The Russian Academy of Business

Irina Gorbulina, the President of the Russian Academy of Business

The Russian Academy of Business is a national civic organization uniting notable public and political leaders, prominent business people and entrepreneurs, directors of enterprises, and representatives of Russian culture and science, established with the purpose of providing informational support, promoting business in the community and the development of a positive image of national business.

The Academy demonstrates its all-Russian character by having its branches in forty-five Regions of Russia, which are headed by distinguished business people. The heads of the legislative and executive bodies participate in the activities of the regional branches of the Academy.

The civic character of the Russian Academy of Business is embodied by its board of directors, which includes twenty nine Governors of the Russian Regions, well-known figures of art and culture, outstanding Russian businessmen and entrepreneurs, and the chiefs of large enterprises. The president of the Academy from its start is Irina Gorboulina. Members of the governing body, include Anatoly Carpov, the president of the International Association of Peace Funds, Leonid Abalkin, the Director of the Russian Institute of Economics, Victor Glukhikh, the President of the International Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs and other notable figures.

It would not be an exaggeration to say that the governing body of the Academy, chaired by Arkady Volsky, the President of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, represents the elite of the Russian society.

The founders of the Academy include a number of Russian public organizations, including the International Journalists Association "ASMO-press", which, being a predecessor of the Academy in it activities, has played a significant role in the establishing of the Academy. "ASMO-press" is one of the most respected public organizations and was the first to support Russian business, which was coming to life, both in Russia and abroad.

The Russian Academy of Business is unique among Russian government and public organizations. It maintains strong affiliation with different business communities, business people, entrepreneurs, the mass media, unions of art representatives and other organizations.

The Academy maintains beneficial relations with the Russian Federation President's Administration, the Government of the Russian Federation, the State Duma, the Federal Council of the Federal Sobranie of the Russian Federation, Federal Ministries and agencies, the Moscow Government and local Moscow Regional governments.

The Academy maintains special relations with the Moscow Patriarchy, and all the Academy's events are blessed by Alexey II, the Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia.

The Academy is a member of the International Congress of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, as well as the community organization, "Business Russia", which was founded by a group of well-known Russian entrepreneurs.

The Academy has signed long-term cooperation agreements with a number of organizations and educational institutions, such as the Guild of Russian Lawyers, the Moscow Institute of Economics, Politics and Law and the Russian National Market Research Institute. The Academy has developed (and initiated its adoption) a program, "The Revival of the Spiritual and Moral Traditions of Russian Entrepreneurship" which was aimed at the development of Russian consumer ideology, patriotic attitude to the goods, manufacture in Russia and revival of the traditions of the national entrepreneurship and promotion of a positive image of Russia overseas. The program includes regular functions, with the purpose of the realization of the Academy's goals in this respect.

A draft of the program was put on the agenda for debate at the First Assembly of Russian Business People which had the theme, "The Formation of a More Favorable Business Climate in Russia Is the Basis for Russia's Economic Prosperity", which took place in November 2001, in Moscow, at the Grand Hall of the Russian Federation President's Administration, and was approved. The 1200 delegates recommended that the Academy should try to involve the legislative and executive bodies for endorsement and further fulfillment of the Program. The project has received the support of the Government of the Russian Federation and the State Duma (Parlament).

In October 2002 the Minister of Economic Development and Trade of the RF, German Gref, assigned by the RF Government, will head debates on the realization of the program with the members of the board of directors of the Russian Academy of Business.