Sep 18, 2008: AmCham's Participation in the 2008 Sochi International Investment Forum

[Photographs from the event may be found below]

The American Chamber of Commerce in Russia was an active participant in the 2008 Sochi International Investment Forum taking place September 18-20. 

On Saturday, September 20, AmCham President Andrew Somers co-chaired a U.S.-Russia Business Roundtable with Alexander Shokhin, President of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RSPP), which was organized by AmCham and RSPP, and supported by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. A senior Russian government official and Russian and AmCham company executives took part in the discussion. The roundtable was attended by guests of the Forum and the press, and throughout the informative discussion, participants all generally stressed the importance of maintaining and developing business ties between the United States and Russia in the wake of financial turmoil and the Georgian conflict.

During the roundtable, First Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Denisov discussed the need for “pragmatism” and “common sense” in U.S.-Russian relations. He also emphasized the importance of strengthening commercial relations, and urged business organizations such as AmCham and RSPP to continue encouraging access into Russian and American markets.

At the plenary session and throughout the Forum, Andrew Somers had important informal discussions with Russian government officials and U.S. CEOs. These talks all emphasized Russian and foreign commitment to ongoing business cooperation. Mr. Somers also had the opportunity to speak to foreign and Russian press about AmCham, as well as business and investment perspectives in the current economic situation, and had private meetings with three regional governors (from Stavropol Krai, Orenburg Oblast, and Kamchatka Krai), a vice governor (Ryazan Oblast), and a minister of economics (Chelyabinsk Oblast). In all of these cases, AmCham laid the foundations for future trade missions, events in Moscow, and cooperation between the Chamber and key regional business leaders and governments.

During a meeting with Victor Kolodyazhny, the President of Olimpstroy Corporation, Mr. Somers invited him to meet with AmCham members in Moscow in the nearest future, and he agreed. Likewise, he invited Chamber members to visit on a trade mission to Sochi to look at Olympic site development.

Alexander Shokhin, President of the RSPP at the U.S.-Russia Business roundtable and Andrew Somers, President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Russia

Andrei Denisov, First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Alexander Shokhin and Andrew Somers at the U.S.-Russia Business roundtable

David Yakobashvili, Chairman of the Board, Wimm-Bill-Dann, at the U.S.-Russia Business roundtable

The U.S.-Russia Business roundtable at the Sochi Forum

Meeting with the President of Olimpstroy Corporation Victor Kolodyazhny and Irina Badayan, VP in charge of External Cooperation

Andrew Somers with Victor Kolodyazhny, the President of Olimpstroy Corporation

Meeting with the Governor of Stavropol Krai Valery Gaevsky

Meeting with the Governor of Orenburg Oblast Alexey Chernyshev

Dinner with the Governor of Kamchatka Krai Alexey Kuzmitsky