Woman and business. Focused on success
Speakers’ biographies
Nadezhda Kopytina
The founder of the Ledovo group of companies (Russia).
Mrs. Kopytina’s achievements have been recognized by numerous
reputable national and international ratings and awards.
She happily combines business activities and creative skills.
She is the author of the book, “Never give up! Never give up! Never
give up!” and a mother of three children.
Olga Promptova
She was born in Moscow, graduated from Moscow State University,
worked as a journalist for the Vedomosti newspaper and Forbes and
SmartMoney magazines. In 2007, she founded the brand of DDshop.
Olga Ryabova
Olga has 15 years banking experience (1993-2007, MFK bank,
UNEXIMBANK, ROSBANK) on executive positions, 4 years experience
(2007-2011) in higher education (Finance University of the Russian
Government). She is a member of the G20-Y Executive Committee,
Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Coordination Council for
the Development of Social Business and Entrepreneurship. he has
taken part in national and international conferences, summits and for
a as a member and speaker.
Alexandra Babkina
Ms. Babkina is head of the Dobro Mail.ru project, the first good deed
service in the Russian segment of the Internet, where users can take
part in charity projects.
She has worked as a PR manager for Vimpelkom (owner of the
Beeline brand) in Tatarstan, and head of Consumer Practice for a
Microsoft client at PRP Group, a Weber Shandwick Affiliate Company.
Raisa Demina
Mrs. Demina is Chair of the Board at the Pavlovskaya Sloboda Meat
Factory (VELKOM).
Her career spans from a foreman to the CEO of a major meat
processing plant which has been acknowledged as the meat industry
trend setter for a long time now.
Her prominent activities has been more than once recognized by
various professional communities and corroborated with numerous
awards.
Yekaterina Soyak
CEO of EMTG, a director of the Russian Franchising Association, a
Presidium member of the Board of Governors at NP OPORA, the
founder of GOLDEN BRAND, the Russian national award in
franchising.
Yekaterina is a world class expert in franchising. Her company carries
out its own analytical research projects and possesses up-to-date
knowledge of the franchising business trends. As a Board member of
the Russian Franchising Association, a Governing Board Presidium
member of NP OPORA, and a person involved in annual B2B
exhibitions, she is well informed about the developments in Russian
small and medium business.
Meg Hirshberg
Meg is a contributing editor and former columnist for Inc. magazine.
Meg’s book, For Better or For Work: A Survival Guide for
Entrepreneurs and Their Families, expands on her column topics.
Entrepreneur magazine selected Meg’s book as one of the five best
business books of 2012, and Axiom Business Book Awards selected
For Better or For Work as the 2013 “Gold” winner for books about
entrepreneurship. Meg is not an entrepreneur, but has been married
to one for 30 years. Meg delves into the challenges that arise when a
couple is married to a business as well as to each other. She proposes
strategies and solutions for coping with common problems.
Gary Hirshberg
Chairman of Stonyfield Farm, the world’s leading organic yogurt
producer, and Managing Director of Stonyfield Europe. He is also the
Chairman and Founding Partner of “Just Label It, We Have the Right
to Know,” the national campaign to label GE foods. He is co-author
of Label It Now – What You Need to Know About Genetically
Engineered Foods. Gary has received 12 honorary doctorates and
numerous awards for corporate and environmental leadership
including a 2012 Lifetime Achievement Award by the US EPA.
Yelena Malova
Mrs. Malova graduated from the Law Department of Moscow State
University. In 2002, she set up Milandesign, a company that
cooperated with Italy’s major architectural design companies in
private projects in Moscow. In 2010, she started Oktyabr, Moscow’s
first boxing club for white collars.
Alexei Komissarov
A minister in the Moscow City Government, head of the Department
of Science, Industrial Policy and Entrepreneurship. In 1993, he started
his own business from scratch. He has a MBA degree from Kingston
University. Mr. Komissarov is the founder of the business incubator at
the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public
Service. He is the winner of the Russian phase in the Ernst & Young
Entrepreneur of the Year international competition in 2010 in
Commercial Production.
Sofia Azizyan
A partner and head of the human resource strategy in the CIS. Sofia
has more than 16 years financial audit experience.
She graduated from Queen Victoria University in Wellington, New
Zealand and holds a bachelor’s degree in economics, focusing on
auditing and commercial law.
Sofia is a chartered accountant (CA) of New Zealand and a member
of the New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants.
Regina von Flemming
CEO of the Axel Springer Russia publishing house.
Mrs. von Flemming took training at the International Department of
Kloeckner & Co., KGaA Steel International, worked as a correspondent
for Spiegel and Spiegel TV magazines in Moscow. In 1992, she
graduated from Open University in Berlin, with a diploma in political
science and macroeconomics, and the Political Science Institute in
Paris. She is a co-founder of the German Business Club, an Executive
Board member and Chair of the Corporate Social Responsibility
Committee at the Russian-German Foreign Trade Chamber.
Tatiana Butovitsch Temm
Managing Director of the Swedish based business development
consultancy Ampersand AB, a company that devotes its time to get
gender smart companies to increase their profitability.
Tatiana has a background in Volvo Cars where she worked as head of
Corporate Communications, and was the Communications Manager
of the Concept Car YCC – commonly known as the women’s car.
Tatiana is a skilled writer and speaker. She has published two books
for the Volvo Group.
Natalya Larionova
Ms. Larionova is Director of the Department for the Development of
Small and Medium Entrepreneurship and Competition of the Russian
Federation Ministry of Economic Development. Her background
includes Moscow State University and the Moscow City Government
Academy of Entrepreneurship (2001). She has been awarded with
citations of the Minister in 2006 and 2008 and a written
acknowledgement from the Russian Ministry of Economic
Development in 2007.
Yelena Fedyashina
Executive Director of Committee 20, a non-commercial partnership
association of women’s business leaders; International Alliance of
Women (TIAW) Ambassador of Goodwill in Russia; an initiative group
member and coordinator of the Leadership Without Borders
community; the Russian representative at the Global Summit of
Women. Holder of International Recognition Award of the
International Alliance of Women (2008), Honorary Certificate of
Appreciation from the Indonesian Minister for Women’s and
Children’s Affairs, Honorary Diploma of the Best Woman Innovator
from the 3rd Women and Economy Forum of APEC, and others.
Anna Ivanova
Co-organizer of the SelfMama project.
Ms. Ivanova graduated from Moscow State University and holds the
degree of Candidate of Arts (Philology). Since 2001, she has been in
the PR and marketing communications business, since 2004 she has
held the position of a PR Director. In 2007-08, she ranked among the
Top 100 public and corporate relations directors in Russia. In 2011,
she became a mother and founded an online community, Mamy.ru,
which came up with the idea of the SelfMama project two years later.
For the time being, she combines the duties of raising her son,
working at an office, and taking an active part in the development of
the SelfMama social project which is aimed at creating a space for
communications, experience development and exchange for those
seeking personal fulfilment in and outside the family.
Viktor Sedov
Executive Director at the Center for Entrepreneurship.
In the past 20 years, he has been successfully developing and
implementing international projects of cooperation between private
Russian businesses, their support entities, international organizations,
corporations, foundations, and associations towards accelerated
growth of entrepreneurial activities and sustainable development of
businesses in various Russian regions. Mr. Sedov is Board Chairman of
the Russian Microfinance Center foundation, a member of the Opora
Rossii Presidium, and a director at the Russian Association of Business
Education, Association of Independent Directors, The Prince of Wales
Youth Business International (UK)