May 21st: Minister of Communications of the Russian Federation met with members of the Club of Leaders. Philipp Ryabchenko took an active part in the conversation

On 21.05.2013 there was a meeting of the Minister of Communications and Mass Media of Russia Nickolay Nikiforov with representatives of the Club of Leaders to promote business initiatives. Senior partner of the law firm “BIEL” Philipp Ryabchenko took an active part in the discussion of problems of the branch.

At present, 340 companies from 42 constituent territories of the Russian Federation already became members of the Club. Their conversation partners were also the president of the Open Joint-Stock Company “Rostelecom” Sergey Kalugin and General Director of the Federal State Unitary Enterprise “Russian Post” Dmitry Strashnov. The moderator of the meeting was the Director of the line “New Business” of the Agency for Strategic Initiatives, the chairman of Nonprofit Partnership “Club of Leaders” Artem Avetisyan. In his opening speech, he outlined the priorities that guide the Club of Leaders in their initiatives: the improvement of the investment climate in the country by making easier and cheaper procedures, accompanying the implementation of business projects in the context of the Russian state and the national economy. And for this it is very important to provide the interaction of business and Government at all levels. As one of them there were mentioned “Road Maps” — initiatives of the business community, supported and developed at the state level.

In response, the Minister of Communications and Mass Media of the Russian Federation Nickolay Nikiforov mentioned the continued importance of such interaction and mutual understanding on which it is built. According to him, today 4.6%  of the Russian GDP is provided by the sector of IT; each ruble out of a hundred is earned in Russia by a programmer. Information technologies, and communications, and Internet-based commerce, and remote service, and online service industry can be attributed to this sphere. Rates of growth of this industry are three times ahead of the national average. And already today about 4 million Russians may get almost all public services electronically. To create conditions that stimulate business initiative in this industry, is important today as never before, and the State includes this line as one of the priorities of its development.

Dmitry Strashnov, Head of the “Russian Post”, spoke about current problems and prospects of development of his agency. Construction of automated sorting centers, upgrading of the transport infrastructure, development of additional services are certainly needed against the background of increasing demand for postal services for the rapidly growing distance trade.

Sergey Kalugin, Head of the Open Joint-Stock Company “Rostelecom”, did not fall behind the other participants as regards his concrete and constructive proposals; he noted as an achievement the transparency of tender procedures.

The meeting was completed by the exchange of views and suggestions of the representatives of the business community.