Category Archives: Business

As New Cold War Heats Up, Russia Preparing to Go It Alone?

Posted on September 24, 2016 by

There is nothing new under the sun. It has all been done before. – Sherlock Holmes (A Study in Scarlet) Brief History Lesson Leading up to the United States’ entry into World War II, Japan was reliant on trade with the … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Business and Economy, Cold War, economics, FAS, Foreign direct investment, foreign investment, goskorporatsii, Government, Government of Russia, pharma, procurement, Russian economy

Strategic Sectors Law Update – First Commission Meeting of 2014

Posted on July 17, 2014 by

On June 26, 2014, PM Medvedev chaired the first 2014 meeting of the Commission on Foreign Investment. At the meeting, several deals were discussed/approved and amendments to the Strategic Sectors Law were discussed. According to public sources, the following deals … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Business and Economy, Dmitry Medvedev, economics, FAS, Foreign direct investment, foreign investment, Gazprombank, legal update, legislation, oil, pharma, russia, strategic industries

The Matrix Strikes Back – the Sanctions and Russia’s Post-US Economic Model

Posted on May 1, 2014 by

Everyone agreed that the first round of Russia sanctions were laughably ineffective, aimed at a motley assortment of Kremlin B-teamers, whom Putin demoted to limit the damage they can cause and about whom Putin couldn’t care less. The second round … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Business and Economy, Chemezov, clans, corruption, Dmitry Medvedev, Economic development, economics, Foreign direct investment, foreign investment, foreign policy, goskorporatsii, Government of Russia, Medvedev, offshore, power vertical, Putin, Putin's Plan, Rotenberg, rule of law, russia, Russian economy, siloviki, state corporations, strategic industries, Timchenko, u.s.-russia relations, Vladimir Putin | 4 Comments

Strategic Sectors Law Update – First Commission Meeting of 2013 and Amendments to Law

Posted on May 5, 2013 by

On April 19, PM Medvedev held the first Foreign Investment Commission meeting of 2013. At the outset, Medvedev noted that Russia received over $50 bln in FDI inflows over the course of 2012. This statement is drawn from Central Bank … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Business and Economy, Economic development, economics, Foreign direct investment, foreign investment, Government of Russia, Law, legal update, legislation, pharma, russia, strategic industries

Should You Hire a Corrupt Manager in Russia?

Posted on February 12, 2013 by

That’s the provocative question raised by Prof. Maxim Mironov of IE Business School in a new paper, which I came across via this post at the Wall Street Journal. In short, Mironov concludes that yes, on occasion, it is worthwhile … Continue reading →

Posted in bribery, bribes, bureaucracy, Business, compliance, corruption, officials, rule of law, russia | 1 Comment

What to Make of Putin’s Anti-Offshore Crusade

Posted on January 22, 2012 by

Last month, PM Putin addressed the Government Commission on Electricity Generation. At the meeting, Putin launched into a searing critique of Russian companies using offshore “front companies.” Indeed, Putin noted, “Taking the Russian economy and its strategic sectors out of … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Business and Economy, corruption, Dmitry Medvedev, Gazprom, goskorporatsii, legal update, offshore, PM Putin, President Medvedev, Rostekhnologii, russia, state corporations, utilities companies, Vedomosti, Vladimir Putin, war on corruption | 2 Comments

IKEA in Russia – Light at the End of the Tunnel?

Posted on June 21, 2011 by

It has been six months since I last wrote on IKEA, and I thought it was time to check in on TRM’s favorite foreign investor in Russia.  In December, it appeared that IKEA’s problems were only getting worse.  The whole story … Continue reading →

Posted in bribery, bribes, bureaucracy, Business, compliance, corruption, Foreign direct investment, foreign investment, IKEA, Nabiullina, oecd, rule of law | 4 Comments