Manege Business Programme

October 15, 2025

International Cooperation

Russia–OPEC Energy Dialogue

Speakers:
Haitham Al Ghais — Secretary General, Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)
Alexander Novak — Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation

October 15, 2025
09:00-10:30

Business breakfasts

From Opacity to Reliability: Building a National and Global System of Price Indicators in the Fuel and Energy Sector

In partnership with the St. Petersburg International Commodity and Raw Materials Exchange

Establishing national price indicators is a crucial step toward ensuring the stability and sustainability of the national fuel and energy sectors in the current complex geopolitical environment. Achieving this will guarantee transparent methodologies, maintain the relevance of price indicators for Russian commodities, and eliminate the bias imposed by Western pricing agencies. Furthermore, developing relevant price indicators will broaden their use and elevate them to the international stage through cooperation with BRICS and EAEU exchanges.

October 15, 2025
10:00-11:15

International Cooperation

Global Energy Markets: The Transformation of Relations and Balance of Interests

In recent years, global demand for all types of energy resources has exceeded even the most optimistic forecasts from five years ago due to growth in the global economy, advancements in the digital sector, and changes in global trade and consumer behaviour. The record demand for fossil fuels has coincided with the unprecedented commissioning of renewable energy capacity and the development of hydro and nuclear energy. However, the global energy industry still faces major challenges: the complicated geopolitical situation, sanctions and trade wars, changes in the structure of demand, and the emergence of new energy consumers. How will the global energy market manage to get through the current stage of sanctions, trade wars, protectionism, artificial barriers, and tariff restrictions? Is it possible to reverse the trend and create a unilateral carbon-free energy world? How can energy producing and consuming countries in Asia and Latin America protect their own national interests as well as the interests of the global market against pressure from individual players?

Moderator:
Sergey Brilev — President, The Global Energy Association

Speakers:
Haitham Al Ghais — Secretary General, Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)
Abdulaziz bin Salman Al Saud — Minister of Energy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Karim Badawi — Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources of the Arab Republic of Egypt
Alexander Novak — Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation
Peter Szijjarto — Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary
Mohamed Hamel — Secretary General, Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF)

October 15, 2025
10:00-11:15

Sustainable Development: Adapting to the New Reality

The Arctic: Terra Incognita or Northern El Dorado?

The Arctic not only has enormous reserves of oil, gas, and other minerals; it is also a region with new promising industrial centres and transport hubs, which will invigorate the development and introduction of innovations and unique Russian technologies. New types of energy, such as hydrogen and methanol, as well as shipbuilding, communications, cryogenic technologies, and IT infrastructure are all part of the new highly developed Arctic. However, these plans cannot be implemented without creating a reliable energy supply system that is capable of operating in isolated, hard-to-reach regions with harsh climatic conditions. What is the outlook for the development of the Arctic and what large-scale projects could be implemented in the near future? What volume of energy consumption should be expected in this region in the long-term period until 2050, taking into account these projects? How can we ensure reliable energy supplies to the Arctic? Are there Russian technologies that are capable of doing this? How can the Arctic be transformed into an environment that is accessible to humans and industry, while not destroying its natural and ecological diversity?

Moderator:
Mikhail Grigoryev — Member of the Scientific Council of the Russian Academy of Sciences for the Study of the Arctic and Antarctic; member of the Scientific Council of the Russian Academy of Sciences for the Problems of Geology, Geophysics, Development and Processing of Hydrocarbons

Speakers:
Oleg Budargin — Vice Chair, Global Energy Interconnection Development and Cooperation Organization (GEIDCO)
Nikolay Pokhilenko — Scientific Director, V.S. Sobolev Institute of Geology and Mineralogy, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Alexander Frolov — Deputy General Director for Technical Policy and Engineering, T Plus
Alexey Chekunkov — Minister of the Russian Federation for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic
Aleksey Chlenov — Head of the Taimyr Dolgano-Nenets Municipal District of the Krasnoyarsk Territory

October 15, 2025
10:00-11:15

Russia’s Fuel and Energy Industry: Development Strategy

Oil and Gas Chemistry: An Era of New Opportunities in the Energy Transition

Russia has been talking for years about the need to ‘get off the raw materials needle’. This is becoming the number one task amidst the current sanctions and geopolitical tension. The availability of cheap domestic energy resources and the discontinuation of their supply to Western markets could become a huge competitive advantage for Russia in terms of creating and developing its own petrochemical and gas chemical industries, which seek to produce goods with high added value. In the absence of sanctions, this would make it possible for Russian products to enter new markets and find new export destinations. Can Russia take back its own market for high-value added petrochemicals and gas chemistry, and what needs to be done to achieve this? When can Russia expect to become a full-fledged exporter of high-value added chemical products? Should Russia consider creating an entire petrochemical cluster in Eastern Siberia that focuses both on exports and on supplying finished products to the domestic market as part of the country’s economic pivot to the East?

Moderator:
Kirill Tokarev — Editor-in-Chief, Anchor, RBC

Speakers:
Daria Kozlova — Managing Director, Russian Energy Agency of the Russian Federation
Yury Korsun — Deputy Chairman - Member of the Board, VEB.RF
Alexey Sazanov — State Secretary – Deputy Minister of Finance of the Russian Federation
Pavel Sorokin — First Deputy Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation
Mikhail Yurin — Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation

October 15, 2025
10:00-11:15

Technology as a Key Driver of Energy Development

AI: A New Energy Consumer or an Energy Efficient Manager?

Artificial intelligence systems have quickly and quietly entered our lives and are currently being used almost everywhere: from food delivery to banking. Each AI system requires a huge amount of information that can be rapidly processed, so data centres are expanding along with AI. Data centres are becoming new, fast-growing consumers of energy that operate 24/7. But is this actually true? What is the share of AI and data centres in the growing demand for electricity right now and in the long term until 2050? Could there be a saturation point in the future, when AI systems will start controlling and limiting their own electricity consumption? What is the significance for the energy sector of the different approaches that such American IT giants as OpenAl and Microsoft, as well as the Chinese startup DeepSeek are taking in the operation of AI systems? Should new generating facilities be built in anticipation of the rapidly growing demand from data centres?

Moderator:
Elena Lazko — General Director, S+ Consulting

Speakers:
Valery Seleznev — First Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Energy of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation
Eduard Sheremetsev — Deputy Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation

October 15, 2025
10:00-11:15

Russia’s Fuel and Energy Industry: Development Strategy

Overcoming Barriers: Finding Ways to Optimize the Coal Industry

The global coal industry is currently experiencing a downturn. The industry is under pressure from falling global prices, expensive logistics, and the refusal of numerous countries to use coal-fired power generation. Nevertheless, coal is still extremely important for the economies of lots of countries, including Russia. Russian coal is not only an energy resource; it is an entire industry that includes thousands of people, technologies, export chains, and engineering technologies. The coal industry has the potential to drive economic growth in Russia from 2030 to 2050. Besides the challenges this presents, it is also an historic opportunity that Russia, judging by the current pace of reform, can’t afford to miss. What support measures does the coal industry need today? How can we ensure the technological development of the coal industry amidst restrictions? What are the goals of the coal industry in terms of different planning horizons and how does it plan to achieve them? What are some of the difficulties with transport infrastructure, and what solutions do industry experts have to overcome them?

Moderator:
Irina Olkhovskaya — General Director, Universal Logistics

Speakers:
Dmitry Islamov — State Secretary, Deputy Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation
Alexey Kulapin — General Director, Russian Energy Agency (REA) of the Ministry of Energy of Russia
Aisen Nikolaev — Head of Sakha Republic (Yakutia)
Ilya Seredyuk — Governor of the Kemerovo Region – Kuzbass

Front row participants:
Roman Golovin — Director of Strategy, SUEK
Konstantin Grebennik — Director of the Department of Coal Industry and Prospective Energy Sources, Analytical Center for Fuel and Energy Complex
Alexander Komyshan — Member, Consumer Council for the Activities of Russian Railways
Yury Saakyan — General Director, Institute of Natural Monopolies Research

October 15, 2025
12:00-13:15

Technology as a Key Driver of Energy Development

New Domestic Engineering Technologies for the Benefit of Russia’s Power Industry Development

The development of domestic power engineering technologies has become one of the key tasks in implementing the General Scheme for the Placement of Electric Power Facilities until 2042. Achieving this goal requires, above all, close coordination between equipment customers, manufacturers, and relevant ministries and agencies. What conditions need to be created for equipment producers and their subcontractors to ensure the fulfilment of long-term production programmes of power companies? How will the latest results of the ‘Competitive Selection of Thermal Power Plant Modernization Projects 2029’ and the ‘Competitive Capacity Selection for New Generating Facilities in the Unified Energy System’ tenders for the South and Far East influence the design and use of Russian power equipment? What investment volumes are needed for the development and large-scale production of new steam turbine models, as well as for their maintenance?

Speakers:
Dmitriy Vologzhanin — Director, Council of Energy Producers
Evgeny Grabchak — Deputy Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation
Sergey Kondratyev — Member of the Board, First Deputy General Director - Chief Engineer, RusHydro
Alexey Podkolzin — General Director, Power Machines

October 15, 2025
12:00-13:15

Russia’s Fuel and Energy Industry: Development Strategy

The Energy Agenda in the National Model of Targeted Business Conditions

The National Model of Target Business Conditions is a new system that is being used to develop standards that would create favourable conditions for doing business. The national model includes roadmaps with such business development tools as incentives for investment activity, infrastructure projects, the simplification of administrative procedures, less red tape, increased transparency, the development of innovative potential, and digital transformation. What changes in the business landscape can be expected by 2030? What impact will the new national model have on the energy sector? What tools will be used to provide state support to the energy sector? How can we accelerate the pace of the technological modernization of grids? What kind of qualitative changes should consumers expect?

Moderator:
Mikhail Khomich — Chief Strategist, VEB.RF

Speakers:
Mikhail Galperin — Member of the Board, Inter RAO; Professor of the Department of Commercial Law and Process, S.S. Alekseev Research Center for Private Law under the President of the Russian Federation
Sergey Gustov — General Director, Gazprom Mezhregiongaz
Leonid Kazinets — Chairman of the Board, BARKLI
Petr Konyushenko — Deputy Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation
Valery Korzh — Head of the Department for Interaction with Government Agencies in the Field of Ecology, Occupational Health and Safety, EuroChem
Kirill Nikitin — Director, Tax Policy Center of the Department of Economics, Lomonosov Moscow State University
Pavel Snikkars — Chief Executive Officer, T Plus
Denis Tyupyshev — Deputy Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation
Mikhail Utkin — Director of the Investment Climate Development Division "New Business", Agency of Strategic Initiatives (ASI)

October 15, 2025
12:00-13:15

Sustainable Development: Adapting to the New Reality

Urban Evolution: Energy for Development

The 21st century has radically changed the face of cities. Modern megacities are evolving, striving to adapt to the changing needs of society and the challenges of the times. This transformation places new demands on the fuel and energy sector, which has traditionally been of key importance to urban agglomerations. Improvements in energy efficiency and the introduction of new technologies are beginning to play a significant role in the development of cities. Moscow is a successful example: over the past decade, the capital has undergone a significant transformation. The city has developed, while its consumption of energy and utilities has hardly increased; it has even decreased in a number of areas. The potential for an increase in energy efficiency in Moscow has not been exhausted, but at the same time, it is not possible to rely solely on economizing. How are megacities transforming under the influence of modern trends? How are Moscow and other cities developing their urban energy sectors? What are the best strategies for developing urban energy? What are the main areas of investment which may optimize a city’s energy complex?

Moderator:
Alexandra Suvorova — Anchor, Russia 24 TV Channel

Speakers:
Andrey Ryumin — General Director, Chairman of the Management Board, Rosseti
Sergey Sobyanin — Mayor of Moscow
Olga Uskova — President, Cognitive Pilot
Rae Kwon Chung — Nobel Peace Prize Laureate; Chairman, Global Energy Prize International Award Committee

October 15, 2025
12:00-13:15

Technology as a Key Driver of Energy Development

Import Substitution: The New IT Image of Energy Companies

In partnership with RusHydro

In the face of global challenges, technological sovereignty has become an integral part of state strategy to ensure a sustainable future. In line with government policy, state-owned companies are working to achieve the best possible results in switching to domestic software in both corporate and technological segments. This shift has significantly changed the landscape of information systems and business processes within companies. How has import substitution affected the operations of energy companies? Which approaches have proven most effective, and what additional benefits have been achieved? What criteria turned out to be most important when selecting solutions, and what had to be given up? How has the use of domestic solutions influenced the safe operation of energy facilities?

Moderator:
Alexander Charikov — Deputy General Director, RusHydro

Speakers:
Kirill Bulgakov — Deputy General Director for Software Products and Services, T1 Group
Boris Nuraliev — Founder, Director, 1C
Eduard Sheremetsev — Deputy Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation

October 15, 2025
12:00-13:15

Sustainable Development: Adapting to the New Reality

Balancing Productivity and Ecology in the Fuel and Energy Complex

In partnership with En+

The new climate targets of recent years have increased the environmental burden Russian energy companies must bear. Mining companies are using their own technology to create environmentally friendly energy resources and reduce methane and CO2 emissions at major facilities, even as energy companies work to reduce power plant emissions and implement quota systems. Russia has been experimenting with emission quotas since 2019. In 2022, the experiment, which called for a 50% reduction in emissions, was extended to include Eastern Siberia, where there are significant natural gas reserves but almost no infrastructure for transporting the gas and, accordingly, no way for thermoelectric power plants to receive the natural gas. At present, less than 10% of Siberia has access to gas, significantly less than the 70% national average, forcing Siberian thermoelectric power plants to work exclusively with local coal. Questions remain about how to ensure the environment is clean and safe in every Russian region. What can the government do to reduce emissions right now? Is import substitution posing any problems for the technology used in this area? How effective has the emission quota system proven? What are the first results of carbon unit trading in Russia?

Moderator:
Andrey Sharonov — Chief Executive Officer, National ESG-Alliance; Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Association of Digital Platforms

Speakers:
Irina Bakhtina — Chairperson of the Supervisory Board, National ESG Alliance; Deputy Director General for Sustainable Development, En+; Director of Sustainable Development, RUSAL
Petr Konyushenko — Deputy Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation
Alexey Tsydenov — Head of the Republic of Buryatia

October 15, 2025
12:00-13:15

Russia’s Fuel and Energy Industry: Development Strategy

Large-scale Investment Projects in the Fuel and Energy Industry: The Engine of Regional Socioeconomic Development

The state is working with energy companies to ensure the sustainable socio-economic development of every Russian region. So-called ‘Anchor Settlements’, territories with the social and investment potential to attract migration and innovation, play an important role. At the same time, to avoid having them turn into mono-towns, we must develop master plans combining urban development policy, infrastructure priorities, and investment opportunities. Master plans make it possible to chart out a territory’s long-term development, reduce risks for investors, and ensure the transparency of decision-making. How do strategic planning and state regulation of territorial development affect the investment climate in Russia’s territories? How can we identify opportunities for growth in the economic and spatial development of territories to ensure the comfort of the urban environment and improve quality of life? Can the development of anchor settlements stem migration to larger metropolitan areas? What measures are needed? How can we ensure continuity between the master plan, general plans, and current legislation? What do companies expect from this tool?

Moderator:
Ksenia Golubeva — Head of the Project Department, DOM.RF

Speakers:
Kirill Bychkov — Chairman of the Government of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)
Maria Vasilkova — Member of the Committee of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federationon on Industry and Trade
Tatyana Molostova — Director, Ust-Kut Gas Processing Plant

October 15, 2025
14:00-15:15

International Cooperation

Russia–Africa: Towards the Practical Implementation of Energy Projects

Africa’s demographic potential and need for accelerated economic growth make it crucial to rapidly develop the African energy sector, which requires extensive investment, as well as the construction of new and modernization of existing energy infrastructure. Russian fuel and energy companies are ready to offer their expertise and technological solutions in traditional and renewable energy, which would enable African countries to provide their population with access to a reliable and modern source of energy, develop their economies, and accelerate industrialization. What kind of projects need to be implemented to meet the primary strategic goals of African nations? What forms of partnership best meet the interests of Russia’s African partners and their domestic companies? What are some of the priority sources for project financing? What support measures do companies need to successfully transition to practical steps?

Moderator:
Ilya Kopelevich — Editor-in-Chief, Business FM

Speakers:
Daniil Algulyan — Deputy Chairman, VEB.RF
NJ Ayuk — Executive Chairman, African Energy Chamber
Tatiana Dovgalenko — Director of the Department of Partnership with Africa, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation
Roman Marshavin — Deputy Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation
Andrey Siling — Deputy General Director, Agency for Strategic Initiatives to Promote New Projects; Executive Director, Platform for National Technology Initiative
Stephan Solzhenitsyn — Vice Chairman, International Alliance for Sustainable Coal Use
Mohamed Hamel — Secretary General, Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF)

October 15, 2025
14:00-15:15

Russia’s Fuel and Energy Industry: Development Strategy

New Energy: Effective Cooperation between Energy Companies and the State

Russia’s energy system is facing an unprecedented surge in electricity demand. While from 2010 to 2020, electricity consumption in the country grew by 0.8% per year, since 2021 the average annual growth rate has quadrupled to 3.2%. To transition to the sector’s target model and meet rising demand, the General Layout for the Placement of Electric Power Facilities was developed and approved. Under this plan, more than 88 GW of new generating capacity is scheduled to be brought online by 2042. This ambitious project envisions the launch of approximately 4–5 GW of generation each year. Meeting these targets will require large-scale investment without triggering a sharp rise in prices for consumers. How can effective cooperation between the state and energy companies be ensured to support the development of Russia’s power sector? What measures need to be taken to implement this large-scale electrification plan? What mechanisms should be built into the programme to curb electricity price growth? What target indicators should be set?

Moderator:
Irina Rossius — Reporter, Russia 1 TV Channel

Speakers:
Sergey Dregval — Chief Executive Officer, Inter RAO
Vladimir Kolmogorov — General Director, En+
Fedor Opadchy — Chairman of the Board, System Operator of the Unified Energy System
Andrey Ryumin — General Director, Chairman of the Management Board, Rosseti
Pavel Snikkars — Chief Executive Officer, T Plus
Sergey Tsivilev — Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation

October 15, 2025
14:00-15:15

Russia’s Fuel and Energy Industry: Development Strategy

HTR Reserves: Challenges, Trends, and Prospects for Russian Oil Production

According to Russian Ministry of Energy estimates, the oil rent for Western Siberian fields may drop from USD 47 to USD 6/barrel by 2050. The key challenge for oil production in Russia is an increase in the share of depleted and hard-to-recover reserves (over 58%) and the rising cost of crude production. Developing new methods to improve oil recovery and recovery efficiency will enable us to bring more than 5 billion tons of reserves into development. What awaits brownfield sites and HTR reserves while there are low prices and expensive recovery technologies? Is the industry ready to support and replicate such projects? How may we consolidate industry demand for enhanced oil recovery technologies, homegrown chemical agents, and specialized equipment? How can we ensure fair distribution of the tax burden on depleted fields and HTR reserves between business and the state? How may we establish technological exchange between companies from friendly countries in order to increase the capacity and efficiency of the exploitation of brownfield sites and HTR reserve production? How successful is the experience of taxation and financial support for companies working with such ‘tough’ projects, and what measures to optimize the tax system still need to be taken?

Moderator:
Alexandra Suvorova — Anchor, Russia 24 TV Channel

Speakers:
Andrey Klepach — Chief Economist, VEB.RF
Ruslan Kukharuk — Governor of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Territory - Ugra
Alexey Sazanov — State Secretary – Deputy Minister of Finance of the Russian Federation
Pavel Sorokin — First Deputy Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation

October 15, 2025
14:00-15:15

Sustainable Development: Adapting to the New Reality

Resource and Energy Efficiency: Strategic Priorities for Russia’s Economic Development

In partnership with Gazprombank

One of the strategic priorities in the modern Russian economy is to transition from the extensive consumption of resources to their sustainable use by building value chains, reducing energy costs, creating high-tech production facilities that can ensure the advanced refining of resources, and utilizing circular production models and symbiosis of various areas of industry. What international experience in energy and resource conservation could be adapted to Russia’s realities? What technologies are most effective for the sustainable use of energy and resources? How can small and medium businesses become more involved in the processes of energy conservation and reducing resource costs?

Moderator:
Elena Borisenko — Deputy Chairman of the Management Board, Gazprombank

Speakers:
Oleg Aksyutin — Deputy Chairman of the Management Committee – Head of the Prospective Development Department, Gazprom
Sergey Kononuchenko — Ambassador at Large, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation
Alexey Kulapin — General Director, Russian Energy Agency (REA) of the Ministry of Energy of Russia
Krishan Kulluru — Founder, CVC India infrastructure private Limited
Lvande Mkadi — Business and Sustainability Expert, Industrial Development Corporation (South Africa) (online)
Rae Kwon Chung — Nobel Peace Prize Laureate; Chairman, Global Energy Prize International Award Committee

October 15, 2025
16:00-17:15

Russia’s Fuel and Energy Industry: Development Strategy

Energy Policy: From Strategy to Action Plan

The construction of electric power facilities until 2042 calls for building more than 88 GW of generating capacity, which will require more than RUB 40 trillion in investment. It can be a Herculean task to attract even small amounts of investment into the energy sector. On the one hand, we must create the tools and environment investors need. On the other, we must ensure investment is carried out effectively and profitably, project deadlines are met, and there is a return on investment. The main challenges for the modern energy sector are to carry out a new investment cycle, create mechanisms for attracting funds, and monitor the implementation of investment programmes. Only by meeting these challenges will we succeed in modernizing the power grid and integrating new technologies for transmitting electricity over long distances, which would change the operating principles of the Russian energy sector. The Ministry of Energy has developed a new system for managing the cost of energy facilities, which optimizes approaches to investment and the construction of new energy facilities. What is the best way to ensure the optimal flow of investment? What needs to be done to build ultra-high voltage lines? Are consumers ready for large-scale modernization and are they willing to pay for the improved reliability and quality of electricity supplies?

Moderator:
Maxim Bystrov — Chairman of the Board, Association "NP Market Council"

Speakers:
Mikhail Andronov — General Director, Rusenergosbyt
Evgeny Grabchak — Deputy Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation
Andrey Klepach — Chief Economist, VEB.RF
Petr Konyushenko — Deputy Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation
Fedor Opadchy — Chairman of the Board, System Operator of the Unified Energy System
Aleksandra Panina — Member of the Management Board, Inter RAO
Mikhail Rasstrigin — Independent member of the Board of Directors, Rosseti
Nikolay Shulginov — Chairman of the Committee on Energy of the State Duma of the Russian Federation

October 15, 2025
16:00-17:15

Russia’s Fuel and Energy Industry: Development Strategy

Energy Futurism. Technologies of the Future: Promising Investments or a Waste of Money?

The slogan “technology is the engine of progress” is unambiguous and has never really generated any heated debate. However, have we ever thought about the path that new inventions traverse from ideas and prototypes to industrial samples and how many of them have been unable to prove their effectiveness or profitability? There are active discussions going on right now about projects to build a nuclear power plant on the Moon, obtaining energy from thermonuclear fusion, extracting hydrogen from subsoil resources, creating orbital solar power plants and transmitting the electricity they generate by air, synthesizing oil from algae, and building cities of the future. How can we determine which technologies and developments are the most sustainable? Is it worth investing in such research and will it become justified in the future? How can we avoid all the latest fads in energy and the investment bubbles that follow them? Are major energy companies ready to invest in third-party startups or would it be more effective for them to work on their own developments for their in-house needs?

Moderator:
Sergey Brilev — President, The Global Energy Association

Speakers:
Oleg Aksyutin — Deputy Chairman of the Management Committee – Head of the Prospective Development Department, Gazprom
Pietro Barabaschi — Director General, ITER
Nikolai Vavilov — Director, Institute for the Development of Communications and Research of China and the Countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America
Petr Konyushenko — Deputy Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation

October 15, 2025
16:00-17:15

International Cooperation

Russia–Arab Countries

The partnership between Russia and the Arab countries is stable and evolving, despite all the current difficulties. This is reflected in the trade and investment cooperation statistics: in 2024, Arab countries accounted for 10% of Russia’s foreign trade turnover. The countries of the Persian Gulf and North Africa are by far Russia’s largest business partners. Russian companies are looking at Arab countries as destinations for export and localization in leading manufacturing and logistics centres. Experts point to the range of potential trade and manufacturing opportunities that are presenting themselves in the context of the changes in the economic order: cooperation in industry and trade; mutual investment; and technology exchange in energy, oil production, and oilfield services. What is economic cooperation with Arab countries founded on? What role do Russian companies play in this cooperation? How can Russia’s unique technological potential be integrated into energy security in the Arab world? What support can be given to larger, more multi-sectoral and deeper cooperation between countries?

Moderator:
Sergey Gorkov — Chairman, Russian-Arab Business Council

Front row participant:
Valentin Makarov — President, RUSSOFT Association

October 15, 2025
16:00-17:15

Russia’s Fuel and Energy Industry: Development Strategy

Current Issues in Energy Sector Insurance

Insurance in Russia’s energy sector is facing new challenges related to ageing infrastructure, equipment import substitution, the need to develop modern risk management tools, and ensuring business continuity. How can risks associated with asset wear and replacement construction in the power grid be managed effectively? What insurance solutions are required to minimize risks in import substitution and the re-engineering of generating equipment? What role do business continuity plans play in risk management, and how do they affect insurance coverage? Can insurance help guarantee contractors’ timely and good-faith fulfilment of obligations in the construction of power facilities? What are the prospects and specifics of insuring power facilities operating under experimental legal regimes? What is the potential for applying insurance to projects that use standard design solutions and typical project documentation?

Moderator:
Dmitry Malyshev — Deputy Chairman of the Management Board, SOGAZ

Speakers:
Artyom Glotov — CEO, Rosseti Mobile Gas Turbine Power Stations
Alexey Polinov — Member of the Management Board, Acting Deputy General Director for Strategy, Rosseti
Pavel Snikkars — Chief Executive Officer, T Plus
Sergey Terebulin — Deputy General Director for Finance and Corporate Governance, RusHydro

October 16, 2025
09:00-10:15

Russia’s Fuel and Energy Industry: Development Strategy

Oilfield Services in Russia: How to Help the Industry Helper?

Oilfield services are among the most vulnerable segments of oil and gas production in the context of sanctions. This segment is the most dependent on falling oil prices, sanctions pressure, restrictions on access to technology, and increased technological competition. Nevertheless, amidst these difficult conditions, oilfield service companies have to keep up with progress. What is the future of oilfield service companies? Where is the limit in terms of their sustainability? What technological challenges do oilfield service companies face today? Do these industries need state support? How can we ensure the effectiveness of import substitution processes in the oilfield service business? How can we create competitive conditions amidst market restrictions?

Moderator:
Mikhail Gordin — Rector, Bauman Moscow State Technical University

Speaker:
Oleg Zhdaneev — Advisor General Director – Head of Import Substitution in Oil and Energy Complex Competence Center, Russian Energy Agency of the Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation

October 16, 2025
09:00-10:15

Sustainable Development: Adapting to the New Reality

Energy Transition in Practice: Where is the Line between the Climate Agenda and Energy Security?

Energy transition is becoming a reality in the modern global economic order. An increasing number of countries are committing to transitioning to a carbon-neutral economy, and renewable energy sources have become widely recognized players in the global energy market. It has been 10 years since the Paris Agreement on climate change was implemented. During this time, the world has accumulated a wealth of practical experience in both forced and evolutionary energy transition, the results of which are ambiguous and require in-depth expert analysis. On the one hand, renewable sources have become more cost-effective and efficient, but on the other, as the experience of Spain and China has shown, the development of energy systems based on renewable energy sources and balanced energy storage systems is not keeping pace with population and economic growth. As a result, traditional energy sources retain their status as reliable and highly sought-after energy resources. Another important trend in recent years has been the formation of national energy transition paradigms based on the interests of each country. What are the practical results of the first decade of implementation of the Paris Agreement, and what challenges are in store for the global energy market over the next 10 years? Should the struggle to preserve the climate and the planet’s environment be painted only in green, or should energy be white, encompassing the entire spectrum of resources and technologies? How may we increase the reliability of global and national energy systems, ensure the stable operation of the lithium market, and develop large-scale energy storage systems? How can we draw a line between the political climate agenda and projects that boost national energy security, generate economic returns, and deliver environmental results? Is an energy transition with a ‘national flavour’ possible? What are the roles of Russia, China, and other countries in ensuring environmental and energy security?

Moderator:
Marat Bashirov — Professor, National Research University "Higher School of Economics"; Author of the Information and Analytical Channel "Political Joystick"

Speakers:
NJ Ayuk — Executive Chairman, African Energy Chamber
Karin Kneissl — Head, Center G.O.R.K.I. (Geopolitical Observatory for Russia’s Key Issues) SPbU; Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Austria (2017–2019)

Front row participants:
Alexey Zhikharev — Director, Russia Renewable Energy Development Association; Director, ENSOLVE
Igor Shpurov — General Director, State Commission for Mineral Reserves

October 16, 2025
09:00-10:15

International Cooperation

SCO and ASEAN Countries on the Path towards Creating Fair Energy

Today’s energy world can hardly be called fair. Sanctions, protectionism, and artificial restrictions on the development of certain energy sectors that are driven by political rather than economic interests all limit the natural development of the energy sector and harm the economies and energy security of many countries. These external challenges can be overcome by combining the efforts of the countries affected. The best opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation in this regard are with the countries of the Global South and Global East, which play a key role in creating a multipolar and sustainable world order and whose destiny it is to make a decisive contribution to global economic development. Today, the SCO and ASEAN countries are creating a new investment reality, putting forward their vision of the energy future – one that is aimed at creating an equitable, balanced, and sustainable model for global energy development. What principles of “energy justice” should be pursued? What opportunities exist for increasing energy exchange between energy-producing and energy-consuming countries within the SCO and ASEAN and what are their prospects? What joint initiatives and energy projects will help countries come together to achieve their goal of building a fair energy system?

Moderator:
Natalya Popova — First Deputy General Director, Innopraktika

Speakers:
Kazutomo Irie — President, Asia Pacific Energy Research Centre (APERC)
Arzybek Kozhoshev — Member of the Board, Minister in Charge of Energy and Infrastructure, Eurasian Economic Commission
Hongpeng Liu — Director of Energy Division, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)
Ivan Polyakov — Chairman, Russia – ASEAN Business Council
Sergey Tsivilev — Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation

October 16, 2025
09:00-10:15

Technology as a Key Driver of Energy Development

Replicating the Digital Developments of Industrial Enterprises in the Russian Fuel and Energy Sector and Abroad

It is strategically important that Russia develop and replicate digital technologies for the fuel and energy complex. To do so, we must engage those looking to benefit together with domestic IT companies. If we succeed, we will increase production exponentially, increase profitability, and ensure our country’s technological supremacy at home and abroad. What IT solutions does the fuel and energy sector need most and how can we develop and replicate them? How can we create synergy in the development and application of domestic achievements?

Moderator:
Anna Temnyakova — Head of Service, TNT

Speakers:
Renata Abdulina — Chairman, Association of the Largest Software and Hardware Consumers
Maxim Grishanin — First Vice President, Transneft
Valentin Makarov — President, RUSSOFT Association
Alexander Pavlov — Chief Managing Partner, VEB.RF
Alexey Chukarin — Director, Center for Expertise and Coordination of Informatization
Eduard Sheremetsev — Deputy Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation

October 16, 2025
09:00-10:30

Sustainable Development: Adapting to the New Reality

Business breakfasts

Energy of the New Era

The rapid development of technologies is a challenge for all sectors of the economy, and energy is no exception. Despite the apparent conservatism inherent in the energy sector, this industry is one of the first to deal with the effects of technological development: higher energy consumption, the increased load on networks, and the need to adapt to new consumer profiles. What risks does widespread digitalization pose for the energy sector? What technologies are already helping to ensure stable energy supplies? What innovations will become drivers of development in the near future?

October 16, 2025
11:00-12:15

International Cooperation

The Global Liquefied Natural Gas Market: Shortage or Surplus?

Liquefied natural gas (LNG) has been playing an increasingly important role in the global energy sector in recent years. Flexible transportation and low carbon intensity compared with other hydrocarbons make it a promising, reliable, and affordable source of energy. This is precisely why the global LNG market is developing at a such a rapid pace today. New importers and exporters are emerging, supplies are increasing, and production capacities are being expanded. Experts predict that by 2026 the growth rates in global LNG supplies will be the highest they have been since 2019 at around 7%, or 40 billion cubic metres. By 2050, LNG plants that are slated for construction could see their cumulative capacity more than double and reach one billion tonnes. This means competition on the global LNG market will only be increasing. However, an increase in the number of importers and the creation of new LNG production facilities could upset the fragile balance of supply and demand on this market. What are the projected LNG production and consumption volumes by 2030–2050? Will there be demand for such volumes and could this result in a gas surplus? Will global gas producers be justified in their plans to expand LNG capacities? What technologies does the industry need today? What is the outlook for small-tonnage LNG around the world and in Russia specifically?

Moderator:
Ilya Doronov — Managing Director, RBC

Speakers:
Kiril Polous — Deputy Head of Department – Head of Administration, Gazprom
Pavel Sorokin — First Deputy Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation

October 16, 2025
11:00-12:15

International Cooperation

Nuclear Energy: Saving the Climate, Uniting Countries, and Changing the Image of Humanity

In partnership with the State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom

The nuclear industry is currently experiencing an extraordinary boom. Nuclear technologies are a truly inexhaustible source of clean energy. They are the key to reliable energy supplies not only for individual countries, but for entire regions as well. Partnerships between countries in the development of nuclear energy allow for long-term cooperation in both the nuclear sphere and in other high-tech industries. How can nuclear solutions unite countries and help counter global challenges? How do countries’ own solutions in the nuclear sector become the basis for global change? How can we enhance the efficiency of nuclear projects to address the challenges of the green agenda? How are the nuclear industry’s achievements becoming a driver of growth in various industries and why is energy not the only sector where nuclear can provide benefits?

October 16, 2025
11:00-12:15

International Cooperation

Diversifying Investments: From Energy and Industry to New Sectors

The world’s leading oil and gas producers have recently been investing more and more in economic diversification, ensuring technological sovereignty, creating their own production equipment, digitalization, and intensifying trade and economic cooperation. At the same time, numerous national investment funds from these countries are increasingly entering the global market, expanding their portfolio of international projects, and building up their own experience in the creation of high-tech and complex industries. How successful has such diversification been given the current unstable situation on energy markets? Will these investments eventually pay off and will countries be able to carve out their own niche in global industrial production, while even remaining ahead of traditional players in some sectors? What is the outlook for cooperation between major Russian and national investment funds from oil-producing countries in terms of developing industry and trade?

Moderator:
Marina Kim — First Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Information Policy, Information Technologies and Communications of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation; Host of the “New World” Show, “Soloviev Live” Channel

October 16, 2025
11:00-12:15

Sustainable Development: Adapting to the New Reality

From a Global Web to Regional Strongholds: What Kind of Global Energy Map Awaits?

The energy security paradigm is changing dramatically in the context of the fundamental restructuring of global energy markets and supply chains. The concept of a globalized market that ensures security through the diversification of supplies is facing growing demands for regionalization and energy system sovereignty. Further, the accelerated transition to a low-carbon economy is disrupting traditional supply chains and energy security mechanisms, creating competition for leadership in green technologies and sharply raising the stakes in the struggle between suppliers of traditional energy resources. Is a return to a global energy security model possible? Will the world move towards the establishment of closed regional clusters? How can supply stability and price predictability be ensured in the new reality? What role do new technologies, industry alliances, and the climate agenda play in this new equation?