The Russian Academy of Business and Entrepreneurship

The Russian Academy of Business is a public national organization, which unites distinguished public and political leaders, prominent business leaders and entrepreneurs, directors of enterprises, and representatives of Russian culture and science. The Academy was established with the purpose of providing informational support for promoting business in the community, as well as the development of a positive image of the national Russian business.

The Academy has branches in forty-five Regions of Russia; each branch is under the authority of a distinguished business leader. Furthermore the branches are supported by the administrations of the regional legislative and executive bodies, who participate in a number events prepared by the local offices of the Academy.

The public 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 artists and patrons of culture, outstanding Russian businessmen and entrepreneurs, and the chiefs of large multinational enterprises. Irina Gorboulina is the president of the Academy from its very beginning; other 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 as well as many other notable personas. The governing body of the Academy is chaired by Arkady Volsky – the President of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs.

The founders of the Academy include a number of notable Russian public organizations. These include, the International Journalists Association "ASMO Press" a predecessor to the Academy in its activities. "ASMO-press" is one of the oldest public organizations in Russia and was the first to support Russian business, which was coming to life in the country 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, patrons of art and other organizations.

The Academy maintains good relations with the President's Administration, the Government of the Russian Federation, the State Duma, the Federal Council of the Federal Committee of the Russian Federation, various Federal Ministries and agencies of Russia as well as the Moscow City Government and local Moscow Regional governments.

The Academy maintains close ties with the Moscow Patriarchy, all of the Academy's events are blessed by Alexey II, the Patriarch of Moscow and all of 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 the program, "The Revival of the Spiritual and Moral Traditions of the Russian Entrepreneurship" which was aimed at the development of Russian consumer ideology, national brands, growth of manufacturing in Russia, revival of the traditions of the national entrepreneurship and promotion of a positive image of Russia overseas. The program includes regular events and conferences; the main purpose of which is the realization of the Academy's goals in this respect.

A draft of the program was put forward on the agenda at the First Assembly of Russian Business People with the main topic of, "Formation of a More Favorable Business Climate in Russia is the Basis for Russia's Economic Prosperity", this event took place in November 2001, in Moscow, at the Grand Hall of the President's Administration. The motion was approved with over 1200 delegates recommending that the Academy should try to involve the state legislative and executive bodies for endorsement and further fulfillment of this program. The project has received the support of the Government of the Russian Federation and the State Duma (Parliament).

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