"Kariera" (Career), № 5, May 5, 2003

The Trinity Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin hosted an award ceremony of the national award Person of the Year for 2002. The award was founded by the RosBusinessConsulting news agency. The Person of the Year project has really constructive objectives: to assist Russia's integration into the global informational and economic community, to promote consolidation between Russia's civil society, business community and the government as well as to attract public attention to persons who determine the nation's development. People who form the future of Russia and represent the main tendencies in the society's development were chosen by the Expert Council, consisting of well-known public figures, government officials, top executives of Russian companies and representatives of the media.

The winners of the Grand-Prix were awarded the Glory of Russia order. This award is especially honorary since its obverse is made of gold with emeralds and diamonds.

Twenty four people were named Persons of the Year out of 187 candidates. It is funny but some winners came to the award ceremony as guests and they did not even know that they had been nominated. For example Oleg Poptsov quietly took a seat among journalists and asked "So, what is going on here?" He was sincerely astonished when he was invited to the stage for a prize.

In regards to other Persons of the Year, even at the ceremony they could not keep from self-advertising. For example, David Yakobashvili, Chairman of the Wimm-Bill-Dann Board of Directors, mentioned four times to other participants what juices they should drink. In his turn, Stephen Jennings, Chief Executive Officer of Renaissance Capital, did not forgot to mention that shares of Wimm-Bill-Dann, for instance, are cheaper in his firm than in others. Oleg Levchenko, General Director of OAO Tabmov Distillery TALVIS, looked at his business colleagues cunningly and noted "modestly" that vodka is the second most important product in this country after oil. This all made up a funny composed portrait of the Person of the Year 2002.

In politics and social life:
Person in politics
Alexander Voloshin
Head of the Russian presidential administration
- For active promotion of social and economic reforms in Russia

Person in state governance
Andrey Illarionov
Adviser to the Russian President
- For a significant contribution in Russian economic reforms and Russia's integration into the world economic system

Person in sports
Vyacheslav Fetisov
Chairman of the Russian Sports Committee
- For the revival of good traditions in Russian sports
Yuri Zavarzin
General Director of the Dinamo football team
- For the establishment of efficient ties between sports and businesses

Person in education
Viktor Bolotov
Deputy Minister of Education of Russia
- For the successful introduction of a project for upgrading the Russian system of education

Regional leader
Alexander Tkachyov
Governor of the Krasnodar region
- For the highly efficient government in the region and achievements in implementing the economic potential of the Krasnodar region.

Person in culture
Yuri Bashmet
Head of the Moscow Soloists orchestra
- For a great talent that serves the Fatherland

Person in the mass media
Vladimir Pozner
President of the Russian Television Academy, anchor of the Vremena program
- For successful launchers of television projects with high ratings

In business
Businessman Viktor Makushin
President of MAIR Industrial Group
- For the development of unique technologies of company management and their successful introduction at companies owned by MAIR
Entrepreneur Boris Kuzyk
General Director, New Programs and Concepts holding company
- For the establishment of a diversified new-generation industrial holding and the efficient management of assets of high-tech companies within the holding
Top manager
David Yakobashvili
Chairman of Wimm-Bill-Dann
- For effective corporate governance and organization of the company's successful entrance to the international stock market.
Financier of the year
Stephen Jennings
Chief Executive Officer of Renaissance Capital
- For implementing a large number of successful financial projects in Russia, a lot of these projects being unique and implemented for the first time.
Enterprise head Oleg Levchenko
General Director of OAO Tabmov Distillery TALVIS
- For rapid and efficient increase in production volumes by upgrading with contemporary management and marketing technologies
Head of retail business
Lev Khasis
Chairman of Perekriostok Trading House
- For the establishment and efficient management of a competitive retail chain store

Special awards
Leader of the industry:
Insurance
Yevgeny Kurgin
General Director of ROSNO
- For the establishment and successful management of a company complying with international standards of the insurance business.

Restaurant business
Rostislav Ordovsky-Tanayevsky Blanko
President of the Rostik Group
- For the successful attraction of large investments and a large contribution in the development of the Russian catering market.

Information Technology
Boris Bobrovnikov
General Director of the CROC Company
- For the establishment of the most efficient IT company that implemented several unique projects with a national scale.

Automobile distribution
Oleg Khusayenov
President of the Atlant-M Holding Company
- For the establishment of the most dynamically developing distribution network on the automobile market

Foreign manager in Russia
Charles Ryan
Executive Chairman of United Financial Group
- For a large contribution to Russia's investment image in the world

Creative work and innovations
Rustam Tariko
Chairman the Russkii Standart Holding Company
- For the establishment of a diversified holding and the introduction of principally new types of products and services on the Russian market.

Popularization of economic knowledge
Oleg Poptsov
President of the TVC channel
- For the development and promotion of unique media projects aimed at improving economic knowledge among the public

Economic program presenter
Oksana Derevyanko
Head of the Editor's Office for Economic TV Programs of the Novaya Kompaniya producing center, presenter of economic news on Channel One television
- For the creation of a highly professional television program devoted to economics and finances

Creation of efficient management technologies
Vladimir Dyomin
President of Columbus IT Partner Russia
- For the introduction of contemporary management technologies improving competitive compatibilities of Russian businesses

Investment banker
Yevgeny Yuriev
President of Aton Capital
- For an outstanding contribution in the development of the Russian stock market and the establishment of the investment and banking business in Russia

Pricewinners of the Person of the Year 2002 national award
Grand-Prix
Tatyana Paramonova
Senior Deputy Chairperson of the Russian Central Bank
- For the active introduction of International Accounting Standards in the Russian banking system.
Grand-Prix
Oleg Misevra
President of the Siberian Coal Energy Company
- For the establishment and development of the domestic coal industry, an example of business servicing the welfare of Russia.

By Anna Kiselevskaya