The Russian Economic Forum is now firmly established as the largest event of its kind anywhere in the world. Each year, it focuses the attention of the international business, finance and media communities on the ongoing integration of Russia into the global economy, and the country’s growing status as a major economic and political player.

The Forum has consistently developed year-on-year in stature as well as size. The number of delegates has consistently grown, from just several hundred in the event’s early years, to over 1000 by 2001, and more than 1800 in April 2004.

The 2005 Forum will begin with pre-registration on the evening of Sunday 10 April, with the conference sessions to run over the following two days, Monday and Tuesday, 11 and 12 April. Plenary sessions, in the Fleming Room of The Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre, will be held on the mornings of these two days, with specialised panels running in parallel on both afternoons.

The Forum has a truly global reach, far beyond London and Moscow, and the list of confirmed speakers reflects this international appeal. For 2005, the programme already includes Victor Khristenko, Minister of Energy and Industry of the Russian Federation; Leonid Reiman, Minister of Information Technology and Communications of the Russian Federation; James J. Mulva, Chairman and CEO, ConocoPhillips; Malcolm Brinded, Executive Director, Exploration & Production, Royal Dutch/Shell Group; HE Dr. Purnomo Yusgiantoro, Secretary General of OPEC, Minister of Energy of Indonesia; Ken Livingstone, the Mayor of London; Valentina Matvienko, Governor of St, Petersburg; Victor Vekselberg, Executive Director/Gas Development, TNK-BP; Alexander Medvedev, General Director, Gazexport; Member of the Board, Gazprom; Peter Aven, President, Alfa Bank; Roger Munnings, President and CEO, KPMG Russia/CIS; Evgeny Novitsky, President, AFK Sistema; Dr. Tessen von Heydebreck, Member, Board of Managing Directors, Deutsche Bank; Charles E. Ryan, Chairman and CEO, UFG; Digby Jones, Director General of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI); Robert Dudley, President and CEO, TNK-BP; Ilya Yurov, chairman of the board of directors, Trust Investment Bank; Leonid Rozhetskin, Deputy Chairman of the Board, Norilsk Nickel; Peter Hambro, Chairman and CEO, Peter Hambro Mining plc; John Barry, Country Chairman for Russia, Shell; Oleg Tinkov, CEO, Tinkoff Breweries; Sergei Soloviev, Film Director; Michel Perhirin, CEO, Raiffeisenbank Austria (Moscow); Patricia Cloherty, CEO, Delta Private Equity Partners, and Victor Makushin, President, MAIR Industrial Group.

On the evening of 11 April, the 4th annual Russian Rhapsody concert and black tie dinner will be held in the world famous Royal Albert Hall. Once again, this event will feature the participation of some of the best known names in Russian and international classical music, theatre and opera, including Mikhail Pletnev, Dmitri Bertmann, Anna Netrebko and Yuri Bashmet with his New Russia Symphony Orchestra.

Click here to see the latest news on the Forum and here to see a letter of support for the Forum from London Mayor Ken Livingstone.

For more details on participating in the 2005 Forum, telephone +44 (0)20 7510 2560 or email  sk@eventica.co.uk.