The winners of the 2005 Company of the Year national business award were announced on December 7 in the Bolshoy Petrovsky Hall of the President Hotel. The event was organized by RBC. The top Russian award in the sphere of business was sponsored by the Russian Economy Ministry and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The winners were congratulated by such renowned politicians and businessmen as Andrei Sharonov, Arkady Dvorkovich, Alexander Yakovenko, Arkady Volsky, Sergei Glazyev, Genri Reznik, and many others. Several hundred guests gathered for one of the most important social events of the end of the year. The hall, with a capacity of 500 people, had practically no empty seats. Before the ceremony, the guests were treated to some Martel as they recollected those who had received the award last year and speculated as to who might win this year. Young dancers wearing tall bearskin hats and short skirts took the stage to open the ceremony, some of them playing drums, others carrying flags with the award logo stating: "Count yourself among the best".

Forty-six companies received the award this year (23 in the main categories, and 23 in special categories). As lawyer Pavel Astakhov said, these were survivors, rather than prizewinners. "Nowadays, if a company makes a profit, it needs support like never before. Even the President is talking about "taxation terror". Business is not developing, small businesses are afraid of expanding. Thus, those that are able to survive in such conditions are worthy of the award, while those who have also achieved success are, of course, the main contenders for the prize."

Nevertheless, the "survivors" looked very optimistic. "May we ask our winners to boldly raise their corporate banners and mark their ambitions on a global scale", hosts Ilona Bronevitskaya and Stas Pyekha encouraged winners, spurring them on to insert their flags into a large globe, the image of the Company of the Year award logo.

Many of the recipients of the award said they hoped to show good results in the year to come, so they might contend for the prize again. In particular, Russian Railways President Vladimir Yakunin stated that this was the most prestigious award for them. He said the company had received many offers to take part in various award competitions, but had chosen this one because they had confidence in the organizers' objectivity and professionalism.

The participants' optimism is understandable. As Sergei Glazyev so accurately put it, the Company of the Year award ceremony is not simply an acknowledgement of the companies' success. The award makes it possible to judge a company's reputation, which is a determining factor for a company's growth and for attracting investment. A good name is better than riches, as they say.