Shows
Emerging Global - bne IntelliNewsEmerging Global - Bruce Pannier - Turkmenistan CorneredBruce Pannier is a longtime journalist and correspondent covering Central Asia. He currently writes for Bne IntelliNews and appears regularly on the Majlis podcast for RFE/RL. Prior to joining RFE/RL in 1997, Bruce worked at the Open Media Research Institute in Prague.
You can also read more on the topic here: https://www.intellinews.com/pannier-russia-is-pushing-turkmenistan-out-of-the-natural-gas-market-326833/?source=asia2024-06-1129 min
bne IntelliNewsbne IntelliNews- One Year On - The Death of Mahsa Amini and Irans Future - Dr. Arash AziziDr. Arash Azizi talks with bne IntelliNews on the one year anniversary of the death of Mahsa Amini and Iran's future. One year after the tragic death of a young Iranian woman at the hands of the Iranian state led to a year of disturbances and challenges to the cleric-led state. YT: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5kPID72vXk Spotify: https://spotify.link/aw50CXTi7Cb #iran #MahsaAmini #politics #ArashAzizi2023-09-1800 min
Emerging Global - bne IntelliNewsbne IntelliNews interviews Arash Azizi - One Year On - The Death of Mahsa Amini and Irans FutureOne year after the tragic death of a young Iranian woman at the hands of the Iranian state led to a year of disturbances and challenges to the cleric-led state.
Dr. Arasha Azizi talks with bne IntelliNews on the one year anniversary of the death of Mahsa Amini and Iran's future.2023-09-1535 min
Emerging Global - bne IntelliNewsBen Aris and Professor Dr Axel Schneider - On ChinaChina and the US are on a collision course while Beijing and Moscow are moving closer together and geopolitical tensions are rising. What exactly is China’s foreign policy and attitudes to its growing rivalry with the US? Are Russia and China in an emerging anti-Western alliance or is it just a marriage of convenience? Can Beijing broker a peace in Ukraine and will it invade Taiwan?
bne IntelliNews’ editor-in-chief Ben Aris talks to Professor Axel Schneider, the head of the sinology faculty at Goettingen University to discuss these issues and more.
Watch the conversation here...2023-04-1246 min
bne IntelliNewsBen Aris and Professor Dr Axel Schneider - on ChinaChina and the US are on a collision course while Beijing and Moscow are moving closer together and geopolitical tensions are rising. What exactly is China’s foreign policy and attitudes to its growing rivalry with the US? Are Russia and China in an emerging anti-Western alliance or is it just a marriage of convenience? Can Beijing broker a peace in Ukraine and will it invade Taiwan? bne IntelliNews’ editor-in-chief Ben Aris talks to Professor Axel Schneider, the head of the sinology faculty at Goettingen University to discuss these issues and more. Watch the conversation here Sign up for bne Inte...2023-04-1200 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE:Sanctions and the Sino-Russia AllianceChinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin spent three days in Moscow to form a new deeper economic and pollical alliance. How important was the meeting and what do Xi and Putin get out of it. How will it impact the West’s attempt to tighten the sanctions noose around Russia’s neck. And is a clash between Washington and Beijing inevitable? Editor in chief Ben Aris talks to Nigel Gould-Davis, the former UK ambassador to Belarus and Senior Fellow for Russia and Eurasia with the International Institute for Strategic Studies, and Alexander Titov, a lecturer of Modern Euro...2023-03-2400 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE: ONE YEAR ON: IMPACT ON RUSSIA OILThe West has targeted Russia’s cash cow with two sets of dramatic sanctions. In December an embargo and price cap scheme was imposed on crude oil exports. In February the more widely distributed oil products were hit with the same. But how big an impact will these sanctions have on the sector? Russia managed to export all the oil it previously sent to Europe to India and China instead. How effective are the sanctions? Will Russia be able to repeat the $280bn current account surplus this year now the oil price caps are in place and just how big is...2023-02-2300 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE: ONE YEAR ON: IMPACT OF SANCTIONS ON RUSSIA’S ECONOMYThe war in Ukraine started one year ago and Russia has been hit by some of the most extreme sanctions ever seen on such a large economy. But have they worked? The government’s revenue tumbled in recent months, but in 2022 Russia had the largest current account surplus ever. Now two rounds of oil export sanctions have been imposed but it is clear there is also ready significant leakage via India and China. Join the bne IntelliNews webinar where an extremely distinguished panel of leading experts will chew over the results of the first year of war in Ukraine. - Be...2023-02-1600 minEmerging Global - bne IntelliNewsWoE: ONE YEAR ON: IMPACT OF SANCTIONS ON RUSSIA’S ECONOMYThe war in Ukraine started one year ago and Russia has been hit by some of the most extreme sanctions ever seen on such a large economy. But have they worked? The government’s revenue tumbled in recent months, but in 2022 Russia had the largest current account surplus ever. Now two rounds of oil export sanctions have been imposed but it is clear there is also ready significant leakage via India and China.
Join the bne IntelliNews webinar where an extremely distinguished panel of leading experts will chew over the results of the first year of war in Ukraine....2023-02-161h 04bne IntelliNewsWoE: bneInterview - Owen MatthewsJoin us for this podcast with Ben Aris, Editor in Chief of bne IntelliNews, as he interviews Owen Matthew about hisnew book on Russia. They discuss their thinking about the War in Ukraine, Putin, his motives and much more.2023-01-2000 minbne IntelliNewsWoE: The standoff between Serbia and Kosovo in 2023Tensions in northern Kosovo escalated dramatically in the second half of 2022, raising fears of a renewed conflict in the region, part of Kosovo but populated mainly by ethnic Serbs. While the situation has eased, a new flashpoint looms with the upcoming local elections in April. We look ahead to the next developments in this longstanding conflict in 2023, and the prospects of finding a lasting solution. Bne IntelliNews’ news editor and Southeast Europe bureau chief, Clare Nuttall, talks to Valentina Dimitrievska, Western Balkans correspondent based in Skopje, North Macedonia. Also available on Spotify, Amazon, Apple Podcasts, look up bneIntellinews2023-01-1800 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE: Uzbekistan ready for the People's IPOUzbekistan is will hold its first three “People’s IPOs” before the end of the year where the first stakes in three major enterprises will sold off via the Tashkent Stock Exchange. Small stakes will be sold in some of the most attractive companies in the country: UzAuto is Uzbekistan’s major automotive complex and the maker of the ubiquitous Chevrolet cars that enjoy a 95% market share. UzMetKombint is the country’s largest steel maker that accounts for a third of the metal consumed as well as significant exports to its neighbours. QQB is a top 10 bank and the Uzbekistan’s largest mo...2022-11-1800 minEmerging Global - bne IntelliNewsThe coming European recession - how bad will it get?The energy crisis and soaring inflation is going to tip Europe into recession this year, but how bad will it get?
join us as we delve into the possibilities and see how Emerging Europe will survive this next recession.
Guests:
Liam Peach - Senior Emerging Markets Economist - Capital Economics
Liam works with Capital Economics and specializes in macroeconomic research, analysis and forecasts on emerging markets, with focus on Russia, Turkey and CEE.
Tomas Dvorak - Senior Economist - Oxford Economics
Tomas has worked with Deloitte and KPMG in the past...2022-10-1455 minbne IntelliNewsWoE:The coming European recession - how bad will it get?The energy crisis and soaring inflation is going to tip Europe into recession this year, but how bad will it get? join us as we delve into the possibilities and see how Emerging Europe will survive this next recession. Watch it on YouTube here To listen to this podcast on other platforms: Spotify:here Amazon: here Guests: Liam Peach - Senior Emerging Markets Economist - Capital Economics Liam works with Capital Economics and specializes in macroeconomic research, analysis and forecasts on emerging markets, with focus on Russia, Turkey and CEE. Tomas Dvorak - Senior Economist - Oxford Economics Tomas has...2022-10-1400 min
Emerging Global - bne IntelliNewsWoE: Europe's energy crisis: how will it get through the winter?bnePodcast: Europe's energy crisis: how will it get through the winter?
The energy crisis has already cost Europe at least half a trillion euros as governments across the Continent rush out support and relief for businesses and citizens as the temperatures start to fall. Can Europe afford it and what are the long term consequences.
Originally recorded - 28/09/2022 - 7pm GMT+1, 8pm CET, 2pm EST
Nicolas Véron - Senior Fellow at Bruegel
Nicolas Véron is a senior fellow at Bruegel and at the Peterson Institute for International Economics in Washington, DC. His research is mostly ab...2022-10-0658 minbne IntelliNewsWoE: Europe's energy crisis: how will it get through the winter?The energy crisis has already cost Europe at least half a trillion euros as governments across the Continent rush out support and relief for businesses and citizens as the temperatures start to fall. Can Europe afford it and what are the long term consequences. Nicolas Véron - Senior Fellow at Bruegel Nicolas Véron is a senior fellow at Bruegel and at the Peterson Institute for International Economics in Washington, DC. His research is mostly about financial systems and financial reform around the world, including global financial regulatory initiatives and current developments in the European Union In September 2012, Bloomberg Ma...2022-09-2900 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE: Western sanctions target price caps for Russian OilThe uncertainty by the war in Ukraine has driven up energy prices and allowed Russia to bring in record revenue from its Exports of Oil and Gas. Despite large discounts compared to Western benchmarks, export income has allowed the Ruble to appreciate and may help Moscow mitigate against some of the medium- to long-term effects of Western sanctions. YT: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxp3_mgwsMQYT Ben Aris, Editor-in-chief, Bne Intellinews Ben is an Eastern Europe specialist. He previously worked with the Daily Telegraph, The Wall Street Journal and Euromoney before starting bne IntelliNews and covering EE and CEE...2022-07-0600 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE: Russia's Looming Bond DefaultOn May 25 a US sanctions exemption expires that could make it impossible for Russia to pay its debt obligations in foreign exchange. If that happens then Russia could be forced to default on its foreign debt for the first time since the Bolshevik Revolution. What would that mean for Russia’s future? Can the Kremlin avoid default if the exemption expires? bne IntelliNews’ editor-in-chiefBen Aristalks toMaximilian Hess Maximillian Hess - Analyst at the Foreign Policy Research Institute and an expert on Russian bonds Maximilian Hess is a Central Asia Fellow in the Eurasia Program at the Foreign Policy Research Institute. Max...2022-05-2500 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE: living in a time of turbulence: sanctions on RussiaA global pandemic. Food and commodity price shocks. And now a war in Ukraine. Governments around the world have a lot to cope with as they are hit with one problem after another. And Russia is in focus after it invaded Ukraine on February 24. The most extreme sanctions ever have been unrolled to cut the Kremlin off from the funds it is using to finance its war machine, while Ukraine is battling to keep its head above water. bne IntelliNews'editor-in-chief Ben Aris talks to Sergei Guriev, a former top economics advisor to the Kremlin from Moscow's New Economic School, but...2022-05-1100 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE: bneWebinar: Russia’s new virtual economybneWebinar: Russia’s new virtual economy Is Russia’s economy going to be cut off from the rest of the world and what would that look like? bne IntelliNews’ editor-in-chief Ben Aris discussed the question with renowned economist and Russia scholar Barry Ickes, who is best known for coining “Russia’s virtual economy” to describe the 1990s economic barter system. Prof Barry Ickes - head of the economics department at the Pennsylvania State University. He is also a non-resident senior fellow with the Center on the United States and Europe at Brookings Institute and the financial director at The New Economic Sch...2022-03-3100 minbne IntelliNewsWoE: On the ground in Ukraine - Kyiv one month on, the economy, and the future of the conflictJoin Dominic Culverwell andVolodymyr Korniienko as they discuss the views from the ground in Kyiv and the economic impacts in Ukraine and the future of this conflict. Dominic Culverwell -Social media correspondent - bne IntelliNews multimedia journalist, disinformation researcher, and award-winning artist. Currentlya correspondent for bne IntelliNews. he covers conflict, politics, and social movements. he hasreported on stories across Europe and provided articles, photos, and videos for a variety of media organisations including Thomson Reuters, Associated Press Television, Microsoft Online, Yahoo News, and more. Volodymyr Korniienko -Chief Executive Officer atSponsoreds Volodymyr is a CEO of a business based in Kyiv...2022-03-2900 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE: War in Ukraine: Energy Markets ShockTune in this week as we have the experts discuss the repercussions and reverberations that are going to shock the energy market in the coming future, along with how the world will be impacted as we move away from Russia resources. You can view the live stream here Ben Aris, Editor-in-chief, Bne Intellinews Ben is an Eastern Europe specialist. He previously worked with the Daily Telegraph, The Wall Street Journal and Euromoney before starting bne IntelliNews and covering EE and CEE. Christof Rühl - Senior Research Scholar, Center on Global Energy Policy, Columbia University, New York Christof Rühl is...2022-03-1000 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE: Russian Sanctions: Assessing the Damagelisten in to the incredibly daunting rundown of the impacts of the sanctions that have been applied to the Russian economy and russian peopleso far. This week we are joined by Elina Ribakova,Ben Aris and a special guest appearance fromIvan Tkachev from RBC Watch its here on YouTube: Link Follow us on Twitter and YouTube Elina Ribakova - Deputy Chief Economist at the Institute of International Finance Elina is an economist and expert on Emerging Markets in Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Her field of expertise includes the Russian economy, US-Russia relations, macro-financial stability and macroeconomic research...2022-03-0100 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE: The Ukraine crisis goes to the next level: soldiers and sanctionsThis week we are joined by Ben Aris - Editor in Chief and Chris Weafer ofMacro-Advisory, as they discuss the business impacts of recent events. you can view the full discussion on YouTube now: Link to YouTube- like and follow our channel Follow us on Twitter @bneintellinews and @bneeditor Chris Weafer , CEO of Macro Advisory Christopher Weafer has worked in the Russia-Eurasia region for over twenty years and has been regularly voted the best business and investment strategist in polls conducted by Thomson Reuters Extol and Institutional Investor magazine. Ben Aris, Editor-in-chief, Bne Intellinews Ben is an Eastern Europe specialist...2022-02-2500 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE - Roundtable - JCPOA Reboot: Implications both political and economicThis Roundtable talk will focus on questions about whether the Raisi administration is able to meet international requirements for the cessation of sanctions and return to full compliance in exchange for sanctions relief. Ben Aris, Editor-in-chief, Bne Intellinews Ben is an Eastern Europe specialist. He previously worked with the Daily Telegraph, The Wall Street Journal and Euromoney before starting bne IntelliNews and covering EE and CEE. Daniel Rád - Director at Future Economic Rural Network (FERN) South Caucasus and Iran at Intellinews. Formerly editor of @fintribune. Bijan Khajehpour - Managing Partner at Eurasian Nexus Partners Bijan is a veteran s...2022-02-1600 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE: War Looms in Ukraine - a View from the GroundTalk of a Russian invasion of Ukraine has reached a fever pitch, but how do people in Kyiv feel? And how is big business coping with the uncertainties? bne IntelliNews editor in chief Ben Aris talks to Jock Mendoza-Wilson, the head of communications for Systems Capital Management, the holding company of Ukraine's richest man RInat Akhmetov, about the situation and the business climate. you can also watch on YouTube -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipSCZBFz_eI please like and subscribe to our channel and follow us on Twitter@bneintellinews2022-02-1100 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE: bnePODCAST: The Ukraine UpdateTalking Russia, Ukraine and the West - what on earth is going on and what might happen next - with the excellent Mark Galleoti and also Ben Aris our bne IntelliNews Editor in Chief. . Link to the discussion below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaY-qCgXzAc2022-02-0800 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE: The Bucharest Stock Exchange rebrands for the digital future in a record year with BVB president Radu HangaAmid the global stock market rally as the world recovers from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the Bucharest Stock Exchange (BVB) has performed particularly strongly. Not only have its main indices beaten major European and US exchanges this year,it has also seen a flood of new bond and equity listings. bne IntelliNews news editor Clare Nuttall talks to BVB president Radu Hanga.2021-11-0800 min_0.jpg)
bne IntelliNewsWoE: Retail in the time of corona with Sergei Goncharov, CEO of PyaterochkaRetail in Russia is booming, but it's also undergoing seismic shifts. The COVID-19 pandemic has pushed customers online, leading retailers to invest in technology and logistics in response to unprecedented demand. How can industry leaders keep pace with changing consumer preferences, and what does the future of Russian retail look like? bne IntelliNews Moscow correspondent Theo Normanton talks to Sergei Goncharov, CEO of Russia's largest grocery retail chain Pyaterochka, about the company's digital transformation, the revamping of its physical stores, and the pandemic as a new "business as usual". This podcast was organised in cooperation with EM, the biggest PR...2021-10-2800 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE Natural gas burning bright - are sky-high gas prices the new norm?Natural gas prices are at historical highs and breaking records on a nearly daily basis. Are sky-high prices here to stay? What is driving the surge? bne IntelliNews hosts three veterans of the Russian market to discuss the issues that between them have more than 100 years of experience. Christof Ruehl Currently at the Centre on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University, and Senior Fellow, M-RCBG, Harvard Kennedy School. Previously, Christof was Chief Economist at BP from 2005 to 2014 and Global Head of Research at ADIA between 2014 and 2018. Andrei Gaidamaka Has been in senior management positions in oil gas and investment banking...2021-10-0600 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE: the arrest of Roman Protasevich with Tadeusz Giczan, editor-in-chief of Belarus opposition Telegram channel NextaOn May 23 Belarus scrambled a MiG-29 fighter to force down a Ryanair passenger plane flying over its territory and arrested a passenger, the former editor and co-founder of the opposition Nexta Telegram channel. He is now being held in the KGB detention centre in central Minsk but has not yet been formally charged. His girlfriend Sofia Sapega was also arrested and is in the same jail. Both of them have released videos, obviously made by their captors, where they seemingly confessed to their crimes. The incident has caused outrage in the rest of Europe, which has closed Belarusian airspace to...2021-05-2500 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE: the post-coronavirus re-bound with Evghenia Sleptsova of Oxford Economics and Elina Ribakova of IIFThe world was hit by a global pandemic and an oil shock in 2020 but as 2021 gets underway the economies in Emerging Europe are bouncing back surprisingly quickly. What is driving the recovery? What problems remain? How will Ukraine cope with the suspension of its IMF programme? Just how exposed it Russia to US sanctions? bne IntelliNews’ editor-in-chief Ben Aris talks with Evghenia Sleptsova, senior economist for Russia and the CIS at Oxford Economics and Elina Ribakova, deputy chief economist with the Institute of International Finance about these problems and more. Ben Aris, editor-in-chief, bne IntelliNews Evghenia Sleptsova, senior economist for Ru...2021-03-0200 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE: Whither Ukraine in 2021Ukraine has been on a rollercoaster ride this year. After the wild optimism following the election of Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy and the hectic reform legislative drive of the first six months of his administration, the whole programme seems to have been derail and the IMF programme has de facto been suspended thanks to back racking. With money in the bank and solid macro fundamentals, for now, Ukraine will get to the end of this year ok, but with a heavy debt repayment schedule in the second half of 2021 there is no way the country can cope without kissing and...2020-11-2500 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE: Powering Change in Uzbekistan: Energy Reforms and Investment OpportunitiesThe Uzbek Ministry of Energy hosted an international webinar on current and future developments in the country’s energy sector in cooperation with bne IntelliNews that was hosted by Ben Aris, the editor-in-chief of bne IntelliNews. Uzbek president Shavkat Mirziyoyev launched a five-year reform plan in 2019 and it is well underway. The state-owned power company Uzbekenergo has already been unbundled into its respective generation, distribution and transmission parts in a prelude to privatisation. A draft market-based legal framework has also been drafted and will be introduced soon that will underpin the effort to attract investment. The state-owned oil company Uzbekneftegaz ha...2020-11-1900 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE: The Belarusian long game startsThe political crisis in Belarus has reached a new stage. The protestors have taken control of the streets, withstood a brutal crackdown by the police, and the biggest companies are on strike. but Lukashenko remains in office. Now things are getting political. The opposition’s Coordinating Council just met for the first time. The EU is holding emergency meetings to thrash out a policy. And a top FSB officer was in Minsk last night for a three hour meeting with the president. A lot is up in the air. Will Russia invade? Just how close to Russia is the opposition? Wh...2020-08-1900 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE Protests in Belarus, the business perspectiveIt seems the entire population of Belarus has risen up against self-appointed president Alexander Lukashenko following a massive falsification of election results on August 9. But what does the potential regime change mean for business? There are two Belarusian economies: the Soviet legacy giant machine and vehicle producers, such as the famous tractor and giant mine truck plants, and the new highly profitable IT sector. Belarus has become a global hub for software engineering and earned $2bn from IT exports last year. The fact that the sector could flourish in the midst of a neo-Soviet command economy says much about the...2020-08-1700 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE: Belarus rises up against Lukashenko with Nigel Gould-DaviesIt seems that the entire population of Belarus has risen up against Belarus president Alexander Lukashenko, who has hit back with a brutal police operation. Events are moving very fast, but Lukashenko has clearly lost all legitimacy and is attempting to stay on through brute force alone. The nature of the crisis has gone to a new level after workers at the most important companies walked out on general strike on August 13. And the interior minister apologised for arresting people “by mistake.” A 1,000 were released this morning. What will happen next? Does former English teacher and nominal victor in Belarus’ presid...2020-08-1400 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE: Belarus on the edge with Alex KokcharovBelarus president Alexander Lukashenko is facing his most serious challenge of the 26 years in power. Unprecedented protests have swept the country as three creditable opposition candidates are attempting to run against him in the August 9 elections. Two of those candidates have been jailed and the third has already been disqualified from the race after half his signatures in his application petition were invalidated. Will any of the candidates be allowed to stand? And what are the prospects of a Maidan-style revolution? If Lukashenko “wins” the election, as seems highly likely, what concessions will he make to the obvious growing dissatisfaction with...2020-07-0300 min
bne IntelliNewsProtests in Belarus with Hanna Liubakova in MinskMinsk saw and unprecedented protest over the weekend after people from across the country took to the streets to demonstrate against the arrest of leading opposition candidate in August’s president elections Viktor Babariko. The incumbent Alexander Lukashenko is facing the biggest challenge to his 26 years in power as the people are angry at his mismanagement of the economy, the boorish attitude of the political elite and his total mishandling of the coronacrisis. Now the police are starting to crack down, randomly arresting citizens who are simply lining up for a sale outside a shop or legally queuing up to ad...2020-06-2300 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE: Putin’s referendum with Ben Noble and Mark GaleottiOn July 1 Russians will vote in a referendum to approve changes to the constitution that will reset the clock on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s term count to zero and so in effect allow him to stand for an extra two terms in office after his current term expires in 2024. He doesn't have to hold a referendum and there are several theories to explain what is going on. Some think that Putin was always intending to stay in office forever. Others argue that its all a ruse to prevent him becoming a lame duck and to head off a potentially da...2020-06-2200 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE: Ground breaking Private Equity in Uzbekistan with Sturgeon CapitalUzbekistan was quick to clamp down as the coronavirus epidemic gathered pace and as Central Asia’s most populous country it had good reason to be worried. But now the peak has passed and the biggest of the Central Asian five ‘Stans its back to work and return to the comprehensive reform programme. Uzbekistan is hot as one of the most prospective of the Former Soviet Union markets. Sturgeon Capital have set up the first closed-end London listed funds to give investors exposure to this burgeoning market. After being a closed market for most of the last three decades, a lot...2020-05-2600 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE: Russian petrochemical giant Sibur working in the time of coronavirusThe coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic is spreading fast in Russia, but while most of the infections are concentrated in Moscow, the large isolated mono-cities in the hinterland are at high risk. Russia’s big business has moved fast to contain the infection, but at the same time most of them need to keep their factories and mines working or face an equally debilitating economic crisis. bne IntelliNews’ editor-in-chief Ben Aris interviewed Dmitry Konov, the CEO and chairman of the management board of Sibur, Russia’s largest petrochemical plant, by phone about how the company is dealing with the pandemic and how it is...2020-05-0500 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE: The world in crisis with Anders AslundThe world is going through its biggest crisis since the Great Depression. A global pandemic of a killer virus has come on top of an oil price shock that drove down prices into negative numbers for the first time in history. And a climate crisis continues to run in the background. Where will it end? To be frank, no one knows. We are in uncharted waters, but bne IntelliNews’ editor-in-chief Ben Aris talked to the well-known commentator Anders Aslund, a Swedish economist and a Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council, about what could happen next. Oil prices will stay low fo...2020-04-2300 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE: The cost of the pandemic. What happens next? with Elina Ribakova, deputy chief economist for the Institute of International Finance (IIF)The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has brought the world’s economy to a shuddering stop. In many respects it is the biggest crisis humanity have face in decades, if not ever. But once the virus burns out what will happen then? There are two scenarios: a rapid bounce back or the beginnings of a years-long Great Depression. The truth lies somewhere in between these extremes, but a lot will depend on how governments act now. The virus is moving very fast so time is of the essence. And like the victims of the illness, the affect on countries will heavily depend on...2020-04-0700 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE: Uzbekistan's people problem with Eugene Chausovsky of StratforThe initial excitement about the changes taking place in Uzbekistan since Uzbek president Shavkat Mirziyoyev took over two years ago are starting to wear off as the enormity of the challenge becomes clear. There is no lack of good ideas coming out of Tashkent, or even enthusiasm. What is lacking is the people to put those ideas in place. However, progress is being made, especially in some of the easier sectors to transform like textiles. Mirziyoyev also has a difficult geopolitical game to play as he tries to repair relationships with his Central Asian neighbours and at the same time...2019-11-0300 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE: Russia’s multi-billion dollar spending programme with Andrey Klepach, chief economists of VnesheconombankRussia’s economy is emerging from a nasty crisis in 2014-2016, but everyone agrees that growth is capped at 2% at best and incomes have been stagnant for six years already. Russia needs a new economic model and the Kremlin has launched a RUB27 trillion spending programme to transform the country. But spending that amount of money, and spending it effectively, is not going to be easy. The Central Bank of Russia (CBR) for one is worried about soaring inflation and a consumer credit bubble for one. bne IntelliNews editor-in-chief Ben Aris sat down with Andrea Klepach, the chief economist at Vn...2019-10-2100 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE: Ukraine going in the right directionUkraine has a new president and parliament. A raft of reformist legislation has been passed in just the first two weeks and the hectic agenda calls for a lot more by the end of the year. But many questions remain unanswered. So far investment has flooded into the local bond market and yields have dropped 400bp in a matter of months. But until foreign direct investment (FDI), privatisation is restarted and MA begin the jury is still out on the new administration. bne IntelliNews editor-in-chief Ben Aris talks to Mykhaylo Demkiv, an analyst at ICU investment bank in Kyiv about...2019-09-1600 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE: Ozon battling it out in Russia’s e-commerce race for market shareRussia’s e-commerce is booming, growing ten-times faster than the traditional economy but it still only accounts for 4.5% of the total retail turnover. But as the leading online retailers start over taking their bricks and mortar rivals the race is on to grab as much market share as possible before the business starts to consolidate. E-commerce is perfect for a country like Russia. Spread out over 11-time zones with huge swaths of sparsely populated regions, online retail is a simply way for producers to service the biggest population in Europe without having to store inventory over half the surface of th...2019-09-0300 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE: Russian stock market has been flying but can it last, with Jacob Grapengiesser of East CapitalRussia’s stock market is up over 20% YTD making it one of the best performing markets in the world. The RTS also finally broke out of its 900-1300 trading band where it has been stuck for most of the last five years since the annexation of Crimea. And Russian stocks pay the highest dividends in the world – twice the MSCI EM benchmark average. But no one is talking about a boom on the Russian stock market yet. bne IntelliNews editor-in-chief Ben Aris talks to Jacob Grapengiesser, head Eastern Europe for Sweden’s East Capital, the biggest retail fund covering emerging Europe...2019-08-1500 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE: Banking on change in Lviv with Ashot Abrahamyan, chairman of the management board of Bank LvivBank Lviv is a medium sized bank in the beautiful city of Lviv in western Ukraine and unusually, it is owned by Icelander Margeir Petursson, who is also a former world chess champion. As a man who obviously understands strategy, Petursson has bet on the growth of the small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) in the region, but the bank has been on a roller coaster rise as Ukraine lurched from boom to bust in the last decade. Now it looks like it might lurch back to boom, following the election of Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy, but like any good bank...2019-08-0900 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE: Is EM dying as an asset class? The fund business is consolidating as the line between EM and DM blurs with Albin Rosengren of East CapitalAfter nearly three decades many of the emerging markets have already more or less emerged. Russia, for example, is already classed as a high income market by the UNDP. The changes are being felt in the fund business too where there is a process of consolidation going on. The Stockholm based East Capital made its name by setting up a Russia fund in 2008 to capitalise on the emerging middle class, but it has been expanding its geography since then. It already bought a China fund several years ago and in the last 24 months it has bought another 18 funds, including some...2019-07-3000 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE Repairing Privatbank with Anna Samarina, CFO of PrivatbankOnce Ukraine’s biggest commercial bank, the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) nationalised Privatbank in December 2016 and poured money into a huge hole left in the balance sheet after the former owners drained it of cash. A new team was installed in the now state-owned owned bank that are tasked with repairing the damage and getting it ready for privatisation sometime in 2022-23. The irony is that Privatbank actually has a very solid retail banking business, but as Privatbank CFO Anna Samarina explains to bne IntelliNews editor-in-chief Ben Aris there were two banks: one that did traditional banking business and an...2019-07-0500 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE: Putin - the man without a planRussia has rock solid fundamentals and some of the best macroeconomic numbers in the world as part of president Vladimir Putin’s efforts to build a financial fortress to insulate Russia from western sanctions. But at the same time real incomes have been stagnant for six years, the propensity to protest is up and the population is depressed. Is Russia in a good place or a bad place? What will win out: the improving business or the deteriorating geopolitical relations with the developed world? Does Putin even have an ideology? It started with a weak hand but Putin has masterfully pl...2019-06-2000 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE The nationalisation of Privatbank with ex NBU governor Valaria GontarevaUkraine is facing a very nasty crisis. Several courts have ruled that the formerly largest commercial bank in the country, Privatbank that was nationalised in December 2016, should be given back to its former owner, oligarch Ihor Kolomoisky. Valaria Gontareva was the governor of the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) at the time and oversaw the process. She says the regulator could see the bank had been emptied of funds and the owners failed to stick to the agreements reached with the shareholders so the state took it over. Now the “corrupt courts” are being used to try and take it back...2019-06-1400 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE The weaponisation of Russian sovereign debt with Maximilian Hess and Harish Natarajan of AKE InternationalRussia has been building a financial fortress by paying down its debt and building up its currency reserves. The result is president Vladimir Putin has made Russia largely sanction proof, but it is not a model that produces growth. On the flip side the US is one of the most powerful countries in the world but it also has some of the most debt in the world; when you control the debt you have the power. bne IntelliNews editor-in-chief Ben Aris talks about these and other issues with Harish Natarajan, Head of Economic Risk at AKE International and Maximilian Hess...2019-06-0500 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE: Russian banking in a time of uncertaintyAfter five years of crisis and no profits, Russia’s banking is back in profit and starting to grow again. But it's a lacklustre growth as companies are not borrowing and growth is well below potential. The uncertainty over sanctions, who will come after president Vladimir Putin and the increasingly predatory nature of the state-owned enterprises (SOE) are weighing on sentiment. bne IntelliNews editor-in-chief Ben Aris talks to Vladimir Gorchakov, Associate director at Ratings Agency Expert RA, who says that the directors of commercial banks have grown tired and earn for more certainties. Ben Aris, editor-in-chief, bne IntelliNews Vladimir Gorchakov, As...2019-05-2800 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE: Romania struggling to shake off structural limitsRomania has been growing very fast in recent years and GDP per capita has doubled. But that growth is about to slow and while incomes have soared now the state is running a twin deficit. The country has fallen into a middle income trap and has reached the stage where it needs to break through its structural limitations if it is going to continue its convergence with the rest of Europe. bne IntelliNews editor-in-chief Ben Aris talks to Dr Andrei Radulescu, director of macroeconomic research and the Banca Transilvania about what needs to come next. Ben Aris, editor-in-chief, bne IntelliNews...2019-05-2000 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE: Moldova’s banking sector turning the cornerMoldova has long been a money-laundering black hole. Then in 2014 they had a shock when more than $1bn was stolen from the bank sector – equivalent to 15% of GDP. Belatedly the government is now responding. Stakes in three of the countries biggest banks, which together account for about 80% of the sector’s assets, have been sold to the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and private investors and the central bank has been given real teeth to enforce regulations. bne IntelliNewseditor-in-chief Ben Aris talks to special advisor to the president and head of strategic planning at the country's biggest bank,Mold...2019-05-0900 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE: Gas Wars, Naftogaz prepares to be cut off by Russia with Naftogaz executive director Yuriy VitrenkoThe gas war between Ukraine’s national monopolist Naftogaz and the Russian behemoth Gazprom is rushing towards a climax. Last December Naftogaz won a historic $2.6bn award from Gazprom after the Stockholm arbitration court, but Gazprom refused to pay and now the Ukranian energy company is trying to recover the money by seizing assets. But the showdown between the two corporate giants will crescendo in at the end of this year when Russia’s Nord Stream 2 pipeline comes online that will allow Gazprom to cut Ukraine out of the delivery loop entirely. Naftogaz base case scenario isRussia will stop sending any...2019-05-0300 min
bne IntelliNewsMkt Wrap: Ukraine's Local Bond Market set to take offAt the end of April Ukraine’s domestic hryvnia-denominate debt market is set to be hooked up to the international Clearstream payment and settlement system that will open the market to a whole new pool of investment capital. Bond traders will be able to buy and sell Ukraine’s local debt directly from the comfort of their dealing desks in London and New York. This year $1bn of new capital has already entered the market and Goldman Sachs estimates that between $2-$6bn of new money could arrive in 2019. bne IntelliNews editor-in-chief Ben Aris talks to Paul McNamara, an emerging mark...2019-04-2900 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE Wither Kazakhstan with Professor Alexey Malashenko, the Chief Researcher at Dialogue of the CivilizationsKazakh president Nursultan Nazarbayev surprised everyone and no one by stepping down from office last month after nearly three decades in power. We are now in a transition phases where Nazarbayev eases himself out of office, but clearly he intends to remain fully in control of the process. On April 9 a snap presidential election was called that will be held in June and is likely to confirm interim Kazakh president Kassym-Jomart Tokayev as the permanent head of the country. What is not clear is what happens next? Will be continue Kazakhstan’s policies? Will he strike out in a new di...2019-04-1000 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE: KDL and the march of Russia's medical lab services businessRussia has many flourishing sectors like oil and agriculture, but the rise of the middle class has given rise to increasingly sophisticated services. bne IntelliNews editor-in-chief Ben Aris talked to KDL’s CEO Yuri Leonov, who runs one of Russia’s largest privately owned medical laboratory service companies. While the state is obliged to provide free health care to everyone, Russians are willing to pay for better service and more sophisticated results. The EBRD and UFG Asset Mangers invested in the company in 2012 and now it is a top two player with $75mn turnover, and growing at over 30% a year. But...2019-04-0200 min
bne IntelliNewsbne Market Wrap: Blue chips increasing dividends are set to out performThe Russian leading stock index the dollar denominated Russia Trading System (RTS) has been largely range bound for most of the last four years trading between 1,000 and 1,200, but underneath at the corporate level a lot has been happening. The various crises have caused a consolidation in many sectors and the rise in oil prices has also driven some spectacular recoveries. The best names have seen their shares double in value and Russia continues to pay the highest dividends in the world. On top of this it is becoming increasingly clear that the US Federal Reserve bank has stopped its tightening...2019-03-1400 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE:Russia’s economy is sick but the pharmaceutical sector is healthy with Andrey Ospiov, CEO Santens Logistic Service LLCEveryone needs medicine but Russia is a long way from being able to produce everything for itself; despite the import-substitution drive, Russia remains dependent on imports. Pharmaceuticals is a good example of the development of the retail business and has been largely unaffected by the crises. Santens Logistic Service LLC was set up almost 20 years ago and is a specialist distribution company that helps international companies bring in their goods and distribute them in this highly regulated business. At the same time it is building a logistic system that can reach down and deliver drugs to every pharmacy in every...2019-03-1100 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE ITI Funds democratising the asset management businessWoE ITI Funds democratising the asset management business Since the fall of the Soviet Union Russia has embraced capitalism and the one thing it is really good at is managing money. World Bank studies have found Russia financial system is on a par with western peers and the Russian Central Bank’s clean up of the sector is in its end game. At the same time Russian’s wholesale embrace of new technologies are pioneering fintech innovations. There are things that you can do with your bank and telephone in Moscow that you can’t do in the west. ITI Funds...2019-02-1300 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE: That was the year that was with Eugene Chausovsky of Stratfor2018 was a tough year for New Europe with the military conflict in Eastern Europe escalating following a naval clash between Russia and Ukraine in the Sea of Azov and a full scale currency crisis in Turkey that has hobbled the economy dominating the headlines. And the prospects for 2019 don't look much better with crucial presidential and parliamentary elections scheduled in Ukraine, more sanctions in the pipeline for Russia and a flagging global economy to turn the screws on all emerging markets. bne IntelliNews editor-in-chief Ben Aris sits down with Eugene Chausovsky, senior Eurasia analyst with Stratfor to review the year...2019-01-0200 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE: Plastics in the snow: Sibur takes the lead in Russia's burgeoning petrochemical sector with CEO Dmitry KonovRussia has been called a petroecongomy and over reliant on the simple business of pulling oil and gas out of the ground and sending it down a pipeline to the international markets. Sibur is Russia’s biggest petrochemical company and is going up the value chain. The company’s $9bn ZapSib plant based in the former Siberian capital of Tobolsk will go online in April and will treble the company’s production as well as doubling its revenues. The company is a leading example of Russia’s on going development as it plays to its strengths and the leading businessmen are star...2018-12-1900 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE: Smaller Russian equity market pie, but bigger pieces with Kirill Chuyko, head of research at BCS GMCrisis, sanctions, an economic slow down have all impacted the appeal of Russia’s equity story and the pie has gotten smaller. However, as the big international houses scale back and move their research to London, while the household broker/dealer names from the 90s have either sold to state-owned banks or are a shadow of their former selves following the capital market reforms of 2012 the pieces of pie on offer are bigger for the local players that are still in the game. bne IntelliNews editor-in-chief Ben Aris sat down with Kirill Chuyko, head of research at BCS Global Markets to...2018-12-1300 min
bne IntelliNewsRussia's dynamic fintech growthFintech and e-commerce is growing ten-times faster than the rest of the Russian economy as the leading companies leapfrog over several stages of development. bne IntelliNews editor-in-chief Ben Aris hosted a fintech panel at the recent Moscow Exchange (MOEX) annual investment summit in New York where several of Russia’s leading technology companies participated. We post the whole session here (one hour long) as a rare chance to hear from the horse’s mouth what these ground breaking companies are doing and how they see the sector developing in the coming years. Ben Aris, editor-in-chiefbne IntelliNews Oliver Hughes, CEO, Tinkoff Bank...2018-11-2500 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE: Russia's games in Syria with former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmertp.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Verdana} The military phase of the conflict in Syria seems to be coming to an end. There is only one rebel hold out in Idlib and Russia’s president Vladimir Putin has officially said Russia will pull out (although the Russian forces there have yet to leave). However, the situation remains very tense. Earlier in September the Syrian air defence accidently shot down a Russian bomber when they were aiming at two Israeli fighters flying sorties against Iranian positions in Syria. There are several players in the conflict with different agendas an...2018-10-1000 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE BCS GM broker/dealer diversifying out of Russia with CEO Roman LokhovBCS Global Markets is the new kid on the block and a fast growing broker/dealer. Having founded a successful business in Russia it is now diversifying into western markets. It recently became the first Russian investment bank to get access to the floor of the New York Stock Exchange and has a big office in London. Non-Russian business already makes up some 60% of its revenues and with a tie up with Tigress Partners in the US it hopes to continue to build up this new business. bne editor-in-chief Ben Aris sat down with BCS GM CEO Roman Lokhov on...2018-10-0300 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE: Ukraine and the IMF deal: can the country pay its debts? with Mykhaylo Demkiv of ICUUkraine is running out of money. It has over a $1bn of debt that comes due this autumn and the governmenthas managed to scrap together enough to meet this payment thanks to dollar and euro Eurobond issues on the domestic market as well as a $750mn Eurobond private placement on August 23. However, next year the debt payments balloon and with only $17.7bn in reserves – almost exactly the three months import cover needed to ensure the stability of the currency – its crunch time. An IMF team is in Kyiv at the start of September and the government needs to strike a deal...2018-08-2800 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE: Russians get the investment bug with Vyacheslav Smolyaninov chief strategist and deputy head of research at BCS Global MarketsRussia’s falling interest rates have fundamentally changed the way the average Russian thinks about their life savings. Following the years of hyperinflation during the 90s the interest rate sensitive Russians have traditionally sought out banks that pay the highest deposit rates in an effort to at least slow the attrition from inflation. Now the game has changed. Inflation has fallen to a post-Soviet low of about 2.4% and the Central Bank of Russia (CBR) has cut its rates to 7.25% so returns from deposit accounts have fallen as well. After more than two decades the average Russian punter has started to ca...2018-06-2100 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE: Living on the edge: Turkey & Ukraine faces crisesTurkey and Ukraine have been having a hard time of it this year and the worst maybe yet to come – both countries are facing potential crises. Turkey has been suffering from a currency meltdown that has seen the value of the lira tumble forcing the reluctant central bank to put in two emergency rate hikes. And as the devaluation will push up inflation more hikes are on the way. The economy is already starting to slow that puts even more pressure on the heavily indebted corporate sector. Ukraine is also in a bad way with only $18bn in reserves – just enou...2018-06-1400 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE CEE Boom has peaked with Elliott Auckland of IIBIn Novemberlast year bne ran a cover story CEE Booms as the countries, especially in Central Europe came into their own. However, the boom seems to have peaked as the same countries start running into structural limits. Labour markets across the region are drum tight. Wages are rising rapidly. And the general geopolitical tensions are unsettling investors. bne IntelliNews’s editor-in-chief Ben Aris talks to Elliott Auckland, chief economist at the multinational development bank International Investment Bank (IIB) that works with many of the countries in the region. Bottom line is that growth is still strong in the entire region an...2018-05-1100 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE Black Sea grain is the new oil for Russia and UkraineLast year Russia smashed all records bringing in 134mn tonnes of grain and earned a whopping $20bn from exports – more than it gets from selling arms abroad. Russia is now the biggest exporter of grain in the world and it is only getting started. Ukraine is also seeing a revival of its agricultural sector where a handful of big companies are flourishing, despite the countries economic woes. However, both countries are still operating well below their potential thanks to the lack of reform, underinvestment and endemic corruption. bne IntelliNews editor-in-chief Ben Aris talks to Mike Lee, an independent agricultural consultant th...2018-04-1300 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE The cost of reform II – boosting Russian incomes in a time of austerityRussian president Vladimir Putin made a lot of big promises in his State of the Nation speech on March 1, but how realistic are they? In the second part of a two part series bne IntelliNews editor-in-chief Ben Aris talks to BCS Global Markets chief economist Vladimir Tikhomirov to discuss these issues and more. In this episode we cover what is driving dividend payments at Russia's state owned enterprises and delve into the mechanics of rising incomes and the outlook for the middle class in the next six years. The first thing that Russian president Vladimir Putin did on taking office...2018-03-3000 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE The cost of change and Putin's spending promises with Vladimir Tikhomirov - part 1Russian president Vladimir Putin made a lot of big promises in his State of the Nation speech on March 4, but how realistic are they? And how will the Russian government pay for everything? bne IntelliNews editor-in-chief Ben Aris sat down with BCS Global Markets chief economist Vladimir Tikhomirov to discuss these issues and more in the first of a two part interview. In this episode we cover: the affect of defence spending cuts on industrial production, the 50% GDP growth target in six years, just how much of the Russian economy does the state control,labour reform and the demographic outlook...2018-03-2300 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE Putin for presidentRussia went to the polls on March 18 to elect a new president. There was never any doubt over who they would choose. President Vladimir Putin was a shoo-in to be re-elected for a forth term in office. Is that a good thing or bad? bne editor-in-chief Ben Aris sat down with Tom Blackwell, founder and CEO of EM Communications to discuss what the elections mean. Ben Aris, editor-in-chief bne IntelliNews Tom Blackwell, CEO EM Communications2018-03-1900 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE Putin's State of the Nation Missile showcaseOn March 1 Russian president Vladimir Putin delivered what was maybe the most aggressive speech of his career. Irked by the broken promises by Nato not to expand eastwards and fed up with being ignored, he spent the second half of his speech showcasing Russia’s new generation of nuclear missiles, which he claims can negate America’s defensive capabilities. Have we now drifted into a real Cold War II? Will Putin’s next six year term be all about geopolitical show downs? Is there any way to walk back the obvious escalating tensions with the west? bne IntelliNews’s editor-in-chief talks to...2018-03-0100 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE Tinkoff building a lifestyle bankTinkoff Bank is Russia's only purely online bank and one of the largest online banks in the world. A relatively new entry into the sector it has built up an entire business from a single credit card offering to today's range of services. Now the bank wants to build a super app that changes the meaning of what a bank does. Forget the deposits services and consumer loans, now the focus will be on how to get the most out of spending money - be it the customer's or the banks. And investors love it. Following the bank's IPO in...2018-02-0200 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE: Whither Russia's equity market in 2018?Russia’s equity market is coming back to life as the economy recovers and investors start to relieve their pent up demand for exposure to high yielding growth stories. The leading dollar denominated Russia Trading System (RTS) index was up by half in 2016 and while it was essentially flat in 2017 a string of IPOs and SPOs came to a willing market, starting with Russian children’s toy retailer Detsky Mir, the second-largest IPO in three years. Russia's economy is growing again and that means comapnies, especially mid-cap firms catering to the domestic population, need access to capital. The IPO/SPO pipe...2018-01-2600 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE ICOs: hype or revolution?The market for ICOs is exploding. Investors have poured over $3bn into more than 200 ICOs this year, according to data from Coinschedule.com, and the tech-savvy Russia is a major player in the game. At the crossroads between crowdfunding and traditional IPOs, Russians already account for a disproportionately high share of ICOs. Hype or revolution? Still in its infancy, the question of where the blockchain technology will go remains an open question. bne IntelliNewseditor-in-chief Ben Aris caught up with three experts on the topic in Moscow: Pavel Suhachev, co-founder of KEYICO, an international consortium providing a turnkey solution including legal...2017-12-0800 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE Campbell Bethwaite, managing partner of Redstone Capital, the leading Russian fintech holdingFintech is exploding in Russia, albeit from a very low base. bne IntelliNews editor-in-chief Ben Aris sat down with Campbell Bethwaite, the managing partner of Redstone Capital (recently renamed from Finteca) to talk about the sector and its prospects. Redstone is a holding company that has set up a number of fintech businesses in Russia that are seeing exponential growth. Redstone's lending business, Simple Finance, has already built up an $80mn loan book and is currently extending about $5mn worth of new loans per week by offering credits to SMEs that can’t borrow from Russian banks. The company has al...2017-12-0300 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE Djoomart Otorbaev exPM Kyrgyzstan 2014-15Things are moving very fast in Central Asia. Following the death of Uzbek president Islam Karimov that country is rapidly opening and beginning the process of improving political and economic ties with its neighbours. And this weekend the Kyrgyz go to the polls to choose a new president in a rare example of democracy in action. Most of the other leaders in the region have been in power for more than 20 years. Finally the Chinese are everywhere and the country's One Belt One Road project could be transformational. It has already caused a major re-think in foreign policy in all...2017-10-1300 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE Ian Goldin VP World Bank, Prof Globalisation and Development at OxfordAfter a summer hiatus bne IntelliNews podcasts are back from the Rhodes Forum that hosts the Dialogue of Civilisations conference that brings together academics, top politicians and civil activists to discuss the problems of the world. Our editor-in-chief Ben Aris met withIan Goldin, former vice-president of theWorld Bank and now a professor ofGlobalisation and Development at Oxford University. Ben Aris, editor-in-chief, bne IntelliNews Ian Goldin, former vice-president World Bank, professor Globalisation and Development at Oxford university2017-10-0800 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE: Gevorg Tarumyan, deputy CEO Ameria Bank, the biggest bank in ArmeniaAmeria Bank is the biggest bank in Armenia, controlling about a third of the market. The banking sector is recoving well as the region comes out of recession and could IPO soon. bne IntelliNews editor-in-chief Ben Aris sat down with Gevorg Tarumyan, the deputy CEO of Ameria Bank to talk about his business and the outlook for the sector. Ben Aris, editor-in-chief, bne IntelliNews Gevorg Tarumyan, deputy CEO Ameria Bank2017-06-0600 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE: The development of capital markets in CEE remains a mixed bag - Andre Kuusvek, local currency and capital markets development at EBRDThe development of capital markets in emerging Europe remains a mixed bag and is incomplete across the board. However, a lot of progress has been made and these markets will play a crucial role in spurring the development of countries in the region. bne IntelliNews editor-in-chief Ben Aris sat down with Andre Kuusvek, the EBRD’s director of local currency and capital markets development, on the sidelines of the development bank’s annual meeting in Nicosia to discuss the issue. Ben Aris, editor-in-chief, bne IntelliNews Andre Kuusvek, local currency and capital markets development at EBRD2017-05-1500 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE: Ukraine is playing to its strong suits and tech is one of the best - Olga Afanasyeva, director of Ukraine's Venture Capital AssociationUkraine has a couple of strong suits it can play to and high tech is one its best. Already a player on the international market, Urkaine has become a hub for software development. bne IntelliNews editor-in-chief Ben Aris sat down with Olga Afanasyeva, director of Ukraine's Venture Capital Association to talk about where the sector is headed. Ben Aris, editor-in-chief, bne IntelliNews Olga Afanasyeva, director of Ukraine's Venture Capital Association2017-05-1200 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE: CEE on path to recovery, but the good times won't be back soon - Gunter Deuber, Head of Economics at Raiffeisen Bank InternationalThe worst of the crisis is fading and CEE banks are on the path to recovery. However, the boom of the noughties will not repeat itself anytime soon and some countries, especially in eastern Europe, are still struggling to shake off bad debt and being held back by the lack of reform. bne IntelliNews editor-in-chief Ben Aris sat down with Gunter Deuber, the head of economicsat Raiffeisen Bank International in Budapest to talk abotu the success stories and challenges that the sector faces going foward. Ben Aris, editor-in-chief, bne IntelliNews Gunter deuber,the head of economics, fixed income and FX...2017-04-1800 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE: Invest in Ukraine - Daniel Bilak, director of UkraineInvest on the opportunities on offer in UkraineUkraine's untold story is the western firms that are quietly setting up in the west of the country to take advantage of the winning combination of low wages and a highly skilled work force. A small auto-parts sector has already emerged to supply factories in western Europe as the country launches its drive to integrate into global supply chains. bne IntelliNews's editor-in-chief Ben Aris sat down with Daniel Bilak, the director of the state promotion agency UkraineInvest and special advisor to President Petro Poroshenko during Strategy Council's Ukraine Investment Roadshow in London. Ben Aris, Editor-in-chief, bne IntelliNews Daniel Bilak, director...2017-03-3100 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE Romania's Protest - another Maidan or step closer to western Europe? with Clare Nuttall, bne IntelliNews SE bureau chiefHalf a million Romanians took to the street last weekend to protest against laws legalising government corruption and more protests are expected to happen this weekend. Is the country about to be plunged into a violent revolution or is it burnishing its democratic credentials? bne IntelliNews's SE bureau chief Clare Nuttall has been on Bucharest'sstreets since the start of the popular protests andshares her impressions with Ben Aris, editor-in-chief of bne IntelliNews. Ben Aris, Editor-in-chief, bne IntelliNews Clare Nuttall, SE bureau chief,bne IntelliNews2017-02-1000 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE with Marc Faber, author “Gloom, Boom & Doom” newsletterp.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 18.7px Verdana; color: #1a1a1a; -webkit-text-stroke: #1a1a1a} span.s1 {font-kerning: none} The iconic investor and economist Marc Faber thinks that “Western recession is overdue” and Donald Trump “may end up being a mainstream Republican. Talking with bne Intellinews Editor-at-Large Liam Halligan in Warsaw, the Author of the widely-read Gloom, Boom Doom monthly newsletter discusses “de-globalisation” and the implications of Brexit. He also shares his views on Central and Eastern Europe - where, he says, stocks are “very undervalued relative to the rest of the world”. Liam Halligan: Editor-at-Largebne IntelliNews MarcFaber: Aut...2016-12-0600 min
bne IntelliNewsWoE Russia reforms with Sergei Guriev chief economist EBRDRussia's economy is flat on its back, but is expected to return to growth in 2017, albeit anaemic. bne IntelliNews editor-in-chief Ben Aris discusses the outlook for the recently launched reform programme with the EBRD's new chief economist Sergei Guriev, as well as the prospects for the rest of the region, including Ukraine. Ben Aris, editor-in-chief, bne IntelliNews Sergei Guriev, chief economist, EBRD2016-11-1000 min
bne IntelliNewsWindow on the East: Romanian Stocks - from frontier to emerging market statusRomania has been one of the few outstanding success strories in New Europe in the last few years. Now Bucharest wants to upgrade the country's capital market from Frontier Market status to Emerging Market. bne IntelliNews's editor-in-chief Ben Aris talks to the Bucharest Stock Exchange CEO Ludwik Sobolewski about the stock market and the prospects for investment into the country. Ben Aris, Editor-in-chief bne IntelliNews Ludwik Sobolewski, CEO of the Bucharest Stock Exchange Listen to this podcast on Soundcloud here2016-11-0800 minbne IntelliNewsWindow on the East: Central Europe stuck in the middle with youAustria is uncomfortable with the way that the EU is being run, but surrounded by EU members it can't and won't leave.bne IntelliNewsEditor-in-chief talks with former Austrian Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer about where the trade club can go from here. Ben Aris, Editor-in-chief bne IntelliNews Alfred Gusenbauer, former Chancellor of Austria, leader of the Social Democratic Party of Austria2016-10-0900 minbne IntelliNewsWindow on the East: Is the EU project in danger of falling apart?The countries of Central Europe are unhappy with the direction the EU is taking, but lying at the heart of Europe none of them are willing to do an Exit. bne IntelliNewseditor-in-chief Ben Aris talks to VaclavKlaus, the second president of the Czech Republic 2003-2013, about the crises Europe is facing and the future of the EU. Ben Aris, Editor-in-Chief,bne IntelliNews VaclavKlaus, president of the Czech Republic 2003-20132016-10-0600 minbne IntelliNewsWindow on the East: Will Russia invade Ukraine and what is Putin's gameRussia is building up its military forces on Ukraine’s border. Will it invade this time, or is this all part of a geopolitical dance ahead of the G20 summit in China on September 4th? bne IntelliNews editor-in-chief Ben Aris talks to Swedish economist and senior fellow at the Atlantic Council in Washington Anders Aslund about the escalating tensions and chances for peace. Ben Aris editor-in-chief bne IntelliNews Anders Aslund senior fellow at the Atlantic Council2016-08-2500 minbne IntelliNewsWindow on the East: What to make of Turkey's bungled coup?As the dust settles in Turkey following a failed military coup, bne IntelliNews Editor-in-Chief Ben Aris speaks to our correspondents to make sense of what happened. Has the failed coup strengthened President Erdogan's hand as he creeps closer to his long-term goal of an executive presidency? Who masterminded the ill-fated attempt to snatch power from him? And what does this mean for Turkey's future relations with the West? Ben Aris, Editor-in-Chief, bne IntelliNews Kivanc Dundar, Turkey bureau chief, bne IntelliNews Carmen Valache, Turkey correspondent, bne IntelliNews Suna Erdem, ‘Beyond the Bosphorus’ columnist, bne IntelliNews2016-07-1800 minbne IntelliNewsWindow on the East: G7 summit in Japan and Vienna OPEC summitRussian sanctions to end in 6 months while oil price to fall after this week's OPEC summit, say bne IntelliNews analysts in this new podcast. The podcast features an expert discussion of the G7 summit in Japan and the Vienna OPEC summit with three high-experienced analysts. Chris Weafer, Senior Partner at Macro Advisory Ben Aris, bne IntelliNews Editor-in-Chief Liam Halligan, bne IntelliNews Editor-at-Large2016-05-2800 min