Speakers

Born in 1956. In 1979 he graduated from the Faculty of Mathematics and Mechanics of Moscow State University (MSU), candidate of Physical and Mathematical Sciences (1985). Until 1991, he was engaged in scientific activities, after that he held senior positions in various commercial companies. CEO of the Institute of Natural Monopolies Research since 2005. Author of more than 70 scientific articles. Monographs of the Institute “Natural Monopolies of Russia” (2007) and “Reforming Natural Monopolies of Russia” (2010) were edited by Yuri Saakyan.

Yermolai leads McKinsey’s Metals & Mining Practice in Africa, CIS, Europe, and the Middle East, coleads our global energy and materials work, and is a member of the global Travel, Transport & Logistics Practice. He takes an active part in international projects to develop new approaches to operational improvements for companies in the raw-materials sector.

Yermolai has wide experience in the development of strategy, in operations and sales improvements, and in organizational and governance transformations for companies in the metal, oil and gas, aircraft, and transportation sectors. He takes an active part in projects to develop municipal and regional infrastructure.

Before joining McKinsey, Yermolai spent several years working in China and Taiwan, and later served as a consultant at the World Bank in Washington, DC.

Graduated from Saint Petersburg State University of Economics, specialty: «National economic planning», PhD in Economics.

Over the years, he entered and headed the Boards of Directors of various banks, was an adviser to the Minister of Railways of the Russian Federation, and he was a member of various expert and analytical groups in St. Petersburg and Moscow. He supervised the implementation of scientific and consulting work on the orders of government agencies, international companies and Russian holdings.

Born in 1978. Graduated from Saratov’s State Socio-Economic University, Finance and Credit faculty in 2000. Received PhD in economics in 2003 with the thesis on development of institutional investments. Got MBA degree in 2012 from UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School, Dublin, Ireland. 

Started his career path in investments business working with a bank and further on as a head of an assets management company on the Russian stock market. Got an experience at the Russian Trade Chamber with the department of investments sustainability and support focused on innovation and infrastructure projects.

Since 2014 he is deputy CEO for economics and finance with Railway Research Institute (VNIIZHT) – Russian Railways subsidiary company, coordinating budgeting, finance planning, supply and asset management.

This year in collaboration with the Center for Innovations Development of the Russian Railways he, on behalf of VNIIZHT, organizes the first corporate acceleration programme for start-ups for the Russian Railways.

Born in 1972. He graduated from the Ural State Technical University (now the Ural Federal University), qualified as a process engineer. From 1997 to 2007, he held executive positions at Nasostekhmash, United Machine-Building Plants (Mining Equipment Division), and Oil and Gas Systems TPK.

From 2007 to 2016, he was CEO of Elektrotyazhmash-Drive (Lysven Heavy Electrical Engineering Plant “Drive”) and UK “Baranchinsky Electromechanical Plant - Drive Equipment and Technologies”.

In May 2016, he joined Sinara-Transport Machines and was appointed first deputy general director of the company. Since January 20, 2017 - CEO of STM.

Graduated from Novosibirsk Institute of Railway Engineers in 1992, and in 1998 studied at the Academy of Economics under the Government of the Russian Federation. 
From 1989 to 1998 – Head of Locomotive Depot at Novokuznetsk-Kemerovo Railways; Chief Engineer at Novokuznetsk Section of Kemerovo Railways; Deputy Engineer at Kuzbass Section of West Siberian Railways. 
From 1998 to 1999 – Deputy Head of Locomotive and Wagon Management at West Siberian Railways, Deputy Head of Railways.
From 2000 to 2003 – Chief Engineer at October Railways. 
In 2003 appointed Vice-President of the Russian Railways. 
From 2008 to 2017 – Senior Vice-President, Chief Engineer of the Russian Railways. 
From 2017 – Senior Adviser to the President, Russian Railways.

Thibault Desteract is Chief Development Officer at TMH International since 1^st January 2018. He coordinates the global commercial activities of TMH ventures in Africa, Latin America, Central Europe, CIS and Middle East.

Thibault joined TMH Group in Russia in January 2017 as Vice President for International Development and Managing Director of Transmash East Train Trading Company.

Previously, Thibault worked 20 years at Alstom, where he held senior management positions.

Thibault started his career in the French diplomacy where he served as Trade Commissioner successively in Kuwait, Egypt and Chile.

Dr. Stefan Siegler is heading the functions Quality, EHS and Project Management Excellence in Siemens Mobility and is Chairman of the International Rail Quality Board IRQB. Earlier he was managing director of a company in the Aerospace industry. Dr. Stefan Siegler obtained his PhD in mechanical engineering at RWTH Aachen.

Was born in 1979 in Miass (Chelyabinsk region). Graduated with honors at Chelyabinsk medical academy. Started his media career as a student's hobby on the radio, then moved to TV and in 2005 was hired on NTV channel in Moscow as an international news editor (then became a reporter). Since 2012 author and presenter for the popular science TV shows “Miracles of technology”, “Food alive and dead”, “Scientific investigations with Sergey Malozemov”, documentaries “Train of the future”, “Oil pathway” and others. Has multiple nominations for national TV award TEFI. Speaks English, German, French, Spanish, Italian.

After graduating from the Moscow Institute of Railway Transport Engineers in 1986 he began working as an assistant electric locomotive driver at the Ryazan Locomotive Depot of the Moscow Railway.

1999: Appointed Head of the Moscow – Ryazan Branch of the Moscow Railway

1999–2003: Deputy Head, Chief Engineer, Moscow Railway

2003–2007: Head, Locomotive Department of JSC Russian Railways

2007: Appointed First Deputy Managing Director of the Railway Research Institute, Acting CEO of the Railway Research Institute

2009–2011: Head of the Kuibyshev Railway (a branch of JSC Russian Railways)

2011: Appointed Head of the Centre for Technological Coordination (a business unit of JSC Russian Railways)

2014: Appointed Chief Technical Officer of Transmashholding

2015–2017: Head of the Northern Railway (a territorial branch of JSС Russian Railways)

April 2017: Appointed Senior Vice President of JSC Russian Railways

November 2017: Appointed Deputy Managing Director – Chief Engineer of JSС Russian Railways.

Sebastian Stern is a senior partner in McKinsey & Company's Hamburg office and leads McKinsey's Public Sector Practice in Germany. He is also responsible for the McKinsey Implementation in Germany, supporting public and private sector clients in the implementation and change management of jointly developed strategies. He has significant experience in supporting the public sector, infrastructure and transportation clients, focused on strategic questions (e.g. growth strategies, market entry strategies) and service operations (e.g. lean operations).

Sebastian holds a master's degree in business administration from the University of California, Los Angeles, USA, and a Ph.D. in organization of growth companies from the Wissenschaftliche Hochschule für Unternehmensführung, Koblenz.

Salimzhan has Ph.D., he is the Head of the Laboratory of Autonomous Transport Systems of Innopolis University. He conducts research in the field of process and methods of mobile robots navigation, perception and recognition of environmental objects, localization and system dynamics. Research interests: navigation in non-deterministic space, mathematical methods of analysis.

Graduated from Paris II University in Public Law, holds a Diploma from the Paris Institute of Political Studies (Sciences Po) and also studied at the Ecole Nationale d'Administration (ENA), where he also lectured about Rail and Urban Transport. 
Prior to assuming his position at UNIFE, he served for 8 years as CEO of Systra, one of the world's leading public transport engineering companies. 
From 1986 to 1990 – Transport Advisor, French permanent representation to the EU. 
From 1990 to 1993 – Special Advisor, French Transport Minister Cabinet. 
From 1993 to 1999 – Manager and Chief of staff, RATP. 
From 1999 to 2002 – Strategy Director, SNCF. 
From 2002 to 2011 – CEO, Systra. 
At the moment Director General UNIFE.

In February 2012, he was appointed First Deputy Head of the Technical Audit Centre - a structural unit of JSC "RZD".

Oleg Senkovsky is in charge for enhancement of the production management systems of enterprises supplying products for JSC "RZD" on the basis of a specially implemented quality policy, in particular, by implementing ISO/TS 22163 standard.

Mr. Senkovsky takes an active part in the activities of the following councils:

• Expert council on development of transport machine building under the Committee of the State Duma (Lower House of Russian Federation Parliament) on economic policy, industry, innovative development and entrepreneurship;
• Quality Committee of NP "OPZT";
• Transport Machine Building Committee of LLC "SoyuzMash of Russia".

Graduated from St. Petersburg University of Economics and Finance (1992).
2000-2001 – Office of the Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of the Russian Federation in the Northwestern Federal District, Head of the Financial and Economic Department.
2001-2002 – JSC LOMO, Deputy Director, Management of Corporate Property.
2002-2004 – JSC Russian Fuel Company, Managing Director.
2004-2009 – Federal Road Agency, Deputy Head, Head.
2009-2015 – Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation, Deputy Minister, First Deputy Minister.
August 2011 Assigned Class Rank of Active State Advisor of the Russian Federation, 1st Class.
August 20, 2015 Appointed President of JSC Russian Railways.
November 17, 2017 – by the order of the Government of the Russian Federation was appointed as Chief Executive Officer – Chairman of the Board of JSCo Russian Railways.
Oleg Belozerov is the Chairman of the International Union of Railways (UIC) and Co-Chairman of the Russia-France Business Cooperation Council.

In 1994 graduated with distinction from Moscow State Law Academy. 
In 1993 came to work for commercial bank Olimpiyski, where worked his way up from lawyer and Director of the Legal Department to Deputy CEO. 
From 2002 to 2006 was on the board of Aton Capital investment company and served as head of the corporate finance department. In this capacity, was in charge of organising the business of corporate clients. 
From 2006 to 2009 served as Managing Director of the Department for Investment Banking Services at Uni Credit Aton, before came to the service company. 
In 2013 was appointed Chairman of the Board of Zheldorremmash. 
Since 2010 has been Chairman of the Board of TMH-Service. 
Since 2015 - General Director of Transmashholding.

Henri Poupart-Lafarge, is a graduate of Ecole Polytechnique, Ecole Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He started his career in 1992 at the World Bank in Washington, D.C., before joining the French Ministry of Economy and Finance in 1994.

Henri Poupart-Lafarge is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Alstom Group since February 1^st 2016. Mr Henri Poupart-Lafarge joined Alstom in 1998, as Head of Investor relations and responsible for management control. In 2000, he became the Transmission and Distribution Sector’s Senior Vice President Finance, a position he held until the sale of the Sector in 2004. From 2004 to 2010, he was Chief Financial Officer of the Alstom Group, from 2010 to 2011 President of the Alstom Grid Sector, and President of the Transport since 4 July 2011. He became Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the board of Alstom in February 2016.

• Member, National Railway Industry Committee (Jul. 2018 ~ present)

• Member, National Transportation Committee (Apr. 2018 ~ present)

• President, the Korean Association of Eurasia (Jan. 2016 ~ Dec. 2017)

• Standing Member, the National Unification Advisory Council (Jul. 2015 ~ present)

Mr Davenne graduated from the Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Télécommunications d’Evry in 1988 and from the Ecole Nationale d’Administration (ENA) in 1999.
Throughout his career, he has consistently promoted interdisciplinary as a key factor for success. Having gained experience in international satellite telecommunications, he initially held various roles in the housing sector, making use of his strong financial and legal skills. He was involved in policy and regulation of the sector and managed key operational programmes, most notably for the city of Paris. After three years with the French Ministry of Transport, working on railway safety and regulation, with an emphasis on European regulations, he was elected in 2012 as Secretary General of OTIF, the Intergovernmental Organisation for International Carriage by Rail. From early 2013 to the end of 2018, he promoted interdisciplinary and partnership building in order to expand and develop the uniform regulations for international carriage by rail. Since July 1, 2019 François Davenne became Director General of UIC.

Has over 15 years of experience in the railway industry, including participation and leadership in the development, design and implementation of modern signaling and train traffic control systems for metro and mainline railways.

2010-2017 worked in key business development positions in a Russian joint venture, and later at the head office of Bombardier Transportation Sweden - division of Bombardier Corporation in the field of rail traffic control systems.

Since 2018 - First Deputy General Manager in LocoTech-Signal LLC (Group of Companies Ctrl2GO). Company specializes on rail traffic control digitalization.

He graduated with honors from Moscow State University of Railway Engineering (MIIT) with a Master's degree in Signaling Systems for railway transport, specializing in microelectronic systems for ensuring train traffic safety. In 2009 obtained an additional education and got Master's degree in Financial Management.

Born in 1978. Graduated from Saratov’s State Socio-Economic University, Finance and Credit faculty in 2000. Received PhD in economics in 2003 with the thesis on development of institutional investments. Got MBA degree in 2012 from UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School, Dublin, Ireland. 

Started his career path in investments business working with a bank and further on as a head of an assets management company on the Russian stock market. Got an experience at the Russian Trade Chamber with the department of investments sustainability and support focused on innovation and infrastructure projects.

Since 2014 he is deputy CEO for economics and finance with Railway Research Institute (VNIIZHT) – Russian Railways subsidiary company, coordinating budgeting, finance planning, supply and asset management.

This year in collaboration with the Center for Innovations Development of the Russian Railways he, on behalf of VNIIZHT, organizes the first corporate acceleration programme for start-ups for the Russian Railways.

The purveyor and developer of predictive analytics solutions for industrial equipment: a data mining platform, predictive models and an intelligent risk-oriented management system. Is an expert in the field of digital industry transformation using artificial intelligence technologies. In 2016, he founded and ran the Clover Group to become the company's chairman of the board in 2019. 
Graduated from Kazan State Energy University. Member of the General Council of the All-Russian public organization Business Russia. Expert of the ANO Digital Economy working group.

Graduated from Novosibirsk Institute of Railway Engineers in 1992, and in 1998 studied at the Academy of Economics under the Government of the Russian Federation. 
From 1989 to 1998 – Head of Locomotive Depot at Novokuznetsk-Kemerovo Railways; Chief Engineer at Novokuznetsk Section of Kemerovo Railways; Deputy Engineer at Kuzbass Section of West Siberian Railways. 
From 1998 to 1999 – Deputy Head of Locomotive and Wagon Management at West Siberian Railways, Deputy Head of Railways.
From 2000 to 2003 – Chief Engineer at October Railways. 
In 2003 appointed Vice-President of the Russian Railways. 
From 2008 to 2017 – Senior Vice-President, Chief Engineer of the Russian Railways. 
From 2017 – Senior Adviser to the President, Russian Railways.

• since May 2016 Chief Executive Officer, ÖBB-Holding AG
• 2008 – 2016 Member of the board, ÖBB-Infrastruktur AG. Department of Finance, Markets and Services
• 2005 – 2008 Head of Controlling and Finance, ÖBB-Infrastruktur Bau AG
• 2001 – 2004 Head of Planning, Controlling and Systems at ÖBB

Chairman of the Supervisory Board of ÖBB-Personenverkehr AG and Rail Cargo Austria AG.

Has extensive expertise of technological processes, metrological support, maintenance and repair of rolling stock at all stages of operation. 
Began his career in the railway car-repair yard. In 2006, made a career from an engineer to the general director of the Scientific Research Institute of Technology, Control, and Diagnostics of Railway Transport ("NIITKD"). Since 2014, has been a member of the Board of Directors of NIITKD JSC. 
Graduated from Omsk State Transport University. Candidate of Technical Sciences in Rolling stock of railways, traction, and electrification.

Alberto Grisone was born in 1970. He graduated from the Law Faculty of the State University of Milan in 1996. In 1998, he became the account manager at Hupak Intermodal LTD. In November 2011, he was appointed Chairman of the Board of Directors of Intermodal Express. In 2017, he was appointed Development Director in Russia, the CIS and the Middle East. In April 2018, he was appointed Chairman of the Board of Directors of Intermodal Express LLC (Moscow), a member of the Hupac group of companies. He is a member of the Working Group of the Coordination Council on Trans-Siberian Transportation to increase the competitiveness of the Trans-Siberian route.

Was born in Moscow in 1964.After graduating cum laude from the MIIT, he joined the VNIIZhT. He has gradually rose from a trainee researcher to the senior deputy general director.From 2004 to 2007 he worked as a director of VNIIAS.

Currently – first deputy general director of VNIIZhT, Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor.