Andrey Yakunin

Feb 19

Reunion: Alumni Association at St Petersburg State University

“A man who doesn’t take risks loses opportunities for further development.”

from the SPbU Reunion 2016

St Petersburg State University (SPbU) is the oldest university in Russia, and is consistently ranked among the country’s top three universities. Founded by Peter the Great in 1724, in what would become the heart of St Petersburg, the university now has 576 programmes, 350 partner universities and over 30,000 students. The university’s alumni body includes 7 Nobel Prize winners, 2 Fields Medal winners, 6 heads of state and many other distinguished leaders in their respective fields.

I graduated from SPbU in 1997, but it was years later when I studied at the London Business School that I fully realised the enormous importance of an Alumni Association. Read more

Jan 19

Trade and Investment panel at the London Business School – Video

See here for a short video with some highlights from when I spoke on the Trade and Investment panel at the London Business School.

Jan 18

Pirelli reaps the rewards of investment in Russia

In the current economic climate, it is encouraging to see that Pirelli, a major Italian tyre manufacturer, is set to continue investing in Russia. This shows that even in difficult market conditions there are opportunities for...

Jan 11

Should Russia look East or West for economic prosperity?

There have been many reports in recent weeks about Russia pivoting towards China and speculation that the Eastern market will soon replace Europe’s. Indeed, a number of key business deals...

Nov 30

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UK-Russia: Trade and Investment panel at the London Business School

This week I participated in a panel discussion about the investment prospects of Russia and the trade relationship between Russia and the UK. The event was held at the London Business School (LBS), I was joined on the panel by...

Nov 9

Central Asian infrastructure development

A general theme of SPIEF 2015 and the SCO summit in Ufa this summer was the economic collaboration and cooperation between nation states. While the focus has largely been on the collaboration between Russia and China, or Russia and India, it is important to note that Russia is also making an increased effort to form economic unions with some of its Eurasian neighbours. Continue reading

Oct 30

SCO and BRICS: Forging International and Regional Connections

“На одном колесе не уедешь”

Башкирская пословица

“You won’t get far on only one wheel”

Bashkir proverb highlighting the importance of preparation and cooperation.

This summer, the parallel summits of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and BRICS in the Russian city of Ufa attracted plenty of media attention, many focusing on their geopolitical aspects. Of course these are important, and in my view the high-level encounters which the summits facilitate can provide a fresh forum for dialogue, not only between nations with growing ties such as Russia and China, but also among those with potential tensions, notably India and Pakistan. In addition, I want to highlight an aspect of the Ufa conferences that is often overlooked, namely the fact that the very location of these summits, in the capital city of the Bashkir minority (unknown to many non-Russians), highlights Russia’s considerable regional investment ambitions. Continue reading

Oct 19

Staying the course in international cooperation

At this rather complex time in international affairs, a recent story from the world of sailing provides an inspiring example of global cooperation to anyone, be they in the world of business, politics or sport.

A trimaran named Qingdao China from the port of the same name – captained by the Chinese skipper Guo Chuan – has become the first ever racing boat to travel through the Arctic Northeast Passage (Scuttlebutt).

This record-breaking thirteen-day journey from Murmansk to the Bering Strait demonstrates what is possible when individuals from diverse backgrounds pool their resources. Continue reading

Oct 9

BBC Newshour Extra: panel discussion on Russo-West relations (2)

The BBC World Service panel discussion which I participated in was broadcast this morning on BBC Newshour Extra. The moderator asked the panellists: “should the West be doing business with Putin’s Russia?”

I believe that it is important to differentiate between politics and business, and that the business community should lead the way in ensuring economic cooperation between Russia and the West.

You can listen back to the programme and discussion below or by following the link to the BBC page: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0343hjp

Oct 8

BBC Newshour Extra: panel discussion on Russo-West relations

Earlier this week, I participated in a panel discussion on the Russo-West relationship, organised by the BBC World Service. It took place on the side-lines of the Conservative Party Conference, and my fellow panellists included BBC’s Olexiy Solohubenko and Bridget Kendall, Dr Liam Fox MP, Daniel Kawczynski MP, and James Coomarasamy (moderator). Continue reading