Business Watch
John Bonar
Sberbank Asset Management names Roman Filatov as MD
As part of the build-out of the asset management team, Sberbank Asset Management has announced the appointment of Roman Filatov as Managing Director, Head of Equities Portfolio Management. Roman will oversee the company’s equity portfolios, in particular the company’s largest equity mutual funds.
Construction starts on Primorye gambling zone's first hotel
The construction of a first casino and a hotel has begun in the Far Eastern gambling zone, near the Far East city of Vladivostok, the administration of Primorye Region has said.
'My Russia is a beggar': Beauty queen defies stereotype with political speech
RUSSIA'S STEPPED UP ANTI-CORRUPTION FIGHT AND ITS IMPLICATIONS
By Gordon M. Hahn
President Vladimir Putin has rolled back some of former president Dmitry Medvedev’s liberalizing thaw of 2008-2012, but he also continues some of his reforms. Even as Putin’s brief and shallow political freeze introduces strict laws that are quick to punish opposition demonstrators, NGOs with foreign ties, and activities deemed espionage, he appears intent on furthering reform of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVD) and the fight against corruption. This seems especially true regarding the latter.
Ursula Woolley to head Pushkin House in London
RUSSIA IN CONTEXT - SHOULD RUSSIA BE IN PENALTY BOX?
Russian markets have lagged the MSCI EM Index since mid-September, but are about to correct. Russian markets have lagged the performance of other big emerging markets since mid-September, average daily volumes are lower than usual and fund flows into Russia retail funds, which not long ago were running well ahead of flows into other big EM country funds, have reversed. This week, we look at the reasons for the reversal of sentiment toward Russia and differentiate between invalid headlines and legitimate concerns. We conclude that the Russian indexes have not moved out of line, but rather the Asian indexes have outperformed as investors switched funds into the region ahead of the leadership change in China. Given that no new economic stimuli were announce at last week's congress, those flows are more likely to reverse back out and into other EM funds in the coming weeks.
BSR set for solid expansion in 2013, seeks key executives
BSR, the publishing entity created by John Bonar, the editor-in-chief of Focus newsletter in 2007 is set for expansion in 2013. Having relocated to the UK after 15 years in Russia and a two month exploratory tour of SE Asia Bonar believes the time is ripe for expansion in Russia and other BRIC markets.
Wave of corruption scandals overwhelms Russia
By Itar-Tass World Service writer Lyudmila Alexandrova
Russia-Malaysia direct charter flights set to start December 17
The first non-stop flights from Russia to Malaysia will take off this Dec 17, and is set to pave the “runway” for the arrival of more Russian tourists to the country. Fifteen charter flights, with a capacity of 147 passengers each, will depart from Vladivostok to Kota Kinabalu and Langkawi, with a transit at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport over three months, and is expected to bring in 2,205 tourists to Malaysia within that period.
Startling New Twist in Litvinenko Death Case
By William Dunkerley
The British inquiry into the 2006 death of Alexander
Litvinenko has taken a dramatic turn in direction. Just two
months ago the London coroner appeared focused on
investigating alleged Russian state involvement in the
death, and on steadfastly upholding MI5/MI6 secrecy about
the case.