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MEMBER SERVICES:JJoobb BBaannkk:: ppoosstt yyoouurr jjoobb ooppeenniinnggss oonn oouurr wweebbssiitteeCERBA attracts a lot of job�seekers who possess very specific skills.Posting your opening on our website will enhance its visibility and out�reach to potential candidates and will give you the opportunity to tar�get the desired audience. For CERBA members we are offering thisservice as a part of the membership package, but it is also availablefor non�members for an extra fee.
IInntteerreesstteedd iinn PPoossttiinngg aa CCaarreeeerr OOppppoorrttuunniittyy??Career postings can be listed on our website for:Members � freeNon�members � $200 + tax
Career postings should be sent to your local CERBA RegionalDirector electronically. Submissions are accepted in Word or PDF.Requests for job postings from non�members should include billinginformation or a Visa, Mastercard or Amex number. Positions areposted for 30 days or until resume closing date, whichever is earli�er. For more information please contact your local CERBA RegionalDirector.
RReessuummee BBaannkk::Dear CERBA Members, we are happy to remind you of an added�value service included in your membership package: ResumeBank. Among our dedicated volunteers and interns there are a lotof talented bilingual and multilingual professionals who are search�ing for new career opportunities. If you are looking to fill in a positionwith your company please feel free to have a look at the resumes inthe Member�only section of our website and contact the potentialcandidates directly.
CERBA LINKED�InspiredWould you like to be the first to know what is new in the CERBAcommunity?
Please follow our company page on LinkedIn:hhttttpp::////wwwwww..lliinnkkeeddiinn..ccoomm//ccoommppaannyy//ccaannaaddaa��eeuurraassiiaa��rruussssiiaa��bbuussiinneessss��aassssoocciiaattiioonnReceive regular updates from us and feel free to like, share and comment.
CERBA members, we would like to remind you that you are most wel�come to start discussions, share your views and ask questions in ourexclusive members�only LinkedIn group. Created specifically for the con�venience of our members, this group is anexcellent tool to start a new conversation,bring up a pertinent issue or just reconnect tosomeone who shares the same values.
MEMBERSHIPFor membership inquiries, please contact your regional CERBA office:
TTOORROONNTTOO CCHHAAPPTTEERR � Katherine Balabanova
e�mail: [email protected]
Phone: 1 (416) 822 4052
MMOONNTTRREEAALL CCHHAAPPTTEERR � Sebastien Dakin
e�mail: [email protected]
Phone: 1 (514) 575 6334
VVAANNCCOOUUVVEERR CCHHAAPPTTEERR � Tatiana Domilovskaya
e�mail: [email protected]
Phone: 1 (604) 720 2905
AALLBBEERRTTAA CCHHAAPPTTEERR � Frank Kense
e�mail: [email protected]
Phone: 1 (780) 915 1110
OOTTTTAAWWAA CCHHAAPPTTEERR � Sebastien Dakin
e�mail: [email protected]
Phone: 1 (514) 575 6334
KKAAZZAAKKHHSSTTAANN CCHHAAPPTTEERR � Taskyn Koshman
e�mail: [email protected]
Phone: 7 (747) 555 1319
MMOOSSCCOOWW CCHHAAPPTTEERR � Alex Grichine
e�mail: [email protected]
Phone: 7 (985) 762 1240
MMAANNIITTOOBBAA CCHHAAPPTTEERR � Tom Nevakshonoff
e�mail: [email protected]
Phone: 1 (204) 664 2111
UUZZBBEEKKIISSTTAANN CCHHAAPPTTEERR � Alexander Antonov
email: [email protected]
Phone: 998 (71) 253 9205
ALBERTA BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Chairman
Stephen Parkes (Acting) � PEMD Group Inc.
Directors
Erin Chutter � Global Energy Metals (ex officio
member)
Erkin Atakhanov � Personal Finance Consulting
Laurent Auger � Alberta International
Intergovernmental Relations
MOSCOW BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Chairman
Nathan Hunt – Ronald A. Chisholm International
Directors
Alexander Skoblo � Dentons Russia
Anatoly Andriash � Norton Rose Fulbright
Luc Jones � Antal Russia
Madina Assylbekova � Gowling WLG
Matt Wills � John Deere Construction &
Forestry Division
Mikhail Romanov � Ernst & Young
Neil Withers � CFA Russia
Pavel Zhelvis � RusTechnip LLC
Robert Machowski � Hatch
Ron Lewin � TerraLink Technologies
Stanislav Borodyuk � Kinross Gold Corporation
Svetlana Bobrovich � Barrick Gold Corporation
Observers
Annick Goulet � Embassy of Canada in Moscow
Stephanie Loiseau � Embassy of Canada in
Moscow
MONTREAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Chairman
Nicolas Fresne � Former Director of the
Quebec office in Moscow
Directors
Alexandre Borduas � BRP
Ilya Kalnish � BCF
Leo Knaapen � Bombardier
Observers
Jocelyn Neron � Ministere de l'economie, de l'in�
novation et de l'exportation du Quebec
OTTAWA BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Chairman
Gilles Breton � Former Deputy Head of
Mission, Canadian Embassy to Russia
Directors
Alexandra Logvin � Fasken Martineau
DuMoulin LLP
Christopher Westdal � Silver Bear Resources
Greg Shields � Hyperline
Pierre Pyun � Bombardier
Observers
Cecilia Silundika � AANDC
VANCOUVER BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Chairman
Erin Campbell (Chutter) � ECMB Capital
Partners
Directors
Bryan Hughes � EDC
Daniel Kiselbach � Deloitte Tax Law
Dominique Spragg � Viking Air
Dr. Stephen Ramsey � Grey Owl Engineering
John Kitchen � Steveston Net and Gear
John Sloan � Former Ambassador of Canada
to Russia, Armenia and Uzbekistan
Joseph Bonvillain � Manning Elliott LLP
Mel Dhanaraj � Sensei Technologies
Observers
Tulegen Kalau � ENERTEK�Kazakhstan
Victoria Hayes � Ministry of International Trade
(BC Provincial government)
TORONTO BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Chair
Martha Harrison � McCarthy Tetrault
Vice�Chair
Wolfgang Spillner � Logistics Consultant
Directors
Alex Peshekhonov � Global Performance
Improvement Inc.
Alex Shifrin � LP/AD
Alina Pekarsky � Sci�Tech Ventures
Associates; Schulich Executive Education
Centre, York University
Boris Aryev � Stans Energy Corp.
John Coll � Bombardier
Lou Naumovski � CERBA Chairman 2013�2017
Mark Gilbert � Bombardier Commercial Aircraft
Mike Van Akkooi � Kinross Gold Corporation
Robert C Kay � Migao Corporation
Wendy Harris � Canadian Executive Service
Organization
KAZAKHSTAN BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Chairman
Norman Storm � Condor Petroleum
Vice Chairman
Alex Chernoff � PetroKazakhstan
Directors
Arystan Galiyev � Kazakh Invest
Dmitry Barsukov � Cameco Kazakhstan
Gordon Haskins � Al�Hilal Bank
Kanat Skakov � Dentons
Kirill Afanasyev � Schneider Group Kazakhstan
Rustem Ikramov � CTP Equipment
Ulf Wokurka � Tsesna Bank
Observers
Darren Smith � Embassy of Canada to
Kazakhstan
NATIONAL BOARD OF DIRECTORSChairman
GILLES BRETON � International Affairs Consultant
Directors
BORIS ARYEV � Stans Energy Corp.
CHRIS WESTDAL � Silver Bear Resources
DANIEL KIESELBACH � Deloitte Tax Law
ERIN CHUTTER � Global Energy Metals
HONOURABLE J. TREVOR EYTON
MARTHA HARRISON � McCarthy Tetrault
MIKE VAN AKKOOI � Kinross Gold
NATHAN HUNT � Ronald A. Chisholm International
NEIL WITHERS � CFA, Independent Director, Past President CFA Association Russia
NICOLAS FRESNE � Former Head of Quebec mission in Moscow
NORMAN STORM � Condor Petroleum
PIERRE SEIN PYUN � Bombardier
PIOTR DUTKIEWICZ � Carleton University
STEPHEN PARKES � PEMD Group Inc.
Chairman Emeritus
LOU NAUMOVSKI � Non�Executive Director, Amur Minerals Corporation; Consultant, Kinross
Gold Corporation and Advisor on Russia to the World Gold Council
TABLE OF CONTENTSCERBA MAJOR EVENTS 2019
OPINION
CERBA Chairman's Message . . . . . . . . . . . .4
ASSOCIATION NEWS
New Members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Member News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
EXPERT'S CORNER
Preparing your child for
a Canadian university . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
MAIN STORIES
Canadian Grain Business Mission
to Russia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Kazakhstan Canada Business
Council Energy Conference . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
CERBA Organizes First�Ever Canadian
Trade Mission to Belarus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Sharing the Canadian Best Practices
in CSR: Norilsk City and Norilsk Nickel
Business Mission to Canada . . . . . . . . . . . .20
CERBA Signs a Memorandum of
Cooperation with the Embassy of
Uzbekistan in the USA and Canada . . . . . . .22
CERBA Construction and Infrastructure
Forum in Toronto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
VIII CERBA�Vancouver Mining
Conference on the Margins of AME
Roundup�2019 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
LOOKING BACK
Events and Association Activities . . . . . . . . .26
CERBA NEWSLETTER Design:
Dmitry Radomsky
MARCH 5
Conference Toronto 19th CERBA Eurasia Mining
Conference within the offi�
cial program of PDAC
APRIL 10�12
Business
Delegation
Mongolia Business Mission to
Mongolia including parti�
cipation in the International
Mining & Oil Expo
in Ulaanbaatar
MAY 10�17
Trade Mission Atyrau, Tashkent Trade Mission to
Uzbekistan and
Kazakhstan, and the
official launch of CERBA
Chapter in Tashkent
JUNE 6�8
Forum St. Petersburg CERBA Business
Mission to St. Petersburg
International Economic
Forum 2019 (SPIEF)
JULY 8�11
Trade Fair Ekaterinburg The International
Industrial Trade Fair
INNOPROM�2019
AUGUST August 27�September 1
Trade Fair Moscow MAKS Airshow
SEPTEMBER 4�6
Forum Vladivostok Canadian Round Table
at Eastern Economic
Forum 2019
NOVEMBER 25�30
Fair Regina Agribition Show
26
Conference Toronto CERBA Eurasia Construc�
tion and Infrastructure
Conference 2019
22 (Date May Change)
Forum Moscow CSR Conference
4 / 2018 Volume I 2018 Volume I / 5
OPINION ASSOCIATION NEWS
Dear CERBA Members,
Amidst the longest shutdown ever to affect the US govern�
ment, the ongoing Brexit melodrama and the "yellow vests"
protests in France, those of us who get most of their news from
Washington, London or Paris sources can only observe that
seldom have so many leading Western countries have been
involved in such existential crises. The ensuing relative politi�
cal paralysis tends to confirm that there can be no major for�
eign policy development in the foreseeable future in what used
to be called East�West relations. This is even more so after the
President of the United States was compelled to state that he
never worked for Russia and seems to have preferred not to
share the contents of his private discussions with the Russian
President. Crucial and meaningful high�level discussions have
become virtually impossible under prevailing circumstances.
There are many layers of complexity to some of the issues that
have given rise to the imposition of sanctions against Russia
and the imposition of counter�sanctions in return. The likely
absence in the near future of any significant attempt to resolve
ongoing disputes implies there will be no changes to the exist�
ing sanction regimes. With sanctions as the "new normal", we
will continue to have to develop our ability to function relative�
ly normally in this constrained environment.
International turmoil may, however, not always have only neg�
ative consequences. In Canada, the risks associated with the
rise in protectionist tendencies, especially in the US, has
firmed up the government's determination to promote the
diversification of our country's international trade. In practice,
this has meant making resources available to organisations
like CERBA that are engaged in the diversification of trade and
the development of new markets. CERBA was already pro�
moting diversification. The fact that the organisation and its
members can now take advantage of additional resources
considerably extends the reach and effectiveness of our trade
promotion activities.
The Eurasian region, with most of its governments vigorously
pursuing innovation and modernisation agendas, is indeed a
very good place to pursue diversification initiatives. In light of
the momentous events currently taking place in that country,
Uzbekistan will understandably receive additional attention in
the coming months. We expect to establish an official CERBA
presence in Tashkent in the first half of the year. Uzbekistan
becoming a more active international trade player will
undoubtedly also have a positive regional impact. In that
respect, we will of course continue to follow up on the suc�
cessful work of the June 2018 Ottawa meeting of the Kazakh�
stan�Canada Business Council.
Diversification efforts have already begun on the other side of
Eurasia, with a first successful trade mission to Belarus in
September 2018. Belarus becoming a Western gateway to the
Eurasian region is becoming a real possibility.
For those who might get their news from other sources than
the above�mentioned capitals, an item of considerable signifi�
cance has quietly moved up on the agenda. Almost three
quarters of a century after the end of WW II in the Pacific the�
atre Japan and Russia finally seem to have engaged in a
negotiation process that would allow them to sign a Peace
Treaty, after having resolved the most difficult outstanding
issue, that is the status of the Kurill islands/Northern Territories.
Among G7 countries Japan was already the one that probably
kept the closest relationship with Russia. The contrast
between the active political dialogue on the Pacific side and
that in the North Atlantic is striking. This is not to say that the
negotiations between Japan and Russia will yield immediate
results. The engagement between Japan and Russia further
illustrates that Russia's turn to the East is not only a matter of
developing the relationship with China. Competing with China,
while taking advantage of the One Belt One Road initiative,
taking advantage as well of possible political advances inside
the Korean peninsula, Japan could further enhance its trade
presence in the region. Taking into account our own growing
interests in the Pacific region, we will have to pay closer atten�
tion to trade possibilities in that part of the world. Without less�
ening our interest for the early summer St. Petersburg
Economic Forum and its global reach, we will seek to enhance
our presence at the September's Far East Economic Forum in
Vladivostok.
Finally, it would be appropriate to use this occasion, even with�
out naming them individually, to welcome the companies and
individuals that have joined CERBA in the last few months. It is
very encouraging for us to observe that, despite the current
geopolitical situation, the core of our membership base
remains stable, and new members are joining our community.
In large merit, this is due to the diligent work of our regional
directors, who are constantly widening the scope of Asso�
ciation's activities and expanding into new markets. By
advancing our own salutary diversification we ultimately create
more business opportunities for our members.
I would like to thank all our members for their support and
trust, and look forward to our interactions at the upcoming
CERBA events in Canada and Eurasia!
""AAll HHiillaall"" IIssllaammiicc BBaannkk"" JJSSCC is
the first Islamic bank in Ka�
zakhstan and the CIS region
established in 2010 by inter�
governmental agreement bet�
ween UAE and Kazakhstan; the subsidiary Al Hilal Bank PJSC �
is one of the fastest growing and innovative UAE banks with
100% Abu Dhabi Government ownership.
Al Hilal Bank PJSC has high investment�grade credit ratings
from Fitch A+ and Moody's A1.
Al Hilal Bank with its head office in Almaty and branches in
Almaty, Astana, and Shymkent provides a wide range of Sharia –
compliant banking products and services for corporate cus�
tomers and individuals.
GGeerraann && PPaarrttnneerrss CCoonnssuullttiinngg PPrraaccttiiccee
Geran and Partners Consul�
ting Practice is a unique team
of experts in management
consulting, design, adverti�
sing, IT, event management
and media relations. The Practice was founded in 2011 and
offers a wide variety of brand development services for clients
ranging from communication strategy development and efficien�
cy analysis of customer interaction, to creating corporate identi�
ty, design, development of digital services as well as managing
business and entertainment events, along with implementing ini�
tiatives in the field of corporate and social responsibility.
With headquarters in Moscow, our practice operates in 7 feder�
al districts throughout Russia. We also have representations in
Europe and USA. The clients of Geran and Partners Consulting
Practice range from small enterprises to the largest Russian and
international companies from the Fortune 500 list. We look for�
ward to seeing CERBA members among our clients as well and
will be happy to assist them in their business development
objectives.
Tel.: +7�495�720�7235
E�mail: [email protected]
Website: www.geranandpartners.com
GGrreeeenn TToowweerr GGrroouupp
The "Green Tower" company
has been working since
1994 and it is specialized on
retail, development, con�
struction of commercial real
estate, management and leasing of real estate. Gulmira
Tolganbayeva is the founder of "GREEN TOWER", owner of
business centers "GREEN TOWER", "TRIUMPH" and internation�
al gourmet cuisine restaurant "ENJOY LIFE".
2018 year was very fruitful and productive for our company. This
success is related to the realization of the "GREEN TOWER"
business center project. One of the major indicators are the fill�
ing of 90% of the center project by major, international compa�
nies in the first 6 months from the launch of the project, plus;
obtaining the GREEN Building Awards and the achieving of
green economy certification. All these achievements are related
to the team spirit and our common goal aiming at result and
success, commitment and aspiration to the realization of the
defined goals. The business center "Green Tower" has a tem�
porary blood donation center, and the first business spaces of
the international company "Regus" are also located there in the
Tender space.
Regus offers ready�to�use offices with all necessary equipment
and a sufficient amount of working space. The office could be
leased for any necessary time period: from one hour to several
months. There are also several meeting rooms for 6 people, one –
for 8 people and one large meeting room for 25 people. All
rooms are supplied with necessary equipment, are very com�
fortable for the organization of training, conferences, meetings
and presentations.
IInnffrraaBBiizz iis a Business Deve�
lopment and Sales Consulting
Company specialized in Infras�
tructure dedicated to promoting
our Client's Products and Ser�
vices in North America Con�
struction Market.
We have a combined experience of more than 100 construction
years, working in more than 30 countries in 6 continents. The
key sectors we serve are Heavy�Civil Structures, Transit &
Transportation and Mobility Solutions, Renewable Energy,
Mining and Buildings.
InfraBiz has an innovative business model, proven successful in
Go�To�Market, Channel�To�Market, Support�In�Market and
Development Activities. This model promotes businesses and
generates opportunities for our clients.
InfraBiz offers the following services:
Go�To�Market: Market Research, Roadmap Development,
Business plan Development and Establishment of Local
Subsidiaries.
Channel�To�Market: Introduction to Public and Private Entities,
Identify Target Projects and Build Pipeline and Opportunity
Creation.
Support�In�Market: Post Tender Interaction, Contract Nego�
tiation and Project Management.
Development: Product Certification, COR Certification, Deve�
lopment of Marketing Materials, Pre�Qualifications, Tender and
Project Support.
Contact:
Mario Rosado, CEO
Tel.: +1 (647) 261�8256
www.infrabiz.com
KKaazzaakkhh IInnvveesstt �� NNaattiioonnaall CCoommppaannyy
Kazakh Invest was established by the
Government of Kazakhstan to attract
high�quality inward investment to the
country. We provide a full range of ser�
vices to support investment projects �
from the conception of initial ideas right through to project
implementation, as well as providing retained support for estab�
lished businesses.
Kazakh Invest is a "one stop shop" for current and potential
investors, acting as a single point of contact to support busi�
nesses on their investment journey.
Gilles Breton, Chairman of the CERBA National Board, Co�Chairof Russia Canada Business Council
CERBA CHAIRMAN'SMESSAGE
NNEEWW MMEEMMBBEERRSS
6 / 2018 Volume I 2018 Volume I / 7
ASSOCIATION NEWS ASSOCIATION NEWS
AAnnttaall RRuussssiiaa
• In October, Antal Russia won TThhee CCrryyssttaall PPyyrraammiidd 22001188 by HR
Directors Summit committee http://hrsummit.ru/en – annual
leading conference for HR professionals and business leaders.
This is the result of our constant development within the indus�
try and moving forward with latest trends: Digital / Data Security/
IT recruitment; RPO (recruitment process outsourcing),
Outplacements, Carrier consulting & special assessments
including physiological tests and emotional intellect � the newest
trend worldwide.
• Team in Russia was proudly called the
BBrraanndd BBuuiillddeerr 22001188 of the year by Antal
International for the second time in a row.
Online sales platforms and the newest CRM
system are among achievements which we
are proud of as a professional service
provider.
• More than 11 charity projects were support�
ed by our offices in Moscow, St. Petersburg
and Almaty. We have initiated plastic usage
reduction at our Moscow office, fundraised for
art courses, and arranged charity events. We
meet with people in need in person and share
with them kindness and love.
• Our St. Petersburg colleague, Daniil is a
graduate of "Anton tut ryadom" project. The project's main aim
is to integrate people with autism to the society (read more
about the fund: http://outfundspb.ru/wp/). As a recruitment com�
pany we are collecting and merging plenty of the innovations
including equal rights and ageism and therefore we are espe�
cially proud of being part of the progressive world's tendencies
(join us https://antalrussia.ru/news/charity�2019/).
BBoommbbaarrddiieerr RReeccrreeaattiioonnaall PPrroodduuccttss
BBRRPP ooppeerraatteess ddiirreeccttllyy iinn RRuussssiiaa aanndd cceellee��
bbrraatteess tthhee ooppeenniinngg ooff iittss SStt.. PPeetteerrssbbuurrgg
ooffffiiccee
St. Petersburg, Russia, October 2, 2018 �
BRP (TSX:DOO; NASDAQ:DOOO) oper�
ates directly in Russia since July and today
celebrates the official opening of its office
in the country. In March, the company
announced it would be introducing a direct distribution model in
Russia to support its overall growth strategy.
"With the ongoing introduction of new products providing
incredible experiences, we continue to keep our momentum
globally, and Russia is no exception. Our objective is to
strengthen our presence in the country to be better position to
serve our consumers there," said Jose Boisjoli, President and
Chief Executive Officer at BRP.
The BRP office will be located in St. Petersburg and will support
the dealer network established across the country. Consumers
will continue to have access to innovative products such as Ski�
Doo and Lynx snowmobiles, Sea�Doo personal watercrafts,
Can�Am off�road vehicles, Can�Am three�wheel vehicles and
Evinrude outboard engines.
"Russian consumers and BRP have a long history," explained
Steve Pelletier, BRP's Vice�President and Regional General
Manager for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA). "After
25 years on the Russian market, we have developed a healthy
understanding of the local industry and with the BRP local team
now based in St. Petersburg office, this will help us raising the
bar in offering an even greater experience to our Russian con�
sumers."
BRP already uses the direct distribution model in 21 major mar�
kets including the United States, Canada, China, Japan,
Germany, France, Scandinavian countries, Australia, Mexico
and Brazil. In these countries, BRP sells its products directly to
approximately 3,200 dealers. In other countries, BRP works with
about 180 distributors who serve 1,000+ dealers.
AAbboouutt BBRRPP
We are a global leader in the world of powersports vehicles and
propulsion systems built on over 75 years of ingenuity and inten�
sive consumer focus. Our portfolio of industry�leading and dis�
tinctive products includes Ski�Doo and Lynx snowmobiles, Sea�
Doo watercraft, Can�Am on� and off�road vehicles, Alumacraft
and Manitou boats, Evinrude and Rotax marine propulsion sys�
tems as well as Rotax engines for karts, motorcycles and recre�
ational aircraft. We support our lines of product with a dedicat�
ed parts, accessories and clothing business to fully enhance
your riding experience. With annual sales of CA$4.5 billion from
over 100 countries, our global workforce is made up of around
10,350 driven, resourceful people.
Kazakh Invest has a wide network of international representa�
tives in many of the world's major industrial centres, combining
local Kazakh expertise with global investment experience.
KKaazzaakkhh IInnvveesstt''ss rroollee
• We are a single point of contact for international investors con�
sidering investing in Kazakhstan. We represent the interests of
international businesses by seamlessly connecting them with
government bodies, regulators and local government organisa�
tions so that they can easily identify high�quality opportunities for
investment.
• We are a single point of access to the public service system.
This includes helping investors understand what government
support is available and how to apply and secure the permits
and documents necessary to invest in Kazakh businesses.
As the primary point of contact for inward investment, Kazakh
Invest significantly reduces the need for foreign investors to
interact with multiple governmental and regulatory bodies.
This streamlined process means that the average length of time
it takes to set up a business in Kazakhstan is only nine days �
well below the regional average.
At Kazakh Invest, we combine decades of local business knowl�
edge with the ambition and tenacity international investors
require in a competitive globalised market.
MMiicchhaaeell GGeelllleerr
Michael Geller is a Vancouver�
based architect, planner, real
estate consultant and property
developer with four decades'
experience in the public, private
and institutional sectors. He
also serves on the Adjunct
Faculty of Simon Fraser Univer�
sity. He is a regular contributor
to the Vancouver Courier and Vancouver Sun and a frequent
commentator on urban issues across Canada.
He is president of The Geller Group which specializes in planning
and real estate consulting for a variety of large and small�scale
residential and mixed�use projects. He also undertakes small
property developments on his own, or in partnership with others.
Michael has been honoured as a Fellow of the Canadian
Institute of Planners and Life Member of the Architectural
Institute of BC.
Michael is well known in Moscow, he actively participates in a
number of prestigious events, including Moscow Urban Forum
supported by the Government of Moscow.
OOTTCCLL GGRROOUUPP IINNCC
OGI is an International Trade &
Investment corporation with its
HQ in Toronto, Canada and
offices and major operation cen�
tres in India.
OGI has evolved as a unique
International Trade & Investment
group grown out of a manufac�
turing business enterprise in
Manitoba Canada. Originally
conceived to promote Trade between Manitoba and the emerg�
ing economies, OGI successfully established itself as the most
reliable and credible supply chain management enterprise. Our
corporate objective and goal has been to focus on following
sectors.
1. Forestry Products & Ancillary industries
2. Natural Resources sector (Minerals & metals)
3. Agriculture & Food Processing (Turnkey projects)
4. Energy & Power sector supply
5. Housing & Urban development (Products & Services)
OGI is actively involved in supplying Newsprint, Pulp, Chemicals
& ancillary products for publishers and Paper Mills. Developing
new sources of commodities and technologies as needed in
growing population lead demands. Our team consists of
Professionals trained in the planning and management of all
activities. OGI gets involved in sourcing and procurement, con�
version, and total management including coordination and col�
laboration with all channel partners, third�party service pro�
viders, and customers. In essence, we undertake total respon�
sibility for linking major business functions and processes with�
in and across companies and geographies into a cohesive and
profitable business model.
OTCL Group Inc has another division of highly specialized and
target focused team of experts for Mergers & Acquisitions and
Investments in emerging areas with goals to provide highest
possible ROI.
PPOOSSIITTRROONN
Positron, a Montreal Export
Canada award winning high
technology company esta�
blished in 1970, entered the
Russian market in 2017.
Positron selected several products that have been very suc�
cessful internationally as door openers.
Positron's power utility products division has concluded suc�
cessful trials of its testers that report the health of energized
insulators in substations and on transmission lines. By detecting
conductive defects with 100% reliability, they preventing power
outages, fires and damage to critical infrastructure. They are an
essential safety tool for personnel working on or near high volt�
age facilities and they enable utilities to schedule maintenance
before a defect becomes dangerous.
Positron's telecommunications division's BRX line amplifier/
extenders enable telephone companies to more than double
the internet speed, double the customer serving areas and
increase reliability to subscribers in the "last mile" rural and
suburban areas on the existing copper infrastructure at a frac�
tion of the cost of fiber. Trials in Russia and Belarus have been
successful.
Positron recently participated in the CERBA mission to Belarus
and signed an agreement with JSC "Promsvyaz", a well estab�
lished manufacturer in Minsk, to assemble, market and support
its BRX line amplifiers for RUE "Beltelecom", the national tele�
phone company and for the EAEU countries. Contracts are in
negotiation with several carriers.
"We are pleased with the progress that we have made in a short
time and look forward to growing our business in Russia and the
EAEU. We appreciate the support of CERBA, the Trade
Commission of the Russian Federation in Canada and the
Embassy of Belarus in Canada", underlined Reg Weiser, CEO of
Positron.
MMEEMMBBEERR NNEEWWSS
BRP grand opening of St. Petersburg office
8 / 2018 Volume I
ASSOCIATION NEWS ASSOCIATION NEWS
eventually join as co�organizers thus making the Inter�associa�
tion PR & Marketing Committee become a truly international
project in its scope and nature.
The Committee will unite the community of high�level experts in
external communication representing major Russian and inter�
national companies, involved in variety of different sectors,
countries and professional associations. It will provide PR &
Marketing professionals with the platform for networking, market
researches, dialogue and exchange of opinions about the cur�
rent challenges and opportunities in the field, obtaining valuable
information about the recent trends in Russia and abroad in
media relations, digital, SMM, marketing communication, and
similar issues. There will be approximately 6 committee meet�
ings per year, once every two months.
It is expected that support by major international business asso�
ciations will provide the committee with the resources to attract
distinguished speakers to its sessions, such as commonly rec�
ognized gurus of PR & marketing and famous journalists to pres�
ent and share their expertise in front of the committee members.
We look forward to greeting representatives of CERBA Member�
companies at future committee meetings.
CCoollllaabboorraattiioonn CCeennttrree MMAARRSS
Having professional skills
means not only to perform
one's job well, but also to
offer the market more than it
can expect. Gulmira Tolgan�
bayeva, founder of the group of companies GREEN TOWER,
owner of business centers GREEN TOWER, TRIUMPH and intel�
lectual gourmet cuisine restaurant ENJOY LIFE, learned to be
proactive and recognize innovations for 25 years of entrepre�
neurial experience in construction and management of busi�
ness centres and restaurant business.
An idea of creation of the first collaboration centre MARS in
Kazakhstan appeared after a business trip to the international
conference CERBA in Toronto (Canada). The sightseeing trip
around the city and acquaintance with the business life gave
great emotions and inspired establishing collaboration centre
for business elite in her business centres. The title of the collab�
oration centre MARS means the abbreviation of first letters of
following words: Motivation�Ambition�Resourceful�Smart.
The main mission of the MARS collaboration centre is aimed at
the eco�friendly organization of business area of people who
spend over 60% of their time at work. The main goals of newly
created structure include as follows:
� neutral area for holding business and personal meetings,
� leisure and resting area to have short breaks from
operational vanity,
� networking platform for meeting and acquaintance and
sharing important information with all stakeholders
� holding conference calls with remote suppliers, partners
and representatives of tenant companies
� place for the organization and running centralized
and social events
� holding issue�related meetings for fast acquisition
of knowledge and improving skills at interdisciplinary level
The "Success Area" created will expand the acquaintance net�
work, arrange professional leisure of employees of companies,
gain new knowledge, allow learning more about colleagues on
their venues, increase loyalty, and organize events for compa�
nies and their employees.
One of the important areas of the Collaboration centre is the
Internation Academy of Management and Entrepreneurship ID�
GROUP engaged in training and improving skills of managerial
staff. The collaboration of the MARS centre and ID�GROUP
Academy allow creating management elite of Kazakhstan and
increase the value of human capital of the country.
HHaattcchh cceelleebbrraatteess tthhee uunnvveeiilliinngg ooff
ttll''uugghhuuss wwiitthh RRiioo TTiinnttoo aanndd FFiirrsstt
NNaattiioonnss ccoommmmuunniittiieess
Rio Tinto, together with the Haisla First Nation and Cheslatta Carrier
Nation, have reached a key milestone towards completing the
C$600�M Kemano Second Tunnel (T2) project with the unveiling of
tl'ughus, the tunnel boring machine that will dig a 7.6 kilometers of
tunnel to ensure the long�term reliability of renewable power to the
BC Works aluminium smelter in Kitimat, British Columbia.
Hatch has been selected by Rio Tinto to provide engineering, proj�
ect, and construction management (EPCM) services for the project.
Rio Tinto has involved the Haisla First Nation and Cheslatta
Carrier Nation to ensure that indigenous cultures and traditions
are respected. The Cheslatta Carrier Nation selected the name
for the TBM � tl'ughus � after a legend of a giant monster snake
that bored through the mountains, a story that shares many par�
allels with the Kemano T2 project.
EEnn++ GGrroouupp::
IInn OOccttoobbeerr 22001188 En+ Group installed
an upgraded runner on its Krasno�
yarsk hydro power plant (HPP). The
new equipment will increase reliabili�
ty and efficiency of hydro turbines.
The modernized runner will become operational in the begin�
ning of 2019.
The modernization program of its HPPs is a crucial element of
the broader development strategy of En+ Group. It focuses on
reliability of assets and ensures continuous improvement of En+
Group environmental and climate performance. En+ Group esti�
mates that the project will result in annual growth of HPPs by 1.9
TWh and partially substitute it's coal�fired power plants output
thus reducing of GHG emissions by 2.3 mt CO2.
In November 2018 En+ Group reported its 9M and 3Q 2018
financial and operational results. In 9M 2018, En+ Group's rev�
enue increased by 8.2% y�o�y to USD 9,434 million. Adjusted
EBITDA grew by 13.0% y�o�y to USD 2,618 million in 9M 2018.
En+ Group's net profit for the period increased by 80.7% to
USD 1,623 million from USD 898 million in 9M 2017.
En+ Group electricity production grew by 5.6% y�o�y and
totaled 53.23 TWh in 9M 2018. Hydro power output increased
by 3.1% y�o�y to 42.9 TWh in 9M 2018. Aluminum production
increased by 1.7% y�o�y to 2.8 million tons in 9M 2018; total alu�
mina production of 5.8 million tons remained stable y�o�y.
AAbboouutt EEnn++ GGrroouupp::
En+ Group (http://eng.enplus.ru/) is a leading vertically integrat�
ed power producer with a strong operational hub in Siberia,
Russia. En+ Group combines power plants with a total installed
capacity of 19.7 GW (including 15.1 GW of hydro power assets).
The geographic location of the assets gives En+ Group unpar�
alleled competitive advantages: access to cheap and low�car�
bon hydropower and proximity to perspective regions of global
consumption � the Asia Pacific.
EErrnnsstt && YYoouunngg
RReesseeaarrcchh iinnttoo iinnvveessttoorrss'' aattttiittuuddeess
ttoowwaarrddss eennvviirroonnmmeennttaall,, ssoocciiaall aanndd
ggoovveerrnnaannccee ((EESSGG)) iinnffoorrmmaattiioonn aanndd
nnoonnffiinnaanncciiaall rreeppoorrttiinngg,, aass wweellll aass iittss
rroollee iinn tthheeiirr ddeecciissiioonn��mmaakkiinngg
The EY Climate Change and Su�
stainability Services team has issued
its 4th research report, which provides insight on how investors
have come to place ever�greater importance on the role that
environmental, social and governance (ESG) information and
nonfinancial reporting factors play when evaluating compa�
nies in which to invest. This year's study reveals a notable con�
sensus on the importance of ESG or nonfinancial information in
investor decision�making. Globally, investors expect more abun�
dant and more useful reporting of material nonfinancial perform�
ance information at a consistent and high level of quality.
Key points:
• an increasing reliance on ESG;
• increasing demand for higher�quality non�financial data
from public companies;
• while disclosures have improved, they remain uneven;
• more concern over the physical risks of climate change;
• demand for investment�level non�financial accounting stan
• collaboration is critical to close the information gap between
investors' need for nonfinancial information and the
information provided by issuers.
What does this mean for organizations in Kazakhstan? The
Government of RoK is making strong efforts to develop the
Kazakhstan stock market, improve its liquidity and raise foreign
investments. Large international institutional investors place
strong reliance on ESG and non�financial information of issuers.
Therefore, we believe there are four main areas that companies
should consider:
1. Establishing a structured materiality analysis process.
2. Measuring social and environmental outcomes.
3. Measuring long�term value.
4. Reporting more comprehensively on all climate risks and
engaging with stakeholders, including investors.
CCoonnttaacctt iinnffoorrmmaattiioonn
For additional information, please contact
the following professional:
VViiccttoorr KKoovvaalleennkkoo
EY Kazakhstan
Director, Climate Change and Sustainability Services
Tel.: +7 727 258 5960
GGeerraann && PPaarrttnneerrss iiss aabboouutt ttoo
llaauunncchh aann IInntteerr��aassssoocciiaattiioonn PPRR
&& MMaarrkkeettiinngg CCoommmmiitttteeee wwiitthh
CCEERRBBAA ssuuppppoorrtt
CERBA is happy to support the
initiative of its Corporate Member Geran&Partner to establish a
Moscow�based Inter�association PR & Marketing Committee
and will join the project as one of the co�organizers. It is expec�
ted that other major foreign business associations in Russia will
Krasnoyarsk Hydro Power Plant
2018 Volume I / 9
Gulmira Tolganbayevais a founder of thegroup of companiesGREEN TOWER, ownerof business centersGREEN TOWER,TRIUMPH andintellectual gourmetcuisine restaurantENJOY LIFE
10 / 2018 Volume I 2018 Volume I / 11
ASSOCIATION NEWS
The fully assembled tl'ughus, 190 m long and weighing 1,300 t,
was transported from Germany. It will excavate 250,000 m3 of
rock to build 7.6 km of the new tunnel. Expected to be com�
pleted by 2020, the T2 project includes the excavation of the
new tunnel and the refurbishment of an 8.4 km portion of the
second tunnel remaining from the mid�1990s. Construction of
the second tunnel will ensure the long�term reliability of power
supply to the Kitimat smelter from the Kemano powerhouse.
Steven Hinton, project manager for Hatch, who attended the
ceremony, said, "We are very proud to support Rio Tinto on their
journey to long�term, sustainable operations. Rio Tinto is com�
mitted to preserving the environment and engaging with the
local community to maintain a clean and reliable power supply
for the Kitimat smelter, and this aligns with our vision of creating
a better world through positive change."
KKiinnrroossss GGoolldd CCoorrppoorraattiioonn
KKiinnrroossss RRuussssiiaa rreecceeiivveess
ttoopp rraannkkiinngg ffrroomm WWoorrlldd
WWiillddlliiffee FFuunndd
Congratulations Kinross Russia, who recently received the top
ranking in the Environmental Transparency Rating of Russia's
Mining and Metals Companies' by the World Wildlife Fund
(WWF) Russia.
The award evaluates company's environmental management
as well as its impact and information disclosure for 2018, then
compared the findings with year�over�year data to analyze its
progress.
In 2017, Kinross Russia received first place under the environ�
mental responsibility rating of mining and metals companies, fur�
ther strengthening its leadership position in its ranking for 2018.
"Recognition by the WWF Russia for the second year in a row is
a testament to our consistency in implementing the highest envi�
ronmental standards at Kinross," said Claude Schimper,
Regional Vice�President, Russia. "The result is a well�deserved
award for all of our employees who are focused on minimizing
environmental impacts in their daily tasks."
WWF Russia and Russia's National Rating Agency work with
support from the United Nations Development Program, the
Global Environmental Fund and the Russian Natural Resources
and Environment Ministry to compile the rankings.
KKiinnrroossss CCEEOO aatttteennddss tthhee 3322nndd aannnnuuaall FFIIAACC mmeeeettiinngg iinn RRuussssiiaa
J. Paul Rollinson, President & CEO, recently attended the 32nd
annual Foreign Investment Advisory Council (FIAC) meetings in
Russia.
FIAC brings together executives from across the world with
operations in Russia to discuss opportunities to enhance the
investment climate in the country by tapping into their expertise
and experience.
Paul presented a case study that focuses on potential socio�
economic benefits of increasing the strategic "threshold" for
ASSOCIATION NEWS
gold deposits in Russia. The idea for this particular case study
was first voiced by the Russia Ministry of Natural Resources and
Environment at last year's FIAC meetings.
As one of the major investors in Russia's Far East economy,
Kinross has continuously shared its expertise and provided rec�
ommendations to the Russian Government and the country's
professional community. Since 2011, we have presented a
series of studies and recommendations to further improve the
investment climate in the country's mining industry, some of
which have been adopted by the government.
"We have a shared interest to realize Russia's high potential to
become a leading global mining country and first�rate jurisdic�
tion," said Paul. "It is our hope that this study will provide useful
input for discussions on additional stimulus needed to attract
investments in geological exploration and gold mining in
Russia."
The Council was chaired by Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev at
his personal residence in Moscow and was attended by 31 glob�
al executives, including executives from Total, Mars, Nestle and
other. Kinross is the only Canadian company on the Council, and
also represents the only operating mining company.
KKiinnrroossss aatttteennddss 22001188 EEaasstteerrnn EEccoonnoommiicc FFoorruumm iinn RRuussssiiaa
Kinross Russia recently attended the fourth annual Eastern
Economic Forum (EEF) in Vladivostok, Russia. This was Kinross'
4th year participating in the forum.
The EEF brings together international investors, Russian busi�
nesses, and federal and local governments to build and
strengthen relationships to enhance Russian Far East region's
economic potential.
Claude Schimper, Regional Vice�President, Russia, participated
in two panel sessions focused on furthering incentives to attract
geological exploration and mining in Russia's Far East.
Kinross also had a booth at the Forum that was well attended by
Company stakeholders, government officials and event partici�
pants.
VVTTSS JJeettss
VTS Jets, a company speci�
alized in maintenance of busi�
ness jets manufactured by
Bombardier, notes a significant
increase in their volume of work
and a double growth in the
number of the company's customers. From 2016 till 2018 the
average growth of company performance efficiency had been
80�85 % annually, and today VTS Jets accounts for a significant
part of the whole volume in the market of Bombardier aircraft
maintenance.
In May 2018, VTS Jets successfully passed an annual EASA
audit to expand the approved scope of work and reached the
maximum possible level for line maintenance of these aircraft.
However, the company has an understanding that further
growth in volumes is feasible mainly through the extension of the
approved scope of work in terms of base maintenance. The
VTS Jets' development strategy implies deepening into heavy
forms of business jets maintenance, but this will require signifi�
cant capital investments and personnel decisions, which will
take time and effort.
In July 2018, VTS Jets became a member of the Russian United
Business Aviation Association (RUBAA). General director of the
company, Andrey Akopov, hopes that participation in this orga�
nization's activity will make it possible to achieve fundamental
changes in legislation, specifically in respect to reduction of
import duties and customs VAT. In turn, Mr. Akopov headed the
RUBAA Committee for business aircraft maintenance.
In addition, VTS Jets plans to master the new types of aircraft
manufactured by Bombardier, which are expected to enter the
market � this is Global 7500 (formerly Global 7000) and, in the
future, Global 8000.
From left: Evgeny Shvarts, Director of Conservation Policy, WWFRussi; Vladimir Moshkalo, Head of UNEP Moscow Office; SvetlanaKanevskaya, Director of Customer Service Department, NationalRating Agency; Stanislav Borodyuk, VP and Head of MoscowRepresentative Office
From left: Alexander Ivlev, FIAC Foreign Investors Coordinator, CISManaging Partner, EY; Paul Rollinson, President & Chief ExecutiveOfficer, Kinross Gold Corporation; Dmitry Medvedev, Prime Ministerof Russia
From left: Evgeniya Saevich, Regional Manager, CorporateResponsibility; Stanislav Borodyuk, Vice�President, Head of MoscowRepresentative Office; Stephane Jobin, Deputy Head of Mission atthe Embassy of Canada in Moscow; Claude Schimper, Regional Vice�President, Russia; Ulyana Kurinnaya, Senior Geologist
tl'ughus was named by the Cheslatta Carrier Nation after the legendof a giant monster snake that bored through mountains. It is deco�rated with artwork created by students from the Haisla First Nation
12 / 2018 Volume I
The advantage of such programs is that they not only provide
language and academic courses, but comprehensive support to
international students, assisting them in adaptation to new envi�
ronment and living independently away from home. Such for�
mats as essays, projects, discussions, seminars and workshops
are an essential part of Pathway and Foundation program edu�
cation process that intends to prepare for university life.
Around 95% of Pathway and Foundation program graduates
enter into degree programs of their first choice.
CCaannaaddiiaann hhiigghh sscchhooooll
Pathway and Foundation programs can be called express
preparation for a Canadian university in comparison with a more
substantial and thus expensive way – Canadian high school.
There is considerable flexibility that Canadian secondary edu�
cation system gives both to domestic and international stu�
dents: your child can spend one year or several years in
Canada, you can choose private or public school, school spe�
cializing in working with international or local students or both,
schools that major in sports, science, business and leadership
or arts.
No matter what school you choose in Canada, you can be con�
fident that it is the best thing you can give to your child. It is
something that will help them prepare for the university of their
dreams and instill values of Canadian culture such as tolerance,
equality, independence and care of the environment.
MAIN STORIES
2018 Volume I / 13
Giving your children the
opportunity to pursue
higher education in Ca�
nada means giving them
a chance to gain up�to�
date knowledge, profes�
sional skills to help them up to succeed in the world. A Canadian
degree will work regardless of whether a graduate would prefer
to build a career in Canada or elsewhere.
Getting into a Canadian university is not easy; you need time
and information: the more you learn about admission process
into a college or university in Canada, about requirements and
programs, the more time you allow to prepare for this big step,
the more chances for success you will have.
Below is some useful information about what Canadian schools
require applicants to demonstrate and what types of prepara�
tion are available.
RReeqquuiirreemmeennttss ooff CCaannaaddiiaann hhiigghheerr eedduuccaattiioonn iinnssttiittuuttiioonnss
All higher education institutions in Canada have similar admis�
sion requirements. The degree of difficulty in the selection
process depends on the type of program and school's ratings.
EEnngglliisshh llaanngguuaaggee rreeqquuiirreemmeennttss
It is essential that an international applicant demonstrates a good
command of the English language, a level suitable for undertak�
ing an intensive and challenging academic course that's taught
and examined in English. In order to do so applicants need to
pass a recognized English language test at an appropriate level.
There are a number of standardized tests which are recognized
worldwide. The most popular are TOEFL iBT and IELTS, although
Canadian universities can also recognize Pearson and Cam�
bridge exams. The minimum English language requirements are
usually published on the university or department admission
requirements page.
SSaattiissffaaccttoorryy sscchhoollaassttiicc aavveerraaggee
Universities seek to admit talented students who will honour
their names in the future. Your child doesn't have to be a straight
A student at high school, but it is important to have excellent
marks in their career subjects.
WWeellll��pprreeppaarreedd aapppplliiccaattiioonn ppaacckkaaggee
The process of getting into a Canadian college or university
involves preparing a whole set of documents: filled�in applica�
tion form, translated and non�translated school transcripts, moti�
vation essay and recommendation letter. It is crucial that you do
your paperwork right and send the package before the dead�
line. The selection committee members don't have an option of
meeting applicants and getting to know them in any other way
than through their documents. So your application package is
your main and only representative.
TTyyppeess ooff pprreeppaarraattiioonn
As you might have already realized, you cannot arrange an
effortless entry to a Canadian university for your child. It is a job
in itself. Let's talk about what types of preparation there are out
there to assist you and your child with this job.
IInnddeeppeennddeenntt pprreeppaarraattiioonn
With this type of preparation you need to start 3 or 4 years
before your child intends to enroll at a Canadian university.
Much depends on the level of English they have at the start and
on how intensive the English language course they have cho�
sen is. The most important thing is to reach B2 or Upper�
Intermediate level of English. In addition to this your child should
be a high achieving student at high school.
As for the application package, all administrative and logistical
issues, it is a good idea to use the help of information resources
on the Internet (make sure they are trustworthy) and internation�
al education consultants.
SSuummmmeerr ccaammpp iinn CCaannaaddaa
Independent preparation for a Canadian college or university
can be supplemented with short summer programs in Canada
for youth. They can be organized in a lot of different ways, but
they all provide intensive English language preparation and
immersion English�speaking environment.
Besides morning classes summer programs for teens offer all
sorts of activities. In a summer camp your child will be typically
involved in cultural tours and fun events, while summer schools
will organize leadership programs, additional academic prepa�
ration in IT, arts, entrepreneurship, theater and much more. You
can also find a summer camp specializing in sports. It is com�
mon that a language school providing junior programs arranges
them in 2�6 week sessions with fixed dates.
PPaatthhwwaayy pprrooggrraammss
High school students from different countries wishing to prepare
for a Canadian university in Canada can choose special
preparatory programs, usually called Pathway or Foundation
programs. They can be organized by universities or third party
providers working in partnership with a list of colleges and uni�
versities. Pathway and Foundation programs can be from 12
weeks to 1 year long. You choose the length of the program
according to how much time your child needs to fulfil the aca�
demic and English language requirements of the chosen
degree program.
EXPERT'S CORNER
EEXXPPEERRTT''SS CCOORRNNEERR
Alexey Surin, PhD, Managing Director,"Direct Talk" The Bureau for International Educational Programs
PREPARING YOUR CHILD
FOR A CANADIAN
UNIVERSITY
This highly successful mission was the result of the joint efforts by
the CERBA Moscow and Toronto Chapters, and included the fol�
lowing representatives of Canadian institutions related to the grain
industry: Canadian lnternational Grains lnstitute (CIGI) was repre�
sented by Ms. Lisa Joan Nemeth, Director, lnternational Markets,
Ms. Elaine Janice Sopiwnyk�Meier, Director, Grain Quality, and
Ms. Yulia Borsuk, Technical Specialist Baking Technology, Mr.
Daniel Ramage, Director of Market Development, represented
Cereals Canada, and Mr. Geoff Backman, Business Development
and Markets Manager, represented Alberta Wheat Commission.
On the top: Lisa Joan Nemeth, Canadian lnternational Grains lnstitute (CIGI); Daniel Ramage, Cereals Canada; Geoff Backman, Alberta Wheat CommissionOn the bottom: Elaine Janice Sopiwnyk�Meier and Yulia Borsuk, Canadian lnternational Grains lnstitute (CIGI)
CANADIAN GRAIN BUSINESSMISSION TO RUSSIA
MMAAIINN SSTTOORRIIEESS
SSEEPPTTEEMMBBEERR 2244��2266,, 22001188
14 / 2018 Volume I 2018 Volume I / 15
MAIN STORIES MAIN STORIES
The prime objective of the visit was to compare Canadian and
Russian experience in wheat and durum production and pro�
cessing: breeding, seed distribution, producer practices, han�
dling system, measuring and improving the quality of grain and
its end products. Canadian delegates were also interested to
learn about current and future export market priorities in Russia
and overall wheat and durum production projections.
The three�day visit to Moscow started with the morning meeting
with Yves Piquet, Head of Crop Science in the Northern CIS
(Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan) at Bayer Russia, and Redouane
Mekideche, Counsellor (Agricultural Affairs) and Trade Commis�
sioner at the Embassy of Canada to Russia. The meeting pro�
vided the participants with a detailed overview of the agricultural
sector in Russia, with a focus on wheat industry, and also co�
vered the Russian seeds and crop protection market. The day
continued with a meeting with representatives of the Trade
Section at the Canadian Embassy in Moscow, and ended up
with an informal dinner attended by Canadian delegates, their
Russian counterparts, and representatives of Canadian
Embassy. The dinner took place in one of the finest centrally
located restaurants in Moscow, and was kindly hosted by Yves
Piquet from Bayer Russia.
The second day program started with the visit to the CRNS
Agricultural Research Institute "Nemchinovka", founded in 1931,
one of the leading breeding centers in Russia for grain crops,
highly recognized internationally for its numerous achievements
in breeding new varieties of wheat. During the visit, delegates
received very warm welcome from the center's management
and staff � they were introduced to the general activities of the
institute, had a short excursion at the wheat and bread exhibits
room demonstrating the achievements of the center over the
past decades, and even had a chance to taste homemade
bread that "Nemchinovka" staff cooks to check the quality of new
experimental wheat varieties. During the seminar that followed,
Mr. Sergey Voronov, General Director of "Nemchinovka", Bagrat
Sandukhadze, a world�famous breeder of winter wheat, and
other researchers delivered several presentations covering top�
ics related to wheat breeding, such as winter soft wheat selec�
tion, improving baking quality of grain, raising yields in a tem�
perate climate, various methods for winter wheat protection
quality improvement and, grain quality assessment processes.
In turn, the delegates shared with their Russian counterparts tra�
ditional solutions to many grain�related issues widely used in
Canada and participated in Q&A sessions with the Russian crop
scientists. The participants from both sides came to the con�
clusion that improvement of cooperation and experience
exchange between Russian and Canadian wheat breeders
would be of mutual benefit and might help to significantly
improve the quality of wheat grain, and thus secure better
wheat yields in both countries.
The program continued with the visit to the All�Russian Scientific
Research Institute for Grain and Grain Products and meeting
with Ms. Elena Meleshkina, General Director of the Institute. The
Meeting at the Bayer Russia office
Mr. Sergey Savostin, General Director, Flour Mill Plant in Sokolniki (inthe middle) with the delegates
All�Russian Scientific Research Institute for Grainand Grain Products visit
Meeting at the Scientific Research Institute of Baking Industry
At the CRNS Agricultural Research Institute "Nemchinovka"
16 / 2018 Volume I
Jointly with the KAZENERGY Association the Canada Eurasia
Russia Business Association (CERBA) organized the
Kazakhstan Canada Business Council Energy Conference. The
event took place on the 25th of September 2018 in Rahat Palace
Hotel, Almaty, Kazakhstan.
The conference was attended by a trade mission of 14 Canadian
companies � KIOGE 2018 exhibitors from a range of sectors: Oil
& Gas, Natural Resources, IT, Logistics and more. The delega�
tion was headed by His Excellency Nicholas Brousseau,
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Canada in
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan.
The Kazakhstan Canada Business Council Energy Conference's
main goal was to get in touch with Canadian companies and to
get acquainted with a range of expertise that they propose to the
Kazakh market.
The main topics of the meeting were the following:
• the latest opportunities for investment and export
in Energy Sector;
• efficient working models alongside the Kazakhstan/Canadian
government and businesses;
• opportunities for capital raising projects in Kazakhstan;
• Canadian and Kazakh industry trends;
• Networking with the experts and industry decision makers.
All participants witnessed another great success of the
Conference the signing the MOU between CERBA and KAZEN�
ERGY Association.
MAIN STORIES
2018 Volume I / 17
meeting was followed by a thorough discussion of classification
system of wheat in Russia and parameters used for wheat and
flour quality assessment. The discussion allowed the delegates
to obtain detailed information about the process of wheat grain
quality assessment in Russia and to identify the differences
between Russian and Canadian wheat classification systems.
On the final day the delegation travelled to the Flour Mill Plant in
Sokolniki, one of the oldest and largest mill plants in Moscow
region, and held a meeting with its General Director, Sergey
Savostin, who was happy to meet with the delegates and dis�
cuss the specifics of flour production in Russia. Mr. Savostin also
kindly arranged for the Canadian delegation a tour around the
plant, where delegates could observe the whole process of mak�
ing flour from the beginning till the end. The delegates were then
taken to the mill's laboratory where they learned about Russian
standards for wheat flour classification and had the opportunity
to participate in flour testing. The Moscow part of the visit con�
culded with a meeting with the top management of Scientific
Research Institute of Baking Industry, hosted by Ms. Marina
Kostyuchenko, General Director of the institute. During the meet�
ing, Canadian delegates were provided with an overview of the
baking industry in Russia, its common practices and standards,
and discussed the differences and similarities between Russian
and Canadian practices.
After completing the Moscow part of the program, the Canadian
delegation proceeded to Rostov�on�Don to learn about Russian
practices in grain transportation and handling.
MAIN STORIES
Flour packaging line
KAZAKHSTAN CANADABUSINESS COUNCILENERGY CONFERENCE
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18 / 2018 Volume I
Canada�Belarus Business Forum, and this is already an accom�
plishment. Canadians see potential in Belarus related industry
and technology', underlined the Chairman of the Chamber of
Commerce. 'CERBA is happy to finally be in Belarus. We have
hosted seven business delegations from Belarus since 2015 and
we have advocated for the normalization of business relations
between our countries for many years. This is the result of all this
work and we hope this is only the beginning. We will certainly
work for deeper business relations', stated Sebastien Dakin,
Director of CERBA and organizer of the mission.
The company Positron announced at the event that it was in seri�
ous discussions with a Belarusian company to manufacture
technology in Belarus to increase the speed of the internet. This
announcement came as a clear example of the opportunities with
the local light industry and its access to the Eurasian Economic
Union. The company Valmetal, manufacturing a range of farm
equipment, was surprised by the level of interest to its products:
'We received many purchase offers, but we need to find distribu�
tors first to support our products on the ground', said Dominic
Poisson, International Sales Manager.
On the other days of the mission, the group received a business
briefing from Schneider Group, a consulting group supporting fo�
reign business in Belarus, they visited Belaz, a producer of the
biggest dump trucks in the world, they visited the China�Belarus
Industrial Park, part of the Belt and Road Initiative, they met with
the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, they
visited the Swiss train manufacturer Stadler, and finally visited the
IT park, hosting some of the largest IT firms in the world.
'Overall, we can say that this first visit in Belarus exceeded our
expectations and it will definitely lay the ground for deeper rela�
tions between Canada and Belarus. We've seen with our own
eyes that Belarus is open for business!', summarized Mr. Dakin.
MAIN STORIES
2018 Volume I / 19
CERBA organized the first official Canadian trade mission to
Belarus with six companies: Bombardier Transportation (railway
technologies), Blackberry (IT infrastructure protection), Positron
Access Solutions (internet solutions), Valmetal (farm equipment),
CanRos (industrial equipment), and Delcreda (credit manage�
ment). The Canadian trade delegation was accompanied by a
high level delegation from Global Affairs Canada: Canadian
Assistant Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Stefanie Beck,
Jeremy Wallace (Charge d'Affaires, Canadian Embassy in
Warsaw), Francis Dorsemaine (Senior trade commissioner,
Canadian Embassy in Warsaw), and Mike Popovic (Privy Council
Office of Canada).
The Highlight of the three day program was the Canada�Belarus
Business Forum attended by the Chairman of the Belarusian
Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Vladimir Ulakhovich, the
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus, Oleg Kravchenko,
and over 60 representatives of the Belarusian business commu�
nity. The event, taking place at the National Library of Belarus,
provided an opportunity to discuss the status of trade relations
between Belarus and Canada, as well as future opportunities.
‘Canada is a highly developed and industrialized country and
there are multiple opportunities with Belarus. This is the first
MAIN STORIES
CERBA ORGANIZESFIRST�EVER CANADIAN TRADEMISSION TO BELARUS
From Left: Francis Dorsemaine (Trade Commissioner in Warsaw), Jeremy Wallace (Charge d'Affaires, Embassy of Canada in Warsaw), StefanieBeck (Assistant Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada), Sebastien Dakin (CEBRA Montreal and Ottawa Director), Vladimir Ulakhovich(Chairman, Belarus Chamber of Commerce and Industry), Oleg Kravshenko (Deputy Minsiter of Foreign Affairs, Belarus
SSEEPPTTEEMMBBEERR 2266��2277,, 22001188
Canadian participants visiting Belaz truck factory
Overview of the Canada�Belarus Business Forum
Sebastien Dakin at the Stadler Minsk factory
National Library of Belarus
20 / 2018 Volume I
An important part of the program was a 2�day visit to the City of
Sudbury. The meeting with the municipal government of
Sudbury uncovered the relationship of the town with its largest
employers, outlined the contribution of the community into the
environmental efforts, informed of the transportation networks,
vibrant arts and culture scene, city's economic diversification
strategy and mining sector heritage. Glencore and Vale tours
and presentations provided the details of the private sector envi�
ronmental policies and achievements in the fields of community
engagement, indigenous peoples relationship, education, safe�
ty and training. The delegation toured the Laurentian University
and many other examples of the local social infrastructure. The
delegates were impressed by the VETAC committee's work: the
City of Greater Sudbury's Regreening Program has focused on
rehabilitating Sudbury's landscape and watersheds; since 1978,
over 3,400 hectares of land were limed and grassed and over
9.7 million trees have been planted � a lot of experience to share
with the Russian remote city within the polar circle. The dele�
gates were interested in the Science North, Living with Lakes
Environment Centre and other ideas that make Sudbury a
unique centre in Northern Ontario.
In Edmonton the group was greeted by Frank Kense, CERBA
Alberta Regional Director and the Chairman of our Alberta
Chapter, Stephen Parkes. The program included the meeting
with the City Councillor, Mr. Henderson, and his colleagues in
charge of the cultural initiatives attracting tourists to Edmonton
in the winter time. Special programs drastically changed the pat�
tern of visitors' flows to the city. The urban planning and design
was also of high interest to the delegates � they walked along
the Pedway, toured the impressive Rogers Place as part of their
brief downtown tour.
Throughout the program the delegates also presented their city
and community development projects in the extreme climatic con�
ditions. Further cooperation steps include the return of operations
delegation of Norilsk Nickel and social programs department.
MAIN STORIES
2018 Volume I / 21
CERBA Toronto Chapter hosted the delegation from the town of
Norilsk and the town�forming enterprise Norilsk Nickel � one of
the world's leaders in nickel production � in mid�October 2018.
The business program revolved around the corporate social
responsibly, sustainable planning and design as well as indus�
trial development of mono cities and land reclamation and re�
greening practices in the mining industry.
The Mayor of Norilsk and the Deputy Director of Norilsk eco�
nomic development agency represented the city while the other
delegates were part of Norilsk Nickel's social programs and HR
departments. The delegation visited Toronto, Hamilton, Niagara
Falls, Sudbury, Edmonton and Vancouver. The business pro�
gram included learning from the Canadian mining companies'
experience of cooperation with local governments, contractors
and communities, meetings with city planning firms.
MAIN STORIES
Greater Sudbury City Hall
Rogers Arena Hockey Hall of Fame
Rogers Arena Hockey Hall of Fame
Edmonton City Hall Meeting
Ed Archer, Sudbury Chief Administrative Officer (left) and RinatAhmetshin, Mayor of Norilsk
Living with Lakes Centre at Laurentian University Visit in SudburyB+H Architects Urban Planning Presentation
Vale Presentation
SHARING THE CANADIAN BESTPRACTICES IN CSR: NORILSKCITY AND NORILSK NICKELBUSINESS MISSION TOCANADA OOCCTTOOBBEERR 1133��2211,, 22001188
22 / 2018 Volume I 2018 Volume I / 23
The CERBA Annual Construction and Infrastructure Conference
was held on November 27th, 2018 at the Metro Toronto
Convention Centre. For the 13th year in a row the Canada
Eurasia Russia Business Association organized its event within
the framework of Construct Canada, the international part of the
Building Show, the largest Canadian building and construction
exhibition of the year in the country.
This year the audience in attendance was addressed by a num�
ber of officials representing Kazakhstan and Russia. The coun�
tries that were also represented by the business and NGO de�
legates were Mongolia and Kyrgyzstan, as well as chairman and
CERBA members representing leading construction and infra�
structure companies in the region.
The main themes were focused on urban development, the lat�
est technologies and 'smart cities' projects both in Canada and
Eurasia, bylaws and regulations. Within the two conference ses�
sions, moderated by Bill Hutchison, Honored Research Fellow
at the University of Toronto, Munk School of Global Affairs and
Public Policy, Smart Cities Chair, the speakers shared their per�
spective on expanding business to the Eurasian markets, pro�
vided international examples of innovative projects in
Kazakhstan, Russia, and Mongolia.
Ilyas Akhmetov, Ms. Gulmira Tolganbaeva and Ms. Khulan Khag�
vasuren presented the latest projects from Kazakhstan and
Mongolian, which represent cooperation opportunities for Ca�
nadian companies. At the same time, urban development tech�
niques and innovative construction technologies were defined in
detail by Dave Fletcher, VP, BEHLEN Industries, Alexander
Elgin, B+H Architects and Jack Laken, Termobuild Canada.
The Construction and Infrastructure forum also included the indi�
vidual work of the industry executives at the Construct Canada
Trade Show and a business trip to the town of Parry Sound and
the surrounding area for the Eurasian delegates to familiarize
themselves with the investment opportunities in Northern Ontario.
The Town of Parry Sound in partnership with the West Parry
Sound Economic Development Collaborative organized a full�
day program including factory tours and meetings with local busi�
nesses. Katherine Balabanova, CERBA National Coordinator,
led the delegation and met with the Mayor of Parry Sound, Mr.
McGarvey. The Parry Sound Area Chamber of Commerce, local
architects, off�the�grid house in Seguin, local manufacturing
companies, Parry Sound Area Industrial Park and Parry Sound
Area Municipal Airport Business Park were visited.
All interested members are encouraged to invite their Eurasian
partners to the CERBA Construction and Infrastructure Forum at
the end of November 2019.
MAIN STORIES
CERBA Toronto Chapter hosted The Ambassador Extraordi�
nary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Uzbekistan to the
United States of America and Canada, H.E. Javlon Vakhabov
on November the 14th, 2018 at the Ontario Investment and
Trade Centre for a discussion of bilateral business opportunities
with the member companies located in Ontario.
Within the framework of the organized roundtable, the Ambas�
sador addressed CERBA members and stakeholders and pre�
sented the latest transformations in the country's national strat�
egy that provide a lot of opportunities for the Canadian industry
to expand business in Uzbekistan mainly in the spheres of min�
ing and metallurgy, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, energy,
mechanical and electrical engineering, tourism, education and
infrastructure development.
Based on the potentials of economic development between the
countries of Canada and Uzbekistan and taking into account the
need for bilateral development of trade and investment, – the
Memorandum of Cooperation between CERBA and the Em�
bassy of Uzbekistan in the USA and Canada was signed.
CERBA is looking forward to future cooperation, joint initiatives
and the establishment of new business partnerships between
Canada and Uzbekistan.
*All interested companies are invited to explore business in the
region by joining the CERBA mission to Uzbekistan taking place
from May 10�17 (Oil and Gas sector) and May 14�17 (Energy,
Mining, Agriculture, other sectors). Please contact the regional
director in your Chapter to subscribe.
MAIN STORIES
Gilles Breton and H.E. Javlon Vakhabov sign the memorandum ofthe cooperation between CERBA and the Embassy of Uzbekistan toCanada and US
Round table with H.E. Javlon Vakhabov, the Ambassador ofUzbekistan to the USA and Canada
Round table with H.E. Javlon Vakhabov, the Ambassador ofUzbekistan to the USA and Canada
Panel 2 of the Conference, moderated by Bill Hutchison,Distinguished Research Fellow, University of Toronto, Munk Schoolof Global Affairs and Public Policy, Smart Cities Chair, HutchisonManagement Inc CEO
Audience
CERBA Construction and Infrastructure Conference participantsand the organizing committee
Panel 1 of the Conference; Valery Maximov, Senior trade commis�sioner of the Russian Federation to Canada, welcomes the audience
CERBA SIGNS A MEMORANDUMOF COOPERATION WITH THEEMBASSY OF UZBEKISTAN INTHE USA AND CANADA
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24 / 2018 Volume I
Besides outlining the current status and future forecasts for the
resource sector, speakers offered exceptional information on
actual business opportunities in Kazakhstan (Kazakh Invest
investment portfolio for junior mining companies), Mongolia
(Oyu Tolgoi and Erdenet development and opportunities for the
mining suppliers), Russian Federation (government policies on
international investment and opportunities in the Far East,
including Hakandzhinskoe Gold and Silver deposits).
The third panel of the conference � Leveraging Safe
Environment and Sustainable Indigenous Communities � out�
lined best practices and interregional cooperation opportunities
to balance smooth growth of resource sector and healthy devel�
opment of local communities. The panel was moderated by the
Founder and Director of the Resource Works Society, Stewart
Muir. The list of speakers included Vice President and the Head
of Moscow Office of KINROSS Gold Corp., Stanislav Borodyuk,
Director of GLOBE Performance, Mark Heilig, Chair of the
Chukotka Council of Inuits, Liubov Taian, Head of Animal
Kingdom Department at the Chukotka Regional Government,
Egor Vereshchagin, Executive Director of indigenous business
association CANDO, Raymond Wanuch.
The conference attracted over 130 participants including from
provincial and federal government, mining suppliers, engineers,
investors, indigenous associations, experts in international trade
legislation and numerous others. The most important confer�
ence outcomes are initiation of preliminary discussions on
developing cooperation between Chukotka and the BC
Provincial Government and organization of trade mission to
Mongolia Mining and Oil international trade show in April.
The event was attended by the business delegates from Ka�
zakhstan (KSB Engineering Ltd.) and Mongolia (Trigteg Con�
sulting company). The conference was a perfect venue for our
guests to meet potential partners, exchange business experi�
ence and obtain information on how to effectively develop busi�
ness ties with Canadian companies.
We would like to express our gratitude to all the sponsors and
supporters who made our conference possible: Deloitte and
Deloitte Tax Law LLP (host of the conference), KINROSS Gold
Corp. (Platinum Sponsor), SCHNEIDER GROUP (Gold
Sponsor), Global Affairs Canada Vancouver Regional Office
(Silver Sponsor), AFEX (Bronze Sponsor), Pressreader (in�kind
Sponsor, produced the conference brochure) and the long
terms marketing supporter, Association of Mineral Explorations,
our long term partner on this conference since 2011.
MAIN STORIES
2018 Volume I / 25
The VIII CERBA�Vancouver Mining Conference "Creating Value:
Business Opportunities for Resource Industry in Greater
Eurasia" took place on January 29th at Deloitte Conference
Center following the tradition of the last five years. The half�day
conference was opened by the Chair of the CERBA�Vancouver
Chapter, President of EMBC Capital Partners Corp. and the
Honorary Consul of Russia in Vancouver, Erin Campbell
(Chutter) and included three interactive panels.
The focus of the conference was diversification of trade and
growing opportunities for Canadian companies in the Greater
Eurasian markets, as well as environmentally safe industry,
social corporate responsibility and sustainable indigenous com�
munities. The event featured a number of countries such as
Kazakhstan, Mongolia and the Russian Federation in terms of
business climate, new government regulations related to the
resource sector and regional mining projects looking for Cana�
dian expertise, products and technologies.
There are still many questions on economic and geopolitical
landscape, business climate and international trade regulations
that need to be answered when we speak about Eurasian mar�
kets. Two panels of the conference devoted to these matters �
Accessing New Market Opportunities and Fostering International
Trade and Investment in Eurasia Resource Industry – included
presentations from such leading experts in these areas as the
Minister of State for Trade (government of British Columbia),
Honorable George Chow, Deputy Director of Global Affairs
Canada Vancouver Regional Office, Renee Umezuki, Head of
Commercial Section at the Canadian Embassy to Mongolia,
Steven Basadur, Ex�Ambassador of Canada to Russia, Armenia
and Uzbekistan, John Sloan, Founder and Managing Partner of
SCHNEIDER GROUP, Ulf Schneider, Ambassador of Ka�
zakhstan to Canada, H.E. Akylbek Kamaldinov, Ambassador of
Mongolia to Canada, Yadmaa Ariunbold, Head of the Russian
Trade mission to Canada, Valerii Maximov, Partner at Deloitte
Tax Law, Daniel Kisalbach, Professor of the University of British
Columbia, Julian Dierkes, Executive Director of Kazakh Invest
State Company, Dmitry Tkachenko, President and CEO of
Association of Mineral Explorations, Edie Thome.
MAIN STORIES
Hon. George Chow, Minister of State for Trade(BC Provincial Government)
H.E. Akylbek Kamaldinov, Ambassador ofKazakhstan
Renee Umezuki, Deputy Director, GACVancouver Reginal Office
H.E. Yadmaa Ariunbold, Ambassador of Mongolia
First panel of the conference
VIII CERBA�VANCOUVERMINING CONFERENCE ONTHE MARGINS OF AMEROUNDUP�2019
JJAANNUUAARRYY 2299,, 22001199
26 / 2018 Volume I
and a mission to Uzbekistan was being planned. All the devel�
opments were part of the diversification of the activities of the
Association in the wider scope of Eurasian countries and offered
more opportunities in the sectors where Canada excels. This
strategy is very much in line with the diversification of exports that
is on the agenda for the business across Canada.
CERBA continues to provide its members with the most com�
prehensive program of events and activities to expose them to
the broadest possible range of business opportunities in Eurasia.
After the official AGM part, the session continued with the dis�
cussion panel of "Business Experience in Eurasian Markets."
The board initiated the discussion and provided the attendees
with the latest updates and advice relevant to expanding/starting
of business in Eurasian markets. The panel representatives from
Kinross, Bombardier, BEHLEN, Ronald Chisholm and CERBA
Board Directors (Nathan Hunt, Lou Naumovski and Nicolas
Fresne) spoke as keynote speakers and shared their views on
dealing with the local authorities, conducting due diligence, work�
ing with partners, competition, mitigating markets risks � all to
succeed in Eurasia. Gilles Breton moderated the session.
It was also a great honour to welcome the Charge d'Affaires of
the Republic of Belarus, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food
of the Republic of Belarus, and the Consul General of the
Russian Federation as the panel welcome speakers, with the
Consul of the Republic of Kazakhstan and representatives of
Global Affairs of Canada as the special guests.
The joint organizing committee of KPMG Canada and CERBA,
Toronto Chapter, hosted a "Business Opportunities Outlook in
Russia and CIS" roundtable discussion on December the 6th,
2018. The event brought together the well�known leaders and
global developers in various industries, who shared their experi�
ences and expertise in doing business with Eurasia.
Maria Cherkasova and Vera Chefranova, KPMG Senior Mana�
gers along with Katherine Balabanova of CERBA welcomed the
audience in attendance and provided introductory remarks and a
comprehensive overview of the Russian economy.
LOOKING BACK
2018 Volume I / 27
The International delegation from the Republic of Belarus was
represented by CERBA in�market partners, the Mogilev Branch
of Belarusian Chamber of Commerce, who brought 7 delegates
to Canada headed by the Deputy Minister of Agriculture of the
Republic of Belarus, Mr. Brylo. The delegation's members repre�
sented the leading regional agro�farms in Belarus and were high�
ly interested in networking and further cooperation with the
Canadian agro sector.
The business mission consisted of a four�day tour of the Guelph
area, which included meetings and negotiations with the most
significant Canadian agricultural and genetic companies and live�
stock farms. The main topics of cattle breeding, mechanization
of livestock daily routines, genetic material and selection were
touched upon.
Mr. Brylo also met with the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and
Rural Affairs of Ontario to discuss the prospects of cooperation
between Belarus and Ontario, as well as the interaction between
the agricultural agencies.
At the end of the business mission, the Deputy Minister com�
mented, "I hope the contacts we have established will pave the
way for a long�term and mutually beneficial cooperation between
our countries in the field of agriculture, one of the most promising
areas that can become a locomotive for Belarus�Canada coop�
eration in future."
CERBA welcomed members at the Annual General Meeting on
September the 20th, 2018. Mr. Breton addressed the board for
the first time as the AGM host in the capacity of the National
Chairman of CERBA.
CERBA gained many achievements and organized new activi�
ties during the previous year. Thus, the Association paid more
attention to its focus sectors of Mining, Oil & Gas, Construction
& Infrastructure, Aerospace and Agriculture. Versatile business
missions to Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan were organized
LOOKING BACK
LLOOOOKKIINNGG BBAACCKK
TORONTO
Igor Brylo, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food of the Republicof Belarus (left) and the OMAFRA Deputy Minister Greg Meredith,discuss the agriculture cooperation between Canada and Belarus
Discussion Panel (from left): Lou Naumovski, John Call, NathanHunt, Gilles Breton and Nicolas Fresne
H. E. Dmitry Basik, Charge d'Affaires of the Republic of Belarus (left)and Nathan Hunt, CERBA Moscow Chairman
Robert C. Kay, CERBA Toronto Board Member (left) and Nathan Hunt,CERBA Moscow Chairman
Panel Speakers (from left): Stephane Gagne, VP of Marketing, UCTResearch and Development; Gilles Breton, CERBA NationalChairman; Erin Campbell (Chutter), President, ECMB Capital,CERBA Vancouver Chairman; Kerry Adler, Founder, President andChief Executive Officer, SkyPower Global Group of Companies
Panel hosts and Speakers (from left): Maria Cherkasova, SeniorManager, KPMG; Roustam Graeme Roustan, ICD.D, Founder andCEO of Roustan Capital; Vera Chefranova, Senior Manager, KPMG;Katherine Balabanova, CERBA Toronto Regional Director andNational Coordinator
THE OFFICIAL VISIT OF
THE BELARUS MINISTRY
OF AGRICULTURE AND
FOOD DELEGATION TO
CANADA
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CERBA NATIONAL AGM
AND "BUSINESS
EXPERIENCE IN
EURASIAN MARKETS"
PANELSSEEPPTTEEMMBBEERR 2200,, 22001188
CERBA & KPMG "BUSI�
NESS OPPORTUNITIES
OUTLOOK IN RUSSIA
AND CIS" ROUNDTABLEDDEECCEEMMBBEERR 66,, 22001188
Reception
28 / 2018 Volume I
The program started at the CERBA Toronto office with the intro�
ductory meeting with Greg Folinazzo, the Ontario Ministry of
Agriculture and Agri�food Senior Development Officer. Mr.
Folinazzo presented the national agriculture programming sys�
tem and federal programs with the primary mandate to develop
research, science and technology transfer. The main strategic
objectives discussed were as of how Canada increases its agri�
cultural productivity, enhances its environmental performance
and addresses threats to the value chain. The topic provided for
a very engaging discussion that led to the Kazakh and Canadian
markets compartments, specifics and trends discussion.
The presentation flowed smoothly into the next meeting with
International Genetics representatives who answered the dele�
gation's questions about the Canadian genetics specifics, pro�
gram establishment, genomic testing and gender selection. The
meeting also highlighted main focus points to start the dairy and
beef businesses in Kazakhstan, the main challenges to over�
come, etc.
During the next two days, the delegation toured 7 dairy and beef
farms, covering the Guelph, Ingersol, Orton, Erin, Markdale and
Orangeville area. The dairy tour comprised of the J & L Walker,
Naglehouse, and Opdenkelder farms, which specialize in
Holstein breeding and milk production. The visitors were pre�
sented with the robotic operation, cows' daily routine, milking and
feeding procedures, veterinary measures to prevent various sick�
nesses, as well as calf welfare and stages of growth (nursing,
growing and finishing stages). Some of the main points of inter�
est were the individual, parallel (up to 40 cows) and circle (up to
60 cows) automatic milking machinery, computerizes herd sen�
sors and Lely operational system. The group was also advised
on the construction of the hangars, individual pens, temperature
and ventilation specifics, together with one of the largest grain
warehouses and trucks for grain mixing.
The last day tours focused on beef breeding, fattening and facil�
ity organization, thus comprising of Jay Leslie, Paradise, Bar 5,
and Wally Pugh farms. The given locations are known for its
Angus, Hereford and Waigu beef breeding. All farms are also
technologically advanced and operate with the help of automatic
stall cleaning. The main points of interest were beef feedlots, bull
test station, calf nutrition and pedigree. The delegates had an
excellent opportunity to witness the power of genomic improve�
ments, as well as discuss such herd characteristics as confor�
mation, production and longevity, milking temperament among
others.
CERBA Toronto Chapter would like to express its sincerest gra�
titude to Ralph Jardine, Ontario Manager from Select Sires and
Andy Fraser, President of Ontario Angus Association for sup�
porting the delegation and hosting the beef and dairy tours
around all the farms.
On 8th August, at the Executive Lounge Zone of the Renaissance
Moscow Monarch Centre Hotel, CERBA Moscow Chapter held
its Annual General Meeting followed by an informal Hawaiian
party "Aloha, Summer".
LOOKING BACK
2018 Volume I / 29
Acting as the event moderator, Gilles Breton, CERBA National
Chairman, opened the panel discussion with the latest geopoliti�
cal and market overview of Eurasia, then passing the floor to
each of the panel speakers.
Kerry Adler, Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer of
the Skypower Global Group of Companies, presented the latest
utility�scale solar projects and spoke about the challenges and
positive experiences going to different markets including
Uzbekistan.
Graeme Roustan, ICD.D, Founder and CEO of Roustan Capital
agreed with the previous speaker and shared his story and high�
lights of Bauer's expansion to Russia and Eurasia.
Erin Chutter, President, ECMB Capital and CERBA Board
Director, continued the dialogue with her experience in
expanding the business and raising funds for mining projects
in Eurasia, as well as things that a potential investor from
Canada needs to know.
Stephane Gagne, VIP of Marketing, UCT Research and Deve�
lopment, closed the official panel presentations with an overview
of a joint research and technology project with a Russian com�
pany in the field of cancer diagnostics.
The discussion raised many comments around the table with a
lot of positive and constructive feedback, as well as experience
that was shared by other attendees in regards to their fields of
operation and business expansion in Eurasia and Russia.
The Canadian dairy and meat sector is well known worldwide for
its variety and high�quality production. However, not only strict
biosecurity control, environmental sustainability, and a strong
commitment to animal welfare has led the industry to its World
recognition, but also its genetic programs and innovative use of
technologies in dairy/beef cattle breeding. It is hard to believe,
but 2 operators can easily control 2,000 large livestock farm and
keep track of each animal health data and needs. To introduce
that unique operational system CERBA has developed a spe�
cialized business program for the incoming delegation from
Kazakhstan and Ukraine.
LOOKING BACK
Roundtable discussion
From left: Business meeting (from left to right): Oksana Lukyanova,Director of Green Point International Events, Dr. AkhmedTokbergenov, Kazakhstani Regional Director, International GeneticsLtd., Bill Young, President, International Genetics Ltd, SabirzhanAtayev, General Director, Ak Zhol LLP, Vera Dedyulya, AssistantRegional Director, CERBA, Toronto Chapter
Panel discussion
Nathan Hunt, CERBA Moscow Chairman, and Armin Eberhard,General Manager, Renaissance Moscow Monarch Centre Hotelgreeting the guestsBusiness meeting with Dr. Akhmed Tokbergenov and Bill Young,
International Genetics Ltd
Ak Zhol and CERBA delegation meeting with Paradise FarmsOperators
Agriculture delegation touring the dairy farm
MOSCOW
AGRICULTURAL
DELEGATION FROM
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CERBA MOSCOW AGM &
"ALOHA, SUMMER"
HAWAIIAN PARTYAAUUGGUUSSTT 88,, 22001188
30 / 2018 Volume I
On August 21, CERBA, with the support from the Russo�British
Chamber of Commerce (RBCC), organized a morning seminar
on immigration, relocation and real estate together with Intermark
Relocation. The objective of the event was to familiarize the rep�
resentatives of the international businesses in Moscow with the
recent changes in migration registration policies of foreign citi�
zens and general immigration document application procedure.
The seminar proved to be extremely useful for newly arrived
expats, as well as for expats who already live in Moscow, and for
HR specialists whose work duties include assistance to foreign
employees of their companies.
The seminar started with welcome words by Nathan Hunt,
CERBA Moscow Chairman, and Stuart Lawson, Representative
of the Management Board of the, RBCC, who greeted the guests
and shared their own insights on the topic discussed.
Experts from Intermark Relocation, Andrey Lukash, Head of
Legal Department, Project Manager, Marina Semenova,
Managing Director, Olga Makeshina, Director for Immigration
Services, outlined the main issues related to relocating and get�
ting settled in the Russian Federation, particularly in Moscow,
highlighted recent legal and procedural changes related to
Russian registration policies, and provided a forecast for future
development of the legal base in this area. Intermark Relocation
experts have also provided many useful practical tips on dealing
with registration issues in Russia for various types of foreign vis�
itors, with the primary focus on foreign expats.
The seminar was concluded with the Q&A session and informal
discussion with the speakers.
On October 5, 2018, CERBA, jointly with the American Chamber
of Commerce in Russia (AmCham Russia) organized a meeting
with Mr. Dmitri Trenin, Director of the Carnegie Moscow Center
and a Senior Associate of the Carnegie Endowment for
International Peace. The meeting was attended by representatives
of the Canadian and American business communities in Russia.
Alexis Rodzianko, President, AmCham Russia, and Nathan Hunt,
CERBA Moscow Chairman, moderated the meeting.
During the meeting, Mr. Trenin shared his insights into the cur�
rent geopolitical situation, prospects for U.S.�Russia relations,
future macroeconomic trends, and the policy outlook. After fin�
ishing the presentation, Mr. Trenin opened a Q&A session, which
resulted in a very dynamic and interesting discussion between
the speaker and the audience.
LOOKING BACK
2018 Volume I / 31
The meeting began with welcoming word by Armin Eberhard,
General Manager of the Renaissance Moscow Monarch Centre
Hotel. The floor was then taken by CERBA Moscow Chairman
Nathan Hunt, who provided the guests with an overview of
CERBA’s activities and achievements in 2017�18, as well as the
aims and goals for the forthcoming 2018�19 year. Nathan's pres�
entation was followed by the introduction and greeting words by
the new Corporate Members, who have recently joined CERBA
Moscow chapter. Speakers included Kirill Bychkov, General
Director of Moscow Region Development Corporation; Lawrence
Stein, Vice President for International Business Affairs and
Intellectual Property, Skolkovo Institute of Science and
Technology; Robert Machowski, Managing Director, Hatch;
Valery Kucherov, Regional Service Leader � Safety, Partner,
ERM Eurasia. The formal part of the evening ended with con�
cluding words by Stephane Jobin, Charge d'affaires, the
Embassy of Canada in Moscow.
The meeting was then followed by the informal part � a Hawaiian
style party "Aloha, Summer", where guests had a great chance
to taste real Hawaiian style cocktails and delicious cuisine pre�
pared by the hotel’s chef, enjoy thematic Hawaiian DJ music and
admire the amazing city views of Moscow from the summer ter�
race on the top floor of the hotel. The evening was very well
attended, the audience included representatives of the Cana�
dian, American and British business and government elite.
CERBA would like to express its gratitude to the Renaissance
Moscow Monarch Centre Hotel, and personally to its General
Manager Armin Eberhard, for all of the support provided to
CERBA activities during the past year, and a special thank you
for hosting this particular event.
LOOKING BACK
JOINT CERBA�RBCC
SEMINAR WITH INTER�
MARK RELOCATION:
SETTLING IN RUSSIA �
BRIEF GUIDE FOR
EXPATS AND HRAAUUGGUUSSTT 2211,, 22001188
HIGH�LEVEL SPEAKER
BRIEFING WITH DMITRY
TRENIN, THE DIRECTOR
OF THE CARNEGIE
MOSCOW CENTER
OOCCTTOOBBEERR 55,, 22001188
Kirill Bychkov, General Director, Moscow Region DevelopmentCorporation
Robert Machowski, Managing Director, Hatch
Lawrence Stein, Vice President for International Business Affairs,Intellectual Property, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology
Guests enjoying the reception
Stephane Jobin, Charge d'af�faires, the Embassy of Canada inMoscow
Valery Kucherov, RegionalService Leader � Safety, Partner,ERM Eurasia
Dmitri Trenin, Director, Carnegie Moscow Center
From left: Alexis Rodzianko, President, AmCham Russia, NathanHunt, CERBA Moscow Chairman and Mr. Dmitri Trenin, Director,Carnegie Moscow Center
From left: Marina Semenova, Managing Director, Andrey Lukash,Head of Legal Department, Project Manager, Olga Makeshina,Director for Immigration Services, Intermark Relocation; StuartLawson, Representative of the Management Board, RBCC andNathan Hunt, CERBA Moscow Chairman
32 / 2018 Volume I
On October 26, 2018, CERBA was
happy to cooperate with one its clos�
est partners in Moscow, Polish
Business Club, in organizing the
meeting at Slovak House with one of
the leading experts on the Russian
Economy � Sergey Afontsev, Profes�
sor of the Department of world politi�
cal processes MGIMO, head of the
Department of economic theory of
the Institute of world economy and
international relations RAS, Advisor
to the Roundtable of Industrialists of Russia and the EU.
Mr. Afontsev delivered a presentation on the impact of sanctions on
the Russian economy; shed light on the possible perspectives of
positive macroeconomic trends and potential economic growth of
the Russian Federation using topic�related examples.
Mr. Afontsev also held a Q&A session answering questions from
participants.
The seminar also featured a presentation by Natalya Tchernia�
kova � Deputy Director of the Agency of Economic Information
PRIME, who talked about the specifics of operating a small or
medium�sized business in Russia and provided useful tips on
optimization of the business processes in the company. Her
presentation also covered the issue of
operating a business under economic
restrictions.
The event concluded with the network�
ing reception for participants, which
provided members of the Canadian
community in Moscow with the oppor�
tunity to share experience on doing
business in Russia with their counter�
parts from Polish business community.
On November 11, 2018, members of the CERBA community in
Moscow had a great chance to enjoy the concert of the well�
known Canadian jazz pianist David Braid who performed at Esse
Jazz Club.
David Braid is a Steinway Artist, a Special
Associate Artist of Sinfonia UK, an Artist�in�
Residence at the University of Toronto, and
a Research Fellow at the University of
Leeds. He is a recipient of the Ontario
Foundation for the Arts' prestigious prize:
"Paul de Hueck and Norman Walford
Career Achievement Award for Keyboard
Artistry."
His arrangements and compositions were an integral part of the
Chet Baker�inspired film, "Born to Be Blue" and his jazz score
received praise for its "contemporary patina without sacrificing
period authenticity" (The Times, UK). He also won "Best Original
Score" and "Best Original Song" at the 2017 Screen Awards.
On November 14, CERBA, jointly with RBCC, organized a con�
ference with KPMG titled "Managing Business Risks in Russia:
New Opportunities and Challenges".
The event was opened by Egor Misura, Partner, KPMG, and
CERBA Moscow Chairman, Nathan Hunt, who greeted the
guests and introduced speakers.
The objective of the conference was to provide foreign compa�
nies already operating, or considering opening a, business in
Russia, with expert advice on how to set up and run their Russian
business in a safe and effective way. In recent years, Russia has
been undergoing rapid systemic changes, which are sometimes
very difficult for foreign entrepreneurs or investors to understand.
LOOKING BACK
2018 Volume I / 33
On October 11�12, 2018, CERBA joined the Russian Association
for Canadian Studies (RACS) in organization the 15th Inter�
national RACS Conference on Russian�Canadian Relations,
which took place in the Conference Hall of the Institute for the
U.S. and Canadian Studies of Russian Academy of Sciences
(ISKRAN).
The Conference was divided into two sessions, held consecu�
tively on October 11 and October 12. Session on October 11
was exclusively devoted to economic and business themes
including Northern and Arctic issues. The session covered the
following topics: history and evolution of Canada�Russia rela�
tions and cooperation, promoting peace and security in the
Arctic, developing natural resources, providing economic pros�
perity in the North, improving Aboriginal life, protecting the natu�
ral environment, learning from Northern cultural heritage, improv�
ing international cooperation in the North and Arctic and many
other related issues.
The opening of the International Conference began with the wel�
coming words by Dr. Valery Garbuzov, Director of the ISKRAN;
Dr. Sergey Rogov, Academic Director of the ISKRAN; Mr. Alexey
Isakov, Deputy Director of North America Department, Minister of
Foreign Affairs, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipoten�
tiary; Dr. Tatyana Kuzmina, President of RACS, Leading Resear�
cher, Head of the Centre for Development and Innovations of
ISKRAN, RACS; Stephane Jobin, Charge d'affaires, the Em�
bassy of Canada in Moscow; and Neil Withers, President of CFA
Russia and CERBA Moscow Board Member.
The following presentations were delivered during the October
11 Session: "Russia and Canada: After Two Cold Wars to
Cooperation" by T. Kuzmina, President, RACS, "Regional Level
of the Russian�Canadian Cooperation: Theory and Practice" by
Y. Akimov, Chair of the Advisory Board of RACS Branch in St.
Petersburg, "The Soviet Union and Canada: Problems of
Economic Relations" by I. Aggeeva, Senior Researcher, Institute
of World History, "Russian�Canadian economic relations in 2017�
2018" by E. Khoroshilov, PhD, Leading Researcher, Canadian
Department, ISKRAN.
Neil Withers, CERBA Moscow Board Member and the President
of CFA Russia, delivered a presentation on the topic of "Banking
Ethics and Trust in Canadian Banking". In his speech, Mr.
Withers made an overview and general comparison of the
Russian and Canadian banking systems based on his extensive
working experience in both Canadian and Russian banks. He
pointed out that, since he first came to Russia, the country has
made great progress in building a safer and more reliable bank�
ing system, and also improving banking ethics.
The first day of the Conference ended up with a networking
reception for the conference participants at the Azimut Hotel
hosted by the Embassy of Canada in Moscow.
The October 12th session was devoted to Russian�Canadian
cooperation in science and culture. It focused on a discussion
of Canadian domestic social policies, and science and cultur�
al developments in Canada. The session also covered addi�
tional themes relevant to Canadian Studies, such as Canadian
history and literature.
The event concluded with the informal networking reception at
the premises of ISKRAN where conference participants could
exchange their impressions of the conference and discuss
upcoming projects.
CERBA would also like to express its sincere gratitude to the
sponsor of the conference – Kinross Gold Corporation.
LOOKING BACK
Stephane Jobin, Charge d'affaires, the Embassy of Canada inMoscow
From left: Tatyana Kuzmina, Ph.D., President of RACS, LeadingResearcher, Head of the Centre for Development and Innovationsof ISKRAN RACS; Mr. Alexey Isakov, Deputy Director of NorthAmerica Department, Minister of Foreign Affairs, EnvoyExtraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary; Dr. Valery Garbuzov,Director of the ISKRAN; Stephane Jobin, Charge d'affaires, theEmbassy of Canada in Moscow; Neil Withers, CERBA MoscowBoard Member, President, CFA Russia
Neil Withers, CERBA Moscow Board Member, President, CFARussia, delivering the presentation on "Banking, ethics and trust inCanadian banking"
Ivan Barsola, Director, KPMG, delivering the presentation onenvironmental risks
RACS�CERBA 15TH INTER�
NATIONAL CONFERENCE:
"RUSSIAN�CANADIAN
RELATIONS: FROM ECO�
NOMICS TO CULTURE" OOCCTTOOBBEERR 1111��1122,, 22001188
MEETING WITH SERGEY
AFONTSEV AND NATALYA
TCHERNIAKOVAOOCCTTOOBBEERR 2266,, 22001188
CANADIAN CULTURE
IN MOSCOW:
PERFORMANCE BY
CANADIAN JAZZ PIANIST
DAVID BRAID
NNOOVVEEMMBBEERR 1111,, 22001188
JOINT CERBA�BBC CON�
FERENCE WITH KPMG
"MANAGING BUSINESS
RISKS IN RUSSIA: NEW
OPPORTUNITIES AND
CHALLENGES"NNOOVVEEMMBBEERR 1144,, 22001188
Sergey Afontsev, Professorof the Department of WorldPolitical Processes MGIMO
Natalya Tcherniakova,Deputy Director,Agency of EconomicInformation PRIME
34 / 2018 Volume I
CERBA expresses hope that this event has marked the begin�
ning of the long and productive partnership between the two
associations.
On December 6, 2018, the legendary Yar Restaurant again
opened its doors to the annual CERBA Annual Charity Auction
with Vladislav Tretiak which has been held in Moscow every
year since 2002 to raise money to help orphans, improve
schools, sporting facilities and provide equipment to hospitals
in various Russian regions such as Ulyanovsk, Saratov,
Irkutsk and the North of Russia.
This year, the event received strong support from the Russian,
Canadian and international business communities, and was
attended by more than 250 businessmen, civil servants, diplo�
mats, media representatives, and well�known cultural and public
figures from the Russian and Canadian sides. On behalf of the
Canadian community, Stephane Jobin, Charge d'affaires, the
Embassy of Canada in Moscow, greeted the guests and
expressed Canadian support for this remarkable charity initiative.
The festive evening featured a spectacular entertainment pro�
gram, live auction, silent auction with lots ranging from art and
fashion items to jewelry and premium alcohol, and charity lottery.
This year's live auction lots included the most special and unique
items: A commemorative ring, dedicated to the historic victory of
the Russian national hockey team at the 2018 Olympics in
PyeongChang, made of 14 carat gold, decorated with enamel,
diamonds, sapphires and rubies. A hockey jersey of the Russian
National Team autographed by the Olympic Champions of 2018,
A replica of an Olympic Gold Medal, a real hockey puck complete
with autographs of the players – Champions of the Olympic
Games 2018, a Painting of Honored Artist of Russia Nikas
Safronov and many other unique items.
We would like to say a special thank you to all CERBA members
who have joined us at the event for their continuous and whole�
hearted support of this important charity initiative.
CERBA would also like to express our sincere gratitude to the
corporate sponsor of the event � BRP.
Finally, we would like to thank the contributors to our charity
lottery:
Lotte Hotel, Marriott Moscow Grand, Marriott Moscow Royal
Aurora, Renaissance Monarch Moscow, Mamaison Pokrovka,
InterContinental Moscow Tverskaya, StandArt Hotel, IMAX,
Vestoro Tailoring Company, Khajuraho Indian Restaurant and
many other companies and individuals.
We very much appreciate your support and
hope for your active participation in our future
charity initiatives!
The end of 2018 year was celebrated by CERBA Moscow mem�
bers, partners and associates, in the traditional format of Annual
Christmas Cocktail.
The evening opened with the presentation by Nathan Hunt,
CERBA Moscow Board Chairman, who gave a brief overview of
LOOKING BACK
2018 Volume I / 35
Each stage of business development in the Russian market is
characterized by its own risks, which foreign companies need to
be aware of in order to conduct successful business activities.
KPMG experts were happy to share this valuable information
with CERBA guests as to how they can identify these risks and
minimize their consequences.
The speakers included Ekaterina Serikova, Manager; Daria
Saitova, Manager; Ksenia Surkova, Director; Ivan Barsola, Di�
rector; Veronika Semenova, Senior Manager and Ivan Nasonov,
Senior Manager. The experts from KPMG addressed the follow�
ing issues in their presentations: market analysis of the compet�
itive environment and analysis of competitors, market prospects
and main trends; analysis of potential partners: identification of
reputational and corruption risks, verification of reliability of coun�
terparties; identification of conflicts of interest; non�financial risks:
environmental risks, health and safety; corporate investigations;
search for debtors' assets; non�financial risks: environmental
risks, health and safety.
The event concluded with a Q&A session, where speakers con�
tinued the discussion with members of the Canadian and the
British business communities on the issue of maintaining a suc�
cessful business in Russia, and shared the examples of the best
practices of doing business in Russia.
CERBA would like to express its gratitude to KPMG for hosting
the event.
On November 16, 2018, CERBA mem�
bers were provided with the opportunity
to participate in the seminar by Alinga
Consulting Group devoted to the latest
changes in the tax and currency legisla�
tion, as well as the new approaches by
the authorities to tax administration in terms of conducting tax
audits. Experts from Alinga Consulting also covered the topic of
clarifications by regulatory bodies on the complex issues con�
cerning the application of legislation regarding online registers
and explained IFRS 9 application, a new international standard
regulating how to create provisions for expected credit�related
losses. Participants found the information provided during the
seminar valuable and useful for organizing effective business
operations, and expressed desire to participate in the company's
future seminars.
On December 4, 2018, CERBA
was proud to join the Business
Club Germany�Russia (Wirts�
chaftsclub Russland) in Russia in
the organization of the Award Ceremony "New Silk Road", held
at the Library of arts named after A. P. Bogolyubov.
The Ceremony announced the names of two winners of the
"Faces of the Silk Road" international contest, who were selec�
ted amongst 42 contestants from 11 countries: Wang Lei, painter
from Beijing, and Valery Latypov, photographer from Moscow.
The ceremony followed up with a networking reception, providing
guests with an opportunity to examine the works of the winners,
and enjoy live music, refreshments and networking.
LOOKING BACK
SEMINAR ON RECENT
CHANGES IN CURRENCY
AND TAX LEGISLATION
BY ALINGA CONSULTING
GROUPNNOOVVEEMMBBEERR 1166,, 22001188
CERBA 17TH ANNUAL
CHARITY AUCTION WITH
VLADISLAV TRETIAKDDEECCEEMMBBEERR 66,, 22001188
CERBA MOSCOW
ANNUAL CHRISTMAS
COCKTAIL 2018DDEECCEEMMBBEERR 1133,, 22001188
Veronika Semenova, Senior Manager and Nathan Hunt, CERBAMoscow Chairman
Egor Misura, Partner, KPMG
Vladislav Tretiak, President, Ice Hockey Federation of Russia;Nathan Hunt, CERBA Moscow Chairman; Vera Terekhova, Director,V. Tretiak Charitable Foundation
Guests enjoying the reception
Vera Terekhova, Director, V. TretiakCharitable Foundation; VladislavTretiak, President, Ice HockeyFederation of Russia; Nikas Safronov,Honored Artist of Russia; NathanHunt, CERBA Moscow Chairman
Vladislav Tretiak, President,Ice Hockey Federation ofRussia (left) and StephaneJobin, Charge d'affaires, theEmbassy of Canada inMoscow, greeting the guests
NEW SILKROAD AWARD
CEREMONY AND
RECEPTIONDDEECCEEMMBBEERR 44,, 22001188
Valery Latypov, photographerfrom Moscow (left) and WangLei, painter from Beijing
36 / 2018 Volume I
Key indicators of the Russian economy show that growth has
definitely returned after 2015�16 recession to settle at 1.6% in
2018 and the ruble has become less dependent on the price of
oil. The Federal budget has also returned to balance after four
years of deficit. Another interesting detail is the continued hike in
the World Bank's Doing Business ranking, to reach 31st position
in 2018, up from 124th in 2010.
'Creating a more predictable and business friendly economic
environment is a priority for the Russian Government', underlined
Mr. Maksimov. National development goals aim to boost the
economy to reach the top 5 of world economies by 2024, as well
as increasing non�commodity exports.
Trade statistics between Canada and Russia are also returning to
an upward trend following a significant collapse between 2013
and 2016 with 43% growth between 2016 and 2017. Quebec's
share of Canadian trade with Russia has remained in top position
with 41% of Canadian turnover with Russia with the aerospace
sector comfortably sitting in first position of the province's exports.
'Quebec has historically enjoyed stronger trade and cultural rela�
tions than other provinces. We will work to maintain and streng�
then this relation in the future', committed CERBA's Montreal
Director, Sebastien Dakin.
Russian trade missions have been transferred to fall under the
Ministry of Industry and Trade, as opposed to Economic
Development. The 57 trade offices world wide will focus more
on promoting Russian industrial output and attracting foreign
investment.
CERBA Montreal chapter hosted a high�level delegation of the
Government of Uzbekistan, led by the Deputy Minister of Foreign
Affairs, Dilshod Akhatov. He was accompanied by the Head of
the Americas Department (MFA), the Deputy Head of the State
Investment Committee, and the Deputy Head of Mission of the
Embassy in Washington. The delegation met with Canadian rep�
resentatives of business interested in business with Uzbekistan.
LOOKING BACK
2018 Volume I / 37
CERBA’s activities over the past calendar year and highlighted
the most important CERBA achievements during that period.
Stanislav Borodyuk, Vice President and Head of Moscow
Representative Office of Kinross Gold Corporation, Svetlana
Bobrovich, Head of the Moscow Office of Barrick Gold, and
Robert Machowski, Managing Director, Hatch, also greeted the
guests on behalf of their companies � sponsors of the event.
The guests enjoyed the traditionally friendly and festive spirit of
the CERBA Christmas party, delicious cuisine, fine wines, fresh
beer kindly provided by EuroWine, raffle lottery and live jazz
music at the hall with a beautiful panoramic view of the Moscow’s
center located on the 9th floor of the luxurious five star StandArt
Hotel. The event program also featured a performance by the
soprano opera singer Daria Davidova, a representative of the
world�famous Bolshoy Theater in Moscow.
As always, the event concluded
with the CERBA Christmas raffle
lottery featuring a variety of great
prizes. In total, we had almost 200
attendees, representing member�
companies and our numerous part�
ners including government, public
and educational institutions. The
event proved to be a great success,
providing CERBA members with
the opportunity to make new con�
tacts, as well as to reaffirm and
strengthen the existing partnerships
and connections.
We would like to express our sin�
cere gratitude to sponsors of the
event: Kinross Gold, Barrick Gold, Hatch and StandArt Hotel.
We also would like to thank Eurowine for providing a great beer
and wine for our guests!
We also appreciate the support of contributors to our Christmas
lottery: Konfael Chocolate, EuroWine, Peroni Honey, DoubleTree
by Hilton Moscow Marina, Mamaison All�Suites Spa Hotel
Pokrovka, Marriott Moscow Grand, Marriott Moscow Royal
Aurora, InterContinental Moscow Tverskaya, Renaissance
Moscow Monarch Centre Hotel, Lotte Hotel, WoodSource, IMAX,
Vestoro Tailoring Company, Khajuraho Indian Restaurant and V.
Tretiak Charitable Foundation.
The recently appointed Senior Trade Commissioner of the
Russian Federation in Canada made a first official visit to
Montreal on November 7, 2018. Mr. Valerii Maksimov presented
to CERBA stakeholders the latest trade and economic trends in
Russia and in bilateral relations with Canada and the province of
Quebec.
LOOKING BACK
Raffle lottery
Mr. Valerii Maksimov, Senior Trade Commissioner of the RussianFederation in Canada
Daria Davidova, sopranoopera singer
Sebastien Dakin, CERBA Montreal and Ottawa Director, and Mr.Maksimov
Participants of the seminar
Roundtable participants
CERBA National Chairman, Gilles Breton (left) and Deputy Ministerof Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan, Dilshod Akhatov
From left: Stanislav Borodyuk, Vice President and Head of MoscowRepresentative Office of Kinross Gold Corporation; SvetlanaBobrovich, Head of the Moscow Office of Barrick Gold; NathanHunt, CERBA Moscow Board Chairman; Robert Machowski,Managing Director, Hatch
HIGH LEVEL UZBEK
DELEGATION HOSTED
BY CERBA MONTREALNNOOVVEEMMBBEERR 2266,, 22001188
MONTREAL
NEW SENIOR TRADE
COMMISSIONER OF
RUSSIA MEETS
MONTREAL BUSINESS NNOOVVEEMMBBEERR 77,, 22001188
38 / 2018 Volume I
On the 11th of October was held a visit of the Canada Eurasia
Russia Business Association (CERBA) to the Baikonur station.
This visit was guided by Mr. Erlan Karibayev, the Aerospace
Committee Kazcosmos and Daulet representative of the
Roscosmos.
The participants of the event had a chance to observe the whole
process of the rocket launch starting from the exit of the crew
from the hotel "Cosmonaut".
The Canada Eurasia Russian Business Association (CERBA)
representatives witnessed the astronauts exit in spacesuits,
observed cosmonauts' report to the chairman of the State
Commission on flight readiness and, finally, viewed the rocket
launch.
During the tour, the participants also had a walk through the
Astronauts Alley and visited the park in which astronauts planted
trees. Moreover, they took a visit to the Space museum, inspect�
ed Y. Gagarin, S.P. Korylov's Houses and the model of the Buran
orbital ship.
The CERBA delegation has also visited some of the Baikonur
and Kyzylorda cities' sights: the Baikonur City Space Museum
and the Memorial Complex of Korkyt Ata in Kyzyl Orda.
The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Canada Eurasia
Russia Business Association (CERBA) was organized on the
19th of October 2018 in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
The AGM is an important aspect of the governance process of
the CERBA association. During the meeting of this year were
shared the main events and accomplishments of CERBA
Kazakhstan Chapter for 2017�2018 year and KCBC achieve�
ments as well which includes 6 key Industry Working Groups: Oil
& Gas, Mining & Mineral Resources, Agriculture & Agri�food,
Construction & Innovations, Finance, and Aerospace &
Transportation.
LOOKING BACK
2018 Volume I / 39
The Canadian company SkyPower, present at the event, is plan�
ning important investment in solar energy production estimated
at $1.3 billion, which would boost the country's green power gen�
eration by over 10%. Sky Power is currently one of the most
important foreign investor in the country. Renewable energy is a
priority for the Uzbek government and foreign investment, as well
as budget funds, will be spent to increase output from wind,
solar, and hydro sources. The World Bank and the European
Bank for Reconstruction and Development are supporting these
initiatives.
In addition to green energy, the Canadian Gold mining company
B2 Gold is assessing opportunities in Uzbekistan, which has
some of the most important gold reserves in the world.
Uzbekistan is presently in the process of updating it's mining reg�
ulations to international standards and best practice. Uzbekistan
also has significant deposits of Uranium, Tungsten, Iron, and
Lithium. The Boston Consulting Group is currently updating the
national strategy in this sector.
Significant opportunities are also present in agriculture and agri�
food as the country is undergoing a diversification of crops pro�
duction as well as a boost in transformation of food products. Real
estate is witnessing a strong growth since the new government
took office, providing opportunities in construction and infrastruc�
ture projects. Tourism is one of the most interesting areas to be
developed, as Uzbekistan, located of the old silk road, has some
of the best preserved architecture of the Muslim world.
CERBA is organizing, at the request of the Deputy Minister of
Foreign Affairs, a multisector trade mission on May 13�18 to
Uzbekistan to introduce Canadian companies to opportunities
opening up in this country. 'It is a great pleasure to work with the
Government of Uzbekistan on promoting business opportunities
between our countries' commented CERBA Montreal Director,
Sebastien Dakin. CERBA will inaugurate its Tashkent Office on
the same occasion.
The Managing Partner and founder of the Schneider Group, Ulf
Schneider, gave a briefing on business opportunities for
exporters in Eurasian Countries, i.e. Armenia, Belarus,
Kazakhstan, Russia, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan. 'It is a great
pleasure to have an expert such as Mr. Schneider in Montreal.
His company can really help Canadian companies throughout
the entire region', said Sebastien Dakin, Director of the Montreal
and Ottawa chapters of CERBA. Over 40 people attended the
event followed by CERBA�Montreal's New Year reception. The
Charge d'Affaires or the Republic of Belarus, Dmitry Basik, the
Counselor (Economic Affairs) of the Russian Embassy Sergey
Strokov, and the Consul General of Russia in Montreal, Yuri
Bedzhanyan, were among the honored guests of the event.
Mr. Schneider stressed that companies should know that the
Eurasian Economic Union is a new trade block that should be
better understood. 'The EEU is actually a very comprehensive
organization that is undergoing a similar integration as we saw in
the European Union in the last decades. I would argue that the
level of development of the organization is comparable to what
the EU was in 1986, but it is developing much faster'.
Interesting facts should be noted about the EEU: It is the number
1 producer of oil, number 2 for gas, and number 4 regarding
power generation. It also produces more steel, iron ore and fer�
tilizers than the US. Agricultural production in Russia witnessed
a major growth following the embargo of Western food products.
According to the World Bank's ease of business ranking, most
CIS countries have significantly jumped from low to relatively
high positions in less than ten years, for example Russia moved
from 120th to 31st from 2010 to 2019. Ukraine has also improved
from 142nd to 7st. He underlined that Canada is at the 22nd position
as of 2019.
SCHNEIDER GROUP is a leading consultancy company count�
ing 500 people that has become a key player and one�stop�shop
for companies active in this region. It provides international
clients with the back office services needed to expand their busi�
ness into or within Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Poland,
Russia, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. SCHNEIDER GROUP services
include market entry support, accounting outsourcing, tax con�
sulting, import, ERP systems, support in the settlement of dis�
putes and advice on a broad range of legal issues with focus on
compliance, migration, labor, contract and corporate law.
LOOKING BACK
THE FOUNDER OF THE
SCHNEIDER GROUP IN
MONTREAL FOR A
CERBA BRIEFING
Ulf Schneider, Founder and Managing Partner, SCHNEIDER GROUP
Overview of seminar participants
JJAANNUUAARRYY 2288,, 22001199
ANNUAL GENERAL
MEETING OF CERBA
OOCCTTOOBBEERR 1199,, 22001188
KAZAKHSTAN
TOUR TO THE
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40 / 2018 Volume I
Hon. Consul of Russia and Chair of CERBA�Vancouver Chapter,
Ms. Erin Chutter and Mr. Gilles Breton, CERBA National Chair
welcomed the Excellencies, business representatives, and dis�
tinguished guests. Dr. Tim Cheek, Professor, School of Public
Policy and Global Affairs and Department of History & Director of
the Institute of Asian Research welcomed the guests on behalf of
UBC Vancouver. The speakers included Ms. Renee Umezuki,
Deputy Director, Global Affairs Canada, Vancouver Regional
Office, and Ms. Victoria Hayes, Acting Director, International
Markets, Ministry of Jobs, Trade and Technology, BC Provincial
Government.
The highlight of the conference were the two panel discussions,
each moderated by an expert. In the First Panel H. E. Dmitry
Basik, Charge d'Affairs of the Republic of Belarus to Canada, H.
E. Akylbek Kamaldinov, Ambassador of the Republic of
Kazakhstan to Canada, Mr. Ilyas Akhmedov, First Secretary,
Embassy of Kazakhstan to Canada, H. E. Alexander Darchiev,
Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Canada, and Mr. Wade
Larson, President, URTHECAST participated in the discussion on
Eurasia Economic Union and its integration, future forecasts,
challenges and advantages'. The panel was moderated by Mr.
Ahmad Zahir Faqiri, Senior Fellow, Faculty and Research
Associate, Lead and Coordinator of Greater Central Asia at the
University of British Columbia.
Prof. Yves Tiberghien, Professor, Department of Political Science,
University of British Columbia moderated the panel two in which
the participants discussed about the Greater Eurasia: realities and
opportunities of international economic initiatives with potential to
re�defining business and trade environment. The participants in
panel two included H.E. Kong Weiwei, Acting Consul General of
the People's Republic of China in Vancouver, Yves Tiberghien,
Professor, Department of Political Science, University of British
Columbia, Mr. Tserendorj MUNKH�ULZII, Deputy Chief of
Mission/Minister Counsellor of the Embassy of the Republic of
Mongolia to Canada, Mr. Daniel Kiselbach, Partner, Deloitte Tax
Law LLP, and Dr. Stephen Ramsay, Head of Vancouver Division,
Grey Owl Engineering.
CERBA thanks its sponsors Pressreader and Sensei Tech�
nologies Ltd., conference partner and host University of British
Columbia, Vancouver and CERBA volunteers for making this
conference a success.
LOOKING BACK
2018 Volume I / 41
One of the highlight of the event was an overview of his
Excellency Nicholas Brousseau, Ambassador Extraordinary and
Plenipotentiary of Canada in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic and
Tajikistan on recent business and trade relationship between
Canada and Kazakhstan.
Another important part of the meeting was the election of the new
Board of Directors of CERBA Kazakhstan for the period of 2018�
2019. The meeting was followed by a networking discussion and
the local brand Arba Wine tasting.
On the 27th of November in Metro
Toronto Convention Centre, Toron�
to, Canada, delegation from Ka�
zakhstan participated in CERBA
Construction and Infrastructure
Conference 2018.
The event was sponsored by
McMillan and supported by Global
Affairs Canada, Ontario and Cal�
gari. The Construction and Infras�
tructure Conference raised discus�
sion on important subjects and
issues for construction companies
which plan to expand their busi�
ness to international markets and seek to further cooperate,
exchange experiences, and engage in networking.
During the discussion devoted to the Eurasia and Canada
market overview, Mrs. Gulmira Tolganbayeva � developer,
owner of the business centers "Green Tower" and "Triumph",
the winner of the nomination "Green construction" in the
framework of the Association KazGBC, delivered the presen�
tation on the green technologies used in construction of the
one of her latest projects the Business Center Green Tower.
In accordance with tradition, the CERBA Kazakhstan chapter
was happy to organize another Christmas Eve Bowling Tour�
nament – a special evening for participants accompanied with
fun and prizes.
This year’s tournament took place on 7th of December at the
"Cosmo Club", Almaty, Kazakhstan.
The Christmas Eve Tournament was organized by CERBA and
kindly sponsored by Falcon Oil&Gas Company.
The sponsors pleasantly surprised the participants by treating
them to special prizes and a wards for the winners.
The Canada Eurasia Russia Business Association (CERBA) in
partnership with University of British Columbia, Vancouver host�
ed the International conference 'Canada�Greater Eurasia
Cooperation� New Perspectives and opportunities' on Tuesday,
October 23, 2018.
Attended by diplomats, business delegates, academicians and
students, the conference focused largely on opportunities for
Canadian business in the Greater Eurasian region. The confer�
ence was intended to open the door for Canadian businesses to
gain access to markets such as Belarus, Russia, Kazakhstan
and Mongolia", she added.
LOOKING BACK
DELEGATION FROM
KAZAKHSTAN
PARTICIPATED IN CERBA
CONSTRUCTION AND
INFRASTRUCTURE
CONFERENCENNOOVVEEMMBBEERR 2277,, 22001188
CERBA KAZAKHSTAN
NETWORKING EVENT:
ANNUAL CHRISTMAS
EVE BOWLING
TOURNAMENTDDEECCEEMMBBEERR 77,, 22001188
Erin Chutter, President, ECMB Capital Partners openingthe conference
From left: Gilles Breton, CERBA National Chairman; Dr. Tim Cheek,Professor, School of Public Policy and Global Affairs andDepartment of History & Director of the Institute of Asian Research;Victoria Hayes, Acting Director, International Markets, Ministry ofJobs, Trade and Technology, BC Provincial Government
From left: Mr. Wade Larson, President, URTHECAST; H.E.Alexander Darchiev, Ambassador of the Russian Federation toCanada; H. E. Akylbek Kamaldinov, Ambassador of the Republic ofKazakhstan to Canada; H. E. Dmitry Basik, Charge d'Affairs of theRepublic of Belarus to Canada
From left: Dr. Stephen Ramsey, Head of Vancouver Division, GreyOwl Engineering; Daniel Kiselbach, Partner, Deloitte Tax Law LLP;Mr. Tserendorj MUNKH�ULZII, Deputy Chief of Mission/MinisterCounsellor of the Embassy of the Republic of Mongolia to Canada;H.E. Kong Weiwei, Acting Consul General of the People's Republicof China in Vancouver; Prof. Yves Tiberghien, Department ofPolitical Science, University of British Columbia
VANCOUVER
CERBA & UBC HOST
SUCCESSFUL
INTERNATIONAL
CONFERENCE IN
VANCOUVER, B.C.OOCCTTOOBBEERR 2233,, 22001188
42 / 2018 Volume I
• GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
• LOGISTICAL SUPPORT INCLUDING VISA INVITATIONS
• MARKETING AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
WHAT CERBA
CAN DO FOR YOU?
• Business events featuring key industry & government experts –
seminars, breakfast briefs, conferences, roundtables,
receptions, networking and social events
• Membership networking via events and LinkedIn group
• Facilitation of the search for new business partners and clients
through multi�oce connections
• Speaking opportunities, presentations at events
• Members�only website section containing:
– Database of all CERBA members
– Event presentations
– Participants lists
– Resume Bank and Job Bank sections to connect withpre�screened candidates
– Online company profile management
– Market intelligence reports
• Access to incoming and outgoing industry�specific, regional,
or nation�wide trade missions
• Electronic and hard copy newsletter
• Facilitation of legal and financial/audits consultations
• Dissemination of business� related information via e�mail,
website and newsletter
• Media liaison between members and Eurasian & North
American media to increase visibility and publicity
• Information and contacts through cooperation with other
international business associations in North America,
America and Eurasia
• Substantial member and sponsor discounts at events
• Visa assistance and invitation letters issued to your Eurasian
partners for travel to Canada
• Hotels and airlines discounts in Canada and Eurasia
• Identification of potential interpreters/translators
• Accommodation and transportation assistance
• Advice on country�specific travel needs and cultural differences
• Liaison with Canadian and Eurasian government
• Opportunities for meetings with high�ranking government
officials
• Identification of government programs available
for companies
• Participation in intergovernmental economic commissions
and industry working groups
Marketing and Business Development