More than thirty people have received the 2003 Person of the Year award. Among them is Veronika Borovik-Khilchevskaya, President of the Sovershenno Sekretno company. She was awarded for her commitment to journalistic traditions and support of independent journalism in Russia. "For me, winning in this category is particularly important. It is pleasant to see that our work, the work of the Sovershenno Sekretno holding company, is assessed in such a way. It means everything we do is not in vain. We are on the right path," she said.

The Person of the Year award, instituted by RosBusinessConsulting (RBC), is one of the most prestigious and honorary awards in Russia. It is given to people who personify an important trend in the development of Russian society, people who build the present and form the future. As a rule, these are people who distinguished themselves in serving public, political and state interests of Russia throughout the year.

The Person of the Year award is based on the principle of innovation, which distinguishes it from other public awards of this kind. In practice, it means that several people can win the award in the same category, which does not diminish their contribution to the common cause.

This year, a panel of judges awarded a Grand Prix and the public award of the Russian Federation - the Glory of Russia - to three well-known people. Alexander Veshnyakov, Chairman of the Central Election Commission of Russia, was awarded for his personal contribution to the establishment of democracy in Russia. Sergey Maslov, President of the Transnefteprodukt company, received the award for professionalism and innovations in the sphere of oil transportation in Russia. And Alexander Tkachev, Governor of the Krasnoyarsky region, was awarded for his contribution to the development of the Russian political system. The Person of the Year award is intended to help Russia integrate into the global information and economic community, unify civil society, business and authorities, and attract public attention to figures who determine the development of the country. Accordingly, the award categories cover public and political life, administration, culture, science and business. Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov was named the best regional leader, due to his effective administration of the region and progress in realizing Moscow's economic potential. Alexei Miller, CEO of Gazprom, was named Businessman of the Year for his contribution to the development of the energy sector. As usual, the award ceremony was held at the Patriarchal Palace in the Kremlin. It was attended by top government and public figures, businessmen and reporters, the members of the panel of judges and the award winners themselves. The winners received gold pins, honorary diplomas and the applause of a grateful audience.