STRATEGIC
COMMUNICATIONS.
IDEAS & INSIGHTS

9.00–9.40
Reception Hall, 5th floor

AKOS appeals to its colleagues around the world for cooperation and partnership in the interests of developing international communications at all levels. Effective communications help to harmonize relations between people, societies and states, develop business and territories, form and promote cultural, humanitarian and creative values. In order to enhance the positive effects of communications, it is important for professionals to communicate and exchange experiences, cases and understanding of the best use of modern technologies, as well as the ethics and culture of communications. The teleconference will be held as an independent online panel with connections from different parts of the world and hosts located at the forum site in Moscow.

9.40–10.00
Reception Hall, 5th floor

Today, the history of PR is mostly associated with Western countries, and the reputational cases of Ivy Lee, Edward Bernays' bacon or the promotion of Lasker's orange juice are familiar to many. However, it seems to the public that PR in Russia has only existed for the last three decades. In fact, since the Time of Troubles, not only the state, but also entrepreneurs have actively used PR in their competitive struggle, promoting their personal brand, solving GR tasks and even in matters of national security.

To restore historical justice, AKOS, the digital agency "Interium" and the Museum of Entrepreneurs, Patrons and Philanthropists have launched a large-scale study on the history of communication in Russia. Its goal is to find out what PR tools were used by entrepreneurs in the second half of the 19th - early 20th centuries.

10.00–12.00
Plenary Hall, 5th floor

Programme Leader
Insiders

Session partners
The RF Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The RF Ministry of Economic Development

Main topics

• Strategic communications: a view from 2025. International expertise VS Russian trends
• New standards and new normality. Changing rules and culture of communications
• The future of communications as strategic industries
• Specifics of managing information flow across political and ideological barriers
• Supranational organisations and national governments: effective building of communication strategies
• Role of communications in shaping information sovereignty of Russia
• International (external) and internal Russian brands: found, implement and promote.
• Communications for effective interaction between business, science, socio-cultural area and society
• Future of communications as creative Industries
• Future of communications in time of digital transformation
• Changing media landscape and digital market in time of more rigorous control by the state and regulators.

Moderator
Andrey Lapshov, AKOS chairman, Insiders Group president

Speakers (* - invited/expected)

1. Aleksey Goreslavsky, Internet Development institute, general director
2. Maria Zakharova, Information and press department, director, the RF Ministry of Foreign Affairs official representative / the RF deputy minister of foreign affairs
3. Larisa Zelkova, Nornickel, board member, senior vice president, personnel, social and PR policy
4. Tatyana Iliushnikova, the RF deputy minister of economic development*
5. Mr Vinay Kumar, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of India
6.Vyacheslav Lashchevsky, Co-Chairman of the Coordinating Council of Communication Industries at the Civic Chamber of the Russian Federation, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the AGT Communications Group
7. Sergey Skripnikov, Rusal PR director, AKOS consulting council chairman

12.15-13.45
Plenary Sessions Hall, 5th floor

Programme Leader
R.I.M.

Session partners
The RF Public Chamber creative industries coordination council
Creative Economy Development Center of the Strategic Initiatives agency
Russian Communication Agencies Association

Main topics

• Communication industries as subjects of the law “developing creative industries in the Russian Federation”
• Road map to promote PR as a creative industry
• Register of creative industries’ subjects. Criteria for obtaining a creative industry status and being included into a combined register of subjects, interpretations, specifics, examples
• Regional standard for developing creative industries
• Model of potential state support measures for PR as a creative industry (in accordance with the FL 330 “Developing creative industries in the Russian Federation”), including models for creative industries’ centres and creative clusters, information systems to secure creative industries activities for PR purposes
• Industrial catalogue of PR creative cases
• International and Russian experience of promoting communications as creative industries
• Economic effect of communications as creative industries
• How can the professional community solve state tasks within the framework of communications as a creative industry
• Impact-content as a factor of positive influence on social change

Moderator
Igor Pisarsky, R.I.M. board of directors, chairman, “Silver archer award” board of trustees, chairman

Speakers

1. Marina Abramova, President of ANO “Creative Economy”
2. Maria Zaikina, Director of Public and Industry Relations, OZON
3. Ekaterina Kolyada, member of the Supervisory Board of the AKMR Board, director of the “Media Manager of Russia” award
4. Vladimir Kosteev, the RF President Administration, public projects reviewer
5. Elena Reshetova, Russian Association of communication agencies (ACAR), first vice president
6. Tatyana Smirnova, Director of the Public Relations Department of PJSC Norilsk Nickel
7. Gyuzal Khisyamutdinova, Deputy General Director and Head of the United Advertising Service of the Komsomolskaya Pravda Media Group *
8. Ekaterina Cherkes-zade, Centre for creative economy development, Agency for strategic initiatives to promote new projects (ASI), director*
9. Irina Chirkova, Deputy Director for Creative Industries Development, Agency for International Cooperation of the Chelyabinsk Region
10. Lada Yurchenko, Head of Creative Cluster, Novosibirsk Akadempark

12.15-13.45
Council Chamber, 1st floor

Main topics

• Value agenda of modern communicators (national, corporate and other values, common goals, common mission)
• Interaction of communicators under crisis conditions
• Memorandum on interaction between customers and performers at the market of communication industries
• AKOS Code of Ethics
• AKOS PR Navigator (verified register of agencies with indication of specialty and experience)
• Role of agencies in time of market personnel hunger

Moderator
Sergey Skripnikov, Rusal PR director, AKOS consulting council chairman

14.00-16.00
Plenary Hall, 5th floor

Programme Leader
Interium

Session partners
The RF Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Eurasian rating agency

Main topics

• Anti-crisis shaping of Russia and Russian business image in a changing world
• Transforming the PR international market to adapt to new trends and needs of the industry and clients
• Systemic interaction of Russian specialists with foreign communicators
• Strategic expertise and professional interaction with the near abroad, South-East Asia, China, Japan, South Korea, India, Latin America and Africa
• Platforms and opportunities for exchanging experience and knowledge, technologies and personnel with international PR communities
• Mutual enrichment of ideas and innovative solutions to meet main international relations challenges
• Establishing long-term relations with relevant international associations
• Communications inside and outside BRICS, SCO, EAEU, CIS: have anything changed?
• PR in China today - future of communications in Russia tomorrow?

Moderators
Andrey Ermoshkin, Interium executive director, head of AKOS international relations committee
Dmitry Polikanov, Federal Agency on CIS, compatriots living abroad, international humanitarian cooperation (Rossotrudnichestvo), Deputy head

Speakers
1. Timofey Vi, GFCN expert
2. Natalia Koroleva, Vice President of Corporate and Anti-Crisis Communications, PBN
3.Svetlana Malinina, CIS Executive Committee, head of press service
4. Olga Pavlikova, Trend Fox, co-founder and CEO
5. Victoria Panova, National Research University “Higher School of Economics” vice rector, Centre ‘Expert council on the RF participation in BRICS, director
6. Jacob Pinneker, Director of the OKA Agency
7. Rytnikova Yana, official representative of the China International Public Relations Association in the Russian Federation
8.Timur Shafir, Russian Union of Journalists, head of international department, secretary
9. Maria Yarina, Head of the International Department of Lomonosov Moscow State University

14.00-15.30
Conference Room, 4th floor

Programme Leader
AGT

Session partners
Creative Economy Development Center of the Strategic Initiatives agency
Center for Strategic Research
National priorities

Description

The world is changing. Rapidly. Irreversibly. A new environment and conditions for the successful development of business and society are being formed. A series of external events and circumstances have led to a global transformation in various spheres of our lives: social, political, economic, cultural. The era of end-to-end communications has arrived, where every voice can be heard. How does the "center - regions" configuration work? To what extent can business influence the development of individual territories and form a new communication picture? What communication strategies and tactics help to bring previously little-known regional brands to country leaders? Are "quick wins" possible on this path? How and what to stand out from the crowd? What should a successful communicator's kit be when implementing a long-term communication strategy?

We will talk about modern communication trends and practices with leading experts. You will have an interesting, open conversation filled with real examples and unique personal experience of the invited experts. To exchange visions of the new configuration of regional communications, successful practices, solutions and even life hacks in promoting and supporting the development of regions is the goal of this session.

Main topics

• Communication infrastructure of regions (regional communication landscape)
• Decentralization of economic drivers, new roles of federal business in the regions
• Routing and motivation tools for effective territorial development
• Support for the attractiveness of priority macroregions (for residents, guests and investments)
• Tourism: industry and effective regional promotion
• “New generation” of territorial brands
• Event communications (regions in the media context)
• Creative economy – from “retaining” to “attracting” young people to the territories
• New regional development institutions – a modern format of interaction with federal business
• What is the ideal territorial brand?

Moderator
Dmitry Smirkin, Director of the Tourism Public Relations Department.Russian Federation, member of the Advisory Board of AKOS, author of the TG channel #prmsk

Speakers

1. Natalia Belyakova, Russian geographic society, expedition and tourism department director, National Research University “Higher School of Economics”, communications laboratory in creative industries, head
2. Olga Vasilyeva, General Director of the analytical agency “Smyslografiya” (KG AGT)
3. Gabitov Rais, Ambassador of the Republic of Bashkortostan, blogger, creator of the project "South Ural Trail"
4. Korshunova Darya, Senior PR Partner of OMK
5. Mamontov Vadim, Founder and CEO of RussiaDiscovery, Vice President of RST
Mishanina Anastasia, Director of Communications and Investor Relations of PAO Severstal
6. Pitetskiy Oleg, Strategist of Artemy Lebedev Studio, Teacher of the discipline "Fundamentals of Branding" of the Institute of Business and Design
7. Savvin Afanasy, CEO of the Yakutia Development Corporation
8. Trofimova Maria, Director of the Department of Consumer Market and Tourism of the Tyumen Region

14.00-15.30
Council Chamber, 1st floor

Programme Leader
Comunica

Session Partner
Managers Association

Description

Why certain companies look lucrative for less money, while others can't attract employees even for the highest salary? Where do material benefits get substituted by reputational and cultural factors? Can reputation attract and retain employees in time of a staffing hunger? The labour market situation is aggravated by generation change and by big business current inability to deal with Zoomers. More than half of Russian companies plan to increase their staff, although their staff costs will grow. Dealing with staff hunger and fighting for the best resources is getting more urgent not only for HR, but for communicators, too. Leading industry experts will discuss the most relevant reputational criteria for businesses, aimed, first of all, at attracting and retaining the best employees.

Main topics

The session will present a two-part study: 1. A panel survey of potential employees related to employer reputation factor when applying for a job (Zoomers and older audience may be surveyed separately); 2. A survey of PR professionals related to reputation factor importance for employees (the factor assessment for potential applicants). We compare the two surveys’ results and underline discontinuity and inconsistency points.

The panel will discuss:

• Is company reputation in 2025 important to employ seekers?
• Reputational maturity and staff immaturity: will reputation help satisfy staffing hunger?
• Employer reputation rebooting: salary battle or coconut coffee?
• Zoomers vs. Olds: who to attract to factories and offices and what to say to them in communications?
• Working on your terms: how to retain an employee in 2025 and make reputation an important factor?
• Does the CEO and employees personal brand impact business or is it helpful only for their own careers?
• Employee ambassadors: PR illusion or a real reputational tool?
• Internal communications - how and what to say to be heard?
• HR brand neurofication: how neural networks and other technologies change approach to communicate with employees

Moderator
Mikhail Umarov, CEO of Comunica

Speakers

1. Lilia Glazova, PR News general director
2. Olga Dementieva, Head of HR4PR Agency
3. Ekaterina Kvashenkina, director of the Shkulev Holding group of sites, co-chair of the Committee on Media and Information Policy of the Association of Managers
4. Maria Kozhukhova, Head of Communications Channels at VTB Bank
5. Nadezhda Plotnikova, CEO of FederalPress, co-chair of the Committee on Media and Information Policy of the Association of Managers
6. Ekaterina Popova, Director of Corporate Communications, PROMOMED
7. Oksana Reznik, Deputy General Director of Comunica
8. Ekaterina Khvatova, PR Director of Leman Pro

16.15-17.45
Plenary Hall, 5th floor

Description

Reputation in Russia today is built in a hybrid information environment where traditional media retain influence, but Telegram has become a full-fledged and very significant media platform. Its immediacy and anonymity make it the most important channel for reputation management. The main challenge for businesses and public figures is the ability to work effectively with a multi-channel communication system, to adapt quickly to the changing situation and respond quickly to crises.

Main topics

• How have approaches to reputation building changed in the last five years?
• Has business reputation become more fragile today?
• How to assess reputational risks in case of a crisis situation?
• What are the peculiarities of crisis response in the Telegram era?
• How does the media respond to competitive challenges from Telegram?
• Should Telegram channels be subject to the same standards of responsibility as traditional media?
• How will the model of information consumption change in the next 5-10 years and what new challenges will media and communicators face?

Moderator
Anna Starkova, Director of Special Projects, Wildberries & Russ
Kirill Tokarev, Editor-in-Chief, RBC TV

Speakers

1. Kaleria Andreeva, Head of Special Projects Department, TASS
2. Denis Arapov, General Director of the United Editorial Board of LIFE and SHOT
3. Roman Bedretdinov, Editor-in-Chief, sostav.ru
4. Georgy Lobushkin, Partner, K2, TG Channel “Lobushkin”
5. Ruslan Novikov, General Director, AIF Publishing House
6. Yaroslav Meshalkin, Managing Partner, Heads'made, TG Channel “YAR o PR”
7. Yuri Pogorely, Deputy General Director, Interfax
8. Yulia Tyan, Director, Analytics and Data Management Department, ANO “Dialog"
9. Anna Shashlova, Deputy General Director, Komsomolskaya Pravda Media Group

15.45-17.30
Conference Room, 4th floor

Programme Leader
Ex Libris

Description

The session covers new technologies, data-driven communications, their digitisation and measurement, current approaches to studying, planning and implementing communication strategies. The session will be of interest to analysts, communication researchers, strategic planning and management communicators and brand managers.

Main topics

• Metrics for studying effectiveness of PR-communications
• Presenting and discussing AKOS study “Assessing effectiveness of PR and communications: methods, approaches, trends”
• Analytics to shape communication strategy. Case study
• Analytics to assess effectiveness of implemented strategy. Case study
• Analytics on results of a campaign. Case study
• Communication ethics: new or old? International standards and practices. Efficiency vs. ethics? AKOS Code of Ethics

Moderator
Victoria Prilepskaya, Ex Libris, development director, AKOS working group on digitisation of communications, head

Speakers
1. Mikhail Berggren, Director of Public Relations at SDEK
2. Yulia Deeva, Polyus, PR head
3. Nadezhda Zhukovskaya, PR-director Medialogiya
4. Darya Kertsenbaum, Strategy Partners, marketing and communications director
5. Nina Oreshkina, CIAN PR director
6. Anna Shchepilova, Metro Russia, PR director

15.45-17.30
Council Chamber, 1st floor

Programme Leader
PR Inc.

Session Partner
Sustainable Development Strategies and Practices Project Office

Main topics

• The place of ESG communications in the national information agenda. Where are we?
• Relevance of the global sustainable development agenda for Russian communicators
• Reputation of socially and environmentally responsible brand: modern tools (expert environment, journalists, digital, resources, stakeholders, etc.).
• Anti-crisis solutions in ESG-communications
• Ratings, reports, dialogues with stakeholders. Current practice and risks of information disclosure
• Do the media write about ESG-responsibility today and what exactly do they write?
• ESG communicator: specialisation, competences or press release topics?

Moderator
Olga Dashevskaya, Senior Partner at PR Inc., Head of the Advisory Council Group at AKOS

Speakers

1. Irina Bakhtina, Director of Sustainable Development, En+
2. Svetlana Bik, head of the INFRAGRIN platform, author of the TG channel 100% green
3. Elena Dubovitskaya, Director of the Centre for Sustainable Development, SKOLKOVO School of Management
4. Svetlana Gerasimova, Head of the Sustainable Development Strategies and Practices Project Office, Head of the CSR and Sustainable Development School #SDstrateg, Chairperson of the Expert Council of the Sustainable Development Week
5. Vladimir Kuznetsov, Head of the UN Information Centre in the Russian Federation
6. Alexander Briskin, Director of ESG practice of Mikhailov & Partners
7. Vyacheslav Fetisov, UN Goodwill Ambassador, National Goodwill Ambassador of UNEP, Goodwill Ambassador of the World Tourism Organization, member of the UN Alliance of Civilisations High Council, member of the UN Decade of Ecosystem Restoration Supervisory Board, Deputy of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, Chairman of the All-Russian Society for Nature Conservation (VOOP) *

17.30-18.45
P.A.Stolypin Hall, 1st floor

Programme Leader
TWIGA PR

Session Partner
HSE

Description

AI, like many cutting-edge technologies before it, was at the peak of inflated expectations in ‘24. However, according to an annual study from Gartner, users around the world have lowered expectations of generative AI. Our communications market hasn't been spared either. In recent years, the information field around AI has managed to undergo a transformation from severe overheating to restrained optimism. Many people have played with infoprovocations and moved on to more substantive discussions about ethics, labelling, legislation and regulation. Along with this came the realisation that AI is not a magic pill for all ills, but a tool that is only effective in the right hands. Is the technology ready to become an indispensable assistant for communicators today? What is AI for communicators - optimisation of routine or ‘strategic thinking’ on a subscription basis? Examples of real-life process optimisation. We will discuss all this and much more together with communication experts at our session.

Main topics

• Results of the joint research of AKOS and HSE
• Using Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the work of communication professionals. Where does optimisation start?
• AI in internal and corporate communications
• Industry competences in the use of AI-based technologies
• Optimising labour costs and increasing efficiency or originality of solutions, creativity, effects
• Map of AI services recommended for the work of communications professionals
• The latest professional technologies for communicators: what tools communicators use and what tasks they solve with them
• Cases

Moderator
Evgeny Temperamentov, Managing Director of TWIGA PR, Head of AKOS Working Group on AI in Communications

Speakers (* - invited/agreed)

1. Yelizaveta Golikova, Senior Vice President of VTB *
2. Alexander Krainov, Director of Artificial Intelligence Technology Development, Yandex *
3. Alexander Leonov, Head of Strategic Communications, T-Bank
4. Vladimir Neryuev, Deputy General Director of the Aura communications agency
5. Evgeniya Churbanova, Marketing and Communications Director of OTP Bank

17.30-18.45
Conference Room, 4th floor

Programme Leader
PR News

Over the years AKOS has accumulated a unique baggage of competences and experience. The Association has united on its platform recognised maestros and young but bright communicators. The authority of AKOS is undeniable. We are sure that the time has come to share our expertise and finally discuss what is the mark of quality in PR. Just as any star is a huge concentration of complex chemical elements, a successful PR case combines high competences of the team, thorough preparation and analyses, correct strategic decisions and spectacular creativity. The winners of the main communication awards are the best, but what unites and distinguishes these cases? Why does an individual project win gold in one award and get stuck on the shortlist in another? Which of the winners will forever remain in PR history? A stellar panel of AKOS experts will analyse and rate the winning cases of partnership awards. On 21 May at the AKOS International Forum ‘Strategic Communications’ we will find out which projects will become Michelin stars of communication.

17.45-18.45
Plenary Hall, 5th floor

Programme Leader
Insight Ridge

Moderator
Victor Drozdov, CEO, Managing Partner, Insight Ridge

Insight Ridge invites leading Russian experts to discuss how new challenges — from digital transformation and changes in the media market to tighter regulatory control — affect the architecture of strategic communications for companies planning public offerings on the Russian capital market (debt and/or equity placement). Particular attention is paid to comparing international best practices and the evolution of Russian trends: how standards are changing, a new culture of public communications is emerging, and effective dialogues are being built for an audience of professional and retail investors.