Exports differ from the common sale of goods, technology, and energy resources to the products of the creative industries. Various aspects of foreign economic activity were discussed at the RUSSIA EXPO.

Kirill Komarov, Deputy Director General at Rosatom, cited data on the dynamics of exporting Russian nuclear technology. Since 2010, its global market share has increased from 10% to 88%.

Evgeny Maslov, Chief Designer at Transmashholding, talked about exporting technological platforms through the example of railway transportation: from visual identity development to improving comfort and building the reputation of the "Made in Russia" brand.

According to Sergey Ivanov, Executive Director at EFKO, exporting goods shall start with exporting ideas and meanings because they help to keep their distance from the competitors. Mr. Ivanov quoted the words of Russian President Vladimir Putin: "The great mission of Russians is to unite, to secure civilization through culture, language, and universal generosity", which suggest that it is the cultural code that is the main reason for competitiveness.

Sergey Ivanov offered an unexpected interpretation of exporting as a source of collective vitality: "A possible reason for this phenomenon is the unique spatial thinking of the Russian man, which long ago helped the Eastern Slavs to reach the Pacific Ocean and helped us to be the first into space. Therefore, entering foreign markets for a Russian corporation is not only a new business and financial stability but first and foremost an opportunity for cultural self-identification and a way to attract talents.

At the VDNKh venue, Sergey spoke about his presentation at the Impact Summit in African Rwanda in February 2024. It made a start to the company's new African project involving the construction of several facilities and the company's collaboration with the African Leadership Academy.

Sergey Ivanov,
EFKO Executive Director

"We are competing with large multinational companies primarily for hearts and minds. And we're attempting to manage this business according to an impact leadership model, in which empathy is a leader's primary competency. The ability of the company to develop and nurture future leaders is its primary challenge."

The session concluded with an interactive survey for the audience. About 1,000 guests could choose one industry to send their CVs to. The nuclear industry came first. The food industry and biotech confidently followed it. Governmental jobs rounded out the top three.

Vasily Osmakov, First Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation, shared that biotech would be his most interesting field: "As for my background, I am an Africanist, an Arabic translator. If I were choosing now, of course, I'd go into biotech so I could do it in Africa!"

Vasily Osmakov,
First Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation

"Exports are a crucial and milestone issue for the country's development. Russia's course directly conditioned its significance to achieve technological sovereignty, which cannot be ensured without our identity on the map of foreign economic relations. Exports shape the large markets and scale effect needed to develop breakthrough technologies. This is what our companies are already doing in Africa and what is to be done in Asia and Latin America. We had designed the renewed National Project "International Cooperation and Export" to contribute to it."

Veronika Nikishina,
Director General of the Russian Export Center

"I want once again to turn attention to the fact that Russia has transformed itself over the past few decades from a country with a state monopoly and a very narrow line of export opportunities to a country that is an exporter of many industries. Exports are beyond economic prosperity. For every company engaged in exporting, it means the company's well-being. Now the state creates opportunities for personal empowerment of all those who have competences and want to apply them in creating a product that will be competitive in foreign markets".