November 15, 2010

For the third time already the Vienna Alumni chapter of Webster University invited to a symposium and a networking cocktail, this year held in the beautiful, historic Palais Eschenbach in Vienna’s first district.

This year’s topic was “Where do we go with Ruble & Co? – Strategies for Russia’s recovery”. Five high-ranking Austrian and Russian panelists with economic and financial backgrounds discussed open questions concerning Russia’s economic development, corruption as well as ways out of the crisis. The symposium was moderated with lots of experience by Dr. Benjamin Ola Akande, Dean of the George Herbert Walker School of Business & Technology of Webster University St. Louis. Introductory words came from Webster University director Dr. Arthur Hirsh as well as Webster Alumni Chapter president Stefano Cantini, MA.

The panelists were of mixed opinion regarding Russia’s future economic development. While the Executive Director of the International Chamber of Commerce in Austria, Dr. Maximilian Burger-Scheidlin, thought that corruption was hindering the country to recover from the crisis, and the owner of BFE Group in Russia, Mag. (FH) Anton Chirkovski, BBA, considered support for the necessary SME base in the country was missing, the Head of Capital Markets of the Russian VTB Bank, Dipl.-Kfm. Evgenij Minkin, CFA, the President of the Russian European Chamber of Commerce, Dr. Sergey Shuklin, and an expert on Russian government policies and strategic advisor to the Russian investment bank Summa Capital, Dr. Mikhail Davydov, agreed that the Russian government is on a good path leading the country into the direction of a positive economic development.  

Following the official part of the event, Webster University invited the approximately 200 participants of the symposium to a cocktail with tasty Russian specialties. Accompanied by wine, blini with caviar and a vodka tasting, the discussion lasted well into the evening.