Born in Simferopol in the Crimea in 1970 he qualified as a teacher of music and came to England when he was 21 to promote the Russian composer, Alemdar Karamanov. “It was successful. Decca released recordings of Karamanov’s works played by the Deutsche Symphony Orchestra conducted by Vladimir Ashkanazi”, Eugene recalls over breakfast in the Heeltap wine bar near London Bridge..

He took a break from London to do his military service in Russia from 1989-91 as an officer in the Presidential Honor Guard in Moscow.

Returning to the UK in 1998 from a stint consulting in Kazakhstan, he took up recruitment consultancy and in 2004 with old friend Barry Martin (See BSR profile), he opened Russia House Associates and continued head hunting, specializing in the financial sector.

In 2007 Eugene launched what is one of his major achievements to date: The celebration of Victory Day, which is a national holiday in Russia commemorating the allies triumph over the Nazis in the Second World War. “I focused on HMS Belfast, the most visible symbol in Britain of the Arctic convoys which sailed to the arctic ports of Murmansk and Arkhangelsk carrying war material. The Belfast is the last surviving destroyer that escorted these convoys through appalling conditions and heavy attack, “ Eugene says.

“I was able to involve members of the British Royal family in particular the Duke of Kent and Prince Michael of Kent. The Victory Day in London celebrations on HMS Belfast are now an annual event thanks to the support of the Petropavlovsk company and its chairman Peter Hambro, who has become a personal friend and VTB Capital. Every year we invite British veterans of the Arctic Convoys and bring to London some Russian veterans from Arkhangelsk. This year we received a congratulatory message from the Queen and the Russian Ambassador presented medals to the British veterans.”

In 2008 Eugene decided to return to Russia “to experience the post-Yeltsin dynamism of the new Russia.” He already had developed the idea of KIFIR, the Finance and Market Players Club and launched it in Moscow’s Tinkoff brew pub opposite the British Embassy on 25th November 2008.

A monthly networking meeting was suspended in the summer because of the smog and fires enveloping Moscow but Eugene is now gearing up to resume the sessions this winter with an avid following of business and financial students among the 800 members representing some 500 companies.

“Kifir is now a recognized brand and I will grow it, bridging business intellect and creativity. I will expand it as a brand of innovation,” says Eugene. He holds out prospects of branches in other Russian cities and abroad. “We attract a very interesting creative group with imagination which inspires me.”

“Kifir is now a recognized brand and I will grow it, bridging business intellect and creativity. I will expand it as a brand of innovation,” says Eugene. He holds out prospects of branches in other Russian cities and abroad. “We attract a very interesting creative group with imagination which inspires me.”

H.R.H. Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (left) greets Pavel Maslovsky, Peter Hambro and Eugene Kasevin at a ceremony on HMS Belfast