Gaidar Forum 2015: Knowledge Economy

The moderator of the panel discussion titled Barriers to Commercializing Scientific Research Results was Aleksei Komissarov, Advisor to the Mayor of Moscow. Among its participants were Сhairman of the Board of RUSNANO JSC Anatoly Chubais; Director General and Chairman of the Board of Russian Venture Company OJSC Igor Agamirzyan; Executive Director of the Association of Innovative Regions of Russia Ivan Bortnik; Managing Partner of Almaz Capital Venture Fund Aleksander Galitsky; and President of Microsoft Russia Pavel Betsis.

The participants in the discussion addressed the following issues: why scientists and entrepreneurs do not trust one another; is it indeed necessary to encourage a scientist to commercialize the results of his/her work; can the practical implementation of a scientific discovery become a motivation factor for working scientists.

The moderator of the panel discussion Socially Responsible Investment: A Myth or a Fact? was Founder and Chairman of the Board of RVVZ Foundation Ruben Vardanyan. He offered the participants the following issues to discuss: are there currently investors in Russia that are inherently ready to achieve less profit in return for the good of society at large, and who are they; is it possible to implement socially responsible investment when institutions have no credibility; should entrepreneurs share their wealth with society; is it really necessary to implement social projects abroad, or is it just a matter of PR.

In the course of the discussion the participants heard the opinions of President, Member of the Board of Directors and Chairman of the Board of LUKOIL JSC Vagit Alekperov; Commercial Director of Strana Detei ZAO Leonid Hanukaev; Chairman of the Board of Directors of O1 Group Investment Company Boris Mints; and screenwriter, television host and film director Avdotia Smirnova.

The role of mass art in the development of modern society and the influence of culture on economic and political processes was the topic of the panel discussion Culture for Education or Education for Culture? The discussion was joined by Editor-in-Chief of the Cinema Art magazine Daniil Dondurey; Councilor for Culture to the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Tolstoi; Director of the Polytechnic Museum Yulia Shakhnovskaya; Managing Shareholder of Rambler & Co Alexander Mamut; theater director Konstantin Bogomolov; Director of the Foundation of Amsterdam Heritage Museums and the Museum Geelvinck-Hinlopen Bjorn Stenvers.