developing GR strategies and preparing proposals for improving the legal regulation to a panel of experts.

Held annually, the event has already become a highlight for students interested in public-private cooperation and regulatory policy. In 2024–2025, over 500 participants from 40 cities across Russia joined. Teams consistently impress with their legal analysis, solution quality, and presentation skills.

The competition is open to undergraduate, specialist, and graduate students from Russian universities and consists of four stages:

  1. Registration: February 28 – March 14
  2. Remote Qualifiers (March 15–29): analysis of legislative risks and regulatory opportunities for business
  3. Semifinal (April 21): presentation of a GR strategy to minimize regulatory risks identified in the qualifiers
  4. Final (April 22): defending solutions and proposing alternative legal regulations to stakeholders

Participants gain the chance to present their work to the professional community and receive feedback from experts.

Winners will have the opportunity to intern at Baikal Lobridge and receive personalized certificates and memorable prizes. Registration is open until March 14 on the championship website.
]]> Baikal Lobridge Presented Global Trends in Communications https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/4sanf5c3c1-baikal-lobridge-presented-global-trends https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/4sanf5c3c1-baikal-lobridge-presented-global-trends?amp=true Mon, 11 Dec 2017 16:17:00 +0300 #events #employees Kirill Tuzov, Director of Political and Special Projects at Baikal Lobridge, spoke at "PR Days 2017" about key trends in international communications and the challenges of a growing number of channels.

Baikal Lobridge Presented Global Trends in Communications

Kirill Tuzov, Director of the Political and Special Projects at Baikal Lobridge, made a presentation on global trends in communications at the analytical session “Days PR 2017” organized by the Russian Association for Public Relations.

Within the presentation, Kirill Tuzov touched upon two aspects of the global trends in communications. On the one hand, he expanded the frameworks of inevitable transformations that will affect the entire industry. On the other hand, he mentioned the limits of the communications acceleration at the international level. According to the speaker, the international communications analysis allows us to make a conclusion that most barriers, complicating the dialogue with target audiences beyond the traditional culture’s bounds, have been technologically overcome. Eliminating the language barrier in the nearest future doesn’t require human intervention. However, at the stage of linguistic and cultural boundaries’ elimination, the limit of the information exchange acceleration will be reached: particularly, due to the impossibility of overcoming the global physical factors of perception and response, such as the difference in time.

For a company that was able, for example, to penetrate the information space of China in the fastest way, it is obvious that even full automation of PR management won’t help to avoid inevitable time lag of communication between the subject and the audience. But this doesn’t hinder the converge between Russian and Chinese information spaces.

For today, the information exchange is constrained by the difference in culture, language and technology of Chinese Internet segment’ isolation. However, as the first two obstacles are destroyed, the dissemination of mass competencies to obtain information from different Internet sources will increase. Censorship, restrictive measures – all this will not determine the face of international communications in the future. First of all, this will affect Russia and China.

At the same time, the trend of increasing the technological separation of some channels will coexist with the trend of increasing the number of communication channels. This problem will be supplemented by the preservation of the stability of communities to the perception of information from various and often disjoint sources: as “old” and “new” in its essence. This will demand communication sector companies to significantly diversify approaches to managing information flows. The coverage of a wide audience will become technologically more difficult.

One of the most interesting features of future communications will be the development of the hierarchy in which all forms of information broadcasting and the entire community of speakers and opinion leaders will find themselves. Nowadays the processes of migration of speakers are intuitive. The forecast, of course, gives preference to new forms of electronic media, but we shouldn’t forget about the strength of the reaction, and the fatigue of a wide audience from the endless emergence of new formats of communicaion.
]]> Panel Discussion — “Retailers and Manufacturers” with Baikal Lobridge https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/4t5tr94ao1-panel-discussion-retailers-and-manufactu https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/4t5tr94ao1-panel-discussion-retailers-and-manufactu?amp=true Fri, 13 Mar 2026 12:06:00 +0300 #announcements #employees On March 24, 2026, Baikal Lobridge will take part in the Retail Conference. Zhanna Logacheva, Project Lead, GR & Risk, will moderate a panel discussion on cooperation between retailers, manufacturers, and government.

Panel Discussion — “Retailers and Manufacturers” with Baikal Lobridge

On March 24, 2026, Baikal Lobridge will participate in the Retail Conference, organized by the American Chamber of Commerce in Russia together with the Eurasian Cooperation Center.

Date: March 24, 2026.
Time: 10:00 AM (MSK) — registration starts at 9:30 AM.
Location: B1, Avrora Business Center, 75 Sadovnicheskaya Embankment, Entrance F2, Moscow.

Zhanna Logacheva, Project Lead, GR & Risk, will moderate Session III: Panel Discussion — "Retailers and Manufacturers". Participants will share their experience, discuss key retail trends, and highlight best practices for effective collaboration with government bodies.

Attending the conference is a great opportunity to talk through current industry challenges, exchange practical experience with peers, and gain ideas for business growth.

Registration is available on the AmCham website.
]]> III Corporate GR Forum: Business–Government Dialogue https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/gla20mjdh1-iii-corporate-gr-forum-businessgovernmen https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/gla20mjdh1-iii-corporate-gr-forum-businessgovernmen?amp=true Thu, 12 Feb 2026 12:59:00 +0300 #events The III Forum "Corporate GR" brought together leading experts and business representatives to discuss the role of GR as a strategic function and effective models of engagement with government.

III Corporate GR Forum: Business–Government Dialogue

On February 5, 2026, the III Forum "Corporate GR: Key Issues in Business–Government Relations" took place in Moscow at the Baltschug Kempinski Hotel. The event was organized by Baikal Lobridge.

The forum brought together more than 70 participants, including representatives of large and mid-sized companies as well as Government Relations experts. During the discussions, participants looked at how the GR function is evolving, recent regulatory changes across different sectors of the economy, and practical approaches to building effective dialogue between business and public authorities.

A key topic of the forum was the growing role of GR as a strategic function within corporate governance.

During the event, Baikal Lobridge presented the results of its research on how company executives perceive the GR function, along with an analytical report highlighting the main trends shaping business regulation in 2025–2026.

The next Corporate GR Forum will take place on February 4, 2027. Registration is now open.
]]> Baikal Lobridge Among the Jury at People Investor Competition for the Third Year in a Row https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/per6bnxdl1-baikal-lobridge-among-the-jury-at-people https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/per6bnxdl1-baikal-lobridge-among-the-jury-at-people?amp=true Tue, 12 Dec 2017 15:02:00 +0300 #ratings and awards Anastasia Tsvetkova from Baikal Lobridge served on the People Investor jury for the third consecutive year. The winner was Sakhalin Energy for its program supporting animals affected by oil spills.

Baikal Lobridge Among the Jury at People Investor Competition for the Third Year in a Row

Anastasia Tsvetkova, Director for Development and International Cooperation by Baikal Lobridge became a member of jury committee for the nomination “Environmental Efficiency” at the People Investor competition.

At the project presentation session, which took place on December 12, 2017 in the Skolkovo Technopark, the following initiatives were presented:

– “Sakhalin Energy” – “Program for the rescue of contaminated animals”;
– RUSAL’s Social Programs Center – “Yenisei Day”;
– “En + Group” – “360 minutes”.

The jury, which also included Elena Dolgikh, general director of the agency “SGM” and Anastasia Potapova, head of DIXY social programs, gave the main prize to “Sakhalin Energy”. This is the only organization in the Sakhalin region that has practices and equipment to help animals and birds affected by oil spills. More than 300 employees of the company and specialists of the Ecospas Center for Emergency Rescue and Ecological Operations took part in trainings on skills of rescue and rehabilitation of oil contaminated animals. The company also conducted 30 practical classes on hazing and catching birds and now intends to share its experience with other oil producing companies.
]]> GR-course for MGIMO Masters 2018 https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/sah76za0m1-gr-course-for-mgimo-masters-2018 https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/sah76za0m1-gr-course-for-mgimo-masters-2018?amp=true Sat, 10 Feb 2018 16:06:00 +0300 #announcements #development of practices CEO of Baikal Lobridge Eduard Voytenko is launching his GR course at MGIMO for the fourth time, adding a new module on the impact of politics on the industry.

GR-course for MGIMO Masters 2018

For the fourth year in a row, on the eve of Diplomatic Worker day, Baikal Lobridge CEO Eduard Voytenko opens a semester master’s course in GR and lobbying activities at the Department of Public Relations of the Faculty of International Journalism at MGIMO.

The original course by Eduard Voytenko "GR Technology. Fundamentals of lobbying activities" is based on exposure in specific GR and lobbying practices. This year, a module will be added to the course with an emphasis on the policy impact on lobbying and GR activities of a practitioner. This is connected with presidential elections in the country and the rotation of the Cabinet immediately after them. The modules with examples from the NPO field will be preserved, and the practice of lobbying in the United States, the EU and the PRC will continue.

During the course, students will get acquainted with the methodology used by a specialist in communication with public authorities, acquire skills in analyzing the interests of GR communication subjects, and will get knowledge about the basics of lobbying ethics.
]]> Eduard Voytenko Initiated Lobbying Market Regulation at GR Force 2018 https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/z4kc219a71-eduard-voytenko-initiated-lobbying-marke https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/z4kc219a71-eduard-voytenko-initiated-lobbying-marke?amp=true Wed, 28 Feb 2018 16:30:00 +0300 #events #employees At GR Force 2018, CEO of Baikal Lobridge Eduard Voytenko called for clear rules for lobbying to open up the market, increase competition, and improve its efficiency.

Eduard Voytenko Initiated Lobbying Market Regulation at GR Force 2018

For the second year in a row, the GR FORCE Professional Forum (2018) gathers specialists in relations with public authorities and lobbyists. Its aim is experience exchange and discussing effective lobbying and GR cases. This year the event was attended by the representatives of the lobbying market from the Republic of Kazakhstan, Ukraine and the Republic of Belarus.

Eduard Voytenko took part in the discussion "Development of the GR Community in Russia". In his speech, he raised the topic of lobbying regulation in Russia and said that it was necessary to formulate clear "rules of the game" for lobbyists and GR specialists. Correct state regulation (or industry self-regulation) will open the lobbying market and contribute to the growth of competitiveness among market players, which in turn will increase its transparency. Moreover, the financial capacity of the market will grow, due to, among others, international corporations, which, for example, will be able to allocate full GR-budgets for their offices in Russia which would include lobbying services. These foreign corporations and companies, in most cases, today can’t afford to allocate large amounts of financial resources for lobbying activity, because it isn’t regulated.
"Ultimately, this is significant tax revenue for the state treasury from lobbying companies that will increase their tax payments through the implementation of quality lobbying services. The government authorities will also benefit from the regulation of lobbyism: GR specialists and lobbyists will become centres of expertise in a number of the most sensitive industries, where the dialogue between government and business is broken", added Eduard Voytenko, CEO at Baikal Lobridge.
At the same time, the state and GR-community are still not ready for this state of affairs. Today, lobbyists are mainly governed by indirect federal laws. And there are still no ready-made solutions for "legalizing" lobbyism. Previous attempts to regulate the industry are nothing more than a formal approach to business.
"In the worst case, they offered only licensing and accreditation. And this absolutely doesn’t add anything to GR-industry, but at the same time creates beneficiaries", – concluded Eduard Voytenko.
]]> Baikal Lobridge Runs a Joint Educational Project with MGIMO School of Business https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/e2pmdd1o61-baikal-lobridge-runs-a-joint-educational https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/e2pmdd1o61-baikal-lobridge-runs-a-joint-educational?amp=true Mon, 12 Mar 2018 09:18:00 +0300 #development of practices #announcements The company is launching Russia’s first practice-oriented advanced training program in GR in partnership with MGIMO. The course is designed for professionals and focuses on real-world tools for working with government authorities.

Baikal Lobridge Runs a Joint Educational Project with MGIMO School of Business

The program “GR and Lobbying in Business and Nonprofit Sector” is the first advanced GR-training in Russia based on the concept of “practitioners for practitioners”.

Running a joint educational program with the MGIMO School of Business and International Competence is a continuous development of Baikal Lobridge's educational activities combined in a special stream “GR-School”.
“GR-School is a contribution of our company to the industry development, in its basement – human resources. It is the result of mutual understanding between the company as a business representative and the leaders of higher education. There is a point relevant for different industries that education must be an answer for business requests. In GR we see only first steps. We are honored to be pioneers in GR-education”, – said Eduard Voytenko, CEO at Baikal Lobridge.
New training, created for practicing GR-managers, aims at developing and improving the ability to represent and promote clients’ interests at federal and regional governmental institutions, as well as at the supranational level (EEU).

The program is taught by GR-experts from Russian and international companies in the real sector of the economy.

For more information about the training please visit the link. Other educational projects run by Baikal Lobridge are listed in the section “GR-School”.
]]> Seminar on GR and Lobbying Activities at MGIMO https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/d3sj1ninx1-seminar-on-gr-and-lobbying-activities-at https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/d3sj1ninx1-seminar-on-gr-and-lobbying-activities-at?amp=true Tue, 10 Apr 2018 10:00:00 +0300 #events #employees CEO of Baikal Lobridge Eduard Voytenko led a masterclass at MGIMO, focusing on practical GR and lobbying techniques.

Seminar on GR and Lobbying Activities at MGIMO

On April 5, Eduard Voytenko, CEO at Baikal Lobridge, hold a master class in the framework of the «GR and lobbying activities in business and NGOs» course promotion. The event was attended by at least 60 participants.

During the lesson, the participants studied GR-approaches and lobbying technologies on a certain case from the pharmaceutical industry. The following details and elements of the lobbying project were considered:

  • Monitoring and analysis of information affecting the strategy and tactics of promoting the pharmaceutical company’s interests in a specialized federal executive authorities;
  • Stakeholder-mapping and planning of a GR campaign;
  • Building an allied coalition in the interests of the task accomplishing;
  • Use of PR tools and interaction with media during the implementation of the lobbying project.

In addition, Eduard Voytenko focused on one of the lobbying projects in the interests of the Lake Baikal Foundation that is aimed at protecting the ecology of the Baikal natural territory and Lake Baikal.

At the end of the event, the speaker answered the questions of listeners and told about the main features of the GR-approach to communication with stakeholders during the implementation of lobbying projects and the art of GR-negotiations, risk-management in GR communications, the ethics of GR communications and lobbyism and the code of professional conduct, as well as about the competences and skills required from a GR specialist and lobbyist.
]]> GR-Seminar for Specialists in the Field of Public Relations https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/na48ztjku1-gr-seminar-for-specialists-in-the-field https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/na48ztjku1-gr-seminar-for-specialists-in-the-field?amp=true Wed, 18 Apr 2018 10:59:00 +0300 #events #employees Kirill Tuzov held a masterclass at S.Yu. Witte University, demonstrating how PR tools are used in GR projects, reviewing practical cases from various industries, and discussing ethics and key skills for GR specialists.

GR-Seminar for Specialists in the Field of Public Relations

On April 17 the Director of political communications and special projects at Baikal Lobridge Kirill Tuzov hold a seminar «PR and GR: intersections and divergences» at the Moscow University. S.Yu. Witte.

During the lesson, the participants studied the opportunities of using PR-tools in GR-projects. In particular, he described the technologies of effective interaction with the media, working at public events and in Digital, which strengthen GR campaigns in various sectors. In addition, the audience got acquainted with the basics of GR and the tools for building constructive relationships with public authorities. Basic methods of communication with stakeholders were considered to represent and promote business interests, the risks of GR communication and ways to avoid them. Issues of professional ethics in GR communications were also discussed.

The speaker presented to the students practical cases dealing with the problems of the pharmaceutical industry, machine building, alcohol and tobacco industries, and education.

At the end of the seminar, Kirill answered the questions of listeners and talked about the problem of regulating GR in Russia, as well as about the competences and skills that a GR specialist and lobbyist should possess.
]]> Baikal Lobridge will Apply Interns from Hong Kong for the Practice for the Third Year in a Row https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/nzz44v70u1-baikal-lobridge-will-apply-interns-from https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/nzz44v70u1-baikal-lobridge-will-apply-interns-from?amp=true Thu, 26 Apr 2018 11:08:00 +0300 #development of practices This summer, Hong Kong students will join Baikal Lobridge for an internship, exploring the Russian and international communications industry and working on real commercial and social projects.

Baikal Lobridge will Apply Interns from Hong Kong for the Practice for the Third Year in a Row

From May 28 to June 29, 2018, the company expects students from Hong Kong for internship, in according to the agreement with the Moscow International Higher School of Business MIRBIS.

Baikal Lobridge has a sufficient experience in organizing internship for students from Hong Kong at Polytechnic University, who study Information Technology and Telecommunications, Marketing, Advertising, Media and Journalism. The company has developed a special internship program for foreign students, which was highly appreciated by young specialists from Hong Kong. Based on the results of the annual MIRBIS rating compiled by the school on the basis of a survey of invited trainees from Hong Kong to Moscow partner companies, Baikal Lobridge is regularly assigned 5 of 5 possible points.

This summer, students will get acquainted with the specifics of the Russian and international communications industry, work on Russian-Chinese commercial projects of the company in the field of public relations. IT, retail, transport and logistics will be in focus. Interns will be able to try themselves at special projects in the Chinese direction at the non-profit Foundation «Lake Baikal», established by Baikal Lobridge.

The company seeks to fill internship for colleagues from Hong Kong with comprehensive tasks related to communications. After the end of an internship, Baikal Lobridge continues cooperation with alumni, involving them in client projects in the APR region.
]]> SPIEF 2018: Charity and CSR in Ecology – Baikal Lobridge Experience https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/0sibe9rgs1-spief-2018-charity-and-csr-in-ecology-ba https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/0sibe9rgs1-spief-2018-charity-and-csr-in-ecology-ba?amp=true Mon, 28 May 2018 11:22:00 +0300 #fund #events At SPIEF, the Baikal Lake Foundation shared its experience in environmental projects and CSR, highlighting support for science, education, and collaboration with businesses to protect Lake Baikal’s unique ecosystem.

SPIEF 2018: Charity and CSR in Ecology – Baikal Lobridge Experience

The Lake Baikal Foundation, established by the Baikal Lobridge, shared its experience in conducting charitable activities in the Baikal natural area at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.

The Foundation acted as co-organizer of the session on the third sector participation in solving environmental problems. The discussion «Baikal. Center of the environmental initiatives attraction» was held on May 24 at the NPO Laboratory. During the discussion, the Lake Baikal Foundation presented its practices, concrete results of activities in the field of science support, as well as formats for the possible participation of businesses in joint programs on environmental sustainability that meet the global goals of sustainable development of the United Nations.

The Lake Baikal Foundation for Environmental Applications and Research, founded by the company in 2016, within a short period of time launched a number of system projects to support research activities in the Baikal region, became a knowledge center on Lake Baikal and Baikal natural territory, and also won a presidential grant for the educational project implementation. The establishment of the Foundation became part of the development strategy of Baikal Lobridge, which offers a systematic approach to corporate social responsibility. Each client of the company contributes to the activities of the Foundation, as 10% of the company’s profits are transferred to its development. The Foundation also attracts private donors, has a network of pro bono partners and expands opportunities for corporate cooperation – all this points create a platform for the Foundation grant programs, which contribute to the protection of the Lake Baikal unique ecosystem.
]]> First Graduation of the Course "GR and Lobbying in Business and Nonprofit Sector" https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/3bxl12sk61-first-graduation-of-the-course-gr-and-lo https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/3bxl12sk61-first-graduation-of-the-course-gr-and-lo?amp=true Sun, 03 Jun 2018 11:53:00 +0300 #development of practices The joint GR and lobbying program by MGIMO and Baikal Lobridge brought together top managers and specialists, offering practical tools for working with government authorities and masterclasses from leading experts.

First Graduation of the Course "GR and Lobbying in Business and Nonprofit Sector"

From June 1-3, the first educational program for professional development in Russia "GR and lobbying in business and Nonprofit sector" was held. The motto of this course is "practice for practitioners". This is a joint project of the Business School and International Competences of the MGIMO University and the consulting company Baikal Lobridge. Due to the relevance of the program, it was decided to hold this course twice a year.

The three-day intensive educational program was based on the study of practical tools and technologies for interaction between business and government. The invited experts acquainted the audience with the technologies for conducting effective negotiations with stakeholders, GR-planning, involving media in GR and lobbying projects. During the course the students learned about the peculiarities of the complicated negotiation processes that are available in the most regulated sectors, as well as in the sphere of high technologies. The problems of GR and lobbying activities for companies with state participation were also considered. At the end of the course, Vadim Zhivulin, director of the Regulatory Impact Assessment Department of the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation, conducted a master class "Assessment of Regulatory Impact: Management of the Industry Regulation Mechanisms". The result of the course consists in the deepening of knowledge and the development of relevant skills in the fields of GR and lobbying.

The list of participants included top-managers and employees of the largest companies, such as Kaspi Bank (Kazakhstan), Lukoil, Irkutsk Oil Company, Alibaba.Ru (ru), owners of ONE TOUCH companies and the Clinic of Scientific Medicine, as well as representatives of high-tech business Skyeng and others.

The experts:

  1. Elena Adamenko, director for Government Relations and Corporate Communications, United Technologies International Operations, Inc.
  2. Marina Amelina, vice President for Corporate Relations, Yandex
  3. Sergey Vanin, executive director, Association of International Manufacturers of Medical Products IMEDA
  4. Ilya Vesker, director for Interaction with Government Agencies, Takeda Russia
  5. Eduard Voytenko, CEO, consulting company Baikal Communications Group
  6. Andrey Klimenko, deputy director for relations with Public Authorities and Charitable Activities, EvrazHolding
  7. Dmitry Kononov, head of Interaction with Federal Authorities, VimpelCom
  8. Yana Guskova, director for Legal Affairs and External Commercial Relations, BAT Russia
  9. Maxim Ignatiev, first deputy director for Communications and Communications, Siberian Coal Energy Company
  10. Andrey Lyan, director for interaction with the Public and Public Authorities, Cargill in Russia
  11. Elman Mehdiyev, executive vice President, Association of Russian Banks
  12. Anatoly Meshcheryakov, state secretary – deputy general director, Russian Railways
  13. Dmitry Polikanov, CEO, Co-Unity Foundation
  14. Irina Fedorova, senior director for work with public authorities of the Eastern Europe region, Baltika, Carlsberg Group.
]]> Baikal Lobridge Representative Held a Seminar on Effective Communication for Young Leaders from 24 Countries https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/ezlmen6451-baikal-lobridge-representative-held-a-se https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/ezlmen6451-baikal-lobridge-representative-held-a-se?amp=true Mon, 04 Jun 2018 12:09:00 +0300 #development of practices #events Anastasia Tsvetkova, Director of Development and International Cooperation, shared how to work effectively with stakeholders and the media, prepare expert reports, and promote socially significant projects.

Baikal Lobridge Representative Held a Seminar on Effective Communication for Young Leaders from 24 Countries

Anastasia Tsvetkova, the Director for Development and International Cooperation of the company, held a workshop on interaction with stakeholders in public authorities and building relations with media representatives during the Eurasian meeting of the Global Shapers community.

VI annual meeting of the Global Shapers community was held on June 1-3 in Baku and brought together people under 30 years old who have achieved success in various fields of activity and who want to contribute to the society development. The community was initiated by the World Economic Forum and at present its centers operate in 158 countries.

The agenda of the event in Azerbaijan included such topics as the development of entrepreneurship and technology, the strengthening of the women’s role, and the improvement of the education system. Participants discussed how they can contribute to improving existing socio-economic systems in their countries, in particular, what steps they can undertake in the framework of the Global Shapers community. Anastasia Tsvetkova, as a member of the community, also took part in a number of discussions and held a workshop for participants on professional competencies.

During the workshop of the Baikal Lobridge representative, delegates learned how to draw up a stakeholder map, prepare expert reports and present them to target audiences. The participants also discussed how to attract media attention to socially responsible projects, how to build a system of personal positioning in social networks and initiate publications that can make a significant contribution to the development of projects.
]]> Hongkong Trainees of Baikal Lobridge Visited TASS and Yandex Offices https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/ssi6jvht61-hongkong-trainees-of-baikal-lobridge-vis https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/ssi6jvht61-hongkong-trainees-of-baikal-lobridge-vis?amp=true Mon, 02 Jul 2018 12:22:00 +0300 #development of practices #events Hong Kong trainees of Baikal Lobridge got acquainted with corporate culture, workflows, and the specifics of the media and IT industries.

Hongkong Trainees of Baikal Lobridge Visited TASS and Yandex Offices

Excursions became a component and final part of the internship program and allowed students to immerse themselves in the working atmosphere of the organizations.

During the visit to TASS, trainees got acquainted with modern news market in Russia, saw how press conferences were organized, studied commercial products of the news agency, asked questions about the work of the offices in other countries. In Yandex, students were told about the history of the development and establishment of one of the most recognizable companies in the IT sphere both in Russia and in the world, experienced the corporate culture and features of work in the information technology industry, told about the positioning in the national and international markets of companies from this segment.

Baikal Lobridge hosted students from Hong Kong for the third time in cooperation with the Moscow International Higher School of Business MIRBIS from May 28 to June 29, 2018. Upon of the practice completion, the company continues to cooperate with successful young specialists on a project basis.
]]> Baikal Lobridge Presents Key Regulatory Trends at Russian Business Week https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/j9jyhmypa1-baikal-lobridge-presents-key-regulatory https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/j9jyhmypa1-baikal-lobridge-presents-key-regulatory?amp=true Thu, 19 Feb 2026 12:55:00 +0300 #events #employees A Baikal Lobridge partner spoke at a forum during Russian Business Week, presenting key regulatory trends for 2025–2026 and their impact on business.

Baikal Lobridge Presents Key Regulatory Trends at Russian Business Week

A partner from Baikal Lobridge spoke at the forum “Enhancing Regulatory Policy: Challenges and Solutions.”

The forum took place on February 16, 2026, as part of Russian Business Week, organized by the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RSPP). The event brought together business and government leaders to exchange ideas and propose solutions on the evolving regulatory landscape.

The discussions focused on regulatory impact assessments (RIA), the so-called “regulatory guillotine,” digitalization of government procedures, and ways to involve businesses in decision-making in a fast-moving legislative environment.

During the forum, Valery Afanasyev, partner in Baikal Lobridge specializing in GR & Risk, presented an overview of key regulatory trends for 2025–2026. He emphasized the main factors shaping the current state regulatory policy, including budget deficits, a cooling economy, geopolitical instability, and the electoral cycle.

He also reviewed 12 main areas of business regulation highlighted by Baikal Lobridge analysts, paying special attention to fiscal policies, new fees and levies, efforts to bring more transparency to the economy, and emerging rules for the platform economy.
“The regulatory environment is becoming more complex, unpredictable, and dynamic. Fiscal pressures are increasing, control mechanisms are expanding, and new regulatory frameworks are emerging for entire sectors of the economy. This reflects the state’s response to external challenges and the need to restructure the economy. But it also has a major impact on businesses. In these circumstances, mechanisms for early discussion of initiatives, RIA procedures, and constructive dialogue between government and business are more important than ever,”– Afanasyev said.
The forum also featured key government and business leaders, including:

•Alexey Khersontsev, State Secretary – Deputy Minister of Economic Development of Russia;
•Konstantin Panferov, Deputy Minister of Justice of Russia;
•Andrey Starikov, Director of the Regulatory Policy and RIA Department, Ministry of Economic Development;
•Sergey Migin, Deputy Director of the Regulatory Policy Support Department, Government of Russia;
•Alexander Shokhin, President of RSPP;
•Maxim Sokolov, Chairman of the RSPP Regulatory Policy Committee, Board Member of RSPP, President of AVTOVAZ JSC;
•Vladimir Gruzdev, Chairman of the Association of Lawyers of Russia;
•Alexander Litvak, CEO of the Platform of Co-Regulation LLC.

Following the forum, a draft resolution was prepared with recommendations to reform Russia’s regulatory policy.

Read the full Baikal Lobridge review of 2025–2026 regulatory trends here.



Photo: RSPP (http://rspp.ru)

]]> Developing Global Shapers Community in Russia https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/t7snm8efs1-developing-global-shapers-community-in-r https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/t7snm8efs1-developing-global-shapers-community-in-r?amp=true Thu, 09 Aug 2018 08:42:00 +0300 #employees Anastasia Tsvetkova, Director for Development and International Cooperation at Baikal Lobridge, has been appointed head of the St. Petersburg Global Shapers hub, where she will develop environmental and sustainability-focused projects.

Developing Global Shapers Community in Russia

Anastasia Tsvetkova, Business Development and International Cooperation Director of the company, has become the Curator of St. Petersburg hub of Global Shapers Community. Anastasia will develop projects to improve environmental and social conditions in St. Petersburg in 2018-2019.

Created at the initiative of World Economic Forum, today Global Shapers Community unites more than 7000 of young leaders aged from 20 to 33 in 153 countries and 368 hubs. The aim of each hub is to propose and implement solutions for the improvement of living in local communities based on Sustainable Development Goals. A person of any profession who has significant achievements in their professional and public activity can become a member of the Community.

Anastasia Tsvetkova has been a member of the Community for several years by now and in 2016 she was the only Russian Shaper representative at Summer Davos meeting in Tianjin, China. In 2018 the new Head of St. Petersburg hub was selected from hundreds of applicants for Top-15 Shapers who would participate in Sustainable Development Summit organized by World Economic Forum taking place from 23 to 26 of September in New York.

Anastasia Tsvetkova’s background in international communication, event management and ecological charity will allow to develop multi-faceted initiatives of the hub and to involve new Shapers. Her plans include projects on environmental protection in St. Petersburg, cross-hub sustainable development projects, hub members’ involvement into international events of the Community and World Economic Forum.
]]> Eduard Voytenko Ranks in the “TOP 1000 Russian Managers” Rating for the Fifth Time https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/snchb374n1-eduard-voytenko-ranks-in-the-top-1000-ru https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/snchb374n1-eduard-voytenko-ranks-in-the-top-1000-ru?amp=true Tue, 25 Sep 2018 09:10:00 +0300 #ratings and awards Eduard Voytenko has been recognized once again in the “Top 1000 Russian Managers” ranking, reaffirming his standing among Russia’s leading executives in the “Top 250” category.

Eduard Voytenko Ranks in the “TOP 1000 Russian Managers” Rating for the Fifth Time

Since Baikal Lobridge was established, Eduard Voytenko has been ranking in rating of the best Russian managers in nomination “Top Managers. Top 250”.

In 2014 and 2015 Eduard Voytenko ranked in nomination “GR Directors” and was one of the three winners among GR directors in category “Professional Services”. In 2016, as a founder and CEO of Baikal Lobridge, Eduard Voytenko ranked in rating of the best Russian managers in nomination “Top Managers. Top 250”.

19th rating “Top 1000 Russian Managers” was presented by Association of Managers and publishing house “Kommersant”. Annual rating shows professional efficiency of Russian managers, whose names are related to success of leading companies and to economic development of the country.

The rating is available here in Russian.
]]> Workshop at MGIMO University: Practical GR and Lobbying https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/j7nvns1kx1-workshop-at-mgimo-university-practical-g https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/j7nvns1kx1-workshop-at-mgimo-university-practical-g?amp=true Sat, 29 Sep 2018 09:38:00 +0300 #development of practices #employees CEO of Baikal Lobridge Eduard Voytenko delivered a master class for participants of an MGIMO professional development program, explaining the differences between GR and lobbying and outlining practical tools for working with government authorities.

Workshop at MGIMO University: Practical GR and Lobbying

September 27, 2018 CEO of Baikal Lobridge Eduard Voytenko taught a master class in the framework of another professional development program “GR and Lobbying in Business and Nonprofit Sector” which will take place on October 19-21, 2018.

During the workshop which was attended by 80 participants Eduard Voytenko spoke about differences between GR and lobbying, explained how to obtain and use information which influences lobbying tactics and strategies in government agencies.

The participants learnt approaches and techniques through case studies from pharmaceutical and brewing industries. These examples showed:

  • How to work with insider information;
  • How to create GR campaigns, maps of stakeholders; how to make coalitions to complete a certain task;
  • How to contact with the media during GR and lobbying campaigns.

Emphasis was made on GR negotiations with stakeholders and ethical conduct of lobbyists. At the end of the workshop the participants learnt why companies need a GR strategy.
]]> Opening for Junior Lobbyist in Baikal Lobridge https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/offc9pe6z1-opening-for-junior-lobbyist-in-baikal-lo https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/offc9pe6z1-opening-for-junior-lobbyist-in-baikal-lo?amp=true Sat, 06 Oct 2018 09:57:00 +0300 #announcements The company has opened a vacancy for a Junior Lobbyist / Government Relations Specialist and is inviting candidates with an interest in GR, analytics, and engagement with government institutions.

Opening for Junior Lobbyist in Baikal Lobridge

The company has opening for junior lobbyist / government relations associate.

Baikal Lobridge is seeking for a young specialist who is willing to drive company growth resolving lobbying cases for clients. The concept of our work is based on projecting individual lobbying strategies for each client. We combine traditional and innovative tools and approaches to achieve maximum efficiency in lobbying campaigns providing them with deep analytic work, expert ties, reputation and anti-crisis consulting and communication support in the media.

Key Responsibilities:

Interaction with Senior Director of Government Relations and Lobbying in context of developing and implementing GR and lobbying strategies, practices and processes for our clients. Preparation of analytic findings about current regulations in various fields, monitoring legislative changes under development both in Russia and in countries of client’s operation. Studying and forecasting national and international state policy and providing assistance in the policy development recommendations on federal programs as it pertains to client’s interests. Presenting client policies and positions to relevant government officials and related associations, organizations, and coalitions; informing сlient with up-to-date news from these institutions; providing info-analytic assistance for client company’s top-management in decision-making.

Qualifications:

Candidates should have a commanding knowledge of key policy areas in Russia (EEU countries, Eastern Europe, China and the USA – preferable). Candidates should be into decision-making mechanism of executive and legislative branches. They should have knowledge of regulations and law-making procedure in Russian Government, Federal Executive Authority Bodies, Russian Parliament, and regulatory processes in major branches of economics.

We are seeking for candidates with critical thinking, who are capable of performing tasks with punctuality and creative interest based on deep analytical skills and intellectual curiosity. Junior lobbyist should possess strong skills in fields of interpersonal and intercultural communication, be extremely careful about details, willing to work in conditions of multitasking and limited time simultaneously. Candidates should possess capability of independent work, strong research skills and well-bred written speech. We are seeking for professionalism multiplied by enthusiasm and willingness to resolve unique cases regardless of officially set schedule. In our job it is necessary to think ahead and be available 24/7.

Required:

Command of English, degree in Law Studies, Ecomomics or Political Science.

Working with us:

  • Junior lobbyist will learn to work with the inside, creating stakeholder maps and form coalitions to perform lobbying tasks, work out GR-strategies and campaigns
  • Junior lobbyist will learn to interact with the media implementing GR- and lobbying projects
  • Junior lobbyist will get experience of working with Russian and international companies from agricultural and IT spheres, pharmaceuticals, tobacco and spirits fields, etc.
  • Junior lobbyist will have an opportunity to attend a training course GR&Lobbying at MGIMO at the company’s expense.

To apply for the job opening, please send a resume to msk@baikal-lobridge.ru.
]]> Second Graduate Course "GR and Lobbying in Business and Nonprofit Sector" https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/325x497vk1-second-graduate-course-gr-and-lobbying-i https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/325x497vk1-second-graduate-course-gr-and-lobbying-i?amp=true Tue, 23 Oct 2018 10:53:00 +0300 #development of practices The second track of the GR and lobbying professional development program was held at MGIMO in partnership with Baikal Lobridge. Participants reviewed practical cases of business–government interaction, received certificates of advanced training.

Second Graduate Course "GR and Lobbying in Business and Nonprofit Sector"

The second track of educational program for professional development "GR and Lobbying in Business and Nonprofit Sector", implemented in partnership with Baikal Lobridge, took place at MGIMO School of Business and International Proficiency on October 19 – 21.

The three-day program was based on learning applied lobbying and GR-tools and technologies of interaction between business and government through the example of highly regulated and high-tech industries, companies with state participation. Theoretical and technological parts of the program contained specific cases from the practice of external experts.

The introduction into the course was made by Eduard Voytenko, CEO of Baikal Lobridge, and Andrey Lyan, Director for Public and Government Relations at Cargill in Russia. They spoke about key features of lobbying in Russia, GR tools and technologies at federal, regional levels, as well as in supranational space (EEU).

Elman Mehdiyev, Executive Vice-President of the Association of Russian Banks told in details about GR in financial and banking sector. Director for Legal Affairs and External Corporate Relations of BAT Russia Yana Guskova and Senior GR Director in Eastern Europe Region of «Baltika» (Carlsberg Group) Irina Fedorova spoke about their companies’ lobbying practices under the scrutiny of regulators and public control. They also threw light on the companies’ experience in field of risk assessment and leveling down the risks. Executive Director of International Medical Device Manufactures Association (IMEDA) Sergey Vanin spoke about the role of industry associations in the healthcare sector.

Head of the Regional Communications Department of Lukoil Vladimir Gerasimov shared the pecularities of lobbying interests of oil and gas sector in the EU and in Russia. In turn, Maxim Ignatiev, Deputy Director for Logistics of SUEK, and Maria Dronova, Director for GR and Charitable Activities of EvrazHolding, revealed the peculiarities of the regional GR in fuel and energy sector, metallurgy and mining.

Marina Amelina, GR Director of Baring Vostok investment fund, presented GR cases in IT sector and commented on the trade law (the «Yarovaya package»). Dmitry Kononov, the Head for Interaction with Federal Authorities of VimpelCom, also touched on the issue of the «Yarovaya package», and shared complicated cases from the Telecom industry regulation. Dmitry Polikanov, the President of Deafblind Support Foundation «Con-nection», spoke about real examples of working with government agencies in the field of NGOs.

In conclusion, Director for Economics, Investments and Market Regulation of Agro-industrial Complex Department at the Ministry of Agriculture of Russian Federation Anatoly Kutsenko, focused on the reverse side of the coin and explained what federal authorities expect from GR specialists by the example of agricultural industry. Artem Yulegin, the Head for Business Advocacy of EEC Business Development Department, taught a master class on «Regulatory impact assessment and other tools for interacting with the Eurasian Economic Commission as a supranational regulatory body of the EEU» based on case studies from his practice.

The audience consisted of top managers and employees of leading companies, such as Amgen, Medtronic, Uralchem, Baltika, Vostok-Service Spetskomplekt, ENERGOPROM, etc. After completing the course, participants received certificates of professional upgrading.

The advanced training program takes place twice a year. Registration for training in 2019 is open.
]]> PR Days in the Caucasus Region: "Anti-Сrisis PR and Negative Media Coverage Management" https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/4sf48032c1-pr-days-in-the-caucasus-region-anti-sris https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/4sf48032c1-pr-days-in-the-caucasus-region-anti-sris?amp=true Thu, 06 Dec 2018 15:39:00 +0300 #events #employees Kirill Tuzov moderated a discussion on crisis communications in Grozny, where participants discussed handling negative coverage and reviewed real-life cases.

PR Days in the Caucasus Region: "Anti-Сrisis PR and Negative Media Coverage Management"

Director for political communications and special projects of Baikal Lobridge Kirill Tuzov took on the role of moderator at the discussion panel "Anti-crisis PR and negative media coverage management" in the framework of the IV Media Forum of the North Caucasus ("PR Days" in the Caucasus region").

The two-days forum welcomed PR and media specialists at two event stages in Grozny on December 5-6. In the framework of "PR Days" in the Caucasus region", organized jointly with Russian Association of Public Relations, the experts discussed current trends in regional promotion, non-budgetary PR, anti-crisis communications, modern approaches and solutions in course of interaction with various target audiences. They paid special attention to communication development in the North Caucasian Federal District.

In his speech Kirill Tuzov drew attention of the audience to practical cases on communication which demonstrate threats as well as opportunities which could be seized or lost by an anti-crisis PR manager. Representatives from business, regional and municipal authorities of in the North Caucasian Federal District and other regions of Russia jointly dismantled and analyzed real crisis cases, both local and national.
]]> Baikal Lobridge and MGIMO School of Business and International Proficiency Signed an Extended Cooperation Agreement https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/t6sj3izz11-baikal-lobridge-and-mgimo-school-of-busi https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/t6sj3izz11-baikal-lobridge-and-mgimo-school-of-busi?amp=true Sat, 08 Dec 2018 15:51:00 +0300 #company The parties are expanding their cooperation in education, from joint training programs and internships to the development of educational materials and new initiatives.

Baikal Lobridge and MGIMO School of Business and International Proficiency Signed an Extended Cooperation Agreement

The agreement confirmed cooperation of the parties in field of implementation of joint educational programs and determined new fields for potential collaboration.

According to the agreement, the parties expressed their intention to cooperate on the following issues:

— development and implementation of the professional development program «Corporate Management»;
— running profession-related sessions which will include profession development modules, trainings, crash courses, workshops and internships in MGIMO and at interregional and international stages;
— holding joint seminars, conferences and symposia;
— implementation of joint academic projects and programs including edition of full set of teaching and learning materials.

The agreement was signed and sealed by pro-rector for general issues of MGIMO Artem V. Malgin and CEO of Baikal Lobridge Eduard M. Voytenko.

Baikal Lobridge cooperates with MGIMO since 2015. They regularly hold workshops on GR for top-managers of leading Russian and international companies, they have launched a joint professional development program "GR and Lobbying in Business and Nonprofit Sector" in partnership with MGIMO School of Business and International Proficiency and a semester Master course on GR and Lobbying for MGIMO students.
]]> Baikal Lobridge Signed a Cooperation Agreement with the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/guvvz2m3z1-baikal-lobridge-signed-a-cooperation-agr https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/guvvz2m3z1-baikal-lobridge-signed-a-cooperation-agr?amp=true Wed, 06 Feb 2019 15:59:00 +0300 #company The parties agreed to develop joint educational programs and to share resources for training and upskilling professionals in the financial market.

Baikal Lobridge Signed a Cooperation Agreement with the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation

The parties reached an agreement on multilateral cooperation.

The document confirmed the parties’ cooperation on development and implementation of additional professional training and retraining programs for financial markets’ specialists, as well as on pedagogic, educational, material, technical and organizational provision for educational process on agreed and mutually beneficial conditions.
]]> Branch Lobbying Workshop at MGIMO University https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/28mblhj5i1-branch-lobbying-workshop-at-mgimo-univer https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/28mblhj5i1-branch-lobbying-workshop-at-mgimo-univer?amp=true Thu, 07 Mar 2019 16:07:00 +0300 #events #employees A master class by Eduard Voytenko on sector-specific lobbying and approaches to engaging with government authorities was held at MGIMO. Participants were presented with case studies and approaches to advancing business interests using GR tools.

Branch Lobbying Workshop at MGIMO University

5 March 2019 CEO of Baikal Lobridge Eduard Voytenko held a workshop “Branch lobbying: methodology and GR technologies” in the framework of presentation of professional development program “GR and Lobbying in Business and Nonprofit Sector”.

During the event Eduard Voytenko shared lobbying practice of promoting the pharmaceutical companies’ interests in federal executive bodies in part of including the medications into the Vital and Essential Drugs list and the government procurement system.

By the examples of real cases Eduard Voytenko demonstrated how to use lobbying technologies and promotion tools effectively; how to analyze and benefit from the public records and inside data influencing the tactics and strategies of lobbying; how to build stakeholders’ coalitions to solve the task; how to create the maps of stakeholders and plan lobbying campaigns; finally, how to use PR tools effectively in GR and lobbying projects.

The workshop was attended by 80 participants.
]]> Third Graduate Course "GR and Lobbying in Business and Nonprofit Sector" https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/rgphk4s3a1-third-graduate-course-gr-and-lobbying-in https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/rgphk4s3a1-third-graduate-course-gr-and-lobbying-in?amp=true Thu, 28 Mar 2019 16:19:00 +0300 #events A new session of the GR and lobbying professional development program was held at MGIMO, featuring practical case studies and industry-specific approaches to engaging with government authorities.

Third Graduate Course "GR and Lobbying in Business and Nonprofit Sector"

From March 21 to March 24, 2019, a third refresher course “GR and Lobbying in Business and Nonprofit Sector” was conducted at the MGIMO School of Business and International Proficiency, implemented in partnership with Baikal Lobridge.

The basis of the expanded four-day program included the study of applied lobbying and GR-technologies of business and non-profit sector interaction with the government. Lobbying tools and technologies were analyzed by the example of russian and international companies from various industries, structures with public ownership and leading charitable foundations.

The introductory part of the course traditionally was conducted by the academic advisor of the program, the CEO of Baikal Lobridge Eduard Voytenko and the GR and Communications Director of Cargill LLC in Russia, Andrey Lyan, who spoke about the key features of lobbying in Russia, federal and regional GR-tools and technologies, as well as in the supranational space (EEU). Vladimir Goncharevich, Dixy Group GR Director, demonstrated the work of his department via retail cases and told about the nuances of interaction with other industry players on similar and different tasks in federal executive bodies. Dmitry Polikanov, President of the So-edinenie (Con-nection) Foundation, has devoted listeners in special aspects of the GR approaches formed in the non-profit sector. Finally, on the same day, the President of the National Fruit and Vegetable Union Anatoly Kutsenko noted the reverse of the medal, presenting the expectations of the authorities from GR-managers by the example of the agricultural industry.

On the second day of the program, Sergey Makarov, Deputy Head of the Russian Railways Department of interaction with public authorities, spoke about the features of GR in state-owned companies via examples from his company. Vladimir Gerasimov, Head of the Regional Communications Office of PJSC LUKOIL, highlighted in detail the international, federal and regional agendas of the GR-experts work in the oil and gas sector. By the example of the international machine-building concern, the vice-president of Siemens (Russia), Alexey Vorobiev, spoke about the role of GR during the “sanctions wars” period. In addition, the second day program focused on the interaction mechanisms with the EEC. The Head of the Business Advocacy Section of the EEC Business Development Department, Artem Yulegin, and the CEO of the Eurasian Center for Integration Research and Communications, Stanislav Naumov, explained the effective strategic and tactical areas of work in the supranational space.

During the third day of training, cases on short and long lobbying projects at the federal and regional levels were reviewed in the following areas: IT & Telecom (Dmitry Kononov, Head of Federal Government Relations Department, VimpelCom PJSC and Anna Smirnova, Cisco GR Director in Russia and the CIS), electric power industry (Alexander Pavlenko, Fortum PJSC, director for public authorities affairs), the metallurgical industry (Maria Dronova, GR and charitable activities director, EvrazHolding LLC). On that day audience also learned about solving GR tasks through the judicial system from Alexander Moskovkin, Head of section “Law”, Rossiyskaya Gazeta.

Within the fourth, final day of the course, complex industries were considered from a regulation and public attention point of view. Elman Mehdiyev, President of the National Association of Professional Collection Agencies, opened the academic day with cases from the financial industry, focusing on the influence strategy. Ivan Glushkov, Deputy General Director of Stada CIS, spoke about the features of GR in the pharmaceutical industry by the examples from his own practice, clearly explaining the goal-setting and logic of market players in cooperation with government bodies. The topic of influence on excise policy and reaction to marking initiatives was a cross-cutting theme running through the speeches of regulated industries representatives. Yana Guskova, Director of Legal Affairs and External Corporate Relations of BAT Russia told us what a proactive GR strategy in the tobacco industry is. In conclusion, Irina Fedorova, Senior Director for Government Affairs of the Baltika Breweries LLC (Carlsberg Group structure), shared her skills in building a GR-department in the company and evaluating its efficiency.

The audience included top managers and managers of such companies as PepsiCo (Russia), Baltika Breweries, PJSC LUKOIL, Uralchem JSC, Energoprom Management JSC, RT-Business Development LLC (Rostec), Promsvyazbank PJSC, Baikal Communications Group, KPMG JSC, Zelenograd Development Corporation and others. In addition, for the first time, representatives from the nonprofit sector attended the course (from the Podari Zhizn (Gift of Life) Charity Foundation. Total number of students – 19. Upon completion of the course, participants were given refresher course certificates.
]]> Opening for a Senior Lobbyist in Baikal Lobridge https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/ehgd1vayl1-opening-for-a-senior-lobbyist-in-baikal https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/ehgd1vayl1-opening-for-a-senior-lobbyist-in-baikal?amp=true Fri, 05 Apr 2019 16:37:00 +0300 #employees The company has opened a position for a Senior Lobbyist / GR Project Manager. The specialist will be involved in developing GR strategies, analytical work, and engaging with government authorities and clients.

Opening for a Senior Lobbyist in Baikal Lobridge

The company has opening for a senior lobbyist / government relations project manager.

Baikal Lobridge is seeking for an expert who is willing to contribute to the company growth with regard of building and coordinating lobbying and GR projects for clients. The concept of our work is based on projecting individual lobbying strategies for each client. We combine traditional and innovative tools and approaches to achieve maximum efficiency in lobbying campaigns providing them with deep analytic and legal work, expert ties, reputation and anti-crisis consulting and communication support in the media.

Key Responsibilities:

Building relationships with potential and existing clients, as well as stakeholders. Direct interaction with the analytical unit of the company upon the projects. Elaboration and implementation of lobbying and GR-strategies for clients. Generation of analytical products on the current regulation of industries, monitoring and analysis of the industry-specific legislation amendments development both in Russia and other countries of client’s attendance. Legal due diligence of bills and other enactments. Study and prediction of public policy at the international and national levels with regard to its impact on the client’s business. Policy recommendations development on federal state programs in areas affecting the client’s activities. Representation of client policies and positions to relevant government officials and related associations, organizations and coalitions; informing client with up-to-date news from these institutions. Providing info-analytic assistance for client company’s top-management in decision-making.

Qualifications:

Candidates should have a commanding knowledge of key policy areas in Russia and EEU countries (Eastern Europe, China and the USA – preferable). Candidates should be into decision-making mechanism of executive and legislative branches. They should have knowledge of regulations and law-making procedure in Russian Government, Federal Executive Authority Bodies, Russian Parliament, and regulatory processes in major economic industries.

We are seeking for candidates with critical thinking, who are capable of performing tasks with punctuality and creative interest based on deep analytical skills and intellectual curiosity. The senior lobbyist is the head of lobbying projects with strong interpersonal and intercultural communication skills, leadership potential, strategic thinking, but at the same time extremely attentive to details, willing to work in conditions of multitasking and limited time simultaneously. Candidates should possess capability of team work, strong research skills and well-bred written speech. We are seeking for professionalism multiplied by enthusiasm and willingness to resolve unique cases regardless of officially set schedule. In our job it is necessary to think ahead and be available 24/7.

Necessarily:

Stress resistance. Command of English.

Preferably:

Legal/political science/economic/philosophical education. Experience in the Government of Russia or federal executive authorities (Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Ministry of Industry and Trade, Ministry of Finance).

Opportunities:

Gaining experience in managing lobbying and GR projects in Russian and international companies from the agricultural and IT sectors, pharmaceutical, tobacco, alcohol and other industries. Education on the refresher course GR & Lobbying at MGIMO at the company’s expense.

To apply for the job opening, please send a resume to msk@baikal-lobridge.ru.
]]> Round Table at MGIMO: Prospects of the GR-Education Development https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/54m46e7bd1-round-table-at-mgimo-prospects-of-the-gr https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/54m46e7bd1-round-table-at-mgimo-prospects-of-the-gr?amp=true Fri, 26 Apr 2019 16:52:00 +0300 #events A roundtable discussion on the development of GR education was held at MGIMO, where experts discussed the level of specialist training and the role of practitioners in education.

Round Table at MGIMO: Prospects of the GR-Education Development

On April 25, 2019, a round table on the current status and development prospects of GR-education in Russia was held at MGIMO.

The event was attended by graduates of MGIMO working in the field of government relations. In attendance were: Marina Zhunich (GR-Director, Google Russia), Julia Belyakova (Head of Government and Non-Governmental Relations, Acronik Russia), Sergey Lebedev (GR-Director, Alibaba Russia), Alexey Teteryuk (Head of Foreign Economic Activity Support, BIOCAD), Arseny Frolov (GR-manager, Nestle Russia), Yury Berestnev (Executive Director, Development of Legal Systems, LLC) and Eduard Voytenko (CEO, Baikal Lobridge).

At the beginning of the event, experts unanimously noted a great interest among the younger generation in the profession of a GR-manager. It is not for nothing: according to the participants of the round table, GR-specialists are becoming more and more popular not only in foreign companies, but also in Russian. At the same time, quality education in the field of GR is still not much.

In connection with this issue, which is not new, the experts discussed in detail the matters of basic and extended education in the field of GR and mechanisms for the student’s involvement in the GR community. Each of the experts shared his vision regarding the level of training of young professionals, which is expected by employers. In particular, according to Eduard Voytenko, the main quality of a young specialist at the entry-level should be assiduity and the ability to work with information: its search, systematization and analysis. In addition, the skill to combine creative and systematic approaches is required. It is also necessary to gradually develop the skills of a negotiator.

Following the discussion, the participants agreed that it is necessary to involve practitioners as often as possible in the educational process, and also to stimulate student’s self-educations and acquiring of experience through the internships in various companies, including foreign and Russian lobbying firms.

In conclusion, Eduard Voytenko also noted that during the lessons with practitioners, students expect not to hear conceptual stories about GR (this knowledge is acquired at the university lectures), but to get practical experience through the example of real cases. Such an approach to master classes arranging is a pledge not only of interest in the profession, but also a contribution to the development of its human capacity.
]]> Anastasia Tsvetkova Spoke on the Week of Sustainable Development 2019 https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/5oxad1yn61-anastasia-tsvetkova-spoke-on-the-week-of https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/5oxad1yn61-anastasia-tsvetkova-spoke-on-the-week-of?amp=true Tue, 18 Jun 2019 17:27:00 +0300 #events #employees As part of Sustainable Development Week, Anastasia Tsvetkova took part in an expert panel on fundraising and shared practical experience in attracting funding and developing sustainable projects in the non-profit sector.

Anastasia Tsvetkova Spoke on the Week of Sustainable Development 2019

Partner of Baikal Lobridge, CEO of the Lake Baikal Foundation, shared her experience in fundraising in a non-profit private foundation.

The speech took place on June 17, 2019 in the framework of the expert panel “Fundraising: Financial Sustainability of Social and Environmental Projects”. Anastasia Tsvetkova spoke about sustainable projects in the non-profit sector, which can be developed only due to sustainable financing. The expert described in detail the following tools for raising funds and at the same time reducing costs that are currently available to non-profit organizations:

  • Building a network of pro bono partners (PR, accounting and legal services, rent-free office);
  • Co-financing: work with crowdfunding platforms;
  • State support (Presidential Grants Fund and other programs at the regional authorities’ level);
  • Partnership with corporate donors;
  • Partnerships with foundations (for example, with private founding funds, as well as participation in the “Nuzhna pomosh” (‘Help Needed’) Foundation programs).

On the example of the activities of the Lake Baikal Foundation, Anastasia Tsvetkova noted the importance of differentiating sources of support. The presentation also touched upon the topic of developing social entrepreneurship, and discussed the possibility for NGOs to conduct activities that could bring them profit.

Sustainable Development Week is the leading integrated educational project in the “Education & Practice” format, aimed at delving of participants into the current agenda of sustainable development and corporate responsibility.
]]> Master Class in MGIMO: Interaction of Authority and NPO https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/sfvl5f4su1-master-class-in-mgimo-interaction-of-aut https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/sfvl5f4su1-master-class-in-mgimo-interaction-of-aut?amp=true Fri, 21 Jun 2019 17:43:00 +0300 #events #employees Anastasia Tsvetkova spoke at a seminar at MGIMO, sharing practices of interaction between public authorities and socially oriented NGOs, and presenting case studies and approaches to building a partnership-based dialogue.

Master Class in MGIMO: Interaction of Authority and NPO

Anastasia Tsvetkova, partner of Baikal Lobridge, CEO of the Lake Baikal Foundation, made a presentation at the seminar on the best practices of government interaction with municipal public chambers and socially-oriented non-profit organizations.

The seminar was held on June 20, 2019 at MGIMO. It covered various aspects of the interaction of authority and socially-oriented NPOs: key areas for cooperation, effective interface and ways to measure it, ways to improve the existing model of collaboration.

During the speech, Anastasia Tsvetkova commented on the real cases of the Lake Baikal Foundation, established by Baikal Lobridge. Using the example of two ongoing projects, “The Year of the Baikal Seal” and “National Parks Without Garbage”, she demonstrated the tools available to NPOs for systematic solution of specific tasks. In particular, Anastasia Tsvetkova emphasized that NPOs can be the center of best practices/ready-made solutions for relevant authorities, and most importantly, the majority of strong, stable non-profit organizations – a wealth of expertise, as well as a source of field update in the area in which they work. At the same time, the expert noted that any dialogue of NPOs with representatives of state authorities should be systemic and collaborative, built on respect and constructive strategy for the two parties.

The seminar was organized by the Public Chamber of the Moscow Region, the Moscow Regional Training Center and the Moscow State Institute of International Relations.
]]> Baikal Lobridge Again Took Students from Hong Kong for an Internship https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/2p8exyahp1-baikal-lobridge-again-took-students-from https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/2p8exyahp1-baikal-lobridge-again-took-students-from?amp=true Mon, 22 Jul 2019 17:54:00 +0300 #employees The company hosted an intern from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, who spent a month working on content preparation, translations, analytical projects, as well as assisting with research, including the study of the Asian market.

Baikal Lobridge Again Took Students from Hong Kong for an Internship

This year, a student of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University Tung Yee Yau became a company intern. For almost a month, from June 26 to July 19, she actively participated both in the company’s current activities related to the preparation and translation of articles and presentations in English and Chinese, and in the Baikal Lobridge’s strategic projects, helping with various research, including the Asian market intelligence. All this work has played an important role in the successful implementation of analytical projects of the company.

From year to year, students from Hong Kong who had practice at the Baikal Lobridge put their best foot forward. This internship is no exception. Ms. Tung has established herself as an active, enterprising, and highly motivated young professional, demonstrating her independence, professionalism, and excellent communication skills.

For the fourth time Baikal Lobridge employed interns from Hong Kong. This year, the partners of the company were the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and the Russian New University. Upon completion of the internship, the company decided to continue cooperation with Ms. Tung on a project basis.
]]> Sustainable Development and CSR Course in RANEPA https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/dj3mid6rx1-sustainable-development-and-csr-course-i https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/dj3mid6rx1-sustainable-development-and-csr-course-i?amp=true Sun, 08 Sep 2019 18:04:00 +0300 #development of practices Anastasia Tsvetkova will teach a semester-long course on CSR at RANEPA, covering the basics of sustainable development, international standards, and practices related to non-financial reporting.

Sustainable Development and CSR Course in RANEPA

Anastasia Tsvetkova, Director for Development and International Cooperation is invited to the RANEPA to conduct a semester English-language course “Corporate Social Responsibility in a Global Context” for 4th year students enrolled in the program “Leadership and Management in the Global World”. The goal of the course is to form a comprehensive understanding among students of corporate social responsibility, international CSR standards, and key trends in the development of business social responsibility.

During the training, students will get acquainted with the stages of the concept of sustainable development, the history of the integration of social responsibility in companies, the development of topics, levels and directions of social responsibility. Separate blocks of the course will be devoted to interaction with stakeholders, information disclosure, non-financial reporting standards and algorithms for its preparation.

The course is designed for 28 academic hours and will combine lectures and seminars. Within the framework of the seminars, meetings are planned with expert practitioners – heads of the departments for sustainable development and corporate social responsibility of Russian corporations and international companies, experts from consulting and the non-profit sector.
]]> New Tasks of Regional Press Services under Conditions of Socio-economic Instability https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/3v3f2bdp41-new-tasks-of-regional-press-services-und https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/3v3f2bdp41-new-tasks-of-regional-press-services-und?amp=true Fri, 04 Oct 2019 18:17:00 +0300 #events #employees Kirill Tuzov spoke at the regional media forum in Perm, discussing how press offices are evolving under conditions of instability and outlining key challenges and approaches to building communication with audiences and the media.

New Tasks of Regional Press Services under Conditions of Socio-economic Instability

Kirill Tuzov, Director of Political and Special Projects at Baikal Lobridge, spoke at the plenary meeting of the 4th All-Russian Forum of Regional Media, which was held from the 3rd to the 4th of October in Perm with the support of the Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media of the Russian Federation.

In his report “New tasks of regional press services. Scenarios of possible solutions in the conditions of socio-economic instability” Kirill Tuzov noted that the public consciousness of Russians is increasingly turning to regional problems, while it is becoming more difficult for the authorities to position their work: the “presumption of guilt” applies to the activities of managers. In this situation, the press services must change the approach to their work, transforming into a full-fledged PR headquarters, covering all areas of information activity, to the extent that politics and government are fading into the background. Of particular importance is the work on crisis management, which should be carried out with journalists and opinion leaders: the press service should not only inform about decisions and projects, but also explain the causes and consequences of managerial decisions from the standpoint of a socio-economic public good. In this regard, expert consultation of journalists and opinion leaders is required so that unpopular decisions are not overgrown with speculation and understood in the public space with an understanding of the reasons and circumstances for their adoption. A review is also needed regarding work on social networks. The bureaucratic style of communication, the suppression of problems and the unnatural, often inappropriate positive, reject the audience and create a barrier between the government and society.

Given these issues, Kirill Tuzov described the main changes that should occur in the work of the press services in the near term:

  1. Strengthening of control over the non-political information space in social networks and media with the possibility of dot readjusting of the broad public opinion, which consists in involving popular media and communities in social networks on the side of the authorities in times of crisis.
  2. The development of baseline information for alternative positive trends affecting the actions of the authorities, carried out to achieve the common good.
  3. Implementation of a risk-based approach in commenting and responding of negative. Reduction of reaction time.
  4. Replacing bots with influence agents on all network communication platforms.
  5. Work with journalists and opinion leaders as a separate area of ​​PR with the creation of detailed informational and explanatory basis.
]]> Special Course in MGIMO: “Law as the Most Important Tool in Lobbying” https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/cnr3inzhd1-special-course-in-mgimo-law-as-the-most https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/cnr3inzhd1-special-course-in-mgimo-law-as-the-most?amp=true Mon, 14 Oct 2019 18:24:00 +0300 #events A specialized course for law students has been launched at MGIMO, where participants explore the role of law in lobbying and examine practical aspects of business–government interaction through expert-led master classes.

Special Course in MGIMO: “Law as the Most Important Tool in Lobbying”

On October 11, the first lesson was held as part of the special educational course “Law as the most important tool in lobbying” for students of legal specialties of Russian universities. The course is organized by the Department of Constitutional Law of MGIMO and the Baikal Lobridge on the basis of the MGIMO Law Club.

  1. The course program consists of seven workshops on the following topics:
  2. GR and lobbying activities. Law and other tools in lobbying.
  3. Legal and ethical regulation of lobbying.
  4. The main features of the GR-approach to communication with representatives of public authorities.
  5. Public, business, and industry organizations, as well as development institutions, as platforms for lobbying projects.
  6. The role of expert and analytical organizations in GR and lobbying.
  7. Administrative law and lobbying in federal executive bodies.
  8. Parliamentary law and lobbying in the legislature.
  9. During the classes, students will gain practical knowledge about the specifics of lobbying in governmental bodies, as well as about the features of communication between business and government in national and supranational spaces.

Classes are held every two weeks on Fridays until the end of 2019. The course is taught by Eduard Voytenko, Ph.D. (Political Science), professional lobbyist, CEO of Baikal Lobridge, head of the GR Management and Lobbying Technologies course at the MGIMO International Journalism Department and the advanced training course at the MGIMO Business School “GR and Lobbying in Business and Nonprofit Sector”.

Following the results of the course students attending more than 80% of classes will receive a MGIMO certificate.
]]> Fourth Edition of the Course “GR and Lobbying in Business and Non-profit Sector” https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/yf2n5b6ci1-fourth-edition-of-the-course-gr-and-lobb https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/yf2n5b6ci1-fourth-edition-of-the-course-gr-and-lobb?amp=true Mon, 28 Oct 2019 10:26:00 +0300 #events #company In October, a four-day course on GR and lobbying brought together professionals to explore cases across industries to working with government. The programme featured representatives from business, industry associations, and international companies.

Fourth Edition of the Course “GR and Lobbying in Business and Non-profit Sector”

From October 24th to October 27th, 2019, the fourth advanced training course “GR and lobbying in business and non-profit sector” was held jointly by the MGIMO School of Business and International Proficiency and the lobbying firm Baikal Lobridge.

During the four-day program, audience studied GR and lobbying technologies to promote the interests of business the non-profit sector in governmental bodies, worked with a matrix of industry risks. Lobbying and GR technologies and tools were discussed by cases of Russian and multinational companies from various industries, holdings with state participation and charity funds.

The first part of the course was conducted by Eduard Voytenko, PhD in Political Science, CEO of the Baikal Lobridge, and Andrey Lyan, Corporate Affairs Lead for Russia at Cargill LLC, who spoke about the regulatory considerations of lobbying in Russia and lobbying and GR-tools and technologies at different levels: regional, federal and supranational (EAEU). Speakers specially focused on the competencies that a GR specialist and lobbyist should have. Head of PR&GR at Lenta, Maria Filippova, shared her experience in mitigating risks in retail and talked about the nature of interaction with other industry players on similar and other tasks in governmental bodies. In turn, President of the National Union of Fruit & Vegetables Producers Anatoly Kutsenko, who has extensive experience in public service, noted the professional expectations of federal executive bodies from the work of GR managers and lobbyists on the example of the agricultural industry. On the same day, Irina Fedorova, Senior Government Relations Director, Baltika Breweries (part of Carlsberg Group) shared her skills in building a GR department and its performance evaluation.

The second day was opened by the President of the National Association of Professional Collection Agencies, Elman Mekhtiyev, with cases from the financial and banking industry, focusing on the influence strategy. In addition, he spoke about risk management in the financial sector. Anatoly Meshcheryakov, State Secretary – Deputy Chief Executive Officer at Russian Railways, shared his experience in a company with state participation, giving special attention to cross-industry risks related to the monopoly. Sergei Chernenko, Director of Corporate Affairs, Russia, Eastern Europe, CIS, Baltics at Bacardi dwelled on cases in the field of alcohol regulation and shared his experience of cooperation with relevant associations to lobbying for the interests of the company in its operating countries. Alexey Torgov, Director of Government Relations and Market Access at BIOCAD, spoke about the activities of Russian companies in the international arena under the protectionism of national markets using the example of his company. For the first time, a negotiation training was held as part of the course. The master class on the topic “GR specifics in the IT industry and the digital economy: regulatory approaches, interaction with the state, practical negotiation techniques” was conducted by Marina Zhunich, Head of Public Affairs for Russia and CIS at Google Russia.

During the third day students learned from Dmitry Polikanov, President of the Deaf-Blind Support Foundation “Con-nection”, about the difficulties of GR in the non-profit sector. Alexander Moskovkin, Head of section “Law” at Rossiyskaya Gazeta, spoke about the solution of GR problems through the judicial system (the technology of “institutionalizing” problems through a court decision). Viktor Khaikov, President, Chairman of the Board at National Oil and Gas Service Association, spoke about effective GR-tools for lobbying the interests of business from the oil and gas sector in government at various levels, including international, federal and regional. Alexander Pavlenko, GR Director at Fortum, shared his experience and features of GR in the field of traditional and green energy. The speaker elaborated on the topic of overcoming regulatory barriers to the development of the industry in Russia. Maria Dronova, Director for GR and Charitable Activities at EvrazHolding, spoke about GR in metallurgy and mining in the context of the impact of the environmental agenda on the industry.

Complex industries with increased attention of the state and society to their activities were considered within the fourth day of the course. Dmitry Kononov, Head of Relations with Federal Authorities, VimpelCom and Anna Smirnova, Government Affairs & Policies Director, Russia & CIS, Cisco expand on a topic “Emerging Regulatory Industries: Cases in IT & Telecom and High Technologies”. On the example of the “Yarovaya package”, representatives of VimpelCom showed the industry’s work with risks of stopping them through the formation of a coalition both in the industry and in governmental bodies. Stada CIS Deputy CEO Ivan Glushkov spoke about cases in the pharmaceutical industry, separately dwelling on the goal-setting and logic of market players in coordination with authorities. Yana Guskova, BAT Russia Director for Legal Affairs and External Corporate Relations, introduced listeners to the proactive GR strategy in the tobacco industry and addressed the impact on excise policy and reactions to marking initiatives. In conclusion, Artem Yulegin, Head of the Entrepreneurship Advocacy Section at the EEC Department for the Development of Entrepreneurship, spoke about the mechanisms of the EEC and explained what effective strategic and tactical directions for the work of GR specialists in the supranational space should be based on.

Among the listeners there were top managers and managers from companies: Rosneft Oil Company, Russian Export Center, Russian Railways, Mondeles Russia, Baikal Communications Group, Promsvyazbank, Neftegazholding, Nizhpharm, British American Tobacco, Russian Regional Development Bank, United Shipbuilding Corporation, Abinsk Electric Steel Works Ltd, Game Stream JLLC, etc. In addition, a UN representative attended the course for the first time (from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations). In all 27 specialists got trained during the course. At the end participants were awarded certificates of advanced training.

From 2020 the advanced training course is held once a year.
]]> Master Class on GR&Lobbying at HSE https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/mrzr6erxn1-master-class-on-gramplobbying-at-hse https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/mrzr6erxn1-master-class-on-gramplobbying-at-hse?amp=true Fri, 29 Nov 2019 10:52:00 +0300 #events #company Baikal Lobridge delivered a master class for students, using practical cases to explain how GR and lobbying work, along with the key principles and approaches behind the practice.

Master Class on GR&Lobbying at HSE

The team of Baikal Lobridge held another master class for the undergraduate students in the Interdisciplinary Laboratory for Anti-Corruption Policy of National Research University Higher School of Economics (ILAP). The theme of the master class was “GR and lobbying as legal mechanisms for promoting the interests of business and non-profit organizations in public authorities”.

During the event, the audience learned about the concepts of lobbying and Government Relations, their relationship in the work of a lobbyist, the legal regulation of lobbying abroad and the inadmissibility of corruption in lobbying activities. The master class was built on practical cases reflecting the peculiarities of lobbying and GR in in various sectors of the economy of Russia and the Eurasian Economic Union.
“Our work is based on civilized, intellectual lobbying, and we understand how important it is to share knowledge with future practitioners, to tell examples about technologies and tools that are applicable in the legal field of both Russia and foreign countries. Our company is ready to expand cooperation with academic structures, in this we see our contribution to the development of the profession,”– told about the importance of the event Kirill Tuzov, Director of Government Relations and Political Projects Practice.
The company thanks the head of ILAP Dina Krylova for the opportunity to host the event and expresses readiness for further cooperation.
]]> Anastasia Tsvetkova Evaluated Business Projects in the Jury of the PEOPLE INVESTOR https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/imjoi0x6f1-anastasia-tsvetkova-evaluated-business-p https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/imjoi0x6f1-anastasia-tsvetkova-evaluated-business-p?amp=true Mon, 16 Dec 2019 11:15:00 +0300 #company Anastasia Tsvetkova served on the jury of the PEOPLE INVESTOR awards, evaluating company projects in the environmental efficiency category.

Anastasia Tsvetkova Evaluated Business Projects in the Jury of the PEOPLE INVESTOR

Director of International Communications and CSR practice of the Baikal Lobridge acted as an expert in the nomination "Environmental efficiency".

On December 13, 2019 face-to-face defence of nominees of the XII competition PEOPLE INVESTOR took place. The jury evaluated the projects of PJSC "Rostelecom", OJSC "Federal Hydrogeneration company – RusHydro", PJSC "Severstal", Unilever and O1 Properties.
"All projects are highly appreciated and meet the current trends of social and economic development of Russia. From the point of view of environmental efficiency, it is worth noting the efforts of Unilever and Severstal to introduce a closed-loop economy in Russia. Rostelecom presented an important project on automated detection of forest fires. O1 Properties showed an example of work to reduce the negative impact of commercial real estate on nature and human health, and RusHydro demonstrated a case of charity in the environment. Projects are difficult to compare with each other. From year to year, the projects of the competition grow both in quantity and quality and in this category today it is possible to identify the winners in different thematic project areas," – Anastasia Tsvetkova said.
The Rostelecom project became the winner of the competition, at the basis of which 10 points of video surveillance for forest fire situation in the Perm region had been installed and operates. The system automatically detects a cloud of smoke on the background of the forest at an early stage, determines the expected coordinates and the closest to the fire source forces and means of fire suppression. The system is expected to be replicated in other regions.
]]> Completion of a Special Course on Lobbying for Students of Legal Faculties at MGIMO https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/811mhtnhl1-completion-of-a-special-course-on-lobbyi https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/811mhtnhl1-completion-of-a-special-course-on-lobbyi?amp=true Mon, 23 Dec 2019 11:40:00 +0300 #events #employees A GR and lobbying course at MGIMO was completed, with students receiving certificates and covering practical aspects of working with government.

Completion of a Special Course on Lobbying for Students of Legal Faculties at MGIMO

On December 20, sixty law students of the Russian universities got a certificate on successful completion of the course “Law as an essential tool in lobbying activities”. The course was arranged by the Department of Constitutional Law of MGIMO and Baikal Lobridge and was hosted by the MGIMO Law Club.

The course provided the students with practical knowledge about promoting business and NPOs’s interests in state authorities, about GR and lobbying tools, as well as about the features of GR communication between business and state in national and international environment. Much attention was paid to the aspects of administrative and parliamentary law in lobbying projects.

The course was held by the CEO of Baikal Lobridge Eduard Voytenko, Ph.D. in Political Science, a professional lobbyist, head of the GR Management and Lobbying Technologies course at the MGIMO’s School of International Journalism and the training course “GR and Lobbying in Business and NPOs” at the MGIMO’s School of Business.
]]> Another Master Class for Bachelors on GR&Lobbying at HSE https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/dcb2jgsr11-another-master-class-for-bachelors-on-gr https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/dcb2jgsr11-another-master-class-for-bachelors-on-gr?amp=true Thu, 16 Jan 2020 11:52:00 +0300 #events #company Baikal Lobridge held a master class for HSE University students, focusing on the use of PR tools in GR and lobbying projects.

Another Master Class for Bachelors on GR&Lobbying at HSE

The team Of Baikal Lobridge held another master class for the undergraduate students in the Interdisciplinary Laboratory for Anti-Corruption Policy of National Research University Higher School of Economics (ILAP). The theme of the master class was “GR and lobbying as legal mechanisms for promoting the interests of business and non-profit organizations in public authorities”.

The event was dedicated to working with PR tools during GR and lobbying projects. During the master class, students learned about such PR tools as interaction with the mass media, participation in public and informal events, work in the SMM & Digital environment, and most importantly, in their correct combination in a lobbying campaign.
“It is important for us to share practical knowledge with the student community, to improve the educational level in the field of GR and to be engaged in training of highly qualified personnel” – told about the importance of the event Kirill Tuzov, Director of Government Relations and Political Projects Practice.
The company thanks the head of ILAP Dina Krylova for the opportunity to host the master class and looks forward to continued cooperation.
]]> From the Course on Corporate Social Responsibility to the Programme on Water Resources Management https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/85pulkd7x1-from-the-course-on-corporate-social-resp https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/85pulkd7x1-from-the-course-on-corporate-social-resp?amp=true Tue, 10 Mar 2020 13:56:00 +0300 #development of practices Anastasia Tsvetkova is involved in launching a new module at RANEPA focused on water resource management, as a continuation of the CSR course.

From the Course on Corporate Social Responsibility to the Programme on Water Resources Management

Anastasia Tsvetkova, Director of the International Communications and CSR Practice at Baikal Lobridge, will launch an interdisciplinary module on water resources management at Ranepa.

In autumn 2019, Anastasia conducted a course “Corporate Social Responsibility in a Global Context” for the Ranepa’s fourth year students of bachelor’s programme “Global Governance and Leadership”.

The programme consisted of 7 lectures and 7 seminars, focused on the formation of students’ understanding in corporate social responsibility, theoretical and practical basis of CSR, development of knowledge of key concepts of sustainable development on the examples of international organizations’ activity. During the course, the main directions of social responsibility development of business were considered in the modern context.

Within the course listeners had an opportunity to dive into the practical understanding of the subject – among the guests of the course there were the representatives of corporate segment, consulting organizations and non-profit sector. The cases from relevant work experience were shared by the Director of Sustainable Development Department of AFK “Sistema” Victoria Blatova, by Development Director of Young Group Social and Coordinator of Federal Social Projects Yevgenia Kuznetsova, by the Peer Advisor of Communication Department of State Corporation Rosatom and the Head of the Working Group on Report Preparation Sergey Golovachev.

Following the results of the course, the School of public policy and administration ISS Presidential academy invited Anastasia Tsvetkova to take part in the development of new English-language bachelor programme on global challenges. The author’s course of the International Communications Director and the Head of CSR Practice of Baikal Lobridge on water resources management will be included in the educational programme of the third course. Applications for the new programme “Management of Global Challenges” are open.

The course “Water Resources Management” will consist of three modules. In the first module there will be considered such topics as basic concepts of hydrology, water bioresources and aquaculture, human’s influence on hydrological processes, water and the climate change, water for the sustainable development. During the second module, students will investigate the mechanisms of water resource management, water resources management in the national and international realms. In the third module the special emphasis will be placed on leadership in the sphere of water resources management, in particular, on such topics as development of models of water resources management, business responsibility in the usage of water resources, entrepreneurship in addressing water issues. The lectures will be read by recognized professionals in each field.

The presentation of the course took place as a part of open doors day in February 2020.
]]> On the Start of the Cross-Border Cooperation with Levick Strategic Communications https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/nk2tgad6u1-on-the-start-of-the-cross-border-coopera https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/nk2tgad6u1-on-the-start-of-the-cross-border-coopera?amp=true Mon, 08 Jun 2020 14:32:00 +0300 #company #development of practices Baikal Lobridge and Levick Strategic Communications have agreed on a partnership and plan to work together on projects in Russia and the United States, combining their expertise in communications, GR, and crisis management.

On the Start of the Cross-Border Cooperation with Levick Strategic Communications

On June 5, 2020 Baikal Lobridge and Levick Strategic Communications announced the start of the global partnership, aimed at implementing the joint projects in the territory of two states – the Russian Federation and the United States of America.

Levick Strategic Communications is an established international company, which specializes in Corporate Affairs, Crisis Management, Public Affairs as well as Investigations and Litigation. The corporate structure was established in Washington, D.C. in 1998. As a result of the exclusive and immaculate professional expertise, Levick Strategic Communications became the laureate of numerous awards, including Gold SABRE Award, PR Week Awards, PR News Legal PR Award, TIVA Peer Awards, etc. In 2020 the company occupied the place in the Global Top 250 PR Agencies 2020, according to the authoritative industrial Public Relations’ media source PRovoke.

As CEO and Managing Director of Baikal Lobridge Mr. Eduard Voytenko underlines:
“Experience of Levick Strategic Communications in the field of Litigation, Crisis Management and Public Affairs forms the partner’s professional reliability. Our collaboration in the sphere of Sanctions Law and Sanctions Compliance will boost our capabilities not only to execute the high-qualified legal and lobbying’s support to our clients, but also to safeguard their information impregnability under the circumstances of the extremely formidable pressure from various groups of stakeholders”.
Richard Levick, CEO and Chairman of Levick Strategic Communications, shares the same point of view of Mr. Eduard Voytenko. He highlights with relish the fact of the successful collaboration with the Russian corporate entity.
“We are honored and delighted to partner with Baikal Lobridge as our Russian communications firm. With their experience in Сrisis, Public Affairs and Environmental Communications and their commitment to innovation and excellence, they were precisely the partner we were looking for, for our global network, now consisting of 26 communications firms in 28 countries”.
Currently Russian-American relations have deteriorated and are going through the politically tough times. Mr. Eduard Voytenko asserts:
“Under the circumstances of Russian and American political tensions our entities help protect the commercial interests and cement the foundations for the extremely reliable and resilient communication ground for the Russian business within the US and the American business within the Russian Federation”.
Mr. Richard Levick agrees:
“At a time of strained US-Russian relations, it is a particular challenge for US companies and entities in Russia and equally challenging time for Russian companies and entities in the U.S. It is our joint hope and commitment that our collaboration will make this easier for our clients.”
In the near future Baikal Lobridge and Levick Strategic Communications have strong aspirations to apply all the stated intentions on mutually beneficial interaction to the practical implementation. As an example, in the long-term perspective it is planned to execute the bilateral partnership within the framework of the global industrial platform – Crisis and Litigation Communicators Alliance.
]]> Baikal Lobridge Became the Corporate Member of the Public Affairs Council https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/eff6l9anp1-baikal-lobridge-became-the-corporate-mem https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/eff6l9anp1-baikal-lobridge-became-the-corporate-mem?amp=true Tue, 09 Jun 2020 14:54:00 +0300 #company #development of practices The company became a member of the Public Affairs Council, gaining access to an international professional community and educational programs.

Baikal Lobridge Became the Corporate Member of the Public Affairs Council

On June 9, 2020 Baikal Lobridge joined the international association – The Public Affairs Council, which brings together the sectoral specialists and experts from more than 700 corporations, non-profits, consulting agencies and universities all around the world.

The Public Affairs Council was launched in Washington, D.C. in 1954 by the President of the United States of America Mr. Dwight Eisenhower for the purpose of enhancing the mechanisms for engagement of corporations in the civilized dialogue with state authorities.

Nowadays, the Council has two offices – in the U.S and Europe in Brussels. Each year the Council arranges the numerous profile seminars and conferences. Webinars and industrial advanced training programs are accessible and available for members as well.
“Membership in the Public Affairs Council for us is one step closer towards the development of the systemic dialogue with colleagues from different countries. The crucial principle of our approach to the professional activity is the constant perfection and improvement of the applicable GR-technologies and practices, which were elaborated, based on our own experience, or adopted from the West. The fifth anniversary of Baikal Lobridge is the manifestation of our successes: we have GR-School, we implement projects on advanced training with MGIMO School of Business and International Proficiency. On a regular basis we educate our employees and we are glad to provide them with the institutional platform, aimed at exchanging experience with other colleagues”, – Mr. Eduard Voytenko stated.
The Public Affairs Council incorporates exclusively the corporate membership with the formidable emphasis on the necessity of the corporate members’ strict abidance by norms of compliance and ethical principles.
]]> On the Start of Transnational Partnership with the Honorary Consulate of the Russian Federation in Porto, the Portuguese Republic https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/e8lb0l2021-on-the-start-of-transnational-partnershi https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/e8lb0l2021-on-the-start-of-transnational-partnershi?amp=true Wed, 15 Jul 2020 15:08:00 +0300 #company #development of practices Baikal Lobridge and the Honorary Consulate of the Russian Federation in Portugal signed a memorandum of cooperation and agreed to develop joint projects and business contacts.

On the Start of Transnational Partnership with the Honorary Consulate of the Russian Federation in Porto, the Portuguese Republic

On July 15, 2020 Baikal Lobridge and the Honorary Consulate of the Russian Federation in Porto, the Portuguese Republic (represented by the Honorary Consul Mr. Antonio Fernando Couto Dos Santos) concluded the Memorandum of Understanding on long-term cross-border cooperation.

The Parties agreed upon the enhancement of partnership, which is going to envisage:

– Collaborative Mediation for the purpose of facilitating the constructive dialogue with all the relevant companies of the Russian Federation and the Portuguese Republic respectively;

– Exchange of information, which is strategically relevant for the successful implementation of a number of joint international projects of Baikal Lobridge and the Honorary Consulate;

– Execution of consultations on the matter of common interests as well as collaborative networking.

Besides, given the active facilitation by the Honorary Consulate, the Memorandum incorporates the direct opportunity for Baikal Lobridge to be engaged in the sectoral business events in the territory of the Portuguese Republic.
“It is a great honour for us to arrange the official communication with the Honorary Consul of Russia in Portugal. As a matter of fact, the signed Memorandum of Understanding manifests the existing reality: Russia and Portugal have the common aspiration to the mutually beneficial trade and economic coexistence. What is more, Baikal Lobridge and the Honorary Consulate are positioned as an indispensable constituent of the complex large-scale trend towards the strengthening ties between two countries”, – asserted CEO and Managing Director of Baikal Lobridge Mr. Eduard Voytenko.
In his turn, Mr. Antonio Fernando Couto Dos Santos highlights the following point of view:
“The local business community demonstrates the substantial interest to Russia. However, as I remember, penetration of the Portuguese companies into the market of the Russian Federation has always been associated with a number of formidable difficulties, which were caused by all the linguistic constraints, corporate concerns. Mainly, the corporate stalemate has been triggered by the absence of the trustworthy intermediary with capabilities to lay the foundation, aimed at alleviating the entry of the Portuguese business into the economic space of Russia. In this regard Baikal Lobridge deserves the high point attention – undoubtedly the company is going to become the reliable facilitator of the Portuguese firms in Russia and also to be the bridge for Russian business interest in local Portuguese communities”.
All the agreements have happened despite the current international isolation.
“It is noteworthy that we launched the successful start to our interaction within the today’s global economic stagnation due to the unpredictable and unstable global epidemiological situation. It is my firm hope that our constructive dialogue with the Honorary Consulate will be deepened and strengthened as well as taken forward to another high-quality level, hopefully, in the near future as soon as national borders reopen”, – underlined Mr. Eduard Voytenko.
Mr. Antonio Fernando Couto Dos Santos, the Honorary Consul of Russia in Portugal, is a citizen of the Portuguese Republic. He executes a number of separated consular functions on a freelance basis under the leadership and control of the diplomatic mission of Russia (Embassy).
]]> Baikal Lobridge Develops the Domain for Global Presence of the Company https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/y37z6jhkz1-baikal-lobridge-develops-the-domain-for https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/y37z6jhkz1-baikal-lobridge-develops-the-domain-for?amp=true Tue, 21 Jul 2020 15:21:00 +0300 #employees Vladislav Pantyukhin has been appointed Director of Global Strategic Development and will be responsible for strengthening international partnerships and expanding the company’s presence in foreign markets.

Baikal Lobridge Develops the Domain for Global Presence of the Company

Vladislav Pantiukhin was appointed to the position of Global Strategy Director.

Vladislav Pantiukhin will be dealing with the foundations to bolster the international positions of Baikal Lobridge through the elaboration and long-term implementation of the projects, aimed at boosting the collaboration with potential partners, which execute the global activity.

The overriding objectives for the position of Global Strategy Director implicate the establishment of the multifaceted cooperation with cross-border lobbying firms, communications agencies, and law firms, direct engagement in the activity of transnational sectoral associations and professional communities, participation in the nominations for the relevant international awards, “corporate image” support and promotion in the international arena.

Among professional achievements of Vladislav in the position of Global Strategy Director are the membership of Baikal Lobridge in the Public Affairs Council, global lobbying organization, evolvement of partnership with the large U.S. Public Relations’ firm – Levick Strategic Communications as well as the Honorary Consulate of the Russian Federation in Portugal and others.

Vladislav holds Master’s degree in International Politics and Transnational Business from MGIMO University and gained professional experience, working as a public servant. Prior to joining the team of Baikal Lobridge he worked as a diplomat at the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Australia (Canberra).
]]> Eduard Voytenko Became the Member of the Society of European Affairs Professionals https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/zua1180hx1-eduard-voytenko-became-the-member-of-the https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/zua1180hx1-eduard-voytenko-became-the-member-of-the?amp=true Fri, 14 Aug 2020 16:38:00 +0300 #company #development of practices Eduard Voytenko became a member of the European association SEAP, which brings together Public Affairs professionals, joining an international community of GR experts.

Eduard Voytenko Became the Member of the Society of European Affairs Professionals

On August 6, 2020, CEO and Managing Director of Baikal Lobridge Mr. Eduard Voytenko joined the Society of European Affairs Professionals (SEAP). The organization unites on an individual basis the highly qualified specialists in the field of Government Relations that are engaged in the activity of corporations, trade associations, non-profit sector, consultancies and other representative bodies.

SEAP was established in Brussels in 1997 for the purpose of advancing the norms of transparency between the EU institutions and international lobbying structures as well as promoting the Public Affairs’ expertise.
“Membership in SEAP envisages the adherence to the high standards of GR-profession, which originally I have been supporting all the time within the company Baikal Lobridge. The compulsory SEAP training on ethical Code of Conduct, which must be completed by all the members, is similar to the instructional program for all the new employees of Baikal Lobridge”, – Mr. Eduard Voytenko noted.
On a regular basis SEAP arranges the relevant webinars to enhance substantially the qualifications of experts and specialists in the sphere of Public Affairs. Besides, the association is conditioned to allow all the members to expand their professional contacts through the yearly SEAP’s events.
“Membership in SEAP, which coincides almost perfectly with the 5 years’ anniversary of Baikal Lobridge, is a manifestation of our views and predilection towards the permanent corporate evolution. Participation in SEAP’s work will become an indispensable component of our commitment to promote the GR-segment in the Russian Federation, which is currently executed through GR-school and interaction with MGIMO as well as active engagement in the activity of another global professional association – Public Affairs Council”, – Mr. Eduard Voytenko concluded.
]]> Baikal Lobridge Establishes the Legislation and Legal Studies' Practice https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/1hs0i8tv01-baikal-lobridge-establishes-the-legislat https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/1hs0i8tv01-baikal-lobridge-establishes-the-legislat?amp=true Mon, 07 Sep 2020 17:16:00 +0300 #development of practices #employees The company has strengthened its legal expertise by launching a new practice focused on drafting and analyzing regulatory acts and providing legal support for projects. The practice will be led by Anastasia Parfenchikova.

Baikal Lobridge Establishes the Legislation and Legal Studies' Practice

Baikal Lobridge is about to enhance the expertise positions with regard to the legal support of lobbying projects through the initiated Legislation and Legal Studies’ Practice. The division will be headed by Ms. Anastasia Parfenchikova, legal expert with the vast law-making experience.

Prior to joining the company, Ms. Anastasia Parfenchikova was employed as a public official. Moreover, she was engaged in the law-making on behalf of NGOs, took responsibility for the elaboration and legal expertise of normative legal bills as well as the interaction with public authorities. Ms. Anastasia Parfenchikova holds master’s and PhD degree in Law. Besides, she is involved in both research and teaching activities at the Kutafin Moscow State Law University.
“Elaboration of normative legal bills and their subsequent promotion within the system of legislative and executive branches of power require the high-quality and diversified legal expertise, which includes both the working experience in the domain of state and political decision-making as well as the fastidious analysis of legislation and the legal tenets. Assignment of the separate Legislation and Legal Studies’ Practice will trigger the strengthening of the company’s positions in such spheres as Law-Making and Regulation. It is going to boost the KPI of other divisions within our company”, – Mr. Eduard Voytenko highlighted.
Undoubtedly, the specific role of law-making activities for the state management and business processes requires the comprehensive examination and analysis of topics, concerning the assessment of legislation, particularly, in terms of the normative legal acts’ efficiency, legal regulation, and the toolkit to overcome a number of law-making failures. The Legislation and Legal Studies’ Practice will ensure the implementation of these operations.
“Baikal Lobridge is a company, which not only highly prioritizes the efficient decision-making for the sophisticated communications challenges, but also deeply values the legal and ethical professional conduct. I am extremely glad to be an essential part of this professional team, who possesses the multifaceted range of legal instruments to implement the current and future lobbying projects. I am very enthusiastic about the opportunity to take charge of their legal support”, – Ms. Anastasia Parfenchikova stated.
]]> Fifth Graduate Course “GR and Lobbying in Business and Non-profit Sector” https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/nhh3yu2yy1-fifth-graduate-course-gr-and-lobbying-in https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/nhh3yu2yy1-fifth-graduate-course-gr-and-lobbying-in?amp=true Mon, 02 Nov 2020 17:35:00 +0300 #events #company Baikal Lobridge and MGIMO held the fifth edition of their GR and lobbying training course, focused on practical approaches to interaction between business, NGOs, and public authorities.

Fifth Graduate Course “GR and Lobbying in Business and Non-profit Sector”

From 27th to 31st October 2020 the fifth advanced training program “GR and Lobbying in Business and Non-profit Sector” has been successfully held under the auspices of the Russian lobbying company Baikal Lobridge in partnership with the MGIMO School of Business and International Proficiency.

All MGIMO Graduate Certificates have been awarded by Eduard Voytenko, Academic Director of the advanced training program as well as CEO of Baikal Lobridge. At the graduation ceremony, Eduard Voytenko highlighted that it was the only advanced training program in the domain of GR&Lobbying in the Russian Federation, predicated upon the principle “practitioners for practitioners”.

The specific feature of the fifth graduate course is that the advanced training program was efficiently extended from 4 to 5 days and, in its turn, comprised 50 academic hours of studying the approaches and strategies to promote the interests of for-profit and non-profit organizations through the deep engagement with public authorities. Besides, the GR-advanced training program targeted at technologies and instruments for better and more effective communication between Business/NGOs and Government, using the demonstrative cases, derived from a number of industries, including the real economy and non-profit sector.

Lectures and workshops for attendees were delivered by CEO of Baikal Lobridge Eduard Voytenko, state officials, public activists, and executive management of Russian and international companies. Among them were the following high-ranking professionals: Russian Corporate Affairs Lead for Cargill, Inc. Mr. Andrey Lyan, President of the Union of Producers of soft drinks and mineral waters Mr. Maxim Novikov, Deputy Head of the Executive Committee of the All-Russia People’s Front Mr. Dmitry Polikanov, Director of Legal Affairs and Government Relations for Saint-Gobain Mr. Rafael Zohrabyan, President of the National Association of Professional Collection Agencies – NAPCA and Head of the Board of the Self-Regulatory Organization “Microfinance and Development” Mr. Elman Mekhtiyev, Managing Director of the National Union of Milk Producers “Souzmoloko” Mr. Artyom Belov, Director of Federal Government Relations Department for X5 Retail Group Mr. Stanislav Bogdanov, Head of Government Relations for JSC “Cordiant” Mr. Anton Akimov, Director of Government Relations and Market Access for CJSC BIOCAD Mr. Alexey Torgov, Senior Government Relations Director in Eastern Europe for Baltika Breweries/part of Carlsberg Group Ms. Irina Fedorova, Director of the Self-Regulatory Organization “Union of Dietary Supplements Producers” Mr. Alexander Zhestkov, Head of Government Relations for Skyeng Mr. Makar Goncharov, Head of the Law Section of the Russian newspaper “Rossiyskaya Gazeta” Mr. Alexander Moskovkin, Senior Manager of Foreign Public Affairs for PJSC “Lukoil” Ms. Vitaliya Tsarik, Head of Government Relations for PJSC “Fortum” Mr. Alexander Pavlenko, Director of Government Relations and Charity Activity for EVRAZ Plc. Ms. Maria Dronova, Government Relations and Policy Director for Russia & CIS for Cisco Systems Inc. Ms. Anna Smirnova, Director of Government Relations for Alibaba.com Mr. Sergey Lebedev, Corporate Relations Manager in Russia for Diageo Plc. Ms. Elena Ushanova, Director for Legal Affairs and External Corporate Relations for British American Tobacco Russia Ms. Yana Guskova and Head of the Entrepreneurship Advocacy Section at the Department for the Development of Entrepreneurship of the Eurasian Economic Commission Mr. Artyom Yulegin.

Among attendees were state ministerial officials of the Russian Federation, managers of educational and non-profit organizations as well as the executive management and managing staff of a number of for-profit organizations: Baltika Breweries, ESforce Holding, Ctrl2Go, Boehringer Ingelheim, “Schneider Electric” JSC, Baikal Lobridge, The Lake Baikal Foundation for Environmental Applications and Research, British American Tobacco, MGIMO-University, TASS-Agency, Ministry of Industry and Trade of Russia and others. In total, 21 professionals graduated from the advanced training program.


]]> Anastasia Tsvetkova on a Jury of the Competition “People Investor 2020: ESG – for Everybody!” https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/fzsl2c2h31-anastasia-tsvetkova-on-a-jury-of-the-com https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/fzsl2c2h31-anastasia-tsvetkova-on-a-jury-of-the-com?amp=true Tue, 08 Dec 2020 17:49:00 +0300 #events #ratings and awards Anastasia Tsvetkova joined the jury of People Investor 2020 and evaluated projects in the environmental efficiency category. The winner was M.Video’s project focused on collecting and recycling electronic waste.

Anastasia Tsvetkova on a Jury of the Competition “People Investor 2020: ESG – for Everybody!”

In 2020 the Competition was aimed at discussing the responsibility level of companies for their own staff as well as the scale of business participation in dealing with social and ecological issues.

Which values were prioritized this pandemic year? It is the crucial question, which ultimately determined the business program of the Competition “People Investor”, held by the Russian Managers Association on a yearly basis. Director of International Communications and CSR Practice at Baikal Lobridge Anastasia Tsvetkova was invited to evaluate projects in the category “Ecological effectiveness”. The expert two-stage evaluation activity was followed by the final announcement of the winner – M.Video and its project “We care about the environment”. All nominees presented their projects on a preliminary basis and received jury feedbacks on their presentations’ improvements. During the next full-fledged meeting on December 2, 2020, the project presentation was followed by a significant discussion on corporate ecological responsibility, prospects of innovations within business operations as well as consumer communication domains.

Anastasia Tsvetkova highlighted that there were a number of reasons why the winning project of the Competition deserved the victory. Firstly, it is the largest business project in Russia on electronic waste treatment and recycling, aimed at decreasing the dangerous waste volume and boosting the development of the circular economy through the creation of convenient appliances’ collection services. For example, within the framework of the program, which was launched in 2019, conglomerate M.Video-Eldorado collected and conveyed for disposal about 100 000 items of home appliances and 1 000 000 batteries. Secondly, according to the authors of the project, NPS among M.Video customers hit a record high (for the last 5 years) figures. It implies the actual impact of the engagement mechanisms. In addition to that, the level of mass customers’ awareness of e-waste’s influence on the environment has increased as well.

The record of the conference part of the section “Ecological effectiveness” is available via the link.
]]> Baikal Lobridge Became the Member of the Crisis and Litigation Communicators’ Alliance https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/326bkdf4u1-baikal-lobridge-became-the-member-of-the https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/326bkdf4u1-baikal-lobridge-became-the-member-of-the?amp=true Mon, 14 Dec 2020 18:05:00 +0300 #company #development of practices Baikal Lobridge has joined the international CLCA alliance and will represent Russia and Eastern Europe within the community of crisis and litigation communications professionals.

Baikal Lobridge Became the Member of the Crisis and Litigation Communicators’ Alliance

On December 9th, 2020 Baikal Lobridge joined the global professional association – Crisis and Litigation Communicators’ Alliance (CLCA).

CLCA is an international network of independent companies, which specialize in Litigation and Crisis PR. The CLCA is located in Vienna, Austria.

At present the CLCA brings together commercial communications organizations from Australia, Europe, the United States, East and Southeast Asia. Baikal Lobridge, which is the 15th member of the CLCA, will officially represent the sectoral market of Russia and Eastern Europe.
“From our professional standpoint we are very glad to win the competition among the Russian companies to represent the CLCA interests in Russia and Eastern Europe. Since the initial establishment of Baikal Lobridge in 2015, we have accumulated the substantial professional competences in the domain of crisis PR through both the diligent and meticulous implementation of complex lobbying campaigns on behalf of clients as well as the reliable assistance in dealing with the isolated crisis challenges in the media and political space. We are holding in high esteem the trust from the current members of the CLCA. We are ready to establish the constructive business partnership”, – commented on membership CEO and Managing Director of Baikal Lobridge Eduard Voytenko.
To join the CLCA a commercial organization must meet a strict set of criteria, regarding the supreme sectoral qualifications as well as the “geographical exclusivity” (no more than 1 commercial organization from each national country).
“Russia is a country where the successful business development requires the special understanding of how the public authorities of the Russian Federation, specific rules of information space as well as the expert community are working in unison. Amid economic turbulence we are extremely delighted to have in Russia such a good and experienced partner as Baikal Lobridge. It is a great honor to welcome Baikal Lobridge and we look forward to starting a close partnership together”, – noted Martin Jenewein from SMJ Partners Consulting and Chairman of the CLCA.
]]> Baikal Lobridge Joins Vedomosti’s Social Investment Conference https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/v4jkn5se61-baikal-lobridge-joins-vedomostis-social https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/v4jkn5se61-baikal-lobridge-joins-vedomostis-social?amp=true Mon, 02 Mar 2026 10:58:00 +0300 #events #employees Baikal Lobridge took part in Vedomosti’s Social Investment conference. Senior Partner Anastasia Tsvetkova shared insights from the “National Parks Without Waste” program and spoke about practical approaches to sustainable social project design.

Baikal Lobridge Joins Vedomosti’s Social Investment Conference

Baikal Lobridge took part in the annual Social Investment conference hosted by “Vedomosti”, a leading business publication, where experts discussed the key challenges facing the social sector. Anastasia Tsvetkova, Senior Partner for Climate and Sustainability, spoke at the session “Trust Within Communities: Creating Cities for People.”

At the session, she focused on how NGOs design social programs that attract expertise, funding, and media attention — and, most importantly, drive systemic change. Using the “National Parks Without Waste” program run by the Lake Baikal Foundation as a case study, she shared seven years of experience introducing waste separation systems in protected natural areas across the Baikal region.

The project shows how to bring together local communities, beneficiaries, businesses, and authorities — and build cooperation that creates lasting environmental and social impact. The program is currently active in three national parks around Lake Baikal. Its methodological guidelines are now used nationwide, and the analytical data collected during its implementation has been incorporated into the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment’s roadmap for reducing waste impact on protected areas.

According to Anastasia, what makes such initiatives work is a clear focus on fundamentals: addressing root causes rather than symptoms, prioritizing ecosystems and local communities, and planning for the long term — typically over three to five years ahead.

Baikal Lobridge has extensive experience in developing strategies for charitable foundations and supporting businesses in selecting NGO partners. The team helps define key selection criteria and supports the entire collaboration process — from designing joint initiatives to evaluating their impact. This approach fosters strong, long-term partnerships between business and the non-profit sector.

The Social Investment conference brings together representatives of business, government, and NGOs to exchange best practices, address current challenges, and set priorities for the year ahead.
]]> Enrollment is Open for the 17th GR and Lobbying Course Cohort https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/m4oi9u75x1-enrollment-is-open-for-the-17th-gr-and-l https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/m4oi9u75x1-enrollment-is-open-for-the-17th-gr-and-l?amp=true Tue, 24 Mar 2026 16:16:00 +0300 #announcements The program focuses on developing practical GR tools and analyzing real-world case studies with experts from various industries.

Enrollment is Open for the 17th GR and Lobbying Course Cohort

Baikal Lobridge, in partnership with the School of Business MGIMO, has opened enrollment for the 17th cohort of its "GR and Lobbying in Business and NGOs" program. The training will take place in person from April 6 to April 11, 2026.

The six-day program (60 academic hours) is designed with a strong practical focus. Attendees work through real-life cases and learn how to engage with public authorities at different levels — from federal to supranational, including work with the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC). Sessions are led by practitioners from business, the non-profit sector, and government.

The cohort will bring together 25 expert speakers. The curriculum covers 38 applied topics and includes case studies drawn from actual GR and lobbying projects. Upon completion, participants receive a state-recognized certificate issued by MGIMO University.

Since 2018, 491 individuals from over 300 organizations have completed the program. Alumni include senior executives, GR leaders, entrepreneurs, lawyers, communications professionals, and public officials.
Participants represent key industries, including IT, pharmaceuticals, oil and gas, agribusiness, retail, marketplaces, banking, construction, mining, and others.

The program continues to attract participants from across the CIS, including Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.

More information about the course and application details are available on the program’s website.
]]> The Second Course "Lobbying and Public Affairs" for Magisters of RANEPA https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/y0xt1aulg1-the-second-course-lobbying-and-public-af https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/y0xt1aulg1-the-second-course-lobbying-and-public-af?amp=true Mon, 28 Dec 2020 17:57:00 +0300 #events #employees Anastasia Tsvetkova delivered classes for RANEPA master’s students, introducing them to the practical aspects of GR and lobbying through real-life case studies from her professional experience.

The Second Course "Lobbying and Public Affairs" for Magisters of RANEPA

Director of International Communications and CSR Practice at Baikal Lobridge Anastasia Tsvetkova gave a series of lectures on GR and Lobbying for students of the English-language master’s program at the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration.

The course load is 28 academic hours, within which students of the international English-language master’s program of the Institute for Social Sciences of RANEPA study the methodology to promote and protect the interests of business and non-profit sector at the level of public authorities. The author’s course of Ms. Anastasia Tsvetkova, which was initially presented in 2019, – immersion of students in the specific GR-cases, based on the practical implications, derived from Baikal Lobridge and The Lake Baikal Foundation for Environmental Applications and Research. The experience of Ms. Anastasia Tsvetkova in the field of environmental consulting, public diplomacy, and public affairs helps to secure the teaching-learning process in such a way as to combine the theoretical foundations and the practical participatory teamwork of attendees.

Within the aforementioned course, a number of invited guests gave lectures to students of the master’s programs: “Global Leadership” and “Strategic Communication”. Among them are: Head of Government Relations at Coca-Cola Bottling Company Mr. Vitaly Zhigulin, Corporate Affairs Lead for Russia at Cargill Mr. Andrey Lyan, President of the National Association of Professional Collection Agencies – NAPCA Mr. Elman Mekhtiyev, Executive Director of the International Medical Device Manufacturers Association – IMEDA Mr. Sergey Vanin.

In December 2020 students passed certification exams as they demonstrated skills of risk analysis, knowledge of GR-strategy’s foundations, principles of stakeholder mapping for GR-communication, GR-instruments.

In conclusion, attendees highly reviewed the course as well as the obtained knowledge, which will be useful for the professional development of GR-specialists both in business and social sector.

The next course is to be held in autumn 2021 with the use of the hugely valued practice-oriented method.
]]> Baikal Lobridge Establishes Litigation PR Practice https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/fp2v2gk3b1-baikal-lobridge-establishes-litigation-p https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/fp2v2gk3b1-baikal-lobridge-establishes-litigation-p?amp=true Thu, 21 Jan 2021 18:13:00 +0300 #development of practices Baikal Lobridge is expanding its expertise by launching a legal PR practice led by Nina Danilina, who will support court cases and help shape the appropriate media narrative around them.

Baikal Lobridge Establishes Litigation PR Practice

Baikal Lobridge strengthens the expertise positions in the domain of strategic communications and establishes Litigation PR Practice to be headed by Ms. Nina Danilina, PR-specialist with over 10 years’ experience in information support of litigation disputes.

Prior to joining the company Ms. Nina Danilina was responsible for the PR-support of high-profile litigation disputes, promoted legal, educational and fintech companies, was employed as a journalist and an editor of business publications. Ms. Nina Danilina is ranked among the top specialists in the field of legal marketing, PR, and strategy by Kommersant.

In the course of litigation disputes, it is of paramount importance to interact with the media and public opinion leaders, correct public distortions, and obtain extremely accurate media coverage. Instead of taking hits from opponents, it is necessary to form and develop our independent information agenda.
“More and more public litigation disputes in Russia have been resolved through media coverage. Litigation PR comes to the rescue of plaintiffs and legal experts as the management of the communication processes during the course of any legal dispute or adjudicatory processing, aimed at creating beneficial background information around certain legal positions as well as achieving justice. The probability to obtain an impartial and objective judiciary decision drastically increases if the general public follows litigation proceedings”, – explained Ms. Nina Danilina.
Research on the effectiveness of PR-support of litigation disputes, held in 2020, indicated that over 60% of all plaintiffs and legal experts had already used PR-instruments within litigation disputes. These instruments were considered effective. 78% of all respondents confirmed that PR-support had influenced the outcomes of litigation disputes.
“Baikal Communications Group possesses all professional competencies, concerning the implementation of lobbying projects at the level of executive and legislative public authorities and their PR-support (if necessary). We provide our clients with additional formidable protective force through strengthening the specific Litigation PR expertise. Litigation PR influences the course of litigation disputes and protects clients from financial and reputation losses, which may arise as an outcome of litigation disputes”, – noted CEO and Managing Director of Baikal Communications Group Eduard Voytenko.
]]> Baikal Lobridge Featured in Government Report on Lake Baikal https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/xzean8klu1-baikal-lobridge-featured-in-government-r https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/xzean8klu1-baikal-lobridge-featured-in-government-r?amp=true Tue, 17 Feb 2026 12:24:00 +0300 #company #fund Baikal Lobridge is recognized in the Ministry of Natural Resources report “On the Condition of Lake Baikal and Measures for Its Protection in 2024” for its contribution to environmental initiatives and support of the Lake Baikal Foundation.

Baikal Lobridge Featured in Government Report on Lake Baikal

Baikal Lobridge has been mentioned in the government report “On the Condition of Lake Baikal and Measures for Its Protection in 2024,” published by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation.

The document provides an overview of the key aspects of the environmental situation at Lake Baikal, along with a set of measures taken to protect its unique ecosystem. Special attention in the report is given to the role of the private sector in environmental initiatives. Alongside projects by VEB.RF, Rosselkhozbank, Rosneft, Yandex Cloud, and other major companies, Baikal Lobridge’s role in supporting the core operations of the Lake Baikal Foundation in the interest of sustainable development of the Baikal natural territory is highlighted.

In 2016, Baikal Lobridge played a key role in establishing the Lake Baikal Foundation to promote structured philanthropic efforts in environmental protection at Baikal and to extend this model to other regions of Russia. For nearly ten years, the company and its clients have contributed to comprehensive initiatives aimed at preserving biodiversity, water resources, and forests — initiatives whose importance has been recognized by experts at both national and international levels. In addition to financial contributions, the company regularly provides the Foundation with analytical and government relations support, assisting in strategic projects focused on preserving unique natural ecosystems.

The Lake Baikal Foundation ranks among the top 10 fundraising NGOs specializing in environmental and animal welfare sectors in terms of partnership potential and transparency (RAEX, 2020–2024). It is an accredited organization of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), holds observer status at the UNEP United Nations Environment Assembly, participates as an observer in the annual UN Climate Change Conferences, and is the first and only member from Russia of the World Water Council.

The full report “On the Condition of Lake Baikal and Measures for Its Protection in 2024” is available via the link. The contribution of businesses, including Baikal Lobridge, is summarized on pages 312–314.
]]> Outcomes of the Meeting of the Crisis and Litigation Communicator’s Alliance, a Global Professional Network https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/8x2par4ey1-outcomes-of-the-meeting-of-the-crisis-an https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/8x2par4ey1-outcomes-of-the-meeting-of-the-crisis-an?amp=true Thu, 25 Feb 2021 17:42:00 +0300 #events #company The Baikal Lobridge team took part in a meeting of the international CLCA alliance, where it presented the company’s expertise and discussed the development of crisis and litigation communications with international partners.

Outcomes of the Meeting of the Crisis and Litigation Communicator’s Alliance, a Global Professional Network

On February 24th, 2021 the online meeting (to be held once every three months) of members of the Crisis and Litigation Communicator’s Alliance (CLCA) took place.

Baikal Lobridge was represented by Anastasia Tsvetkova, Director of International Communications and CSR Practice, and Vladislav Pantiukhin, Director of Global Strategy. The company joined the Alliance in December 2020 as the 15th corporate member of the CLCA.

In view of the fact that it was the first introductory online meeting

for Baikal Lobridge, Anastasia Tsvetkova and Vladislav Pantiukhin prepared the presentation, regarding the expertise, experience as well as current activities of the company in the sphere of lobbying, GR, Crisis Communications and Litigation PR.
“We are very sure that Baikal Lobridge rightfully represents the market of Russia and Eastern Europe within our Alliance. The highest quality professionalism, extremely responsible business approach and exclusive under the present-day Russian realities competences – all these factors make Baikal Lobridge inexorably special. We hope for the constructive results of our cooperation”, – noted Martin Jenewein from SMJ Partner Consulting (located in Wien, Austria) and the Chairperson of the Alliance.
International members of the CLCA also expressed their readiness for long-term collaboration in the near future not only within the global professional network but also through bilateral mutually beneficial corporate relations.

The main discussion of the online meeting focused on the social media crisis simulations and strategy testing as well as global prospects for the development and toolbox research in the field of reputation management.

Additionally, there was a question raised about the probability of the face-to-face meeting of the CLCA members, which is, amid the current coronavirus pandemic, preliminarily planned to be arranged in Washington, D.C. in October 2021.

In conclusion, Martin Jenewein highly reviewed the quality of the analytical article of Baikal Lobridge, regarding the state of affairs in Litigation PR in Russia (the forwarded material constituted the intellectual contribution of the company to the development of the CLCA communicational competencies).
]]> Baikal Lobridge at the Retail Conference in Moscow https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/cjt3p6ouf1-baikal-lobridge-at-the-retail-conference https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/cjt3p6ouf1-baikal-lobridge-at-the-retail-conference?amp=true Thu, 26 Mar 2026 16:36:00 +0300 #events #employees Zhanna Logacheva from Baikal Lobridge moderated a panel discussion on collaboration between retailers, manufacturers, and the government, covering topics such as localization, combating counterfeits, and adapting products for different regions.

Baikal Lobridge at the Retail Conference in Moscow

Baikal Lobridge took part in the retail conference held at the B1 office in Moscow, hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce in Russia together with the Eurasian Cooperation Center. Around 90 representatives of major retailers, manufacturers, consulting and analytical companies, as well as experts in logistics, customs, and insurance, attended the event.

The program included three main blocks: market trends, the role of supporting sectors (logistics, insurance, customs), and a central panel on retailers and manufacturers, focused on building effective partnerships in today’s changing economy.

Zhanna Logacheva, Project Lead, GR & Risk, moderated Session III: the panel “Retailers and Manufacturers,” which brought together representatives of leading retailers, manufacturers, and marketplaces.

Key discussion points included:

  • Drivers of Change: Economy, automation, import substitution, and SMEs shaping how companies collaborate.
  • Import Substitution and Localization: High levels of local production and supply chain localization were noted, though some categories remain dependent on imports. Media initiatives by the Russian Ministry of Agriculture play an important role in promoting domestic brands.
  • Fighting Counterfeits and Quality Control: Participants discussed tools such as the “Chestny ZNAK” labeling system and internal retailer control mechanisms. Collaboration with Rosakkreditatsiya, risk-based approaches, and manufacturer audits were highlighted. An Ozon representative shared proactive measures for the upcoming Platform Economy Law to protect consumers.
  • Regional Specifics: Declining purchasing power in regions affects procurement policies and assortment requirements. Companies shared experience in adapting products and formats to regional needs while keeping goods accessible.
  • Ways to Improve Collaboration: A final quick poll showed that businesses are open to dialogue with the government but seek a predictable regulatory environment and realistic KPIs for support measures.

The panel format proved effective, helping industry players find joint solutions and build long-term partnerships across the supply chain.

Baikal Lobridge thanks the American Chamber of Commerce in Russia and the Eurasian Cooperation Center for the invitation and the opportunity to moderate one of the key sessions.
]]> HR Practice at Baikal Lobridge https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/iirigmurf1-hr-practice-at-baikal-lobridge https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/iirigmurf1-hr-practice-at-baikal-lobridge?amp=true Mon, 01 Mar 2021 19:00:00 +0300 #development of practices #announcements Baikal Lobridge is launching an HR practice in Government Relations to support companies and advance the profession in this field.

HR Practice at Baikal Lobridge

Baikal Lobridge announces the launch of HR-practice in the field of Government Relations. The segment will be overseen by CEO and Managing Director of Baikal Lobridge Eduard Voytenko.
“Very often we receive lots of requests for the search of sectoral specialists and the consulting services, regarding the arrangement of working processes of GR-divisions within companies from different economic sectors. Thus, our accumulated work finally manifests itself in the corresponding HR product of the company”, – explained the initiative Eduard Voytenko.
From the very first day of our high-quality professional activities, Baikal Communications Group has placed great emphasis on the development of GR as a profession in Russia. This fact is confirmed through the joint educational projects in the field of Government Relations & Lobbying in collaboration with the MGIMO School of Business and International Proficiency as well as through the numerous GR-courses, incorporated in the master’s degree programs of various universities, among which are MGIMO, RANEPA and others. Close professional relationships with graduates of these programs are maintained on a regular basis.
“Besides, very often we are asked by representatives of executive authorities and other semi-public administrative bodies to provide recommendations, concerning the search of prospective employees. It is quite evident that our educational foundation and HR inquiries require an integrated HR system, and right now we start forming such a system. To ensure the prompt and highly responsive work, the Telegram channel was successfully launched, where we are going to inform about potential vacancies in GR and Lobbying, share information about our educational programs as well as regarding the development of such professions as “GR-specialists” and “Lobbyist”, – stated Eduard Voytenko.
In case of HR queries, please, free to contact us through our e-mail: grandlobbying@baikal-lobridge.ru.
]]> On the Start of Cross-Border Partnership with NAÏMA Strategic Legal Services GmbH https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/05jbhmax71-on-the-start-of-cross-border-partnership https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/05jbhmax71-on-the-start-of-cross-border-partnership?amp=true Mon, 22 Mar 2021 19:16:00 +0300 #company Baikal Lobridge and the German company NAÏMA Strategic Legal Services GmbH have signed a Memorandum of Long-Term Partnership to develop litigation PR, crisis communications, and international collaboration between Russia and Germany.

On the Start of Cross-Border Partnership with NAÏMA Strategic Legal Services GmbH

On March 15th, 2021 Baikal Lobridge and NAÏMA Strategic Legal Services GmbH signed the Memorandum of Understanding on long-term cooperation.

NAÏMA Strategic Legal Services GmbH is a German company, based in Berling, and which specializes in Litigation PR and Crisis Management (was the first consultancy firm in Germany in the corresponding professional domains). Since 2017 NAÏMA Strategic Legal Services GmbH has been a member of the Crisis and Litigation Communicators’ Alliance (CLCA), which Baikal Lobridge joined in December 2020.
“I am very pleased that Baikal Lobridge is a part of our network. There are countless economic, political and cultural connections between Germany and Russia. Through Baikal Lobridge we now have the opportunity to represent our clients in Russia as well and provide them access to decision-makers in politics and business”, – stated CEO and Founder of NAÏMA Strategic Legal Services GmbH Uwe Wolff.
NAÏMA Strategic Legal Services GmbH was founded in New York, USA in 1999. Since 2002 the firm has operated in various countries of Europe from Berlin, and since 2009 – from Brussels as well.
“We are extremely thrilled and deeply enthusiastic about the collaborative prospects with NAÏMA Strategic Legal Services GmbH within the framework of the CLCA as well as through bilateral communication. It is an unquestionable fact that Germany and the Russian Federation currently enjoy the versatile bilateral multisectoral relations with engagement of public sector, business structures, scientific and cultural community. We would be very glad to provide the high-quality professional assistance to our partners from Germany in different areas of our expertise, ranging from Government Relations, Lobbying to Crisis Communications and Litigation PR. And we would like to reiterate that the Litigation PR Practice was established within our company in January 2021”, – noted CEO and Managing Director of Baikal Lobridge Eduard Voytenko.
The face-to-face meeting with Uwe Wolff, CEO of NAÏMA Strategic Legal Services GmbH, as well as other members of the CLCA is planned to be held in Washington, D.C., USA, in October 2021.
]]> Sixth Graduate Course “GR and Lobbying in Business and Non-profit Sector” https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/0v9g70xgm1-sixth-graduate-course-gr-and-lobbying-in https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/0v9g70xgm1-sixth-graduate-course-gr-and-lobbying-in?amp=true Tue, 20 Apr 2021 19:36:00 +0300 #events #company The sixth course, “GR and Lobbying in Business and NGOs,” brought together practitioners, government officials, and top managers to share experience and real-world cases in GR and lobbying.

Sixth Graduate Course “GR and Lobbying in Business and Non-profit Sector”

From 13 to 18 April 2021 the sixth advanced training program “GR and Lobbying in Business and Nonprofit Sector” has been successfully held. The program is a joint educational project of the MGIMO School of Business and International Proficiency and the lobbying company Baikal Lobridge.

All MGIMO Graduate Certificates have been awarded by Mr. Eduard Voytenko, Academic Director of the advanced program and, concurrently, CEO and Managing Director of Baikal Lobridge. At the graduation ceremony Eduard Voytenko emphasized that it was the first practice-oriented advanced training course in the domain of GR&Lobbying in Russia.

Upon the request of attendees, the program was extended from 5 to 6 days and comprised 60 academic hours, covering such topics as methodology, approaches and strategies to promote the interests of commercial and non-profit organizations at the level of public authorities as well as technologies and instruments for establishing communication channels between society, NGOs, business entities and government, illustrated by a number of sectoral cases from the real economy and nonprofit sector.

All the lectures and workshops were delivered by CEO of Baikal Lobridge Eduard Voytenko as well as state officials, public activists and executive management of Russian and international companies. Among them were: Russian Corporate Affairs Lead for Cargill, Inc. Mr. Andrey Lyan, Director of Legislation and Legal Studies’ Practice of Baikal Lobridge Ms. Anastasia Parfenchikova, Deputy Head of “Rossotrudnichestvo” Mr. Dmitriy Polikanov, Director of Legal Affairs and Government Relations for Saint-Gobain Mr. Rafael Zohrabyan, President of the National Association of Professional Collection Agencies – NAPCA and Head of the Board of the Self-Regulatory Organization “Microfinance and Development” Mr. Elman Mekhtiyev, Managing Director of the National Union of Milk Producers “Souzmoloko” Mr. Artyom Belov, Director of Federal Government Relations Department for X5 Retail Group Mr. Stanislav Bogdanov, Director of Government Relations and Market Access for CJSC BIOCAD Mr. Alexey Torgov, Head of Government Relations for Russia and CIS Region of 3M Company Mr. Evgeny Makhortov, Senior Government Relations Director in Eastern Europe for Baltika Breweries/part of Carlsberg Group Ms. Irina Fedorova, Director of the Self Regulatory Organization “Union of Dietary Supplements Producers” Mr. Alexander Zhestkov, Head of the Law Section of the Russian newspaper “Rossiyskaya Gazeta” Mr. Alexander Moskovkin, Head of the Regional Communications Directorate for PJSC “Lukoil” Mr. Vladimir Gerasimov, Head of Government Relations for PJSC “Fortum” Mr. Alexander Pavlenko, Director of Government Relations and Charity Activity for EVRAZ Plc. Ms. Maria Dronova, Director of Government Relations for PJSC “Uralkali” Mr. Oleg Kalinskij, Director for Public Relations and Communications for “The National Transport Company” (“NTC”) Mr. Maxim Ignatiev, Public Affairs Director for Volvo Group Russia Ms. Yana Arzhanova, Director of Public Affairs Department of JSC “The United Shipbuilding Corporation” Mr. Nikita Pichugin, Government Relations and Policy Director for Russia & CIS for Cisco Systems Inc. Ms. Anna Smirnova, Director of Federal Government Relations for JSC “VimpelCom” Mr. Dmitriy Kononov, Director of Government Relations for Alibaba.com (ru) Mr. Sergey Lebedev, Head of Government Relations for Skyeng Mr. Makar Goncharov, Corporate Relations Manager in Russia for Diageo Plc. Ms. Elena Ushanova, Director for Legal Affairs and External Corporate Relations for British American Tobacco Russia Ms. Yana Guskova, Head of the Entrepreneurship Advocacy Section at the Department for the Development of Entrepreneurship of the Eurasian Economic Commission Mr. Artyom Yulegin and CEO of the Lake Baikal Foundation Ms. Anastasia Tsvetkova.

Among attendees were representatives of supervisory authorities, legal specialists and officials of educational and non-profit organizations as well as top-level and middle-level managers of such commercial companies as: Baltika Breweries/part of Carlsberg Group, Baikal Lobridge, “New Cloud Technologies”, Debt Collection Agency “EOS”, Coca-Cola HBC Russia, Law Firm “Civil Compensations”, Charitable Foundation for Children and Young People “Galchonok”, Developer Group “INTECO”, Japanese Developer Group “YUNIKA”, regional department of the All-Russian Non-Governmental Organization “Association of Lawyers of Russia”, PJSC “Uralkali”, Uralchem Group and others.

In total, 17 professionals graduated from the advanced program.
]]> Global Challenges and Russian Business: New Realities and Perspectives https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/o4np98m5f1-global-challenges-and-russian-business-n https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/o4np98m5f1-global-challenges-and-russian-business-n?amp=true Wed, 01 Apr 2026 09:07:00 +0300 #announcements #employees Anastasia Tsvetkova will discuss the impact of the Middle East crisis on water resources, food security, and global supply chains at a special business event organized by AmCham.

Global Challenges and Russian Business: New Realities and Perspectives

On April 2, 2026, Anastasia Tsvetkova, Senior Partner, Climate and Sustainable Development at Baikal Lobridge, will take part in the business event “Global Challenges and Russian Business: New Realities and Perspectives”, hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce in Russia (AmCham).

In her talk, she will explore the long-term effects of geopolitical instability on global markets and the resilience of food systems, as well as the implications of the Middle East crisis for water resources, food security, and international supply chains.

The event will bring together experts from banking, consulting, and corporate sectors to discuss the key factors that will shape government policy priorities and the business environment in 2026.

Date: April 2, 2026.
Time: 16:00 (MSK).
Location: AmCham/TEDA office, Moscow (7/5 Bolshaya Dmitrovka St., Entrance 3, 6th floor, Office 27). Online participation is also available.

Registration is open on the AmCham website until the end of April 1, 2026.
]]> Baikal Lobridge and MSU Law Launch GR & Lobbying Case Championship https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/pnnovhjig1-baikal-lobridge-and-msu-law-launch-gr-am https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/pnnovhjig1-baikal-lobridge-and-msu-law-launch-gr-am?amp=true Wed, 01 Apr 2026 17:31:00 +0300 #announcements Participants will analyze a real legislative draft, propose improvements to the regulatory framework, and develop a GR strategy to advance the initiative with government authorities.

Baikal Lobridge and MSU Law Launch GR & Lobbying Case Championship

Baikal Lobridge, together with the Faculty of Law at Lomonosov Moscow State University, is announcing the launch of the case championship "Legal Tools in GR and Lobbying" for students eager to step into the role of a GR consultant and work with an actual legislative initiative.

Participants will conduct a legal review of a draft law, prepare proposals to refine regulations, and develop a GR strategy for promoting the initiative within government bodies. The program’s unique feature is its focus on the legal aspects of GR and lobbying, making the championship especially relevant for those who want to understand how regulatory agendas are shaped, how private initiatives are advanced, and how interactions with state institutions are organized.

The competition is open to undergraduate, master’s, and specialist students from Russian universities. It is not only suited for law students but also for those studying political science, public administration, economics, and related fields. Students can participate individually or in teams of up to five members.

The championship will take place in four stages:
  • April 2–13 — Team registration
  • April 13–26 — Online preliminary round
  • May 25 — On-site semifinals
  • May 29 — On-site finals

The semifinals and finals will be held at the Faculty of Law, Moscow State University.

Participating in the case championship gives students the opportunity to gain practical experience in GR and lobbying, as well as develop skills in legal analysis, strategic thinking, argumentation, public speaking, and teamwork.

Winners and runners-up will receive diplomas, commemorative gifts from the partner, and the chance to intern at Baikal Lobridge. All participants will receive certificates of participation.

You can submit your application and find detailed rules and requirements for the competition on the official championship website.
]]> GR Consulting for IT Startups https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/sr6ey6rl31-gr-consulting-for-it-startups https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/sr6ey6rl31-gr-consulting-for-it-startups?amp=true Mon, 26 Apr 2021 17:13:00 +0300 #events #announcements Baikal Lobridge offers practical GR workshops for IT startups, covering government engagement and key risks.

GR Consulting for IT Startups

Baikal Lobridge launches its new service “GR consulting for IT startups”. To get consultation, please, submit a request via the email: msk@baikal-lobridge.ru.

In the letter it is necessary to indicate the general information about a company, including the product description as well as the specific goals, which you are setting at the Russian, Eurasian and international levels. Experts of Baikal Lobridge will analyze materials, prepare and arrange a customized training program for you, within which they will provide advice on the relevant opportunities of interacting with public authorities, identify the potential barriers and risks, explain the mechanisms of elaborating and adopting the public and administrative decisions.

The total training cost for 1-3 representatives of a company – 100 000 rubles. The duration – 90 minutes.
]]> Baikal Lobridge Became IABC Gold Quill Awards 2021 Winner https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/14opyd2lb1-baikal-lobridge-became-iabc-gold-quill-a https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/14opyd2lb1-baikal-lobridge-became-iabc-gold-quill-a?amp=true Thu, 13 May 2021 17:24:00 +0300 #ratings and awards The course was recognized for its practical approach, unique industry cases, and opportunities for professional networking.

Baikal Lobridge Became IABC Gold Quill Awards 2021 Winner

The advanced training program “GR and Lobbying in Business and Nonprofit Sector” won a 2021 Gold Quill Award of Merit of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC). The course is implemented by Baikal Lobridge in collaboration with the MGIMO School of Business and International Proficiency.

The Gold Quill Awards supports the best projects in the domain of business communication all over the world and is one of the most prestigious in the industry.

The advanced training program “GR and Lobbying in Business and Nonprofit Sector” earned a 2021 Gold Quill Award of Merit under category 19: “Communication Training and Education”.
“The Gold Quill Awards proves the high necessity of developing professional education in the field of Government Relations. Over the first three years of existence, more than 100 managers of well-known companies and representatives of NGOs have graduated from our program. The course contributes to the development of the GR-profession in Russia and countries of the Eurasian Economic Union, and it is aligned with the mission of Baikal Lobridge. We value the support of all lecturers of the course – established practitioners from various economic sectors, many of whom already on an annual basis help participants of the program to acquire and improve the practical competences, pertaining to the promotion and representation of interests within public authorities at the regional, federal as well as supranational level”, – noted Eduard Voytenko, CEO and Managing Director of Baikal Lobridge and Academic Director of the program.
The IABC Awards Committee held in high esteem the nominated advanced training course and especially highlighted its practice-oriented character, exclusive sectoral orientation within the Russian educational framework, well-structured composition, diversity of cases as well as formidable opportunities for networking and professional community’s formation.
“For us it is a great honor to find out that the course received the international award in the domain of business communication. It shows that the program successfully tackles the ambitious task of the MGIMO School with regard to the promotion of high standards of business education in accordance with the relevant international trends, as well as the program makes it possible to ensure the maximum loyalty of graduates of the MGIMO School, who are ready to go back and acquire new knowledge throughout the life-long career development, – commented on the news Angelika Mirzoeva, Director of the MGIMO School of Business and International Proficiency. – We always aspire to encompass different requests for professional development of our attendees, and GR is an extremely demanded area of knowledge now”.
The Gold Quill Awards is authored and organized by the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC), founded in San Francisco in 1970. The global network brings together professionals from the sphere of strategic management and business communication. Nowadays, IABC has more than
8 000 members across the globe. The Russian Chapter was established in Moscow in 2001.

This year, in total, 482 organizations from 22 countries submitted their entries for the Gold Quill Awards. The award ceremony is to be held as a virtual event on 29 June 2021 within the IABC World Conference.

The list of all winning projects of the Gold Quill Awards is available here.
]]> Anastasia Parfenchikova is Included in the Peer Review Publication Best Lawyers https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/llzatmnfi1-anastasia-parfenchikova-is-included-in-t https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/llzatmnfi1-anastasia-parfenchikova-is-included-in-t?amp=true Thu, 10 Jun 2021 17:41:00 +0300 #ratings and awards #employees Best Lawyers recognized Anastasia Parfenchikova’s expertise in government relations, naming her one of Russia’s top lawyers.

Anastasia Parfenchikova is Included in the Peer Review Publication Best Lawyers

On June 10, 2021, results of Best Lawyers 2022 (international ranking, which evaluates the professional lawyer activities across the globe on an annual basis) have been published.

This year Best Lawyers distinguished the consulting company Baikal Lobridge – Director of Legislation and Legal Studies’ Practice Anastasia Parfenchikova occupied the list of outstanding lawyers in Russia in the category “Government Practice”.
“We thank colleagues, who supported us and held in high esteem the professional achievements of our company. For us, it is the formidable manifestation of our work effectiveness, taking into account the ranking’s geography, which encompasses over 70 countries, as well as the ranking’s design methodology, – inclusion of lawyers in the list of outstanding professionals in relevant domains is based upon the expert evaluation of their peers from different firms. In our activity, we are always prepared to tackle the most challenging GR-tasks, utilizing the transparent toolbox and relying exclusively upon the very principles of legal and ethical clarity. This is why we appreciate it that colleagues share our values and honor our work”, – noted Anastasia Parfenchikova.
The ranking has been published and available through the link.
]]> Baikal Lobridge Established the Autonomous Non-Commercial Organization “The Research Centre for Legal Expertise” https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/1amblmbsd1-baikal-lobridge-established-the-autonomo https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/1amblmbsd1-baikal-lobridge-established-the-autonomo?amp=true Tue, 22 Jun 2021 17:57:00 +0300 #company #development of practices The Legal Expertise Research Center was created to analyze legislation and support lawmaking in Russia.

Baikal Lobridge Established the Autonomous Non-Commercial Organization “The Research Centre for Legal Expertise”

On May 28, 2021, the autonomous non-commercial organization “The Research Centre for Legal Expertise” was established. The goal of the organization is to support the Government in terms of the implementation of law-making objectives as well as to assist commercial and non-profit organizations in developing their activities, taking into account the legislative changes and relevant regulatory trends.

The Research Centre for Legal Expertise provides the comprehensive analysis of normative legal acts and their draft projects, based upon the “in-depth” knowledge of the Russian and international law, and which makes it possible to assess objectively the effectiveness of legal sanctions, identify regulatory risks and opportunities, understand the prospects of legislation development in the specific domain, offer the most optimal law-making approach in the context of major worldwide legislative trends.

Among the major activities of the Research Centre for Legal Expertise – legal expert analysis of the Russian and international legislation, arrangement of the comparative and legal research, expertise of legislative initiatives and draft normative legal acts, arrangement of research in the field of legislation development and elaboration of concepts and proposals to improve it, preparation of scientific and legal conclusions.
“The legal expert research, envisaging the “in-depth” analysis of the legislative framework and legal doctrine, resolves a range of issues, essential for the law-making process. For instance, the legal expertise of the text of a draft normative legal act makes it possible to assess its conceptual constituent, its compliance with the rules of legislative technique, its coherence with the general system of legislation. On top of that, this expertise stands out as a preventive measure for overcoming the law-making errors, because it unveils and eradicates flaws and contradictions of the elaborated regulation and, thus, directly influences the effectiveness of the subsequent law-enforcement. In this sense, the Research Centre for Legal Expertise is aimed at helping both the subjects of legal regulation to fundamentally elaborate the legislative initiatives and the representatives of business and nonprofit sector to follow the relevant legislative trends for the successful execution of their projects”, – highlighted the CEO and Managing Director of Baikal Lobridge Eduard Voytenko.

“Apart from the arrangement of scientific and applied legal research and expert support of the law-making process, we suggest that our mission is to develop the institute for legal expertise in Russia. Nowadays, the Russian legislation as well as the legal literature do not include the clear definition of the legal expertise, which is frequently replaced by the term “juridical expertise”, nor has the consistent methodology to implement the legal expert analysis been designed. This is why one of our professional domains is the research and development of the expert activity and arrangement of training courses, aimed at enhancing the skills for implementing the high-quality comprehensive legal expertise”, – noted the Director-General of the Research Centre for Legal Expertise Anastasia Parfenchikova.
As a starting point of the professional activity, the Research Centre for Legal Expertise is inviting interested experts as well as scientific and public organizations for cooperation in terms of the implementation of joint projects in the sphere of legal research.

The detailed information on the Research Centre for Legal Expertise is available on the website www.law-expertise.ru
]]> Summer Session of the "Wine" GR-School https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/2zcppj3j11-summer-session-of-the-wine-gr-school https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/2zcppj3j11-summer-session-of-the-wine-gr-school?amp=true Thu, 08 Jul 2021 18:16:00 +0300 #events Participants of Baikal Lobridge’s summer GR-school explored Russian business investments in Georgia and gained hands-on experience working with government bodies at Kakheti wineries.

Summer Session of the "Wine" GR-School

On July 1-6, 2021 the summer session of the GR-school by Baikal Lobridge took place in Georgia. The event was held in partnership with the German-Georgian holding structure Schuchmann Group in the territory of its vineyards of the Georgian region Kakheti.
“Lots of people of our profession voice the opinion that wine and GR are inextricably bound up, so we decided to check this idea out. Colleagues have already named this event as a “wine” (not summer) GR-school. If seriously, the event was mainly aimed at researching the state of Russian investment in Georgia as well as forming the market proposals with regard to the investment protection. Soon we will announce that independently. But we can already underline that the office of Baikal Lobridge is to be launched in Tbilisi this September”, – commented on the event and its outcomes Eduard Voytenko.
Within the GR-course relevant presentations were delivered by former public officials of the Georgian Government and Tbilisi City Hall, who previously took responsibility for the development of tourist and agricultural industry. They shared their experience of interaction with business entities, including with corporate structures from Russia. Besides, they noted the growing investment interest of Russian business in the infrastructure and tourist projects of the country.
]]> ESG-Practice at Baikal Lobridge https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/926kc605x1-esg-practice-at-baikal-lobridge https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/926kc605x1-esg-practice-at-baikal-lobridge?amp=true Thu, 12 Aug 2021 18:28:00 +0300 #company #development of practices Baikal Lobridge is launching its ESG-practice to help companies and regions implement sustainable business models and respond to climate and social challenges.

ESG-Practice at Baikal Lobridge

Baikal Lobridge elevates the expertise with regard to the environmental and climate challenges, responsible finance, circular economy as well as introduces the Practice, which will comprise the sustainable development support for the commercial sector and regions. The ESG-Practice has manifested itself from the first day of the company’s establishment, but institutionally it was launched on July 1, 2021.
“The issue of sustainable development is not only the actual international agenda, but also positioned as the indispensable development component of business and regions. The decision to launch the Practice, aimed at facilitating the transition to the green economy and to the clients’ business model readjustment, was triggered by the internal request of the talented team as well as by the external support of partners, who entrust the strategic tasks to us. Under our belt we have six years of experience as regards the promotion of our clients’ interests at the level of public authorities, provision of legal expertise for clients and crisis communication. Earlier we established The Lake Baikal Foundation, a non-profit environmental organization, the expertise of which helped tackle the CSR-tasks on numerous occasions. The ESG-Practice at the company will make it possible to enhance the expertise in the field of sustainable corporate and social administration as well as, consequently, to extend a number of opportunities for our clients in terms of the implementation and adaptation of best sustainable development practices, formed upon request”, – noted CEO and Managing Director of Baikal Lobridge Eduard Voytenko.
Our pool of services – the full-fledged cycle of elaboration and implementation of different ESG-initiatives in compliance with the unified international standards; the programs’ impact evaluation; comprehensive documentation and communication support of the transition to the green economy and circular business models. The special emphasis within the Practice will be put on the collaboration with multilevel public authorities in the very context of adaptation to the climate change, encompassing the implementation of effective interaction with parties of interest as well as the elaboration and execution of specific climate-related events. Taking into account the strong regulatory and legal expertise practices of the company it is planned to place an extensive research focus on the regulatory harmonization in the sustainable development domain within the space of the European Union and the Eurasian Economic Union as well as to provide clients with the relevant high-quality analytics.
]]> Baikal Lobridge Presented at the RAMI Convention on Sustainable Development https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/e7h5ldx6l1-baikal-lobridge-presented-at-the-rami-co https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/e7h5ldx6l1-baikal-lobridge-presented-at-the-rami-co?amp=true Thu, 14 Oct 2021 19:11:00 +0300 #events #employees Anastasia Tsvetkova, Director of International Communications and CSR Practice, shared insights on ESG trends, key skills for future managers, and challenges in the labor market.

Baikal Lobridge Presented at the RAMI Convention on Sustainable Development

The International Communications and CSR Practice Director at Baikal Lobridge Anastasia Tsvetkova addressed the audience at the section “Science and education in sustainable development”.

Within the 13th Russian International Studies Association Convention (RISA Convention) a number of leading specialists in the field of sustainable development, representatives of international institutions, academic circles, business and nonprofit sector discussed relevant issues of carrying out scientific research and educational process in the context of developing the concept of sustainable development and ESG-transformation.

During her address Anastasia Tsvetkova told about versatile trends on the labor market within the context of current global changes. She also provided the example of research, made by Deloitte and the International Institute of Finance, according to which every sixth modern international company has already established the position of a specialist in sustainable development. According to the estimates of experts, the demand for such specialists will continue growing in the near future. Russian organizations have begun more often to focus on the necessity of development in this regard, this is why it is already necessary for students and graduates of the management course to enhance the competences in sustainable development and CSR.

The growing demand for the implementation of sustainable development programs within the corporate strategies is explained by the current ESG-transformation, which especially affects the exporters of hydrocarbons and other commodities. On top of that, climate changes trigger the necessity of new competences both for business employees at the background of the EU requirements to reduce greenhouse emissions, and for public officials in the context of the adopted Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation, as of December 25, 2019 № 3183-r “On the approval of the national action plan for the first stage of adaptation to climate change for the period of up to 2022”.

According to Anastasia Tsvetkova, among the most sought-after competences of young specialists are the systems thinking skills. Future multi-skilled managers will have to analyze cause and effect connections of versatile multi-level processes and predict environmental changes in terms of systemic transformations. There are specialized master’s degrees at foreign universities, aimed at developing the leadership skills with the very focus on the systemic analysis, however, such kind of domain is still just the prospective dimension for growth for universities in Russia.

In conclusion, Anastasia Tsvetkova shared the expertise of the Lake Baikal Foundation, which in collaboration with the Center for Comprehensive European and International Studies at HSE University and the leading foreign experts held the discussion session on the prospects for development of the Russian water strategy. Exchange of opinions among experts proved the thesis on the shortage of the narrowly specialized personnel, such as water resources economists and water management staff.

The section was held on October 14, 2021. The section’s moderators were Kapitolina Turbina, Acting Head of the MGIMO Department of Risk Management and Insurance, and Angelika Mirzoeva, Director of the MGIMO School of Business and International Proficiency. Among other participants of the discussion were representatives of international universities, the MGIMO Center for Sustainable Development and ESG-Transformation, the UNDP Regional Bureau for Europe and CIS in Istanbul and the charitable foundation “Sistema”.
]]> Expert and Analytical Corporate Support in GR https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/to3ddsogr1-expert-and-analytical-corporate-support https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/to3ddsogr1-expert-and-analytical-corporate-support?amp=true Tue, 26 Oct 2021 19:30:00 +0300 #company #development of practices Baikal Lobridge offers a full range of analytical and consulting services in GR, helping companies assess risks, develop strategies, and identify new opportunities for growth.

Expert and Analytical Corporate Support in GR

Baikal Lobridge offers a cluster of services in the domain of business consulting, including the analysis of regulatory risks, review of the normative and legal environment, elaboration of GR-strategies as well as legal expertise of the Russian and foreign legislation.

We work with a wide range of clients, utilizing a case-by-case approach and accumulating the versatile experience of our specialists in different sectors, as well as create multi-faceted information and analytical products, which make it possible to identify new opportunities and potential risks for your company and optimize business performance.

Please, become familiar with our services in greater detail (booklet in English and Russian languages).

To receive consultation, forward your request to our e-mail: msk@baikal-lobridge.ru.
]]> Seventh Graduate Course “GR and Lobbying in Business and Nonprofit Sector” https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/4bzigs9eb1-seventh-graduate-course-gr-and-lobbying https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/4bzigs9eb1-seventh-graduate-course-gr-and-lobbying?amp=true Mon, 01 Nov 2021 19:43:00 +0300 #company #events Over 45 professionals from leading companies explored GR tools, lobbying methods, and the role of GR in ESG and climate agendas under the guidance of industry experts.

Seventh Graduate Course “GR and Lobbying in Business and Nonprofit Sector”

From 25 to 30 October 2021 the seventh advanced training program “GR and Lobbying in Business and Nonprofit Sector” has been successfully held. The program is a joint educational project of the MGIMO School of Business and International Proficiency and the lobbying company Baikal Lobridge.

All MGIMO Graduate Certificates have been awarded by Mr. Eduard Voytenko, Academic Director of the advanced program and, concurrently, CEO and Managing Director of Baikal Lobridge.

Since the sixth graduate course the program has been arranged within the six days period, and it comprised 60 academic hours. Over the course of the program attendees study approaches, principles and lobbying methodology, GR-toolkit and technologies for establishing communication between business and public authorities, using different examples from the real economy, incl. from companies where government is a shareholder. On top of that, this autumn the very substantial part of the program was devoted to the analytical support of GR and lobbying projects, such as: the regulatory environment analysis and legal expertise of legislative initiatives and other legal acts. It was the first course, where the role of GR in the climate and ESG agenda was covered and specifically considered.

All the lectures were delivered by state officials, public activists and executive management of Russian and international companies. Particularly, among them were: CEO and Managing Director of Baikal Lobridge Eduard Voytenko, Russian Corporate Affairs Lead for Cargill, Inc. Andrey Lyan, Regional GR-Director in Russia and Ukraine for Olam International Anton Eropkin, Director-General of the Research Centre for Legal Expertise Anastasia Parfenchikova, Deputy Head of “Rossotrudnichestvo” Dmitriy Polikanov, President of the National Association of Professional Collection Agencies – NAPCA and Head of the Board of the Self-Regulatory Organization “Microfinance and Development” Elman Mekhtiyev, Senior Director of Government Relations for McDonald’s Russia Andrey Zyryanov, Director of Government Relations and Market Access for CJSC BIOCAD Alexey Torgov, Senior Government Relations Director in Eastern Europe for Baltika Breweries/part of Carlsberg Group Irina Fedorova, Head of Public Relations and Government Relations for Lenta Maria Filippova, Director of the Self-Regulatory Organization “Union of Dietary Supplements Producers” Alexander Zhestkov, Head of the Law Section of the Russian newspaper “Rossiyskaya Gazeta” Alexander Moskovkin, Senior Manager of the Public Relations Department PJSC “Lukoil” Vitaliya Tsarik, Head of Government Relations for PJSC “Fortum” Alexander Pavlenko, Director of Government Relations for the metallurgical holding company Novostal-M LLC. Nikita Ryblenkov, Director of Government Relations for PJSC “Uralkali” Oleg Kalinskij, Director of Public Affairs Department of JSC “The United Shipbuilding Corporation” Nikita Pichugin, Government Relations and Policy Director for Russia & CIS for Cisco Systems Inc. Anna Smirnova, Director of Federal Government Relations for JSC “VimpelCom” Dmitriy Kononov, Director of Government Relations for Alibaba.com (ru) Sergey Lebedev, Head of Government Relations for Skyeng Makar Goncharov, Corporate Relations Manager in Russia for Diageo Plc. Elena Ushanova, Head of the Entrepreneurship Advocacy Section at the Department for the Development of Entrepreneurship of the Eurasian Economic Commission Artyom Yulegin and CEO of the Lake Baikal Foundation Anastasia Tsvetkova.

Within the seventh course the number of attendees hit the record high – the audience exceeded 45 people. Among them were representatives of such companies, as: Innotech Holding, PJSC Bank Zenit, PJSC “PIK-Specialized Homebuilder”, JSC “MOEK” (“Moscow Integrated Power Company”), PJSC “RussNeft”, Novostal-M LLC., UMATEX, Polyplastic Group, Roche, Johnson & Johnson, PTC Therapeutics, Yandex, Naumen Consulting LLC., Headhunter LLC., online school Foxford, Delivery Club, Citymobil LLC., CarPrice, Baltika Breweries/part of Carlsberg Group, British American Tobacco, NAFI Research Centre, The Delegation of German Economy in Central Asia and other organizations.
]]> The Third Course "Lobbying and Public Affairs" for Students of Master’s Degree Programs of RANEPA https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/hffc3omdz1-the-third-course-lobbying-and-public-aff https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/hffc3omdz1-the-third-course-lobbying-and-public-aff?amp=true Mon, 15 Nov 2021 19:56:00 +0300 #events #development of practices Graduate students at RANEPA explored practical GR tools and lobbying methods, studying real cases from Baikal Lobridge and the Baikal Lake Foundation under the guidance of industry experts.

The Third Course "Lobbying and Public Affairs" for Students of Master’s Degree Programs of RANEPA

The International Communications and CSR Director at Baikal Lobridge Anastasia Tsvetkova summarized the outcomes of the annual series of lectures on GR and Lobbying.

The course load is 28 intensive academic hours for students of the international English-language master’s degree programs of the Institute for Social Sciences of RANEPA in the fall term of 2021. During the course attendees obtain the knowledge of foundations with regard to Public Affairs strategies, as well as immerse themselves in the specific features of the Government Relations frameworks in the Russian Federation. The basis of the author’s course by Anastasia Tsvetkova, which was initially presented in 2019, – immersion of students into the specific GR-cases, predicated on the practical work experience at Baikal Lobridge and the Lake Baikal Foundation. The curator’s experience in the domain of environmental consulting, public diplomacy and public relations makes it possible to establish such a mode of learning, that the obtainment of theoretical knowledge is inexorably linked with the participation of attendees in the practical (with applied learning) teamwork with the focus on the review of instruments, aimed at promoting and protecting interests of business and nonprofit sectors at the level of public authorities.

Within the course upon the invitation of Anastasia Tsvetkova the following lecturers addressed students of the master’s degree programs “Global Leadership” and “Strategic Communications” of RANEPA: Executive Director of the International Medical Device Manufacturers Association – IMEDA Sergey Vanin, Head of Government Relations at X5 RETAIL GROUP Vitaly Zhigulin, Corporate Affairs Lead for Russia at Cargill Andrey Lyan, Head of Corporate Relations at Diageo Dmitry Petrov.

In conclusion, students passed the certification exam, having demonstrated the skills for analysis of regulatory risks, knowledge of mapping stakeholder principles for communication with public officials, knowledge of GR-strategy’s foundations and instruments for further implementation within the GR-dimension.

Finally, attendees highlighted the practice-oriented dimension of the program, having made it possible to enhance competences in the domain of lobbying and public relations, which are of paramount importance both for business and social development.
]]> Baikal Lobridge Launched its Representative Office in Georgia https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/u4fak4ajv1-baikal-lobridge-launched-its-representat https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/u4fak4ajv1-baikal-lobridge-launched-its-representat?amp=true Fri, 26 Nov 2021 20:07:00 +0300 #company The company has started operations in Georgia, focusing on investment projects and engagement with government authorities.

Baikal Lobridge Launched its Representative Office in Georgia

Baikal Lobridge announced the launch of its representative office in the Republic of Georgia. The company will partner up with the German-Georgian holding structure Schuchmann Group.
“The Republic of Georgia has always attracted international investors due to its infrastructural, agricultural and tourist projects. This is why in our work in Georgia we put an emphasis on the legal support of investment deals and promotion of our clients’ interests at the level of public authorities”, – noted CEO and Managing Director of Baikal Lobridge Eduard Voytenko.
Address of the office: Villa 8, Schuchmann Chateau, Kisiskhevi, Telavi 2200, Georgia.
]]> Anastasia Tsvetkova on a Jury of the Competition “People Investor” for the Sixth Time in a Row https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/j136bz6bj1-anastasia-tsvetkova-on-a-jury-of-the-com https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/j136bz6bj1-anastasia-tsvetkova-on-a-jury-of-the-com?amp=true Thu, 02 Dec 2021 12:47:00 +0300 #events #employees Experts evaluated the best corporate projects in social and environmental initiatives.

Anastasia Tsvetkova on a Jury of the Competition “People Investor” for the Sixth Time in a Row

The competition is arranged by the Russian Managers Association and aimed at the expert assessment and recognition of corporate achievements in the domain of social investments.

This year 82 projects were submitted within 5 competition categories, among them only 24 projects are shortlisted. Within the category “Ecological effectiveness” PJSC Polyus secured a victory through the project “Water campaign: enhancement of effectiveness with regard to water management activities”. Such an initiative of PJSC Polyus puts a great emphasis on the following: implementation of the cluster of technical, organizational and management events, aimed at decreasing the consumption of fresh water from natural sources and its replacement with quarry water.

As was stated by Anastasia Tsvetkova, as an outcome of the implementation of the adopted strategy, concerning the use of water resources and water management activities, the company has achieved substantial results with regard to the share of reused water within manufacturing processes (around 93%), at the same time the share of water intake from natural sources per tonne of recycled ore has declined between 2016 and 2020 by 28 %.

Through the publication of the first water report the company set the new standard for transparency in terms of the use of water resources in the Russian Federation.

Moreover, within the category “Ecological effectiveness” among the finalists were the following companies:

– Unilever, project – “The second life of plastic packaging”;
– RusHydro, project – “Ecological paths and zones of RusHydro”;
– Severstal, project – “Collaboration for the sake of future of eagles of the Russian North;
– Siberian Coal Energy Company (SUEK), project – “The Kokui swamp”.

The winner’s announcement was preceded by the expert work on the two-stage evaluation of projects. All participants of the competition made the preliminary presentation of their projects, within which they obtained the valuable jury feedback as well as opportunity to improve their projects. During the major arrangement on December 2, 2021 the final presentation was held, targeted at experts and guests of the event, and was accompanied by burning questions, regarding the prospects for dissemination of nominated projects within the sectorial dimension as well as within various regions of the Russian Federation.

The record of the public presentation and protection of projects of finalists of the competition “People Investor XIV” is available through the link.
]]> Climate Discussions within the Alexander Gorchakov Fund https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/207lxu1r31-climate-discussions-within-the-alexander https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/207lxu1r31-climate-discussions-within-the-alexander?amp=true Fri, 03 Dec 2021 12:55:00 +0300 #events #employees Experts discussed the impact of international agreements on “green” policies and paths to sustainable development in Russia and worldwide.

Climate Discussions within the Alexander Gorchakov Fund

The International Communications, CSR Practice Director at Baikal Lobridge and CEO of the Lake Baikal Foundation Anastasia Tsvetkova was invited to take part in the panel session «Could international agreements «green» world politics?» The event was held within the framework of the XI «Dialogue in the name of the future», which took place in Moscow within the period November 28 – December 4, 2021.

Participants of the session (moderated by Anastasia Tsvetkova), among which were a number of cross-border experts – Lola Vallejo, Climate Programme Director at the Institute of Sustainable Development and International Relations (IDDRI); Dhruba Purkayastha, India Director at the Climate Policy Initiative, and Igor Tomberg, Professor at the MGIMO Department of Applied International Analysis, discussed the outcomes of the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, expectations of experts, regarding the development of “green” politics and the food security implementation, as well as prospects of possible climate restrictions (after sanitary and epidemiological) for citizens of our planet.

While opening the discussion Anastasia Tsvetkova provided data from the review of global risks in 2021 from the World Economic Forum (WEF), where infection diseases were listed as the main global risk, followed by the failure of the international community to combat the climate change and other environmental challenges.

As for the national aspects of the agenda Anastasia Tsvetkova defined in detail the content of the Long-term Development Strategy with Low Greenhouse Gas Emissions up to 2050 and simultaneously presented arguments of business, regarding the readiness to participate in its implementation: the assessment touched upon the measures of incentivizing business on behalf of public authorities, the requirements, provided by international investors, as well as current challenges in the context of overcoming the consequences of the recent lockdown.

Within the session experts provided an outlook for the emergence of international «green» alliances as well as discussed approaches on «green transformation», which can be offered by Russia to the global community.

The record of the discission is available through the link.

«Dialogue in the name of the future” is the main project of the Alexander Gorchakov Public Diplomacy Fund, devoted to the most relevant issues of the common agenda of the Russian Federation’s foreign policy. Among the participants of the event are: young specialists in international relations, economics, political science, journalism, history, informational and environmental security, representatives of sectorial public organizations and public structures from Russia and other countries.
]]> Baikal Lobridge on ESG-Communication within the RASO Annual Meeting https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/v2mpyhvkm1-baikal-lobridge-on-esg-communication-wit https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/v2mpyhvkm1-baikal-lobridge-on-esg-communication-wit?amp=true Wed, 15 Dec 2021 13:25:00 +0300 #events #employees At the RASO conference, experts discussed how businesses and society can effectively collaborate on ESG and sustainable development.

Baikal Lobridge on ESG-Communication within the RASO Annual Meeting

In 2021 the Russian Association of Public Relations (RASO) turned 30 years old. Apart from the regular meeting of members the business conference on the communicational aspects in ESG took place as well. The aforementioned event touched upon the communicational interaction between various relevant stakeholders – regulators, business entities, public structures through the prism of executing policies in sustainable development. Lots of experts were of opinion that there is a range of obstacles in such kind of communication: from conceptual gaps to an instrumental approach with regard to the assessment of changes, as well as experts discussed different challenges for the communicational community in such a context.

Within the session “Sustainable development of territories, corporate environment” the International Communications and CSR Practice Director at Baikal Lobridge Anastasia Tsvetkova addressed the sensitive topic of interaction between business and society, concerning the implementation of social and environmental initiatives. Using as an example the Baikal natural territory and the Vologda region Anastasia Tsvetkova successfully demonstrated the public reaction to business initiatives and told about various practices for engaging society in the implementation of social programs, incl. activities in partnership with upstanding nonprofit organizations. In addition to that, Anastasia Tsvetkova explained the value of the public non-financial reporting of companies, unveiled difficulties with regard to interpreting important information from media reports and enumerated various communicational channels, which ought to be critically developed by business with the very focus on versatile target audiences.

Besides, the conference touched upon the national dimension of policies in the sphere of sustainable development, social investments and prospects for enhancing the environmental effectiveness amid requirements of international partners, ESG-ratings and functional changes of corporate communications, influenced by the sustainable development agenda.

The key talking points of the conference are available here.
]]> Special Course "Law as the Most Important Tool in the Lobbying Activity" https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/fiul5dur01-special-course-law-as-the-most-important https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/fiul5dur01-special-course-law-as-the-most-important?amp=true Fri, 17 Dec 2021 13:33:00 +0300 #events More than a hundred law students explored the principles and tools of lobbying and gained practical insights into legal expertise.

Special Course "Law as the Most Important Tool in the Lobbying Activity"

Baikal Lobridge jointly with the Research Centre for Legal Expertise held the special course “Law as the most important tool in the lobbying activity” within the framework of the MGIMO Law Club.

Among attendees of the course were hundreds of students of legal specialties at higher education entities in Moscow.

Within the course the following topics have been covered – main lobbying principles and instruments, legal regulation of lobbying in the Russian Federation and abroad, as well as legislation-specific features and methodology for arranging the legal expertise of legal acts and their drafts.

Upon completion of the course participants were awarded graduate certificates.
]]> Anastasia Tsvetkova on the ESG-Agenda within GR FORCE 2022 https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/zixoohk9z1-anastasia-tsvetkova-on-the-esg-agenda-wi https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/zixoohk9z1-anastasia-tsvetkova-on-the-esg-agenda-wi?amp=true Wed, 16 Mar 2022 14:28:00 +0300 #events #employees At the GR FORCE 2022 forum, experts discussed how ESG requirements are reshaping the work of GR specialists and creating new opportunities for businesses in sustainable development.

Anastasia Tsvetkova on the ESG-Agenda within GR FORCE 2022

International Communications and CSR Practice Director shared the specific features of the ESG-agenda in the domain of Government Relations.

While addressing the audience Anastasia Tsvetkova highlighted the necessity for GR-specialists to notice the national priorities within the global agenda of sustainable development, as well as she drew attention of the audience to the key regulatory risks, arising at the background of the “green economy” policy in the country.

Anastasia Tsvetkova also told about the first Voluntary National Review of Progress of the Russian Federation towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the implementation of the sustainable development agenda for up to 2030, based on the national projects’ strategic goals. In addition to that, Anastasia Tsvetkova touched upon the range of 42 initiatives, which are subdivided into six categories: social sphere, construction, environment, digital transformation, technological breakthrough and the State for citizens, which are underlined in the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation, dated of 6 October 2021. The implementation plan with regard to 42 initiatives comprises substantial business investments, mainly, in the context of implementation of green and climate projects.

Among specific features of the Russian ESG-agenda our colleague noted the attention to its launch at the highest governmental level; large-scale regulatory development, incl. taxonomy of green projects, national plan for the first stage of adaption to climate change, law aimed at restricting the greenhouse gas emissions; establishment of new expert centres on the agenda – from relevant working groups of public authorities and sectorial business associations to the ESG-Alliance.

Responding to the question, regarding the growing attention of the general public to the environmental agenda and the pertinent reaction of business to it, Anastasia Tsvetkova shared a number of cases with regard to the cooperation of business entities and NGOs in the field of waste management regulation, as well as she told about different ways of effective interaction with environmentalists , who, in case of an “in-depth” immersion into the problem and the professional approach to its research, can be of expert field assistance, allies in terms of the public opinion formation and intermediaries within a dialogue with public authorities.

Within the ESG-session, where among participants were Vitaly Zhigulin, GR-Director of X5 GROUP, and Oleg Kalinskij, PhD in economics, Head of GR at “Uralkali” PJSC, the factor “G” in the ESG-terminology was discussed. Colleagues shared practices with regard to the improvement of corporate management standards, implementation of transparency while interacting with stakeholders, as well as the valid compliance procedures, relevant for investors, were shared.

The 6th Independent professional Forum of GR-directors “GR Force” took place on 1 March 2022. The lobbying company Baikal Lobridge was the primary sponsor of the event.
]]> Launch of the Training Course on the ESG-Business Transformation https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/ntm2zv9gc1-launch-of-the-training-course-on-the-esg https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/ntm2zv9gc1-launch-of-the-training-course-on-the-esg?amp=true Mon, 28 Mar 2022 14:45:00 +0300 #announcements #events Baikal Lobridge is launching a course on ESG business transformation with practicing experts from leading industries. Participants will gain practical tools to implement sustainable practices in their companies.

Launch of the Training Course on the ESG-Business Transformation

Baikal Lobridge announces the launch of the advanced training program “Business management, based upon ESG-principles: from practitioners to practitioners”, which is jointly arranged with the MGIMO School of Business and International Proficiency. Among lecturers are experts-practitioners from leading companies of the major segments of the Russian economy.

The first course is to be held on 17-21 April 2023 in intramural format. It is going to encompass all basic sustainable development terms, legal foundations of green taxonomy, ESG-rankings’ formation methods, as well as specific features with regard to the integration and application of ESG-practices in the oil and gas, forest, mining, IT and other key economic industries. A great emphasis was put on the financial sector and the specific toolkit for raising funds, pertaining to the ESG-segment. All invited experts will share their personal experience and the best practices in terms of the ESG-integration and management during lectures and workshops. Attendees of the training will be able to adapt the practices to their own business processes. Upon the completion of the course attendees will obtain a range of applied tools for the step-by-step business transformation and business interests’ implementation through the ESG-agenda.

The training’s academic director is Anastasia Tsvetkova, International Communications and CSR Practice Director at Baikal Lobridge, expert on the elaboration and implementation of sustainable development programs as well as on the corporate management as regards the ESG-aspects.

Registration is still open. The full description of the training program is available at the official website – the link contains the information, regarding the expansion of lecturers’ faculty as well.
]]> Eighth Graduate Course “GR and Lobbying in Business and Nonprofit Sector” https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/5fp2hirpe1-eighth-graduate-course-gr-and-lobbying-i https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/5fp2hirpe1-eighth-graduate-course-gr-and-lobbying-i?amp=true Mon, 18 Apr 2022 15:08:00 +0300 #events #company The latest cohort of the professional program on GR and lobbying at MGIMO has completed its training, bringing together experts from business and various industries.

Eighth Graduate Course “GR and Lobbying in Business and Nonprofit Sector”

On April 16, MGIMO completed the eighth round of the advanced training program “GR and lobbying in Business and Nonprofit Sector”, implemented by Baikal Lobridge in cooperation with the School of Business and International Proficiency.

42 students received certificates of advanced training.

The course lasted six days (60 academic hours). As part of the course, the methods and principles of lobbying in Russia and the supranational space, GR tools and technologies for building communications between business and government bodies were studied using the example of companies from various sectors of the economy, including companies with state participation. The role of GR in the ESG agenda, lobbying projects in e-commerce, the tobacco and pharmaceutical industries, the risks and opportunities of GR during the pandemic and sanctions regimes are only the part of the rich program of the course.

28 experts spoke to the audience, including Eduard Voytenko CEO of Baikal Lobridge, Andrey Lian, Director of Public Relations and Government Relations at Cargill in Russia, Artem Belov, CEO of Soyuzmoloko, Director for Sustainable Development, member of the Executive Committee (of the Board) RUSAL Irina Bakhtina, Director of Government Relations, Olam International in Russia and the CIS Anton Eropkin, Director of Development of Relations with Government Authorities of X5 Retail Group Stanislav Bogdanov, General Director of the Research Center for Legal Expertise Anastasia Parfenchikova, Deputy Head of Rossotrudnichestvo Dmitry Polikanov, President of NAPCA and Chairman of the Board of SRO “MiR” Elman Mekhtiev, Senior Director for Government Relations at McDonald’s in Russia Andrey Zyryanov, Vice President for Corporate Affairs and Communications at BIOCAD Alexey Torgov, Executive Director of the Association of International Manufacturers of Medical Devices (IMEDA) Sergey Vanin, Irina Fedorova, Senior Director for Government Relations in the Eastern Europe Region of the Baltika Brewing Company, Yana Arzhanova, Director for Government Relations at BAT (Russia, Central Asia, Belarus); Communications Director of PJSC LUKOIL Vitalia Tsarik, Director for Government Relations of PJSC Fortum Alexander Pavlenko, Director for Government Relations of Novostal-M Nikita Ryblenkov, Oleg Kalinsky, Director for Government Relations at PJSC Uralkali; Nikita Pichugin, Director for Relations with Government Authorities and Public Organizations at USC JSC; Alibaba.com (ru) Sergey Lebedev, Vice President of Baring Vostok Capital Partners in Russia and the CIS Marina Amelina, Roman Kletskikh, GR Director of NAUMEN, Denis Stepantsev, Managing Director of the Digital Kazakhstan Association, Artem Yulegin, Head of the Entrepreneurship Advocacy Department of the Business Development Department of the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC), and Anastasia Tsvetkova, General Director of the Lake Baikal Foundation.

The audience included representatives of the commercial and non-profit sectors, as well as employees of near-government structures and employees of supranational governments from the following organizations: ASI, ANO Tsifrovaya ekonomika, PJSC Sberbank, oil and gas company Sakhalin Energy Investment Company Ltd., OOO Novartis Pharma , Siemens Healthineers, ASNA LLC, Firma Avgust JSC, USC JSC, Novostal-M LLC, FGANU Research Institute Speсvuzavtomatika, Aeromax LLC (AFK Sistema), JSC PF SKB Kontur, Kaspersky Lab JSC, InfoWatch, Baltika Brewing Company LLC, Greenfields-Logistics LLC, JFood Kazakhstan, the Federal Fund for Social and Economic Support of Domestic Cinematography, the First Self-Regulatory Organization of Bookmakers Union, the Donor-Search Non-Profit Development Partnership for Donor Development, the Eurasian Economic Commission and other organizations.
]]> Interaction between Business and Government Amid a Crisis (ALF 2022) https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/clyz9te201-interaction-between-business-and-governm https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/clyz9te201-interaction-between-business-and-governm?amp=true Mon, 16 May 2022 15:50:00 +0300 #events #employees At Astana Legal Forum 2022, Eduard Voytenko spoke about business–government interaction in crisis conditions and discussed the prospects for GR development in Kazakhstan in light of new geopolitical realities.

Interaction between Business and Government Amid a Crisis (ALF 2022)

On May 13, in Nur-Sultan (Republic of Kazakhstan) within “Astana Legal Forum 2022”, the Government Relations Forum was held under the auspices of the Kazakh GR Hub. At the invitation of the organizers, CEO of Baikal Lobridge Eduard Voytenko made a speech at one of the sessions of the GR Forum on the topic of interaction between business and government amid a crisis and the GR role in new conditions (materials of the presentation). In addition, during the event, the panelists shared their experience in the Kazakh market and discussed the GR development prospects in Kazakhstan in the context of geopolitical realities.
]]> Anastasia Tsvetkova is Included in the ASI Expert Council https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/dpa8uycrc1-anastasia-tsvetkova-is-included-in-the-a https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/dpa8uycrc1-anastasia-tsvetkova-is-included-in-the-a?amp=true Mon, 27 Jun 2022 15:59:00 +0300 #ratings and awards #employees Anastasia Tsvetkova has joined the renewed Expert Council of the Agency for Strategic Initiatives, which will evaluate and support top ideas from the “Strong Ideas for a New Era” forum aimed at national development and achieving Russia’s 2030 goals.

Anastasia Tsvetkova is Included in the ASI Expert Council

Anastasia Tsvetkova, Director of the International Communications and CSR Practice at Baikal Lobridge, joined the updated Expert Council of the Agency for Strategic Initiatives.

The discussion and approval of ideas that will be included in the top-200 ideas of the “Strong Ideas for the New Time” Forum are among the priorities of the updated Council members. The forum is held by ASI jointly with the Roscongress Foundation to select and implement 100 powerful ideas and projects that will make a significant contribution to the development of the country and the national goals achievement until 2030. The best 100 ideas will receive comprehensive support from ASI, development and business institutions, as well as federal and regional authorities. The initiators will personally present the best ideas and projects to the Head of State at the face-to-face Forum events in July 2022. In total, more than 19,500 ideas were submitted to the “Strong Ideas for a New Time” crowd-platform, of which 2,044 ideas were received in the “National Environmental Initiative” track.

The “Strong Ideas for the New Time” Forum is held for the second time. In 2020, Anastasia Tsvetkova came up with an idea that was included in the top-10 ideas of the forum and was presented at the plenary session to the Head of State. Following the presentation of the idea, the President issued an instruction on the need for a set of measures to minimize the impact of solid municipal waste on specially protected natural areas.
]]> The CSR Course for RANEPA Bachelors has been Completed https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/29f3mfx781-the-csr-course-for-ranepa-bachelors-has https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/29f3mfx781-the-csr-course-for-ranepa-bachelors-has?amp=true Tue, 05 Jul 2022 16:07:00 +0300 #events #employees Anastasia Tsvetkova led a corporate social responsibility module for RANEPA undergraduates, combining lectures, practical cases, and workshops on sustainable development and social change.

The CSR Course for RANEPA Bachelors has been Completed

Anastasia Tsvetkova conducted a module on corporate social responsibility for second-year students studying in the “Global Challenge Management” and “Crisis Management” programs.

During the lectures (28 academic hours), the students studied the basics of systemic thinking in sustainable development, approaches to the corporate social responsibility strategies formation and implementation, the basics of social entrepreneurship and the principles of mutually beneficial interaction between business and the non-profit sector in the field of social change. Practical classes for students were conducted by the Lake Baikal Foundation staff, immersing young specialists in practical cases from the life of the Foundation and its partner organizations. Specially designed workshops and games on systemic thinking in the climate change context were also held for students.

International Communications and CSR Practice Director of Baikal Lobridge cooperates with the RANEPA Institute of Social Sciences on a regular basis. Every year Anastasia Tsvetkova conducts original courses on corporate social responsibility and on interaction with public authorities for RANEPA bachelors and masters.
]]> Anastasia Tsvetkova is a Council Member of the Saint Petersburg State University Educational Program https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/9e3t2m8281-anastasia-tsvetkova-is-a-council-member https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/9e3t2m8281-anastasia-tsvetkova-is-a-council-member?amp=true Thu, 07 Jul 2022 16:16:00 +0300 #ratings and awards #employees Anastasia Tsvetkova has joined the Council of the master’s program “International Relations in the Post-Soviet Space” at St. Petersburg State University, contributing to the development of the program and the training of regional experts.

Anastasia Tsvetkova is a Council Member of the Saint Petersburg State University Educational Program

Director of International Communications and CSR practice Anastasia Tsvetkova became a member of the Council of the main Master’s degree program “International Relations in the Post-Soviet Space”.

The program is implemented at the St. Petersburg State University Faculty of International Relations. As part of the program, students acquire the necessary skills for research and practical activities in the field of international relations in post-Soviet Eurasia. This is the first comprehensive master’s program in Russia, which trains specialists capable of providing organizational, expert, analytical, consulting services for public authorities, international intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, media dealing with international relations in the post-Soviet space, as well as conducting educational and research related activities.
]]> Anastasia Tsvetkova Took Part in the RASO Award Expert Council https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/smd3xdlrl1-anastasia-tsvetkova-took-part-in-the-ras https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/smd3xdlrl1-anastasia-tsvetkova-took-part-in-the-ras?amp=true Fri, 15 Jul 2022 16:26:00 +0300 #ratings and awards #employees Anastasia Tsvetkova participated in the expert council of the RASO award, evaluating companies and selecting the best communication campaigns in business environmental transformation.

Anastasia Tsvetkova Took Part in the RASO Award Expert Council

The RASO Award was established by the RASO General Meeting decision in 2021. The goal of the Award is to popularize approaches to solving complex and extraordinary communication tasks directly related to business efficiency and their long–term reputation impact.

The Director of the International Communications and CSR Practice of Baikal Lobridge took part in the work of the Award Expert Council. Anastasia Tsvetkova nominated companies that, based on the results of other Council members voting, were included in the Award long-list in the “Green Transition” nomination. This nomination marks the best communication campaigns in terms of supporting environmental business transformation.

Cases of companies selected by experts will be published on RASO resources. The final list of winners was announced on July 15, 2022. Read more on the Award website.
]]> The Lake Baikal Foundation Practices are Presented at the Ministry of Economic Development Expert Council Meeting https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/4zx8kdip91-the-lake-baikal-foundation-practices-are https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/4zx8kdip91-the-lake-baikal-foundation-practices-are?amp=true Wed, 03 Aug 2022 17:09:00 +0300 #development of practices #fund The Baikal Lake Foundation presented its climate and forest conservation practices at the Ministry of Economic Development’s Expert Council, sharing innovative methods for protecting natural territories.

The Lake Baikal Foundation Practices are Presented at the Ministry of Economic Development Expert Council Meeting

The Foundation established by the company took part in the meeting on Sustainable Development of the Ministry of Economic Development Expert Council

The meeting was held on August 1 on the eve of the Annual Conference of the Parties on Climate (COP27). The participants of the event are the leading resource extraction, financial, manufacturing, and consulting companies of Russia. The Foundation became the only representative of the non-profit sector.

At the meeting, the Foundation, represented by Senior manager Evgenia Yelkina, spoke about technological ways to preserve forests on Lake Baikal. Such solutions include the new generation quadcopter for fire monitoring and the network of camera traps to prevent illegal logging in protected areas. These measures are aimed at protecting forests of high conservation value, which are especially important for combating climate change and adapting to its consequences.

Since 2022, the Foundation has been implementing climate adaptation projects. The projects are based on the Russian Federation Climate Doctrine priorities, as well as the Ministry of Economic Development and the Ministry of Natural Resources working documents in the field of climate change. The Foundation’s projects are of an applied nature and are aimed at direct assistance to the Baikal Natural Territory, while the team’s expertise is aimed at facilitating the climate risks consideration in management plans and development strategies at the local and regional levels.
]]> Baikal Lobridge Team has Prepared the Book Dedicated to GR and Lobbying https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/mk049c3t11-baikal-lobridge-team-has-prepared-the-bo https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/mk049c3t11-baikal-lobridge-team-has-prepared-the-bo?amp=true Mon, 24 Oct 2022 17:26:00 +0300 #announcements #development of practices The Baikal Lobridge team has published a practical guide on GR and lobbying, dispelling myths about the profession and explaining the tools for business influence on government decision-making.

Baikal Lobridge Team has Prepared the Book Dedicated to GR and Lobbying

Alpina PRO Publishing company has released the book called “Lobbying and GR: concepts, functions, tools” which is dedicated to the business-state interaction issues.

In modern Russia ideas about lobbying are often reduced to stereotypes, and the profession of a lobbyist is covered with myths, even though lobbying is designed to guarantee the representation and protection of the interests of numerous social groups and the business community at various levels of government.

The book offers a practical look at the lobbying technologies use in government decision-making. From the book, the reader will learn:

  • the lobbying institute formation history in the world and in Russia;
  • the ways of how lobbying influences democratic processes in society;
  • the difference between lobbying and GR and other related professional fields;
  • the ways of how the institute of lobbying works in different countries;
  • the lobbying tools used by lobbyists and GR specialists;
  • the reasons why corruption actually harms lobbying;
  • the ways of how government agencies work and how to turn private interest into a state task;
  • the scales of lobbying GR services industry in Russia.

Eduard Voytenko, CEO of Baikal Lobridge, and Anastasia Parfenchikova, Director of Legislation and Legal Studies’ Practice at Baikal Lobridge, are the authors of the book.

You have the opportunity to read more and order the book on the publishing company website.
]]> Ninth Graduate Course “GR and Lobbying in Business and Nonprofit Sector” https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/4rppue3dg1-ninth-graduate-course-gr-and-lobbying-in https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/4rppue3dg1-ninth-graduate-course-gr-and-lobbying-in?amp=true Mon, 31 Oct 2022 18:32:00 +0300 #events #company The ninth cohort of Baikal Lobridge’s course mastered practical GR and lobbying methods, including workshops on legal expertise and real-life case studies from various industries.

Ninth Graduate Course “GR and Lobbying in Business and Nonprofit Sector”

On October 29, MGIMO completed the ninth round of the advanced training program “GR and lobbying in Business and Nonprofit Sector”, implemented by Baikal Lobridge in cooperation with the School of Business and International Proficiency. 32 students received certificates of advanced training.

As part of the course, students studied lobbying principles and functions, methods and ways of lobbying, lobbying tools, GR-technologies for building business-government communications on the example of companies from various economy sectors. A special feature of this season program was a workshop on legal expertise of regulatory legal acts draft.

Anti-crisis GR, GR department functioning amid the crisis, corporate GR tools, GR role in global food security, GR department budget formation, GR-support of companies in business owners changing conditions and GR and lobbying specifics in China and Kazakhstan are only part of a rich course program.

26 experts spoke to the audience, including Eduard Voytenko, CEO of Baikal Lobridge, Andrey Lian, Acting President of AB InBev Efes Oraz Durdiyev, Head of the GR-Department of PJSC Cherkizovo Group Natalia Klepikova, Director of Public Relations and Government Relations at Cargill in Russia, Artem Belov, CEO of Soyuzmoloko, Director for Sustainable Development, member of the Executive Committee (of the Board) RUSAL Irina Bakhtina, Director of Government Relations, Olam International in Russia and the CIS Anton Eropkin, Director of Development of Relations with Government Authorities of X5 Group Stanislav Bogdanov, General Director of the Research Center for Legal Expertise Anastasia Parfenchikova, Deputy Head of Rossotrudnichestvo Dmitry Polikanov, President of NAPCA and Chairman of the Board of SRO “MiR” Elman Mekhtiev, Senior Director for Government Relations at “Vkusno i tochka” in Russia Andrey Zyryanov, Vice President for Corporate Affairs and Communications at BIOCAD Alexey Torgov, Executive Director of the Association of International Manufacturers of Medical Devices (IMEDA) Sergey Vanin, Irina Fedorova, Senior Director for Government Relations in the Eastern Europe Region of the Baltika Brewing Company, Yana Arzhanova, Director for Government Relations at BAT (Russia, Central Asia, Belarus); Communications Director of PJSC LUKOIL Lyudmila Zimina, Director for Government Relations of PJSC Fortum Alexander Pavlenko, Director for Government Relations of Novostal-M Nikita Ryblenkov, Oleg Kalinsky, Director for Government Relations at PJSC Uralkali; Nikita Pichugin, Director for Relations with Government Authorities and Public Organizations at USC JSC; Alibaba.com (ru) Sergey Lebedev, Vice President of Baring Vostok Capital Partners in Russia and the CIS Marina Amelina, Roman Kletskikh, GR Director of NAUMEN, Denis Stepantsev, Council Chairman of the First SRO of Russian Bookmakers Nikolay Oganezov,founder of the Corphacker project Sergey Chernenko, Managing Director of the Digital Kazakhstan Association, Artem Yulegin, Head of the Entrepreneurship Advocacy Department of the Business Development Department of the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC), and Ekaterina Terentyeva, Project Manager of the Lake Baikal Foundation.

The participants represented the following commercial and non-profit organizations, as well as supranational governing bodies: Roche, Ascensia Diabetes Care LLC, Geropharm LLC, British American Tobacco, EVRAZ LLC, NLMK PJSC, UC RUSAL, Stentex LLC, Apatit JSC, SPHERE JSC, CCI of the Republic Tatarstan, PPK “Russian Environmental Operator”, ANO “Dialog”, the Eurasian Economic Commission and other organizations.
]]> The Middle Eastern Crisis and New Challenges for Russian Business https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/iho83j7g61-the-middle-eastern-crisis-and-new-challe https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/iho83j7g61-the-middle-eastern-crisis-and-new-challe?amp=true Mon, 06 Apr 2026 12:31:00 +0300 #events #employees At the AmCham event, Anastasia Tsvetkova discussed how the Middle Eastern crisis affects resources, business resilience, and Russia’s national security.

The Middle Eastern Crisis and New Challenges for Russian Business

On April 2, 2026, Anastasia Tsvetkova, Senior Partner for Climate and Sustainable Development at Baikal Lobridge, presented at the business event “Global Challenges and Russian Business: New Realities and Perspectives”, hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce in Russia (AmCham).

Her presentation highlighted how the crisis in the Middle East is doing more than destabilizing the region, it is forcing a systemic rethink of the global economic model. Access to critical resources — energy, water, and food — is increasingly becoming a decisive factor for both economic stability and national security.

Disruptions in energy flows, logistics, fertilizer production, and transportation can create cascading effects across the entire food value chain. In this environment, resilience, not efficiency, is becoming the new priority for governments and businesses alike.
"For Russia, the current situation underscores the importance of building resilient systems and securing access to critical resources. In a world where supply chains are increasingly fragile, our ability to adapt and manage resources effectively will define both national and economic security," said Anastasia Tsvetkova during her presentation.
The event gathered experts from banking, consulting, and corporate sectors to discuss the factors shaping government policy priorities and the business environment in 2026. Participants explored how global instability, resource security, and sustainable development are reshaping business strategies and decision-making.

The full presentation by Anastasia Tsvetkova is available at the following link.
]]> Eduard Voytenko Performed at MGIMO as Part of the “Parliamentary Week 2022” https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/j23panml71-eduard-voytenko-performed-at-mgimo-as-pa https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/j23panml71-eduard-voytenko-performed-at-mgimo-as-pa?amp=true Fri, 11 Nov 2022 14:33:00 +0300 #events #employees Eduard Voytenko spoke to MGIMO students about how lobbying works in Russia and globally, the role it plays in supporting business and public policy, and how GR tools are evolving today.

Eduard Voytenko Performed at MGIMO as Part of the “Parliamentary Week 2022”

On November 10, Eduard Voytenko, PhD candidate in political science, professional lobbyist, CEO of Baikal Lobridge and Edward’s East Strategies, scientific supervisor of the MGIMO training course “GR and Lobbying in Business and Non-profit Sector”, co-author of the book “Lobbying and GR. Concepts, functions, tools” delivered a lecture on “Lobbying: Features in Russia and Abroad” as part of the educational block for MGIMO Parliamentary Model 2022 participants.

During the lecture, the following topics were touched upon:

  • The role of lobbying in business support, society and the state development.
  • When there is a need to use lobbying technologies?
  • Lobbying influence spheres.
  • Approaches to the lobbying definition.
  • Lobbying as a field of activity.
  • Lobbying as a socio-political institution.
  • Are lobbyism and lobbying the same thing?
  • Lobbying vs. Government Relations (GR).
  • Lobbying in the USA and Europe: historical aspects and the current stage of development.
  • Prospects for the lobbying development in Russia.

The event was attended by 190 listeners and another 3200 students from different universities of the country were able to watch the lecture online.
]]> Tenth Graduate Course “GR and Lobbying in Business and Non-Profit Sector” https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/093nyzx9i1-tenth-graduate-course-gr-and-lobbying-in https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/093nyzx9i1-tenth-graduate-course-gr-and-lobbying-in?amp=true Sun, 27 Nov 2022 15:17:00 +0300 #events #company RUSAL specialists completed the professional training program “GR and Lobbying in Business and Non-Profit Organizations” at MGIMO, focusing on practical tools for business–government relations in a changing regulatory environment.

Tenth Graduate Course “GR and Lobbying in Business and Non-Profit Sector”

On November 25, leading specialists and profile managers of RUSAL have completed training course within the tenth (extraordinary) round of the advanced training program “GR and lobbying in Business and Nonprofit Sector”, implemented by Baikal Lobridge in cooperation with the School of Business and International Proficiency. 32 students received certificates of advanced training.

During the five-day program, the trainees improved the skills of representing and promoting the company interests in the state authorities of the federal and regional levels, as well as in the supranational (EEC) space. The acquired knowledge will allow students to professionally build communications between business and public authorities at all levels, plan GR projects in new realities and effectively protect the organization interests. Classes were held in practical form and workshops. According to the results of the training, 22 participants received the advanced training certificates of the state standard.

The course program includes disciplines devoted to various aspects of GR and lobbying activities: much attention is paid to building business and public authorities (federal and regional) communication amid the crisis, working with business and industry associations, expert and scientific organizations, state corporations and development institutions. An important section is devoted to the study of GR tools and lobbying activities, such as monitoring and analysis of the regulatory environment, legal expertise of draft laws and other NPAs, PR tools, event management, etc.

As part of the educational program, the speakers shared with the audience GR-experience from various industries: GR in IT and finance, agriculture, retail and logistics, shipbuilding, green energy, coal industry, metallurgy and others. During the classes, great emphasis was placed on the anti-crisis and regional GR, as well as on the environmental agenda. In addition, the students studied the structure and tools (internal and external) of GR in a private company and learned how to build the work of the GR department amid the crisis.

The scientific director of the program is Eduard Voytenko, PhD in Political Science, General Director of Baikal Lobridge (Moscow) and Edward’s East Strategies (Astana) consulting firms. Among the teachers are the specialists of the largest Russian and international organizations: Irina Fedorova, Senior Director for Work with public authorities in Eastern Europe of the Baltika Brewing Company, Anastasia Parfenchikova, PhD in Law, Director General of the ANO “Research Center for Legal Expertise”, Ekaterina Terentyeva, Project Manager of the Lake Baikal Foundation, Roman Kletskikh, GR Director of NAUMEN, Nikita Ryblenkov, Director for Government Relations of Novostal-M, Maxim Ignatiev, PhD in Social Sciences, Advisor to the General Director of the Siberian Generating Company (SUEK Group), Andrey Liang, Director of Public Relations and Public Authorities of Cargill in Russia, Anton Eropkin, Director of Relations with government Agencies in Russia and CIS Olam Russia, Akimov, Director of Interaction with Authorities of JSC “Cordiant”, Nikita Pichugin, Director of the Department of Interaction with state authorities and public organizations of JSC “United Shipbuilding Corporation”, Alexander Pavlenko, Director of Work with state Bodies of PJSC Fortum, Elman Mehtiyev, President of NAPCA, Chairman of the Council of SRO MiR, Sergey Lebedev, Vice President for Relations with state Authorities of AliExpress, Artem Yulegin, Head of the Department of Entrepreneurship Advocacy of the Department of Entrepreneurship Development of the EEC and other colleagues.
]]> Anastasia Tsvetkova Joined the Expert Council on Sustainable Development under the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/0mm8ddl8s1-anastasia-tsvetkova-joined-the-expert-co https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/0mm8ddl8s1-anastasia-tsvetkova-joined-the-expert-co?amp=true Thu, 01 Dec 2022 15:40:00 +0300 #employees #development of practices The council unites experts and companies to discuss sustainable development strategies. Anastasia Tsvetkova represents Baikal Lobridge.

Anastasia Tsvetkova Joined the Expert Council on Sustainable Development under the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation

On October 25, 2022, the updated composition of the Expert Council on Sustainable Development was approved by the order of Maxim Reshetnikov, the Minister of Economic Development.

The Council activity is aimed at creating conditions for professional and expert discussion with the Russian business community of methods and tools for achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as well as the adaptation of the Russian companies activities to the changing international environment amid the global transition to sustainable development models.

The Expert Council on Sustainable Development includes Russian and international companies and experts in the field of sustainable development. Anastasia Tsvetkova, Baikal Lobridge Director of International Communications and CSR, joined the Council.

During 2022, company representatives participated in the Council meetings, presenting expertise on adaptation to climate change, while Lake Baikal Foundation practices for the Baikal region forests conservation and the artificial intelligence integration for Lake Baikal ecomonitoring and assessing the climate change impact on its ecosystem were included in official documents from the Russian Federation to prepare for the Annual UN Climate Conference.

The Expert Council on Sustainable Development under the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation was established in December 2020 (Order No. 802 of the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation dated December 3, 2021).
]]> Baikal Lobridge and Moscow State University GR-Club Signed a Cooperation Memorandum https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/ybbperlg81-baikal-lobridge-and-moscow-state-univers https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/ybbperlg81-baikal-lobridge-and-moscow-state-univers?amp=true Tue, 13 Dec 2022 15:58:00 +0300 #company Baikal Lobridge is expanding educational collaboration with the MSU GR Club, supporting the development of the GR profession and sharing practical experience with students.

Baikal Lobridge and Moscow State University GR-Club Signed a Cooperation Memorandum

In December 2022 Baikal Lobridge and the Moscow State University GR-Club signed a cooperation memorandum. The signing of the memorandum was a new pro bono contribution of the company to the GR-specialist profession development.

The parties agreed to develop partnership in the following key areas:

  • cooperation in the educational youth programs implementation in the GR field;
  • improvement of the professional climate;
  • assistance in institutionalizing the profession of a specialist in relations with public authorities;
  • and others.

Baikal Lobridge intends to further strengthen cooperation with the student community in order to popularize and develop the profession in the GR and lobbying field. Thus, the company’s employees annually conduct a special GR course within the MGIMO Law Club, give lectures on bachelor’s and master’s degree programs at MGIMO and RANEPA, conduct master classes at the invitation of other universities in Russia and Central Asian countries.
]]> Special Course at MGIMO “Law as the Most Important Tool in Lobbying Activities” https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/md3fjh6c61-special-course-at-mgimo-law-as-the-most https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/md3fjh6c61-special-course-at-mgimo-law-as-the-most?amp=true Mon, 19 Dec 2022 16:07:00 +0300 #events Over a hundred law students from Moscow universities explored the practical aspects of GR and lobbying, learned tools for working with government authorities, and received certificates upon completing the special course.

Special Course at MGIMO “Law as the Most Important Tool in Lobbying Activities”

In December 2022, Baikal Lobridge jointly with the Research Centre for Legal Expertise held a special course called “Law as the most important tool in lobbying activities” on the basis of the MGIMO Law Club.

The course covered the following topics:

  • GR and lobbying activities. Building communication between business and public authorities. The main GR approach features.
  • Principles, GR-technologies, mechanisms and tools for working with public authorities.
  • Legal and ethical regulation of lobbying activities.
  • Legal expertise of draft regulations and the procedure for their passage in public authorities.

At the end of the course, participants received certificates. The special course was attended by more than a hundred law students from different Moscow universities.
]]> Baikal Lobridge Joined the Russian-Uzbek Business Council https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/kbgv0ulo91-baikal-lobridge-joined-the-russian-uzbek https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/kbgv0ulo91-baikal-lobridge-joined-the-russian-uzbek?amp=true Wed, 21 Dec 2022 16:19:00 +0300 #company Baikal Lobridge joined the Russian-Uzbek Business Council, expanding opportunities for Russian businesses to engage with partners in Uzbekistan and supporting dialogue with government and commercial entities in both countries.

Baikal Lobridge Joined the Russian-Uzbek Business Council

In December 2022 Baikal Lobridge became a part of Russian-Uzbek Business Council.

The Russian-Uzbek Business Council was established at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation. Participation in it allows to:

  • expand and develop business contacts and mutually beneficial cooperation between Russian and Uzbek entrepreneurs;
  • promote the interests of Russian business in the Uzbek market and attract Uzbek investments to Russia;
  • increase the role of interested representatives of the Russian business community in the formation and implementation of state policy in the field of Russian-Uzbek economic relations;
  • organize a constructive dialogue between the business circles of Russia and Uzbekistan interested in developing and improving the effectiveness of Russian-Uzbek business cooperation;
  • protect the rights and legitimate interests of Russian business in relations with Russian and Uzbek official and commercial structures, etc.

Thus, Baikal Lobridge specialists will be able to participate in the activities of the business council on a regular basis, helping clients to organize mutually beneficial cooperation with the business community of both countries and the state authorities of Russia and Uzbekistan.
]]> Baikal Lobridge Joined the Russian-Kazakh Business Council https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/uhcgfte4p1-baikal-lobridge-joined-the-russian-kazak https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/uhcgfte4p1-baikal-lobridge-joined-the-russian-kazak?amp=true Mon, 13 Feb 2023 16:57:00 +0300 #development of practices Baikal Lobridge joined the Russia-Kazakhstan Business Council under the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry to help clients build new business connections, strengthen cooperation between entrepreneurs and government bodies in both countries.

Baikal Lobridge Joined the Russian-Kazakh Business Council

In December 2022 Baikal Lobridge became a part of Russian-Kazakh Business Council.

The Russian-Kazakh Business Council was established at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation. Participation in it allows to:

  • expand and develop business contacts and mutually beneficial cooperation between Russian and Kazakh entrepreneurs;
  • promote the interests of Russian business in the Kazakhstan market and attract Kazakh investments to Russia;
  • increase the role of interested representatives of the Russian business community in the formation and implementation of state policy in the field of Russian-Kazakh economic relations;
  • organize a constructive dialogue between the business circles of Russia and Kazakhstan interested in developing and improving the effectiveness of Russian-Kazakh business cooperation;
  • protect the rights and legitimate interests of Russian business in relations with Russian and Kazakh official and commercial structures, etc.

Thus, Baikal Lobridge specialists will be able to participate in the activities of the business council on a regular basis, helping clients to organize mutually beneficial cooperation with the business community of both countries and the state authorities of Russia and Kazakhstan.
]]> 11th Graduate Course “GR and Lobbying in Business and Nonprofit Sector” https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/oj5jp6hrj1-11th-graduate-course-gr-and-lobbying-in https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/oj5jp6hrj1-11th-graduate-course-gr-and-lobbying-in?amp=true Mon, 17 Apr 2023 17:17:00 +0300 #events #company Participants of the MGIMO course acquired key GR and lobbying skills, learning how to effectively engage with government bodies and plan projects in crisis conditions.

11th Graduate Course “GR and Lobbying in Business and Nonprofit Sector”

On April 15, MGIMO completed the 11th round of the advanced training program “GR and lobbying in Business and Nonprofit Sector”, implemented by Baikal Lobridge in cooperation with the School of Business and International Proficiency.

During the six-day program, the trainees improved their skills of representing and promoting the company interests in the state authorities of the federal and regional levels, as well as in the supranational (EEC) space. The acquired knowledge will allow students to professionally build communications between business and public authorities at all levels, plan GR projects amid crisis and effectively protect the interests of the organization. Classes were held in the format of practical classes and workshops. According to the training program results, 33 participants received state standard certificates of advanced training.

As part of the course, students studied lobbying principles and functions, methods and ways of lobbying, lobbying tools, GR-technologies for building business-government communications on the example of companies from various economy sectors. A special feature of this season program was a workshop on the budget formation of GR departments.

The course program includes disciplines devoted to various aspects of GR and lobbying activities: significant attention is paid to building communication between business and public authorities amid the crisis, working with business and industry associations, expert and scientific organizations, state corporations and development institutions. An important section is devoted to the study of GR and lobbying tools, such as monitoring and analysis of the regulatory environment, legal expertise of draft laws and other NPAs, PR tools, event management, etc.

As part of the educational program, the speakers shared with the audience GR-experience from various industries: GR in IT, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, retail, shipbuilding, “green” and traditional energy, metallurgy, mining and others. During the classes, a lot of emphasis was placed on the algorithms of work and the structure of GR departments during the crisis period.

26 experts spoke to the audience, including Eduard Voytenko, scientific director of the program, PhD in political science and CEO of consulting firms Baikal Lobridge (Moscow) and Edward’s East Strategies (Astana), Andrey Lian, Director of Public Relations and Public Authorities “Cargill” in Russia, Maria Dronova, Director of Public Relations and Charitable Activities EVRAZ, Alexander Moskovkin, head of the block “Law” of “The Russian newspaper”, Daria Kovalenko, Director of the Legal Department of Calzedonia Group Russia, Yulia Khramaykova, Head of the Department for Interaction with State Authorities of PJSC Magnit, Artem Ter-Khachaturov, Head of the Department for Interaction with Federal Authorities of PJSC Cherkizovo Group, Sergey Vanin, Executive Director of the Association of International Manufacturers of Medical Devices (IMEDA), Evgenia Ovchinnikova, Head of the Department for Support of Foreign Economic Activity of BIOCAD, Dmitry Polikanov, Deputy Head of Rossotrudnichestvo, PhD in Political Science, Nikita Pichugin, Director of the Department of Interaction with Public Authorities and Public Organizations of JSC USC, Irina Bakhtina, Director of Sustainable Development, Member of the Executive Committee (Board) of RUSAL, Anastasia Tsvetkova, Director General of the Lake Baikal Foundation, Alexander Pavlenko, Director for Work with state Bodies of PJSC Fortum, Anastasia Parfenchikova, Director General of the Research Center for Legal Expertise, PhD in Law, Anton Eropkin, Director of Public Relations at Olam International in Russia and the CIS, Yana Arzhanova, Director of Interaction with Public Authorities of BAT Russia, Central Asia, Belarus, Makar Goncharov, Director of Business Development, Head of Distribution of digital educational projects of Tsifrium (Severgroup TT), Armen Manukyan, Head of the Business Development Directorate “Showcase” of JSC “Russian Post”, ex-GR Wildberries, Dmitry Kononov, Head of Interaction with Federal Authorities of PJSC Vimpelcom, Roman Kletskikh, GR-Director of NAUMEN, Alexander Likhanov, General Director of the National Champions Association, Denis Stepantsev, Managing Director of the Digital Kazakhstan Association, and Artem Yulegin, Head of the Entrepreneurship Advocacy Department of the Business Development Department of the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC).

Among the listeners there were representatives of the following commercial and non-profit organizations: JSC “RUSNANO”, PJSC “Inter RAO”, JSC “Nevsky Zavod”, FSANU Research Institute “Spetsvuzavtomatika”, LLC “Biofudtech”, FSUE “TsNIIchermet im. Bardina”, Navicon, Zecurion, LLC Profilum, LLC NTS Gradient, JSC New Transportation Company, Core.XP, Komservice LLC, ProfESCO LLC, CYBERTAPE LLC, Thunder JSC, IIHR LLC, Instamart Service LLC, Hire Now, IEC HOLDING LLC, Gazpromneft-GEO LLC, ANO Digital Economy, Association of Retail Companies, Rosprirodnadzor, the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, MBOO “Nochlezhka”, ANO “World without Borders”, Greenpeace (branch of the international NGO in Russia), NGO “Eurasian Dialogue”, MGIMO Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia and other organizations.
]]> Baikal Lobridge Joined the Russian-Georgian Business Council https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/6ni8jj5po1-baikal-lobridge-joined-the-russian-georg https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/6ni8jj5po1-baikal-lobridge-joined-the-russian-georg?amp=true Fri, 12 May 2023 17:39:00 +0300 #company In May 2023, Baikal Lobridge joined the Russian-Georgian Business Council, opening up new opportunities for business cooperation and dialogue between Russian and Georgian companies.

Baikal Lobridge Joined the Russian-Georgian Business Council

In May 2023 Baikal Lobridge became a part of the Russian-Georgian Business Council. The Russian-Georgian Business Council was established at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation and is intended to become a key platform for contacts between the business community of Russia and Georgia. Participation in it allows you to:

  • expand and develop business contacts and mutually beneficial cooperation between Russian and Georgian entrepreneurs;
  • to organize a constructive dialogue between the business circles of Russia and Georgia interested in developing and improving the effectiveness of Russian-Georgian business cooperation;
  • protect the rights and legitimate interests of Russian business in relations with Russian and Georgian official and commercial structures, etc.

Thus, representatives of Baikal Lobridge will be able to participate in the activities of the business council on a regular basis, helping clients to build new communications with the business community of both countries and the state authorities of Russia and Georgia.
]]> Baikal Lobridge Announced the Beginning of Cooperation with ASI https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/bfz000zdi1-baikal-lobridge-announced-the-beginning https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/bfz000zdi1-baikal-lobridge-announced-the-beginning?amp=true Fri, 02 Jun 2023 13:59:00 +0300 #company Baikal Lobridge and ASI are launching a joint platform to share GR practices and hold educational events for businesses.

Baikal Lobridge Announced the Beginning of Cooperation with ASI

In June 2023, Baikal Lobridge and the Agency for Strategic Initiatives for the Promotion of New Projects announced the beginning of cooperation in order to implement projects and activities aimed at sharing knowledge and experience in building relationships with public authorities.

The creation of the partnership was caused by the need to transfer competencies to large, medium and small businesses, which often need help to promote their projects. Within the cooperation, the parties have already decided to form a joint platform for conducting practical classes and master classes in the field of GR. Such work on the basis of an educational platform will allow sharing skills to identify stakeholders in the authorities (federal and regional levels), as well as knowledge in the field of existing tools to support companies and current areas of activity of the authorities.

The first event will be held on June 7. Registration is open via the link.

Baikal Lobridge and ASI will keep informed about further meetings with the participation of leading GR experts and possible formats of participation in them.
]]> Baikal Lobridge Joins Lomonosov-2026 as Partner of the “Law for Business” Section https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/czyy1ev2u1-baikal-lobridge-joins-lomonosov-2026-as https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/czyy1ev2u1-baikal-lobridge-joins-lomonosov-2026-as?amp=true Wed, 08 Apr 2026 21:06:00 +0300 #announcements #company A round table at the Law Faculty of Lomonosov Moscow State University will focus on improving the legal regulation of business. Participants will hear presentations and take part in an open discussion with professors and experts.

Baikal Lobridge Joins Lomonosov-2026 as Partner of the “Law for Business” Section

On April 14, 2026, the Law Faculty of Lomonosov Moscow State University will host the section “Law for Business: Paths of Improvement” as part of the International Academic Conference of Students, Postgraduates, and Young Researchers “Lomonosov-2026.”

Baikal Lobridge acts as a partner of the section. The event will be opened by a welcome speech from Vyacheslav Kharitonov, expert in GR and regulatory risk assessment at Baikal Lobridge.

The session will be held in a round table format, bringing together research presentations and an open discussion with professors from the Department of Entrepreneurial Law at the Law Faculty of MSU and conference participants.

Date: April 14, 2026.
Time: 10:00.
Location: Faculty of Law, MSU.
]]> GR&Lobbying Workshop in ASI https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/6jdd1afc91-gramplobbying-workshop-in-asi https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/6jdd1afc91-gramplobbying-workshop-in-asi?amp=true Wed, 14 Jun 2023 18:18:00 +0300 #events #employees The first master class within the Baikal Lobridge and ASI partnership brought participants together to explore GR and lobbying tools, assess regulatory risks, and build effective engagement with government authorities.

GR&Lobbying Workshop in ASI

On June 7, the first educational event was held within the cooperation between the Agency for Strategic Initiatives and Baikal Lobridge. Eduard Voytenko held the workshop in the field of GR&Lobbying in the interests of ASI employees and project leaders.

During the workshop, the key principles of interaction with public authorities, GR and lobbying tools and technologies, assessment of regulatory risks and approaches to working with them were studied.

This event marked the beginning of a series of workshops aimed at sharing knowledge and experience on building relationships with public authorities. Among the next announced topics are the following: “GR in IT”, “Skills of written communication with public authorities”, “Legislative activity”, etc.

Follow the announcements of further meetings with leading experts in GR&Lobbying field on the ASI and Baikal Lobridge resources.
]]> Baikal Lobridge is the Member of CCI FRANCE RUSSIE https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/8jb4tl3081-baikal-lobridge-is-the-member-of-cci-fra https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/8jb4tl3081-baikal-lobridge-is-the-member-of-cci-fra?amp=true Tue, 26 Sep 2023 18:29:00 +0300 #company Baikal Lobridge joined the French-Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, opening up new opportunities to strengthen economic ties and support business between Russia and France.

Baikal Lobridge is the Member of CCI FRANCE RUSSIE

In September 2023, Baikal Lobridge joined the Franco-Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which is the significant organization for the development of economic ties between the two countries.

For us, being the member of the CCI FRANCE RUSSIE Chamber means:

  • becoming part of a consolidated professional community;
  • be able to strengthen economic and trade ties between Russia and France;
  • to provide GR and legal support to French and foreign businesses in general, thereby providing new opportunities in Russia, Central Asia and the Caucasus.

Representatives of Baikal Lobridge plan to actively participate in the activities of the Franco-Russian business community in the interests of preserving and developing foreign business in Russia.
]]> 12th Graduate Course "GR and Lobbying in Business and Nonprofit Sector" https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/n49birbru1-12th-graduate-course-gr-and-lobbying-in https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/n49birbru1-12th-graduate-course-gr-and-lobbying-in?amp=true Mon, 23 Oct 2023 18:45:00 +0300 #events #company Participants of the course at MGIMO learned how to plan GR projects and effectively safeguard companies’ interests in a crisis environment.

12th Graduate Course "GR and Lobbying in Business and Nonprofit Sector"

On October 21, MGIMO completed the 12th round of the advanced training program “GR and lobbying in Business and Nonprofit Sector”, implemented by Baikal Lobridge in cooperation with the School of Business and International Proficiency.

During the six-day program, the trainees studied the principles and functions of lobbying, its methods and ways, lobbying tools, GR-technologies for building communications between business and authorities on the example of companies from various sectors of the economy and NGOs. A special feature of the program of this stream was a workshop on the creation of a GR algorithm and a lobbying project and its implementation technology. Much attention was paid to the work of the Subcommittee of the Government Commission for the Control of Foreign Investment in the Russian Federation as well. According to the training program results, 32 participants received state standard certificates of advanced training.

The course program includes disciplines devoted to various aspects of GR and lobbying activities: significant attention is paid to building communication between business and public authorities in a crisis period, working with business and industry associations, expert and scientific organizations, state corporations and development institutions. An important section is devoted to the study of GR and lobbying tools, such as monitoring and analysis of the regulatory environment, legal expertise of draft laws and other regulatory acts, PR tools, event management, etc. Recently, disciplines dedicated to supra-professional competencies (soft skills) have appeared on the course.

Throughout the program, the speakers shared with the audience GR-experience from various sectors of the economy and NGOs: GR in the field of marketplaces, IT, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, financial and banking sector, retail, shipbuilding, “green” and traditional energy, metallurgy, mining and others. During the classes, a lot of emphasis was placed on the algorithms of work and the structure of GR departments, taking into account the challenges of the present time.

25 experts spoke to the audience, including Eduard Voytenko, scientific director of the program, PhD in political science and CEO of consulting firms Baikal Lobridge (Moscow) and Edward’s East Strategies (Astana), Andrey Lian, Director of Public Relations and Public Authorities “Cargill” in Russia, Maria Dronova, Director of Public Relations and Charitable Activities EVRAZ, Alexander Moskovkin, head of the block “Law” of “The Russian newspaper”, Daria Shleikina, Director of the Legal Department of Calzedonia Group Russia, Nikolay Oganezov, Chairman of the Council of the First Russian SRO of Bookmakers, Yulia Khramaykova, Head of the Department for Interaction with State Authorities of PJSC “Magnit”, Kirill Tuzov, Manager for Work with public authorities of Mindray Medical Russia, Evgenia Ovchinnikova, Head of the Department for Support of Foreign Economic Activity of BIOCAD, Dmitry Polikanov, Deputy Head of Rossotrudnichestvo, PhD in Political Science, Elman Mehtiyev, Chairman of the Boards of SRO “M&D” and NAMMP, Nikita Pichugin, Director of the Department of Interaction with Public Authorities and Public Organizations of JSC USC, Anastasia Tsvetkova, Director General of the Lake Baikal Foundation, Alexander Pavlenko, Director for Work with state Bodies of PJSC Fortum, Anastasia Parfenchikova, Director General of the Research Center for Legal Expertise, PhD in Law, Anton Eropkin, Director of Public Relations at Olam International in Russia and the CIS, Sergey Lebedev, Director of Public Relations Alibaba.com (ru), Makar Goncharov, Director of Business Development, Head of Distribution of digital educational projects of Tsifrium (Severgroup TT), Dmitry Kononov, Head of Interaction with Federal Authorities of PJSC Vimpelcom, Roman Kletskikh, GR-Director of NAUMEN, Alexander Likhanov, General Director of the National Champions Association, Sergey Chernenko, founder of the “CorpHaker”career club, Denis Abdrakhmanov, Deputy Corporate Director – Director of the Center for Interaction with Federal Authorities of ANO “ASI”, and Artem Yulegin, Head of the Entrepreneurship Advocacy Department of the Business Development Department of the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC).

Among the listeners there were representatives of the following commercial and non-profit organizations: “Gazprom Neft Shelf” LLC, “Russian Platinum Group” (“Chernogorskaya GRK” LLC), “Samara Plant of Medical Devices” LLC, “Roche Diagnostics Rus” LLC, “GEO-MED” LLC, “Greinrus” LLC, JSC “Eurosib SPb TS”, JSC “KAMA”, JSC “KONAR”, Technaxis, TikTok, JSC “Lenoblaizhk”, “UK TALAN”LLC, “Garantrestavproekt” LLC, “Instamart Technologies” LLC, “Irieltor” LLC, the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation, the Election Commission of the Sverdlovsk region, the Association “ROSIZOL” and other organizations.
]]> The Workshop on GR&Lobbying at Kutafin Moscow State Law University (MSAL) https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/076v5gbki1-the-workshop-on-gramplobbying-at-kutafin https://baikal-lobridge.ru/news-eng/076v5gbki1-the-workshop-on-gramplobbying-at-kutafin?amp=true Mon, 13 Nov 2023 19:02:00 +0300 #events #employees A GR & Lobbying master class was held at MGUA, where Eduard Voytenko discussed legal tools in GR, international regulatory models, and practical methods for creating lobbying projects.

The Workshop on GR&Lobbying at Kutafin Moscow State Law University (MSAL)

On November 13, 2023, at MSAL there was the workshop “Law as the most important tool in GR” on the basis of the university’s GR-club. Eduard Voytenko, PhD in Political Sciences, CEO of Baikal Loridge was the speaker at the event.

As part of the workshop, the expert raised the following topics:

  • Lobbying regulation model in the USA;
  • Lobbying regulation models in the EU and individual European states;
  • Legal and ethical regulation of lobbying activities;
  • Internal and external GR and lobbying tools;
  • Case-study: “The algorithm for creating a lobbying project and the technologies of its implementation”.

Following the results of the workshop, as the gift all participants received the book “Lobbying and GR. Concepts, functions, tools”, written by Eduard Voytenko in co-authorship with Anastasia Parfenchikova PhD in Law, Director General of the Research Centre for Legal Expertise.

The educational event was held under the auspices of the company’s mission which is to popularize and develop the GR profession in Russia.
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