Russian scenarios

­President-elect Vladimir Putin will return to office in an economic and financial environment that has changed dramatically since the last time he held the post in 2008. Putin also ran on a platform that could be called populist. As a matter of fact, Putin has called for more government spending at a time when the developed world is undergoing spending cuts and experiencing austerity measures....

Political risk

­Who should investors listen to when it comes to assessing the level of political risk in Russia? Will we see significant capital inflows in Russia after the presidential election? Is the current political environment – such as pro- and anti-government protests – a next positive for Russia’s investment story?

Taking stock

­How fast will Russia’s equity markets get back to normal life after the fall in December? What can pump them back up? What about investment risk during Russia’s presidential campaign? And which sectors could improve the health of the Russian economy? OtM is joined by Ben Aris, Simon Fentham-Fletcher, Artem Arkhipov and David Cranfield.

Russia consumes

­How much will the Russian consumer market expand in coming years? How will the rise of the middle class determine consumer patterns? And how good are Russians at saving money? In the second part of the program, Peter Lavelle asks his guests how recent political developments will affect Russia's business environment – and whether the average consumer could enjoy the same perks as the business...

Finally WTO

­How will Russia and the WTO match up? Will the WTO membership benefit big Russian exporters at the expense of Russian small businesses? Will tougher competition motivate Russian companies to raise their standards, or will a wave of foreign goods actually endanger the existence of some local companies? And will Russians notice the WTO’s impact on the economy? OtM is joined by Yaroslav Lisovolik,...

Open for business

­What makes international investors choose Russia? What are the advantages compared to other markets? Why are some developing quickly in Russia, while others remain skeptical? Is now the time to invest in Russia?

Russia for sale

­How attractive is Russia’s privatization program in the eyes of foreign investors? Is there any urgency in it, or should it be delayed due to global volatility? Is it only about raising money, or does it have other objectives? OtM will also have a close look at the latest business news.

Infrastructure

­Twenty years after the collapse of the USSR, much of Russia’s infrastructure remains Soviet and needs a serious upgrade. While Russia is in desperate need of brand new infrastructure and willing to pump billions of dollars into the project, what are foreign investors thinking? How does the ageing infrastructure affect Russia’s economic development?

Volatility

­With the eurozone and the US struggling to stem debt meltdown, how secure is Russia? Lessons have been learned from the 2008 crisis and reserves are in good shape, but Russia still needs to diversify its economy to withstand global instability.

Branding Russia

­OtM's special edition broadcast from the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum: Many say Russia needs re-branding, but has it actually been properly branded in the first place? How effective is the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in selling Russia and promoting a better investment climate? And are there any decent Russian brands that help trademark the country? To discuss the...