Largest Russian Internet Companies to Hold Conference on Internet and Business

The Conference will discuss issues related to the business of Russian Internet companies, as well as development possibilities that the Internet offers to companies of all sectors and sizes. The Conference program covers the following subjects:

• Russian Internet audience, its dynamics and prospects
• business models of Internet companies
• legislative framework regulating online business
• online advertising: current situation and prospects
• telecom services (VoIP, ISP, ASP, etc.)
• information security
• Internet and traditional mass media
• innovative technologies and business models Web 2.0
• communication services and social networks
• online payments, e-commerce
• E-recruitment and telework
• mobile Internet

The format of the Conference includes reports of reputed experts and extensive discussions during the sessions and at the round tables open for all interested participants. The Conference will provide comfortable conditions for productive communication both in the halls and the behind the scenes, where plenty of fruitful meetings and conversations happen at any professional gathering.

The Conference is designed primarily for Internet industry professionals, as well as for representatives of all business communities that are interested in developing their sectors with the help of Internet technologies. CIB organizers also plan to invite government officials to the Conference.

“In recent years, the impact of the Russian Internet on the society and business has greatly increased, and our market has become an integral part of the country’s economy,” says Alexey Basov, Executive Director of Begun. “Similar to other developed industries, the Russian Internet has its own infrastructure, business models, and market leaders, as CIB clearly shows. This conference can be called a major sector-forming event.”

“It is certainly time for the Russian Internet community to get together and discuss purely the issues of the Internet as a business and the Internet for the business,” believes Victor Zubko, CEO of Demos-Internet. “This includes both technical issues and relations between market participants: ISPs, customers, and the government.”

“Internet is one of the fastest-growing and most innovative sectors,” comments Mail.Ru CEO Dmitriy Grishin. “Many industries have established business models that work for years; unlike them, in the Internet brand new projects emerge every year. That is why we now need a conference where active market players will be able to discuss sector development prospects.”

“As more and more people in Russia make use of the Internet and other interactive communication possibilities, e-commerce becomes a habitual way of buying goods and services,” tells Bernard Lukey, CEO of online store Ozon.ru. “Its success is equally determined by service accessibility, quality of delivery, and ability to establish close personal ties with the customers. These are the common problems of e-commerce that we would like to discuss, exchange opinions, and share experience with our colleagues.”

“This conference is an important precedent for the national economy,” says Rambler Internet Holding CTO Denis Kalinin. “As a result of the effort of the companies organizing the conference, among others, the Internet is developing rapidly and is considered the largest and most dynamic sectors in Russia. The leaders of the Russian Internet market have their own examples proving that Internet business in Russia can be as successful as oil business and real estate. This conference confirms once again that we are willing to unite and share information for the good of those who can use Internet solutions to move their businesses forward. The modern Russian Internet is no longer a virgin land – it is a business field capable of regulating the rules of play in the sector and organizing relevant processes around itself.”

“According to the majority of experts, by 2010 the Russian Internet is highly likely to take 5-6% of the total advertising budget of the country, like in Western Europe and the USA,” notes Artem Inutin, General Director of RosBusinessConsulting Information Agency. “Given this prospect, today’s joint endeavors of the market leaders to discuss sector issues and find new courses of development are highly relevant. We welcome this effort and call for cooperation of all market participants.”

“There are now hundreds of thousands of websites in the Russian Internet. Only hundreds of them make money,” remarks Yuri Virovets, HeadHunter General Director. “So there is a need for successful Internet businesses to gather and discuss the problem areas and development prospects of their industry and exchange experience with the colleagues.”

“I recall the first Russian Internet Forum in Bor in 1997, when I first saw many of the now well-known Internet characters 'live',” tells Yandex CEO Arkady Volozh. “The Internet wasn’t much more than a nice hobby then, and now the Russian Internet has grown enough for its own business conference.”

The Conference “Internet and Business” will last for two days, April 20 and 21. The form of participation is the same as in the two previous Russian Internet Forums that were co-organized by many of the companies now holding the new conference. Everyone wishing to participate can come to the Conference at no charge.

In addition to representatives of co-organizing companies, the Conference Program Committee will include other well-known and reputable people from the Russian Internet business community. The Conference organizers invite all interested experts to take part in developing the program; applications for holding sections and making reports are accepted at the website, too.

The day before the Conference, April 19, is assigned for paid master classes for the participants wishing to improve their qualifications ahead of the conference sections. The seminars will be held by experts from co-organizing companies.

For complete information and registration of participants, please visit the Conference website: www.c-ib.ru.

Contact Information:

IMA-Consulting PR Agency:

Mikhail Sidorov

Vitaliy Ryazantsev

Phone: 917-00-80

Organizing Committee e-mail: [email protected]

Contacts:

Elena Kolmanovskaya, Chief Editor

Dina Litvinova, Head of Yandex PR
Phone: +7 495 739-70-00

Fax: +7 495 739-70-70

E-mail: [email protected]