OREANDA-NEWS  On 15 October was announced, that the Russian Entrepreneur Of The Year Award ceremony will be held in Moscow on 20 November 2008. Finalists have been selected by an independent jury.

An independent panel of judges has selected the finalists and the list of nominations of the Entrepreneur Of The Year 2008 Award in Russia. The international Entrepreneur Of The Year contest has been held by Ernst & Young for 22 years and is the world's most prestigious business award for entrepreneurs. The competition has grown to encompass 35 cities in 50 countries.

The contest selects and honors entrepreneurs who have made the most important contributions to the development of a national economic sector. Russia joined the initiative in 2003, and each year the winner at the national level represents the country at the international contest.

This week, the independent jury of the Russian Entrepreneur Of The Year Award 2008 also selected the main categories for nomination: Business Innovations, Information Technology, Small Business, Master of Business, Young Entrepreneur, Consumer Products, Manufacturing, Retail Chains, Trade, and Services.

The national award winner will represent Russia at the international final ceremony, which will take place in Monte Carlo in the spring of 2009.

The following finalists were selected in 2008:

Abubakirov, Yan Nikolaevich, NPO Tetra Electric, St. Petersburg

Ayrapetyan, Ludmila Anatolievna, ZAO Audit Company Art-Audit, Moscow

Akopov, Alexander Zavenovich, AMEDIA, Moscow

Alekhin, Leonid Stepanovich, Kazanorgsintez, Kazan

Beloglazov, Vladimir Ivanovich, Arkhangelsk Pulp and Paper Mill, Novodvinsk

Busyguin, Vladimir Mikhailovich, Nizhnekamsknefekhim, Nizhnekamsk

Byakov, Yuri Aleksandrovich, B.A.C., Moscow

Voskoboinikova, Natalia Ivanovna, Chernovsky khleb – trade chain, Miass

Vykhodtsev, Serguey Vladimirivich, Velle, St. Petersburg

Golosov, Serguey Aleksandrovich, Trikotazhopttog, Moscow

Dmitriev, Grigory Gemfrievich, InComA, Ltd, Moscow

Ivanov, Eugueny Ivanovich, Polus Zoloto, Moscow

Ivanov, Mikhail Sergueevich, Publishing house "Mann, Ivanov and Ferber", Moscow

Ilyasov, Radik Sabitovich, Nizhnekamskshina, Nizhnekamask

Isaikin, Alexey Ivanovich, Group of companies Volga-Dnepr, Moscow

Kasperskaya, Natalia Ivanovna, Kaspersky Laboratory, Moscow

Kolobov, Alexander Grigorievich, Shokoladnitsa coffee shop chain, Moscow

Kulikov, Grigory Lvovich, MIEL Holding, Moscow

Lopukhov, Arkady Ivanovich, OOO Arloni, Moscow

Merenkov, Alexander Vladimirovich, Insurance company Severnaya Kazna, Ekaterinburg

Morenkov, Serguey Nikolaevich, Union of Companies Strategya Rost, St Petersburg

Nersisyan, Tigran Yakovlevich, Group of companies Borodino, Moscow

Panferov, Vitaly Valentinovich, Trade house Tsaritsino, Moscow

Proskurina, Olga Vasilievna, Law company Expert, Rostov on Don

Rakhimov, Ildar Rafkatovich, Almakom, Sterlitamak

Sadovin, Vladimir Albertovich, Azbuka vkusa, Moscow

Titov, Anton Mikhailovich, Obuv Rossii, Novosibirsk

Fedorov, Alexander Nikolaevich, Group Wild Orchid, Moscow

Khazov, Mikhail Borisovich, KOSMOTEROS GROUP, Moscow

Shmerkevich, Alexander Borisovich, Medical Di Center , Engels

Yakovlev, Oleg Nikolaevich, BANANA MAMA, Moscow

"Entrepreneurship is one of the key elements and prerequisites for a country's economic development. It promotes job creation and implementation of new technologies," said Andrey Pozhalov, director of the Russian Entrepreneur Of The Year program. "Participants in Russia have distinguished themselves not only through the expertise achieved through their hard work, but also for their strategic vision, leadership and proactive approach to their businesses. They follow the principles of openness and transparency in their work, they do responsible business, they give substantial attention to corporate governance issues, training and development of their staff, raising the competitive advantage of Russian goods and services, and continuous personal development. Most awardees this year are entrepreneurs whose businesses have grown over the last five to eight years and have been successfully developing in various regions of Russia. In holding the national Entrepreneur Of The Year program as part of the international contest of the same name, we strive to find and celebrate in this country and abroad the bright and talented businesspeople who achieved success in the Russian market and are now entering the international entrepreneurial community, thus promoting a more favorable business image of Russia in the world.”