RussianMind #09 09 -22 September

BORIS V ROMAN – THE TRIAL OF THE CENTURY

RussianMind №9 (09), 9 - 22 September 2011, www.RussianMind.com

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Politically Blonde!

Impressive Development of Kiev’s Nightlife Nuts for Russian Art Russian cities: Bird’s eye view Notes of a Russian in the UK RCS – Premier Chauffeur service

RM Contents

4 – Editor’s Letter 6-9 – Boris v Roman – The Trial

12-13

16-17

19

of the Century 10-11 – Politically Blonde!

12-13 – Ray McRobbie: Impressive Development of Kiev’s Nightlife 14-15 – National Comparisons: Housing 16-17 – Deep Blue 18 – Performance Appraisal 19 – Russian Cities: Bird's Eye View 20-21 – Online Euphoria 22-23 – Nuts for Russian Art 24-25 – Please Mind the Gap: Notes of a Russian in the UK 28 – Event Guide 29 – Autumn Outfits 30-31 – Warning: The US Open is Coming!

22-23

№9(09) 9 - 22 September 2011

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RM Editor RM Team Acting Editor

The Show Must Go On!

Olga Kudriavtseva Head of Editorial Board

Mark Hollingsworth Managing Director

Azamat Sultanov Business Development Director

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Olga Tsvetkova In print:

Ekaterina Petukhova, Xanthi Skoulariki, Anton Phatianov, Svetlana Kononova, Olga Lesyk, Anatoly Karlin, Anastasia Grishchenko, Tatiana Irodova, Victor Raskalov.

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To

observe Russian oligarchs living abroad is like reading a book with a very exciting plot where every new chapter is even more thrilling than the previous one.

The only difference is that each book has its reasonable conclusion, unless the story of the super rich Russians seems to be everlasting?

It all started a decade ago when a group of rich Russians went into exile in the UK. According to the latest statistics, among the 300,000 Russians living in London, 100 are millionaires. The Russian oligarchs have settled down here very quickly, making Britain and especially the capital, not only a safe harbour to hide, but also the ideal place to live a home-like lifestyle.

Moreover they constantly give fresh evidence to attract public’s attention and they never miss a chance to become heroes on the front pages!

Roman Abramovich bought Chelsea Football Club in a deal worth £140m. Former KGB agent Alexander Lebedev became the first Russian

oligarch to own a major British newspaper, when he bought the Evening Standard in 2009.

Boris Berezovsky bought a villa for £20.5m only seeing it gaspingly from his helicopter.

These and many more facts seemed to turn London into Moscow-on- Thames, where Russian magnates take to it like a duck to water! They buy super expensive yachts, luxury property in the most upmarket areas of London and drive elite cars. They divorce their old spouses, split with their immense fortune with them and then start dating someone twice as young. All these and many more details are regularly gossiped

about by the British media and discussed amongst the British public.

The interest has warmed up the Britons’ confusion regarding the obvious Russian passion to show-off their huge fortunes here and there. On the other hand, it seems that the Brits enjoy keeping an eye on this vulgar nouveau riche spending money and living over here in their Russian style. Whatever these reasons are, the Russian

soul intrigues the British brain.

Meanwhile the super rich Russians give new reasons to be observed and discussed, the show called the “Super Russians in the UK” will go on.

In this issue of RussianMind we focus on the latest dispute between Roman Abramovich and Boris Berezovsky which will begin in the Royal Courts of Justice in London this month. Turn to page 6 to read about the “big shots!”

Best Olga Kudriavtseva Acting editor

P.S.

Every day I get up and look

through the Forbes list of the richest people. If I'm not there, I go to work.

№9(09) 9 - 22 September 2011

RM Profile

Boris v Roman –

The Trial of the Century Mark HOLLINGSWORTH Next month the longawaited legal dispute b etween Boris Berezovsky and Roman Abramovich will begin in the Royal Courts of Justice in London. The case could reveal new secrets about the life of the owner of Chelsea football club.

A

t the heart of the lawsuit is the allegation

by Berezovsky that Abramovich used threats to force him to sell valuable Russian oil and media assets at well below their market value, at the behest of Putin. The stakes are high: if Berezovsky loses, he could face a crippling legal bill running into millions of pounds and damage to his reputation. If Abramovich loses, he will be regarded as a mere appendage of the Russian Prime Minister and only acquired his vast wealth by political networking rather than astute investments. The most exciting aspect of the case will be that for the first time the source of the wealth of both oligarchs will be revealed in public. It will be the best show in town.

A nervous Abramovich has already tried to have 6

Berezovsky’s claim struck out. But the Judge, Sir Anthony Colman, refused and declared: "Whereas in certain respects it (his case) may appear to present very formidable difficulties, it is in no respect so weak that Berezovsky should be prevented from bringing it to trial". The legal costs are staggering - the pre-trial hearings alone have totalled the astonishing figure of £10.6 million. Abramovich has incurred £3.7 million and Berezovsky £6.9 million.

Berezovsky’s case has been handicapped by the absence of two key witnesses – his former business partner Badri Patarkatsishvili and former lawyer Stephen Curtis who are both dead. Therefore he applied for a court order for “enhanced disclosure” of documents but this was refused. Most observers believe that Berezovsky has a weak case from a legal perspective and that he is gambling that the Chelsea owner will settle out-of-court rather than be crossexamined in open court.

The case exposes a remarkable change of fortunes for the two oligarchs who were business partners and friends in the mid-1990s. Then, Berezovsky was the wealthiest tycoon with political influence and a

close relationship with the President and Abramovich was a struggling entrepreneur.

Now it is the Chelsea owner who is super-rich and has cosy relations with the Kremlin.

How did Abramovich become so wealthy so quickly and how does he spend it?

It is true that in 2009 his fortune dropped dramatically to a mere $8.5 billion, down from $23.5 billion the year before. But this was mostly due to the financial crisis and the disastrous performance of the steel company Evraz, in which he has a large stake.

But now he has recovered. In May 2011 the Sunday Times Rich List estimated his wealth as £10.3 billion. This made him Britain’s third richest man after Lakshmi Mittal and Alisher Usmanov.

Despite his quiet, modest, low-key personality, Abramovich likes to spend big. Soon after meeting his girlfriend Dasha Zhukova, he developed a sudden interest in art. He was the mystery buyer who bought Francis Bacon's Triptych for $86.3 million at Sotheby's New York, and splashed out $33.6 million on Lucian Freud's Benefits Supervisor Sleeping at Christie's. Both works made auction history, with the Bacon purchase achieving the highest price for a postwar work of art and Freud becoming the most expensive living artist at auction. The paintings are now displayed at one of Abramovich’s apartments in Lowndes Square.

Abramovich also owns a fleet of yachts. His superyacht, the 377 foot Pelorus, has a staff of 40, a helicopter, helipad and a cinema. Worth £100 million, it is usually moored in Malta. His other yachts include the Sussurro

and Ecstasea. In June 2006 he gave one of his yachts the Le Grand Bleu to Eugene Shvidler, a close business associate. More recently, he took possession of the world's largest private yacht - the 550ft Eclipse which cost him №9(09) 9 - 22 September 2011

RM Profile

£300 million and boasts two helipads, six guest suites, a laser shield, five VIP suites and a 5,000 square foot owner's cabin, as well as an aquarium, a disco, a spa and a half-indoor, half-outdoor pool. Abramovich paid special attention to the detail.

During its construction, he complained when a giant mirror on one of the nine decks was smashed during tests in the North Sea, and there was also an issue when Austrian crystal glasses purchased for dinner guests, rattled when the electrodiesel engines vibrated and which was also felt on his personal deck. He also insisted that leopard and reptile skins used on chairs and to line the walls of a massage room should be ethically sourced!

Abramovich also owns two submarines. His first, a 118 foot Seattle 1000, commissioned from the leading manufacturer US Submarines, cost £13 million №9(09) 9 - 22 September 2011

to buy and a further £1 million a year to run. It has two deck levels, separate living areas for guests and crew with staterooms, the submarine is capable of diving to a depth of 1,000 foot and can remain submerged for two weeks. He also has a second submarine on order from US Submarines, a smaller 65ft Nomad 1000, which cost £3 million and will dock on the Eclipse when it is completed.

In the sky, Abramovich owns three helicopters and three private jets - a 737 business jet, a Dessault Falcon 900 and his personalised Boeing 767. He bought his adapted Boeing Business Jet 737 for $50 million which has been equipped with a missile jammer and dubbed ‘The Bandit’. A new Boeing 767 costs roughly $100 million, but analysts said it is virtually impossible to estimate the price tag of the new jet because of the unknown

cost of the plane's interior.

Originally designed to seat 360 people, it was refitted with a luxury interior and extra rooms.

On land, Abramovich owns a £1 million Ferrari FXX racing car and a pair of ‘his and hers’ Maybach Mercedes 62s, but he rarely drives them and relies on his bodyguards, mainly former SAS officers, to chauffeur him around town.

He retains 20 bodyguards in the UK at £100,000 per month to protect himself and his family from an increased threat of kidnapping of his five children. It is now the biggest private security operation in the world. In the south of France, he has a team of four armed operatives who carry 9 mm Gloch guns while guarding his vast villa.

Another six protect his four yachts. One of the boats, the Pelorus, is fitted with bulletproof glass and a missile detection system. If there is a threat, Abramovich can

choose between a helicopter and private submarine in which to make an escape.

In Russia, his security precautions are even more extensive: the oligarch has recruited dozens of Russian soldiers, some serving officers, as hired guns. As Russian infantrymen are among the worst paid in Europe, they are easily lured by the extra cash.

Abramovich's private army far exceeds other billionaires and celebrities who are concerned about assassination and kidnapping.

Even David Beckham only has three bodyguards and a martial arts specialist, despite the reported threats of kidnapping to his children. In America, Jennifer Lopez hired former CIA and FBI agents but mainly for a one-off crisis.

The annual security budget for billionaires like Eric Schmidt, the Google CEO, is £266,000 - tiny compared to Abramovich's expenditure of £1.2 million. Only Larry Ellison, Oracle's CEO, comes close with £900,000 per year on gates, guns and guards.

The increased threat to Abramovich is that his movements have become very predictable. A threat assessment stated that the Russian billionaire was most vulnerable after Chelsea's home matches when his car could get caught in traffic.

Now he takes a different travel pattern and route.

Although his convoy of cars are armour-plated and his drivers specially trained to deal with attacks, advisors still felt that he was vulnerable to assassination or kidnapping - as happened to Berezovsky in 1994. As a result, he built a helipad on the roof of the Chelsea Village hotel so he could commute to matches by helicopter. His 7

RM Profile security advisors argue that they have been successful and point to the fact that the paparazzi have rarely taken a photograph or even gleaned a sighting of him outside Stamford Bridge. He has only been photographed in an organised setting.

Despite all this luxury spending, Abramovich does not live a hedonistic lifestyle. He did not join Annabel’s nightclub and you will not see him socializing, except perhaps at art gallery openings with his girlfriend Dasha Zhukova. He will only indulge occasionally. He spent more than £200,000 on a 16th birthday party for his daughter, Anna, at the London nightclub Paper, hiring The Klaxons and the Brazilian electro band CSS to provide the entertainment. The 500 guests were treated to a flashing dance floor, a wind machine and alcohol-free cocktails. In June 2008 Abramovich paid Amy Winehouse £1 million to perform at the launch of his Moscow art gallery, The Garage Gallery for him, Daria Zhukova and 300 guests.

In person Abramovich is shy and unassuming. He is very quiet and his dress sense matches his demeanour. He mainly wears jeans and an open shirt rather than a business suit and a chunky Eighties-style digital watch rather than a flashy Rolex. His apparent gentle demeanour is at odds with the fabled marauding Russian.

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During business meetings, Abramovich rarely sits behind his desk, preferring to conduct negotiations lounging on a sofa, and his ready smile, designer stubble and casual clothing make him look anything but the ruthless plutocrat of folklore. His underwhelming manner makes him seem vulnerable and unthreatening and his adversaries tend to

under-estimate him.

Berezovsky once admitted that of all the businessmen he had met, Abramovich was the best at “person-toperson relations”.

The Russian broadcaster Alexei Venediktov said: “I once asked Berezovsky what talents Abramovich had? and he said ‘he was a good psychologist’, and I agree with that… He is very good at understanding his interlocutor. I have watched him communicate with a range of different journalists and he has his own approach to each person. He approaches politicians and businessmen in the same manner”.

But it has been his relationship with Putin that has protected his wealth and power. It is also at the core of the legal dispute with Berezovsky who claims that in 2001 Putin sent Abramovich as his emissary to deprive him of his Russian investments – an accusation strongly denied

by Abramovich.

However, there is no doubt that Putin and Abramovich have a close relationship.

After he became President, their first major meeting was in November 2003 to discuss the fate of Yukos, where it was decided that Abramovich should install his own allies at the top of Yukos-Sibneft. Soon after the meeting, the Russian government issued a statement that Abramovich’s tax affairs were “clean”.

But Abramovich remains as vulnerable to Putin as Khodorkovsky was. Putin is of course the senior partner. When Abramovich addresses Putin he uses the more formal Russian for the English pronoun 'you'.

“He (Putin) is more senior than me.”, said Abramovich in a rare interview. It is this relationship which will be at the heart of the court case in London when Berezovsky v Abramovich, which finally begins in a few weeks time.

Ostensibly, the dispute is between the two oligarchs.

But it is also about Putin… №9(09) 9 - 22 September 2011

Boris v Roman Name: Boris Berezovsky Age: 65 Education: Moscow Forestry Engineer-

ing Institute, Faculty of Electronics and computing critical technology Family: Berezovsky divorced his second wife Galina recently, in July 2011. His ex-wife won Britain's biggest-EVER divorce settlement. It is not known what proportion of Berezovsky’s wealth she will receive – or indeed how much his worth was valued at by the court. But experts said the payout will be more than £200million and could even be as high as £370million.

The couple met in 1981 when Mr Berezovsky was a professor of mathematics in Moscow earning £60 a month. He married Galina in 1991 after divorcing his first wife, Nina, with whom he had two further children. Mr Berezovsky and his wife were married for 18 years, though they had effectively been separated for the last 16. He lives in Wentworth in Surrey with his girlfriend of 15 years, Yelena Gorbunova, and their two children.

Mrs Berezovsky is reported to have filed for divorce after becoming irritated at reports describing Miss Gorbunova as the oligarch's ''wife''. Boris Berezhovsky has 6 children by three women.

Occupation: Russian businessman, mathematician, member of Russian Academy of Sciences and a former Russian official and MP. Also known as a Russian oligarch, controversial politician and power broker during the presidency of Boris Yeltsin in the 1990s.

Business Career: He started out in business in 1989 by buying and selling cars from the state manufacturer AutoVAZ and setting up a new intermediary called

Boris Berezovsky wi girlfriend Yelena Gorbuth his nova

LogoVaz in 1992.

He became one of the original oligarchs under President Boris Yeltsin, lending money to the state in return for valuable stakes in AutoVAZ, the state airline Aeroflot, and several oil companies which he organised into the giant Sibneft.

Between 1995 and 1997, through the controversial loans-for-shares privatisation auctions, Berezovsky together with Badri Patarkatsishvili and Roman Abramovich acquired control of Sibneft, the sixth-largest Russian oil company, which constitutes the bulk of his wealth.

Also Berezovsky went on to buy media companies including the television channels ORT and TV6, and the newspapers Nezavisimaya Gazeta, Novye Izvestiya and Kommersant which he used to support Yeltsin's re-election in 1996.

Political Career: Berezovsky had a brief

political career in Russia, serving as Deputy Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation from 1996 to 1997.

The following year he became executive secretary of the CIS and sat in the State Duma from 1999 to 2000, representing Karachaevo-Cherkissia. He has also been linked to former Ukrainian president Viktor Yushchenko’s presidential campaign and launched a case against members of the Ukrainian government accusing them of misusing money Berezovsky donated to fund Ukraine’s Orange Revolution. Berezovsky also supported Yushchenko in his failed reelection campaign in January 2010.

Berezovsky initially also helped Vladimir Putin to make influential contacts with Yeltsin’s inner circle and funded his political career. In Putin’s successful 2000 presidential campaign Berezovsky backed Putin through his media holdings. Putin later moved to regain control of ORT, however, and sought to reduce the influence of Russia’s oligarchs. Berezovsky opposed Putin’s presidency and left Russia following allegations that he had defrauded a regional government of $13 million and was granted political asylum in the United Kingdom.

Estimate fortune: £550m

RM Profile

Name: Roman Abramovich Age: 44 Education: He dropped

out of his studies at the Moscow Vehicle Transport Institute and served in the army before turning his hand to business.

Family: Abramovich divorced his second wife, d his Irina Malandina, in 2007. The Roman Abramovich anova Zhuk ria Da d en lfri gir couple have five children together. Since their divorce in 2007 Abramovich has had another child, Aaron Alexander, with model, it-girl and gallery manager, Dasha Zhukova.

Since his most recent divorce, Abramovich has also emerged as a major buyer in the international art market, purchasing Francis Bacon’s “Triptych” and Lucian Freud’s “Benefits Supervisor Sleeping.”

Business career: Abramovich is the main owner of the private investment company Millhouse LLC. Having established a network of smaller companies including Uyut and Petroltrans in the early 1990s, in 1996 he took over oil company Sibneft with Boris Berezovsky, under the controversial loans-for-shares program. He subsequently acquired a stake in aluminium company Rusal following a prolonged battle for control of Russia’s aluminium industry, which left many businessmen, journalists and factory workers dead..

In July 2003 Abramovich bought London-based Chelsea Football Club and began investing in it heavily. Since Abramovich took over, the club has won a number of major trophies including the Premier League title and the League Cup and the FA Cup twice. Abramovich also sponsors the National Academy of Football in Russia, a foundation which sponsors youth sports programs throughout the country.

Political career: In 1999 Abramovich was elected to the State Duma as a representative for the Chukotka Autonomous Area. The following year he was elected governor of the region. Despite rarely visiting Chukotka during his time as governor, Abramovich poured millions of dollars into the region, improving living standards and education and attracting investment. He also founded the Pole of Hope charity that sends Chukotka children to summer camps and aids in food deliveries to remote areas of the region. Although he earlier expressed an interest in politics, Abramovich remains friendly with the Kremlin and appears to have no political ambition beyond his governorship. He was succeeded as governor of Chukotka

by Roman Kopin in 2008.

Estimated fortune: Worth £10 billion

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Politically Blonde!

Svetlana KONONOVA Though female beauty is often exploited during the pre-election Season, women’s real power and influence on Russia’s political and social life is still very small.

R

ussian blondes have voted to have First Lady Svetlana Medvedeva head the All-Russia Congress of Blondes, which will be held in Sochi on September 23 to 25. “Medvedeva is a paragon of perfect style and high-society glamour. Many eminent beauties envy her finesse and elegance,” the organizers of the event said 10

on their official Web site.

Although the first lady has yet to publicly comment on the offer, her nomination has drawn the attention of local and international mass media.

The All-Russia Congress of Blondes looks like a commercial event. A hospitable resort city located on the Black Sea coast will host several hundred blondes

from 28 regions of Russia, who will stage a street march and a large-scale tournament of tictac-toe, which could potentially make it into the Guinness Book of Records. The program of the event also includes various activities such as makeup, dance and photo workshops, a contest for the best imitation of a blonde stage star and a blonde party.

Organizers of the congress also plan to unveil a monument to a blonde and open a museum of blondes in Sochi.

They claim that there are over 30 million blondes in Russia and hope to attract up to 5,000 “blonde heads” to their movement in the next several years. Besides Svetlana Medvedeva, the organizers invited other Russian blondes who were famous in the past: Soviet movie star Svetlana Svetlichnaya, who is now 71, and a perestroika sex-symbol Yelena Kondulainen, who is 53.

Members of the All-Russia Congress of Blondes intend to join the All-Russia People’s Front created by the Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, which gives the event political connotations. The idea of using beautiful sexy blondes for political goals is not new. In 2008 an NGO titled the Party of Blondes was set up in Russia, now boasting more than 70,000 members in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Germany and the Baltic States. The organization, which operates under the slogan “All the best – for blondes!” is open to both men and women regardless of their

hair color. The Party of Blondes was one of the first NGOs in Russia to start promoting the idea of women as strong political leaders and possible candidates for president and prime minister.

One of the leaders of the Party of Blondes, Sergei Kushnerov, said that his organization bears no relation to the congress in Sochi.

“The All-Russia Congress of Blondes is not of our doing.

Our Party of Blondes stands for political initiatives – women’s rights, single mothers’ rights, support for small business and women who work in this field, free kindergartens and education for children to give women the opportunity to develop their personalities and careers,” he said. “We know about the existence of many different alternative ‘projects’ – from special restaurants and clubs for blondes to blondes’ competitions and rallies – which are one-hit-wonders.

But we are not against it.”

Kushnerov also called the idea of all members of the AllRussia Congress of Blondes joining Putin’s All-Russia People’s Front a “defilement for both sides.”

But while Russian blondes prepare for a great game of tic-tac-toe, Forbes magazine has published a list of the “World’s 100 Most Powerful Women,” and there are no Russians on it. At number one this year is German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who is often recognized as the most influential leader in the №9(09) 9 - 22 September 2011

RM Opinion EU. In second place is Hillary Clinton, the U.S. Secretary of State, and third is Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff. The top-ten also includes PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi, Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg, the cofounder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Melinda Gates, India’s President Sonia Gandhi and U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama.

Despite the fact that most women on the Forbes list come

from the Western World, the presence of developing countries is also noticeable.

The list includes women from India, China, Brazil, Argentina, Costa Rica, Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, South Africa and even Nigeria.

There have been no Russians on the “World’s 100 Most Powerful Women” for the last three years. In 2008, the only Russian woman on the list

was Valentina Matviyenko, the former governor of St. Petersburg who has resigned in August of 2011 and is now headed for the Federation Council. “The fact that Russian women are not recognized worldwide as powerful leaders reflects reality. Indeed, women still don’t play any significant role in political and social life in Russia. It is because they are insufficiently represented in the government and other political The Russian president’s wife Svetlana Medvedeva

structures – at the level like in Islamic countries. But according to United Nations, women’s representation in the authorities should be no less than 30 percent: like in the United States or Western Europe,” said Rima Sharifullina, the president of Peterburgskaya Egida, a St. Petersburg-based NGO that specializes in protecting women’s rights.

“Even other BRIC countries look much better than Russia in this regard. Here no parliamentary political party even talks about gender equality. Even high-ranked officials often have a bad attitude toward females.

They talk about women as ‘adornments,’ ‘diamonds’ that may easily be replaced with other ‘diamonds’ when they get older. Many Russian women still think of themselves as objects, not as individuals.

Therefore, they don’t have any real power and influence,” Sharifullina continued. “A very indicative fact is that women themselves [State Duma Deputies Elena Mizulina and Tatiana Yakovleva] promote anti-abortion laws. It means that they equate themselves with ‘fertility mechanisms’ that have to give a birth rate as to the state’s needs,” she added. “But the situation has slightly changed in the recent several years. The election of Valentina Matviyenko as governor of St. Petersburg was a breakthrough in the Russian political landscape.

Moreover, public movements that aim to protect women and children’s rights, including Women’s Voice, appeared in the country. A law ‘On gender equality’ has been introduced for consideration by the State Duma. If approved, we should see positive results,” Sharifullina concluded.

This article was submitted for www.russiaprofile.org 11

T M

RM Person

Ray McRobbie: Impressive Development of Kiev's Nightlife

R

Daria ALYUKOVA We invited Ray McRobbie, a nightlife manager from Great Britain who moved to Ukraine, to talk about his work routine that doesn’t seem routine at all. With almost 25 years of experience in show business and entertainment industry, Ray has been organizing shows and events all over the world, from London to Tokyo.

His connections with international stars are impressive, while his strong administrative skills have earned him a reputation of the perfect leader.

12

ay also talked about his attitude to people he works with – those that he meets in Ukraine, and those international stars that he helps to bring there. Besides an appreciation of the local people, Ray spoke highly of the beauty of Kyiv. As for celebrities, Ray expressed a very tolerant and friendly attitude, and he controverted the common prejudice of stars being very whimsical.

How do people get distracted when they work in entertainment? What do you do in your spare time?

Ray: I am a truly nocturnal

person – I can’t get enough of nightlife. I guess entertainment just runs in my bloodstream and partying 3-4 times a week is just normal for me.

Do you only listen to modern music? What about opera?

Ray: I like opera, Verdi’s

Traviata is my favourite. I also like traditional ballet. There’s

A Life in Brief Born: June 21st 1957 in Aldershot, Hampshire, England Family status: Married Education: Military College First Job: Army Apprentice Place of residence: Kiev, Ukraine Leisure: Watching Manchester United, Boxing, Crosswords, Athletics, Clubs.

Last book: Eric Clapton Autobiography Favourite film: Raging Bull with Robert De Niro as Jake La Motta Favourite Music: Beatles, Steely Dan, Prince, Stevie Wonder, Led Zeppelin, Rock, Soul, Reggae.

Business Philosophy: Pragmatic Approach with Creativity.

Ray and Mickey Rourke

an interesting detail about Ukranian people: they seem to be much more culturally aware than British people. Classical art is more popular, while in the UK it is considered elitist.

Apart from music and clubbing, what else do you like? Are you a football fan?

Ray: Yes, I am a huge football fan. Manchester United is

№9(09) 9 - 22 September 2011

RM Person the public image of a star and the personality?

Ray: I would say the

difference is always there, not just in the case of popularity.

Sometimes people are disappointed when they meet their idols in person – but I never was.

Is there a singer you still haven’t met but would like to?

Ray: Prince, I’d say

McRobbie and McCartney

my favourite team. I also like boxing; I was glad to have a chance to work with Lennox Lewis.

What did you study, how did you come to where you are now?

Ray: I am actually from

a military family. I spent 8 years in the British Army, and then I made a complete transformation by becoming a wine bar manager. I wanted to change my life – and that’s why I rejected a military career for working in entertainment.

However, many of my old friends are still involved in work that can be called “quasimilitary”- like security, for example.

This is a very impressive transformation. These fields seem to have nothing in common. Is that true, or is there a connection?

Ray: Interestingly enough,

the skills acquired in the Army are quite useful in my current occupation. I mean social and leadership skills, discipline, and time management.

Do you remember your first visit to Ukraine?

Ray: Yes, I remember it very

vividly; it was in December 1999. To be honest, the initial impression wasn’t very good.

It was largely because of the weather – it was so grey and

№9(09) 9 - 22 September 2011

miserable, especially compared to my previous place or residence. Prior to coming to Ukraine I worked in Spain and the United Arabic Emirates, and it was of course completely different. So the changes for me were radical in terms of language, culture and the weather. But the people took to me at once.

Are the Ukrainian people that much different?

Ray: Well, they certainly

have a different mindset. It is difficult for me to talk about Ukranian people on the whole – the centre of Kyiv is not representative of the whole country. However, I can tell that Ukrainian people are very resilient. And one notable feature is that they are technically advanced, they are good at engineering and practical skills. Also, it strikes me that people have to live day-by-day – as compared to Westerners who have plans for short, medium and long term.

What do you miss most when you left London?

Ray: Good English roast!

Jokes aside, I miss my friends of course; we try to get together every time I come here. And it’s the same with leaving Kyiv.

Friends are very dear to me.

It’s good to hear that, as far as people who work in

networking domains often treat friendship as part of business.

Ray: Yes, that’s true, some

people begin treating it as something transient. But I try to stay sincere.

Do you like Kyiv?

Ray: Oh yes, I think it is

definitely in top-3 of the most beautiful cities in Eastern Europe, along with St. Petersburg and Prague. If we look at the business prospects, I find Kyiv a great place to be now, as the nightlife industry and the entertainment scene have been developing rapidly.

Is the demand for celebrities specific? What genre, what generation is the most sought-after in Kyiv?

Ray: There is a big demand

for music legends in Eastern Europe – like Boney M or Bad Boys Blue.

You often work with celebrities. Is there a really big difference between

Magazines like to quote crazy technical and hospitality riders that celebrities request. Have you ever encountered unusual whims?

Ray: I am quite tolerant,

and never met exceedingly exacting or rude stars.

Technical riders are quite demanding, though.

Who was the most and the least pleasant to work with?

Ray: I really enjoyed working with Roxette. Probably the most intense work was with Gary Moore, he was quite moody. But this is understandable – he just strives for perfection.

The whole entertainment industry has been very sensitive to emerging technologies. Do you feel the impact of that in your work?

Ray: Well piracy is definitely a

serious problem. Album selling is not the principal earner for musicians now. Tours are in fact bringing much more money.

However, I would not call this priority shift a tragedy – after all, tours are what singers want, what they enjoy.

Ray and Lennox Lewis

A typical Russian cityscape

Housing

Anatoly KARLIN I continue the series on national comparisons between Britain, Russia, and the US. In this part I observe accommodation in each of three countries.

The ideal middle-class settlement for both British and Americans is suburbia.

In theory, it combines city amenities with rural 14

idyll; the critics aver that it is better at combining city pollution (noise, gas fumes, etc) with rural isolation. There are some excellent American cities (e.g. San Francisco; Seattle; Austin), but many others are uncontrolled suburban sprawls (e.g. Los Angeles) or post-industrial shells beset by so-called inner city blight featuring ethnic ghettos and high crime rates (e.g.

Detroit; Baltimore).

Most Russians live in apartments, in flats of varying age and construction quality. The Russians have a stricter division between high-density cities and lowdensity countryside, with a c.100km band separating the two with a lot of intensive agriculture and dacha settlements (houses with plots of land) where Russians go during the weekends or holidays to tend their vegetable gardens, pick

mushrooms, etc. About half of Muscovites have a dacha, and they range from simple huts to luxurious mansions not very aptly called “cottages”.

In all three countries – in contrast to central

Europe, where renting is prevalent – most people own their own houses or apartments. Both the US and the UK place ideological stress on the virtues of private home ownership (extending mortgages to

Financial district “Moscow City”

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RM Comparison

The City of London

people of questionable creditworthiness was one of the key reasons of the 2008 financial crisis), while most Russians simply privatized their homes off the state during the 1990's.

Housing prices have soared in Russia over the past decade to a far greater

№9(09) 9 - 22 September 2011

extent than in the US and Britain, but have fallen after the 2008 crisis; nonetheless, on average prices remain far below British and American levels. A typical, twobedroom apartment in one of Moscow’s suburbs, not far from a Metro station, may cost $250,000; this will only buy you a semi-detached house in a middling British town, whereas an equivalent apartment in a London suburb will probably be closer to $1,000,000. In Moscow oblast, more than 100km from the city, a detached house with a big plot of land costs no more than $150,000; in the Russian regions, two-bedroom apartments are typically well below $100,000. In the US, as with Russia and the UK, there are great geographical disparities. Where space availability isn’t an issue, e.g. Texas, it is possible to buy fully detached houses with big plots of land for not more than $200,000; whereas

in the Bay Area, excluding the ghetto areas, even a modest studio could set you back by up to $500,000.

One more note on relative prices. In recent years, the media has made a lot of Moscow becoming the world’s “most expensive” city. It probably is… if you’re an expat addicted to five star hotels,

P.S.

top-class escorts, and champagne lounges. For ordinary people, who don’t live in Moscow’s centre or its airports, living costs are still far cheaper.

America is the quintessential land of skyscrapers; any city that is anywhere will have a few, to make up its financial district, while those in major cities such as New York, Chicago and San Francisco are world famous. They used to be practically non-existent in the USSR, except for the “seven sisters” Stalinist-era showpieces in Moscow.

During the 2000's, however, skyscraper construction has taken off, and most of the largest Russia cities now boast a few skyscrapers.

During the euphoria of 200708, construction began on the Russia Tower, which was to be at 600m the tallest skyscraper in Europe; however, financing for it collapsed after the 2008 economic crisis, and it remains in limbo to this day. In Britain, there are few skyscrapers.

Most are of modest height and concentrated in The City (London’s financial district), including the infamous Gherkin.

Skyscrapers in the USA, Chicago

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RM Details

Deep Blue The most well-known lakes in Russia are the spiritual Baikal, the fairy-tale Seliger, the biggest lake of Europe – Ladozhskoe and the historical Chudskoe (the location of Battle of the Ice in 1242).

However, there are many more extraordinary lakes in Russia, as it has 1/4 of world’s fresh water.

The Urals, near Kungur in Perm Krai Kungur Ice Cave is one the world’s largest karst caves. The cave is famous for its ice formations and is a popular tourist destination. A local myth adds to the touristic appeal: it is said that “ if a woman walking down the narrow path falls down, she is going to get happily married soon!” The myth is likely to have roots in the historical visit of the German princess Victoria von Battenberg and her daughter Louise, the future Queen consort of Sweden.

The cave is 5,7 km long, and 1,5 km wide and is accessible by the general public. It consists of more than 50 grottoes, 70 lakes and 146 so-called ‘organ pipes’ – high shafts that almost reach the terrene.

The lakes gives a specific charm to the cave, and the area one the deepest at 1460 м².

The Kabardino-Balkar Republic In Cherek district of Kabardino-Balkaria one can find unique natural lakes. Located at the height of 1492 m, Lower Blue lake is the most intriguing: although its’ area is tiny (2,6 x size of Trafalgar square), its depth is more than 250 m. It is one of the deepest lakes in Russia. Not a single river or spring flows into this lake, but 70 million litres flows out daily (via the river Cherek). Sulphurated hydrogen turns the water bright blue and the surface temperature remains constant at level of 9.3°C all year round.

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RM Details

The Nizhni Novgorod Region Svetloyar, the legendary lake, is believed to be the shelter for Kitezh – the mythical “Russian Atlantis”. As legend has it, when Batu Khan ordered his army to conquer Kitezh, the were surprised to see that the town had no fortifications whatsoever. Its citizens didn't even intend to defend themselves and were engaged in fervent praying, asking God for their redemption. On seeing this, the Mongols rushed in to attack, but then stopped. Suddenly, they saw countless fountains of water bursting from under the ground all around them. The attackers fell back and watched the town submerge into a lake. The last thing they saw was the glaring dome of a cathedral with a cross on top of it. Soon, there were only waves.

This legend gave birth to numerous incredible rumors, which have survived to this day. It is said that in calm weather one can sometimes hear the church bells and people singing from under the waters of the Lake Svetloyar. Some people claim that the most pious individuals can actually see the lights of religious processions and even buildings on the bottom of the lake.

The Volgograd region Elton is a salt lake near the border with Kazakhstan, and the largest salt water lake in Europe. The mineral concentration is 1,5 more intensive than in the Dead Sea. The lake is famous for its’ healing effect. Interestingly, by the end of summer the surface goes a scarlet-golden colour. “Elton” translates as “golden”. The legend is that Mamai, having been defeated by Dmitri Donskoi, tried to get to New Sarai, the then capital of the Golden Horde.

In fear of pursuit he sank all his gold in the waters of the Elton!

Primorsky Krai Lotuses in Russia can be found in 2 places only: in Astrakhan region and in the Far East. The Lotus Lake situated on the Putyatin Island (50 km from Vladivostok) is carpeted with the pink flowers for the whole summer.

Some people say that the lake is connected to Baikal via underground channels, and sometimes even flotsam from the ships that were wrecked in Baikal can be found on the lotuses. True or not, the Lotus Lake has proven to breed Baikal’s endemic omul fish.

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RM Psychology

Performance Appraisal difficulties they have faced during other tasks.

Allow sufficient time for your own preparation. Be fair to employees and take time to really assess each and everyone’s performance.

If you know your team members very well and you have all the notes on great and poor past performances then your review sessions will be effectively conducted based on pure facts and your own observations. As a manager you have to decide which points are vital to mention during the review.

Choose an appropriate setting for conducting the appraisal review with minimal interruptions.

If performance appraisal is one of your weekly/ monthly practises, then your employees won’t be scared and know what to expect from the review session.

They will be more willing to cooperate and won’t feel as if you are blaming them for something and only trying to put your authority in their face once again.

Handle the review session in a professional manner.

Remember that it’s not a lecture or a monologue. It’s all about a dialogue between you and your employee.

After reviewing past performance, state your future expectations from your employee. The main goal of the performance review is to understand past performance and to find ways to perform better in the future.

Do not compare employees against each other.

Performance appraisal is about comparing an employee’s role

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Tatiana IRODOVA Performance appraisal is a crucial part of performance management, disliked by both managers and employees. However, as a manager you can make this process very pleasant, simple and straightforward. Make the most of performance reviews with these tips:

1

Make performance appraisal all about conducting an effective and unbiased performance review.

Effective appraisal means not offending employees, but cooperating together to understand the performance level and how it can be improved in the future.

Unbiased appraisal means treating all employees with respect, assessing only workrelated performance and not personal preferences.

Allow sufficient time for your employees to prepare and appraise their own performance. Self-evaluation is one of the most important stages of a performance review. Give your people a chance to remember tasks well done as well as the

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and responsibilities stated in their contract to what actually is being done by this employee during a certain period of time.

Performance appraisal should not be a surprise. As a good manager you should assess your people on a regular basis, not just once a year. It’s irresponsible to wait for a year just to tell someone how badly they’ve done

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5 6 7

in the past year. Remember, that you and your employees are working for a common goal – the company’s success.

Get to know your people, observe them doing their job, praise them, motivate them, help and direct them.

Treat all your employees differently, know what works for whom. Knowing your employees will allow you to make the whole performance appraisal very easy and painless for everyone involved.

Appraisal is about accurately assessing and improving performance.

Employees should know exactly where they stand in terms of work-related performance. After the review, they should start building a bridge between their present and future performance, which should be according to the

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company’s standards and expectations.

Don’t blame or criticise.

Set the right tone from the beginning of the performance review session.

Build a rapport with your employees straight away, put them at ease and give a brief outline how the session will go and ask them to cooperate.

Make sure your employees know what to expect.

Performance appraisal is not about salary administration. Once you remind yourself that it’s about improving performance then it will be easier to discuss job performance with your employees.

Performance appraisal is not about filling out forms. It’s about manager and employees working together towards achieving better results through identifying the gaps in training and improving their performance at work. www.lifeskillsemporium.com

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№9(09) 9 - 22 September 2011

RM Snapshot

Russian Cities: Bird's Eye View

Saint Petersburg

Photographer: Victor Raskalov

Moscow

Kazan Chelyabinsk

Vyborg

Novosibirsk

â„–9(09) 9 - 22 September 2011

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RM Fashion

Online Euphoria

Ekaterina PETUKHOVA Online retailing in Russia is booming, not actually so, but according to forecast projections.

Wherever you come from, people are talking about online stores and it seems bricks-andmortar could soon fade out of fashion and toilet paper will be found only online.

T

otal euphoria about Internet trading makes it really sick especially if you consider living in Russia when none of my letters has ever reached its recipient and a parcel sent by my friend after I give birth, arrived when my kid was walking around. Nor should we forget the latest case where the postal service blocked all mail when it could not process mail fast enough and the limits on orders free of duty were increased! Another worry for you to wake up to – try sending something to Russia by DHL, the biggest messenger globally!

Briefly speaking, the logistics stun you. Remember 20

when all big online projects were born in those countries where their post is a matter of pride – the UK – net-aporter, in the USA – Amazon.

Therefore, they were accustomed to getting what they ordered. But only in Russia was it a cool business to work as a third party ordering and bringing in to Russia the goods their clients had ordered on eBay, Amazon or the like. Stories like Net-a-porter deliver nicely packed goods on the day of order, were listened to with the same amazement as at the end of the 80s were the stories of those having left for the US and Israel about buying a video-recorder and a microwave.

It was a miracle, no one believed people could live this way. Several years ago online projects came to life in Russia. They were mostly based on stores with owners having a show-room and the store which was generally located in inner city deprived areas but allowed their merchandise to be tried on.

Online retail served as a demonstration platform. The online segment, however, learned a lot during the crisis. On the one hand, everybody was hysterical about using online retail as a store window with cheap and efficient marketing.

As a result the advertising spend was depressed with digital budgets skyrocketing, getting the money as conventional marketing channels were losing their

grip. On the other hand, a handful of specialists were fired as the retail and the textile industry in Russia was debtridden, having borrowed a

fortune for modernising after the 90s or for retail expansion.

Consequently lots of professionals got unemployed and decided to set up their own businesses and the online store, in its first identity used to be cheap as an investment several years ago, compared to the other alternatives. As a result online stores started growing by the dozen.

Big-scale projects were born such as one of the bestknown and

commercially successful, closed sale club KupiVip – one which required not only substantial investment in marketing, but building a complex independent logistics network of its own.

RM Fashion

Insider’s Comment Anastasia Sartan

Founder and co-owner of the online store Trends Brands How did you get started in online retailing? What is the story of Ekepeople project?

Oscar Hartmann, the originator of the project, became the legend of online retail in Russia in only a couple of years. His keynote speech at the conference devoted to online marketing this year was so successful, he was compared with Steve Jobbs’ presentation of the launch of a new Apple product, but only locally!

Witnessing the success of KupiVip and other projects everyone started speculating about opening an online store of their own. Still online retailing in Russia

is not readily available at present, but it will come in the future. Online customers in Russia are scarce and there certainly are not enough of them to launch mass apparel sales on the Web, moreover some age groups still lack trust when buying clothing “without first trying it on”.

For instance, those aged over 40 actively buy from mail order catalogues Otto, Quelle etc. up to 82% of the population in Russia does not know how to buy online.

Finally, there is still a problem of organizing payments on the web. Many stores stick to cash payments for delivery men and do not process payments online, and there are technical difficulties too. Not to say much of the recent announcements about creating a national payment system at the expense of Visa and MasterCard international transaction systems.

The trend is here to stay: there are more and more online stores and the euphoric young and not so young entrepreneurs promise even more of them in the future. However, the trend is in micro form- far from covering the whole country.

No less than 3 years will pass by, before online stores become really efficient sales outlets on a regular and not so supportive basis. There is definitely a lot on the to-do list but Hartmann never promised it would be easy.

When I was living in NYC, I ordered everything online and spent nights surfing on hundreds of pages to find out how it all functioned and where this or that was better. I became really addicted to online stores and in Russia they were virtually none existent at that time. So I found people who designed a trial online store in a couple of months for me, and with me studying, all this time was spent learning more about the business and online/offline features, trial method in fact, talking to competitors, benchmarking the foreign experience. It is a pity there is not a single sensible book on this issue, not a single seminar. You always have to pick up the information a bit here and a bit there, to restore the holistic picture. FIT courses did help.

What has changed in online retailing since then, to your mind?

The major change is that today there are more people who learned by themselves and so learned more about their business, the result, those halfaccomplished weird stores, or – the opposite- giant Internet stores. The press used to write about showrooms – this purely Russian phenomenon, not a place to pre-order but a closed store for acquaintances, now everyone is onside for online retailing. Most of my friends tell me they do not know how to order stuff online, and now they are giving it a try in Russian and foreign stores and they will start to understand and trust more. My best friend made a purchase from the net-a-porter site and has been buying exclusively from them ever since. The more people start doing business online and doing a good job, the more people will believe in it and buy from it. Another amusing change was brought around by the coupon websites and their amazing offers, as a result online users started making purchases with coupons. We may even say that coupons have taught people not to be afraid of buying online.

What is specific about your projects, what is the key to success?

The key is in finding the balance between creative spirit and basic skills. You have to know how to make the logistics work, so that the storing, shipping and processing of goods are reasonably priced. If there is a designer without a legal entity, we'd help them with their paperwork rather than say no. We have precise formulas for internal operations but no rules as such to organise concerts and celebrations which we do each month with no rigid formulas for the range. We never pose limits on the essentials – creativity and range.

Tell us about your new projects and plans for the future?

The new project is an online store for affordable designer wear – both international and Russian – with serious quality, price and atmosphere criteria to fit in. We seek talent from all over the world – New Zealand, Finland, Lithuania and so on and sell the brands which are unknown (mainly) focusing on runway trends. We will launch a new website in October that will feature more and more designers. By December our range will be comparable to that of asos.com!

RM Art

Nuts for Russian Art Xanthi SKOULARIKI Regina gallery London, one of the new arrivals from Moscow, is opening the season with an exhibition titled “NUTS” a group show introducing a new generation of predominantly Russian artists, presenting their latest work for the first time outside Russia.

Vladimir Ovcharenko, owner of Regina, speaks to RussianMind on the contemporary Russian art market.

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n the poem The Tale of Tsar Saltan, Alexander Pushkin wrote about a magical squirrel that could turn nuts into precious stones. This poem has a special place in Russian consciousness, being an ongoing source of influence for children and inspiration for the older generations who grew up with tales still present in Russian education. Here, nuts have become a symbol of how classical ideas permeated into general culture, leaving a mark in unexpected ways.

In English, ‘nuts’ translates quite differently perhaps the ‘unexpected’ being the common denominator? But art is unexpected by default.

Six artists, Elikuka, Tigran Khachatryan, Egor Koshelev, Olya Kroytor, Vlad Kulkov and Arseniy Zhilyaev are giving it a 22

Vlad Kulkov, 2011

go and play with the bilingual interpretations of the word ‘nuts’ from a purely aesthetical perspective to an obviously politically engaged view, which reflects the current state of the creative process in Russia. This has been dubbed the blank slate: a younger generation of artists has come up with its own unique positions, detached from former dogmas and dominant ideas of the art movements over the last hundred years.

NUTS exhibition, subtitled ‘Between Nothingness and

Eternity’, is curated to not only show the scope of this detachment from Russian art history but the influences and references that are visually and contextually still there.

In view of the upcoming Russian avant-garde exhibition at the Royal Academy, the arrival of Eratra gallery in Mayfair alongside the other commercial and non-commercial spaces in London dedicated to Russian art, would you say there is a good season ahead?

VO: There has been a tremendous growth of

Vladimir Ovcharenko, owner of Regina gallery with his son Mike, director at the gallery

international interest for Russian contemporary art in the last decade, both from institutions and the private sector. Each year, the art market is getting more and more international and this brings with it new initiatives. Regardless of the other existing structures – commercial and non-commercial – everyone has their own goals. In the meantime, the fact that there are more platforms dedicated to Russian contemporary

Regina Gallery was established by Vladimir and Regina Ovcharenko in Moscow in 1990, a time of startling change, political involvement and experimentation in the Russian art scene. It quickly earned a reputation as a performance platform, having hosted landmark projects with Moscow Actionists such as Oleg Kulik and shows by Soviet-generation conceptualists (Ivan Chuikov, Andrei Monastyrski) and emerging artists from the former USSR (Pavel Pepperstein, Oleg Golosiy). Vladimir Ovcharenko gives us an insight into the business of contemporary Russian art. №9(09) 9 - 22 September 2011

RM Art art, it is beneficial both for the artists and Russian contemporary culture in general. It creates new dynamics within our industry, in which everyone profits and the artists in the first instance. Our primary concern and job is to promote their work.

Do you believe the Russian art market has been affected amidst the European financial crisis?

VO: Let’s put it this way: an international financial crisis certainly does affect the international art market globally. In times of crisis, when people need to spread their risk, art becomes an important safe asset, which has not decreased in value over long term. There has been a slowdown in the prices that skyrocketed before the crisis and now the situation is healthier and a deep interest in art itself is back again while the purely speculative processes tends to slow down.

The Regina gallery programme includes Russian and Ukranian artists but also international ones.

This allows us to work in a very broad market, from Asia to California. Lately, international art patrons

Elikuka, show view at Berloga, 2011

Is it a niche market or a market for everyone?

Egor Koshelev, At least, I vomit like an Artist, 2011

have been more active than ever, which drives other people to take part in the game, including the Russians.

Russian collectors are becoming more interested in international artists and international collectors are therefore interested in Russian art. Regina Gallery is a platform creating links for both markets.

VO: Before the 2008 crisis, some of the Russian artists reached unexpected records internationally, which has attracted international attention on Russian contemporary art. Then, some of the artists could not sell any more work at those prices but could not sell cheaper either. In the meantime, artists like Pavel Pepperstein and Sergey Bratkov benefited from great

The auction business in London focuses more on the Russian avant-garde than on the Russian contemporary art scene.

VO: It is normal. People are more familiar with the Russian avant-garde. It is mentioned in all books dedicated to art history alongside the impressionists and modern artists. The prices for good works are still rising in that sector.

Do you see a gap in the market or is buying interest in Russian contemporary art growing?

Olga Kroitor, 2011

institutional attention and their prices have increased.

As for younger artists that are getting noticed, we have Victor Alimpiev, Nikolay

Bakharev and Sergey Zarva whose works are currently exhibited in the New Museum in New York.

The Russian market is not a particular exception, it reflects how the art market works on a global scale.

What is the feedback so far since Regina gallery opened in London last year?

VO: The gallery is situated on Eastcastle Street, in the most vibrant part of the West End. Regina London has a very flexible space and since its inception in April 2010, it has hosted 7 shows featuring the works of established artists with international careers along with exhibiting the most avant-garde and challenging artworks. Since then, Regina Gallery has been accepted at Art Basel, and we have met a lot of new collectors including Russian ones, we are now gaining greater attention from the international media and so on. Our London team is staffed by people with a broad international experience, demonstrating the gallery’s plan to develop its international business and the career and visibility of our artists.

How many shows are you scheduling for your second year of operations in London?

VO: We have a very busy agenda with 6 shows planned for the London gallery starting from September until next summer. Alongside, the gallery will take part in 5 of the most important international art fairs, starting from Frieze this Fall and Art Basel Miami Beach.

NUTS at Regina Gallery:

9 September – 6 October www.reginagallery.com

(images courtesy of Regina gallery)

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RM Blog

Please Mind the Gap: Notes of a Russian in the UK Olga LESYK When I first arrived in the UK nine years ago, it was like landing on the moon! I was amazed by the new territory right off the plane.

London Heathrow seemed gigantic and its walkways are endless. I wondered at the suspiciously clean carpeted floors and the rather frequent, foreigner-friendly signage that made it almost impossible to get lost. But the biggest shock came in the baggage reclaim area, when I realised that there were enough trolleys for everyone and they were all free!

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can’t help but laugh at myself now, reminiscing at that first encounter with an alien culture. I was in awe. Full stop! I now think, however, that I had come from outer space. Well, it was my first ever trip abroad after all.

Forgive me being a bit trivial when I say this, but many things are different here. And this is a standard reply to my family and friends’ invariable query, “how do you find it over there?”

In fact, I often seem at a loss as to how to describe the ‘different’ bit of my answer.

As with any culture, the UK lifestyle has its points of contention. But who am I to judge? I would rather talk about those things that I familiar with and can’t imagine living without, then those things that I miss.

For instance, let’s forget the fact that they drive on ‘the wrong side’ here – moreover, it is the mystery of having two taps, that surprises me! So far, no English person I have asked, can provide me with an answer to the question: “why are there two separate taps for cold and hot water?”

The inquest continues.

I also have an issue with the weather (not that the weather bothers me, of course)! The peculiar climate, typical to most island countries, where seasons seem to merge into one prolonged autumn or

spring, should have an impact on a nation. By this I mean the somewhat bizarre choice of clothes and footwear the British people have...well, all year round, really. Many a time I have seen young ladies, in mid-January, wearing miniskirts with pumps (sometimes with no tights), or toddlers in a playground with nothing but T-shirts and jeans on, red-nosed and sneezing their heads off. Same goes for some older women and men (exclusively in joggers – their attire takes no account of the seasons). By the same token, it is not uncommon to see someone wearing a pair of sheep skin UGGs or a padded jacket on a beautiful warm summer day!

Entertainment wise, the buzz in the crowd outside the pubs begs questions too? I am sure you all follow me here?! I am not a great pub-goer, but when I have gone to one, it was the same picture: empty inside, buzzing outside. In Russia the tendency is always to book a nice table in the dining area, whether it is for a pint; a shot; a coffee; a glass of something or for dinner.

Don’t expect to see anyone outside a bar in Russia, drinking and socialising in a civilised way, as they do here.

There isn’t a culture in place for that. Why pay extras for drinks to stand in the street chatting when you can buy a bottle for half the price

and drink it elsewhere, e.g. in a the nearest park. But if one is after a fine drinking experience plus good company, then it is sure to be the ‘table inside’ set up.

Thus, the very few English (and Irish) pubs in Moscow and St Petersburg tend to be considered as posh cafes, rather than a vibrant meeting place for locals. For that reason I like the English pub spirit better. Yet, amongst all that Babylonian chatter and noise – how can you hear anyone, let alone get heard?

I have tried hard but failed to enjoy the pub experience myself.

But, perhaps, the most striking contrast between Russia and the UK that you can see straight away upon arrival in the UK, is the smiling faces and the general air of calm and friendliness.

Back home, it annoyed me to hear foreigners talk of the ‘Russian gloom’ and Russian ‘martyr like faces’. Having lived in the UK, however, I can see their point. It is not that the Russians are always depressed №9(09) 9 - 22 September 2011

(although life is hard for most people there), smiling is just not a habit, as with any habit, it takes constant practice. It was, I think, the advent of the ‘customer service age’, in the mid-nineties, that first brought smiles to the otherwise bored (if a little hostile) faces of the Russian

shop assistants. Whether this has had any effect on their performance is arguable.

But they are smiling at you in public places now. That’s something at least!

Another ‘blessing’ I discovered here can be summed up as follows: ‘Watch my space!’ The Brits

are very much aware of their own and other people’s private space. Staring at strangers idly is thought rude.

Body contact with strangers is out of the question. But even when the body contact is inevitable (e.g. on public transport during the rush hour), the unspoken rule is, to at least, avoid eye contact, something which is quite the opposite in Russia.

Finally, it is on the subject of orange & black plastic bags. This phenomenon I miss most when going home to Russia. It especially pains me to see my family members throw away cartons and paper in the general waste bin, the only bin a Russian household has. I often find myself taking paper out and putting it in a separate bag and then the reality hits home – this bag is going to end up mixed with general rubbish anyway when the rubbish collectors come, so I give up. Russian society has yet to realise the

importance of recycling and environmental awareness.

The UK life style is also appealing to me because it puts a higher premium on the “individual” - I/you/we/they form the tip of the iceberg that is Social Care and Consumer Heaven. One cannot help but get the feeling, that all in this system is done for the benefit of people's pockets, to satisfy their tastes and meet their needs. Even if it's not always so, and in fact it is rarely so, it's good to realise that an effort is being made.

Public conduct rules are worth writing a book about.

Some examples of public language and encouragement signs I have only witnessed in the UK. Here are some of the notions that were revelations to my 'hungry’ Siberian mind: 'This is a Neighbourhood Watch Area' - I'm shaking with fear; Please queue here - the epitome of 'law and order' cultivated nationally (to start with - at your local post office); Please wait until called forward - usually at Border Controls at UK Airports - a logical development of the above; Please refrain from using your mobile whilst at the counter.

Thank you for not smoking.

The Together for London ad campaign, featuring a bunch of rounded cartoon figures, each promising to be a better traveller, has hit a special nerve with me. The public transport back home could well benefit from the same idea. Not that some individuals we are scared to “tell off ” on the bus are likely to take any notice of the cute “numpties”, but good on TFL for trying!

So, when I am asked what I think of England and the UK in general and whether life is better back home, I put on a smart face and take a moment before dropping my classic D-word that so annoys my compatriots – ‘Well, what do you expect me to say? It is not better here, nor is it worse.

It’s just ...different’, but is it really that different?

RCS, London’s Premier Chauffeur service For a luxury chauffeur service in and around London, RCS (Robinson Chauffeur Services) offer a range of specialised Chauffeur services for discerning clients, including airport transfers and day and evening hire.

Whether you require our chauffeur service for business or pleasure, our experienced chauffeurs will be on hand to ensure your itinerary is completed in a timely, discreet and comfortable manner. For a luxury chauffeur service in and around London, RCS offer a range of specialised services for discerning clients with complete privacy and discretion assured at all times.

With over 20 years' experience, RCS provide an exceptional Chauffeur experience second to none. We are experienced in operating to your complex itineraries and time management, to ensure every demand and variation is met and catered for you effortlessly.

A Russian Shopping Trip to London with RCS Having been driven to the private jet terminal just outside Moscow city, our Lady boards her company jet. The smartly dressed crew are carrying out the final preparations as the flight hostess greets her passenger and settles her in ready for the next few hours.

The Luggage is stowed, which is surprisingly light as she is only away for two nights, and the door is closed, communications are opened with the tower to discuss take off.

At this point, the Russian chauffeur retires to the lounge within the terminal.

Here he will wait until he receives confirmation that the jet has taken off before returning to Moscow.

Flying time to London is short and there is the opportunity to land at Heathrow, Farnborough, Northolt, Luton Biggin Hill or Stansted. By using Stansted, the furthest of all the Fbo's from London, the operations centre can arrange to reduce total travelling time to central London to only 20 minutes.

As the jet glides smoothly to a halt adjacent to the terminal, the four seat

helicopter is ready and waiting to travel to Battersea heliport. Our chauffeur in London will have woken hours before to check the estimated time of arrival of the aircraft and to collect the Mercedes S class from the garage, which was fully prepared 24 hrs in advance. He arrives at the heliport before the jet lands at Stansted. You can never be too early and RCS of London have a rule that if you are not 15 minutes early, then you are late for your client.

As the helicopter lands at Battersea, the chauffeur waits outside the new terminal building, opened in 2009, which incorporates the Verta Hotel. The site was originally opened in 1959 and has changed hands many times but remains London's foremost site for heliports.

After a welcome smile from her regular chauffeur and a gentle close of the Mercedes S class door our VIP glides over the River Thames while recalling the views of London as she flew in. And then it’s time to catch up with her friends and family. Calls and texts are made announcing to all that she has arrived safely and enquiring if all is well with them.

Finally, discussing with her girlfriends about the two days ahead and where and when they should meet for lunch.

The door man at the five star Lanesborough hotel greets our client as the car arrives at the door. The bags are collected and whisked to the room as she checks in. It’s now only 11.00 am and a lot has happened so a short break time is crucial.

With another quick smile to the doorman, she is back in the car and off to Harrods’s.

Hans Road is bumper to bumper with limousines, from Rolls Royce’s to SUV’s. And the one thing they have in common is a chauffeur. Attending

to the car, he waits while shopping and pampering for the ladies goes on quietly inside the Emporium on Knightsbridge.

Around 13.30 as if in an advert, three ladies appear from door three. Victor, the door man with many years’ experience, whistles to the chauffeur. With his vast knowledge of clients and their drivers he is able to command the correct car every time. Lunch is in Mayfair, Scott’s today, with an outside table in the summer sunshine. Today’s order… Champagne, fresh cooked fish and laughter with her pals.

Kensington Palace Gardens.

Arriving at the door of what could be considered as a palace, the chauffeur waits to collect his evening guest. Familiar with our ladies friends and associates our chauffeur meets the now familiar face with due respect and professionalism, as If this were a new client.

Working with the chauffeur the door man at Harrys Bar ensures the S class is parked directly outside the door of the restaurant. First class Presentation is always important. And after a fine dinner her guest is taken home and our lady arrives back at the hotel. Ready for time on her own and preparation for tomorrow. It has been a long day and our chauffeur is given instruction to arrive tomorrow at 11.00.

Tomorrow arrives in a blast of sunshine. Since the first rays of light, London has been bustling with busy people walking, cycling, riding or driving to go about their business. Our VIP guest woke early due to her body clock being set on Moscow time. After a brisk swim in the hotel pool and a light breakfast in the room she set about working. Even the most affluent women in the world have business affairs. Ours heads a leading charity and so it’s business as usual in which ever city she is in.

Having viewed a text from her preferred chauffeur, she knows her assistant in London has arrived on time. She quickly replies with requests to collect bags from Bond St. Yesterday was not just for chatting.

After lunch its Bond St. to her favourite boutique for the latest couture collection.

A process which can take two hours. Then across the street to Louis Vuitton for a new hand bag and to Cartier for a chat and a coffee with the manager. No purchases today but who knows what they discussed?

Soon after its time to return to the hotel.

Everyone needs to rest their feet for a while. Time to gather thoughts and catch up on calls. Before preparing for an evening with friends. At 20.00 the Black S class arrives in

This will also give him time to rest and prepare himself and the car for the day ahead. Safety is something we take seriously at RCS.

She knows that she can trust her chauffeur as he has worked with her family for many years. Trust is important.

At 1300 she appears from the hotel with all of her bags. A change of plan. Her husband is now flying in to London to collect her en route to the USA. With no effort or fuss the S class

cuts its way across the river to Battersea. The visit has been shorter than expected but in today’s world, flexibility is essential.

Having your own jet allows you to adapt your life plans at short notice. The jet had returned previously to Moscow to collect her husband and to have the chauffeur team on hand to work with you allows you to have the same flexibility whilst ensuring continuity and peace of mind.

Our VIP is soon on her way to Stansted via the helicopter and away to the USA. And our chauffeur waits until the all clear is given from the operator that the couple are on their way. Our chauffeur returns back to the office to report on the two days business. Another good job completed

RM Guide The Golden Age of the Russian Opera: The Mariinsky Theatre 1890-1917 Talk by Rosamund Bartlett Tue 20 September 2011 – 7.30pm Language: In English

Three Capitals: Kiev – Moscow – St.Petersburg Talk Wed 21 September 2011 – 7.00pm Language: In English Discover the three most amazing cities of Russia and the Ukraine.

From the lavishness of Moscow to the aristocratic beauty of St. Petersburg, and the authentic beauty of Kiev with its

Alexander Nevsky Lecture-Screening Wed 28 September 2011 – 7.15pm Language: In Russian with English subtitles Alexander Nevsky is a 1938 historical drama film directed by Sergei Eisenstein, in association with Dmitri Vasilyev and a script cowritten with Pyotr Pavlenko, who were assigned to ensure Eisenstein did not stray into “formalism” and to facilitate

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An overview of the major productions at imperial St.Petersburg’s premier opera house during its most glorious period.

The talk will highlight the composers, directors, singers and conductors who

took the Russian Opera company to its greatest heights, and will feature period photographs and historic recordings.

Tickets: £7, conc. £5 (Friends of Pushkin House, students and OAPs)

golden-domed churches. You will start your virtual trip in Kiev – the capital of the Ukraine. You will then move on to Moscow; the architecture of Moscow is a kaleidscope of 19th century Russian style town houses, grand Stalinist-era buildings and futuristic 21st century developments. The last port of call is St. Petersburg, the “Venice of the North”.

Apart from the cultural highlights of Moscow, St. Petersburg and Kiev, the

travel experts from Go Russia will give you details of accommodation and transport options available in the regions, a wide range of holiday activities, and many other practicalities that you may need to consider before going to Russia and the Ukraine. The seminar is supported by a video and photographic presentation.

Tickets: £ admission is free, but booking is necessary

shooting on a reasonable timetable. It was produced

by Goskino via the Mosfilm production unit, with Nikolai Cherkasov in the title role and a musical score by Sergei Prokofiev, Alexander Nevsky was the most popular of Eisenstein’s three sound films.

In 1941 Eisenstein, Pavlenko, Cherkasov and Abrikosov were awarded the Stalin Prize for the film.

Tickets: £7, conc. £5 (Friends of Pushkin House, students and OAPs)

№9(09) 9 - 22 September 2011

RM Street Chic

Autumn Outfit

What Russian Person Do You Know?

Photographer: Anton Phatianov

Louise, 26, office assistant, jacket Versace, leggings Miss Selfridge, bag Mango.

No one

Veronika Molnar, intern at Browns, coat Zara, bag Fendi, trousers H&M, boots Topshop, t-shirt Alexander Wang.

Gorbachev

Abramovich

Kamila, 28, retail assistant, hoodie Nikita.com, trousers TKMaxx, trainers Vans.

Antonia Yaneva, 22, student, jacket Peacocks, everything else from TKMaxx.

Anna Meria, 27, medical doctor, jacket Primark, jeans Benetton, trainers Converse, bag ICL.

Abramovich

â„–9(09) 9 - 22 September 2011

Putin

Kathrin Hill, 22, events coordinator, coat and shirt H&M, skirt Marks & Spencer.

Dostoevsky

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RM RM Sport Sport

Warning:

The US Open is Coming!

Anastasia GRISHCHENKO The final Grand Slam of the year is like a jigsaw puzzle that lacks one of its four components.

The US Open starts at Flushing Meadows Stadium at the end of August, the picture acquires clarity. The “US Open is coming!” I want to alert you, dear readers, there is nothing to be scared about.

Below are some tips on how to survive the tournament which may as well be called the “Stress Open”.

H

ave you ever held a ticket for this competition in your hands? If so, have you bothered to read what is written on a qualified endorsement? You should, it 30

is worth it! The text on the ticket quotes a good portion of the American criminal code. It is said that “violation will result in punishment up to imprisonment”. Besides common prohibitions, there are some innovative paragraphs. For instance, it’s a violation to communicate the score or court setting descriptions during the matches – you are not allowed to text; email or share this information in any way.

Regulations also say that you are solely responsible for any risk of personal injury due to the game or any unforeseen weather conditions. So, in case of a typhoon, an earthquake or let us assume a tennis ball hitting you, be ready to protest! By the way, high winds as well as the languishing heat are rather common in New York City.

The US Open is an event for people with perfect health and strong nerves. Humidity reaches 95 percent and the air temperature goes up to 40C and that's in the stands.

Down on the court which resembles the bottom of a giant canyon, it’s even hotter.

In addition the audience behaves as if they are watching American football.

The sound of trumpets, drums and screams are heard everywhere. Planes landing at La Guardia supplement the atmosphere with additional decibels. Airliners fly so low over the stadium that some fans argue as to whether the pilot has a moustache, a

compensation but no money was reimbursed (a ticket by the way cost from $45 to $130), they offered the use of the tickets for the same stage of the tournament for the following year and there was no guarantee concerning specific seats. Moreover, no one could promise the same players!

Democracy in action

Living statues.

Such living statues are styled as 1930s Tennis Players to display the long history of the US Open

beard or whether he is clean shaven!

There is another problem.

Fans risk missing the matches of their favourite tennis players due to the extreme weather conditions, so their tickets are then validated for a similar duel the following year. But, who can guarantee that on the appointed day in 2012 the same players will appear on court?!

Thus during a fourth round match, when Marat Safin played Pete Sampras in 1998, the sky suddenly became dark and the plastic cups, newspapers and even towels were lifted into the air by a terrible storm. The rain then started and of course, the match was delayed.

The management promised

Every tournament has its own distinguishing credo.

For the Australian Open it’s exotic; for Wimbledon – the adherence to tradition; at Roland Garros – romance, but the US Open – has a democratic atmosphere with an openness to the press. In any other Grand Slam you will need special permission, which is issued for a limited time, to get into the players’ area. In New York journalists have unrestricted access, not only to the reception area where players are waiting for transport to the hotel, but also the training courts and the rest room by the adjacent lawn. For players there is an option of dinner with the journalists! In the tavern for the media and sportsmen I can only guess what is most alluring – the convenient location or the menu in the restaurant? But you can witness Dmitriy Tursunov carefully choosing sandwiches; Vera Zvonareva's ex coach Sergey Demekhin coming in for dinner and №9(09) 9 - 22 September 2011

RM RM Sport Sport Photo: Author

Arthur Ashe Stadium, with Maria Sharapova on the big screen

Amelie Mauresmo sipping coffee with French journalists, amongst many others.

Meeting Russian, Tursunov later in an elevator, we start discussing which is the best language to read Nabokov? Then we run into Federer, whom I took some time to decide on how to greet, whether to say “hello”, “bonjour” or “servus”, because he is fluent in these three languages. Also there was Dinara Safina, the former world number 1, who had ended her tennis career, but last year she played again despite suffering from a back injury. However, she lost her match and refused to speak to the press, although her coach was there to placate her. I was sitting on a bench in the shade, when I accidentally came face to face with the Russian. I witnessed tears, pain and despair in her eyes.

I had to look away, despite having permission to enter the players' private areas, I did not want to be there. №9(09) 9 - 22 September 2011

Arthur Ashe Stadium

When the morning is near…

Another feature of the US Open is the late night matches. At Wimbledon matches are halted before dusk around 9 p.m., whereas in New York City there are no limits concerning the duration of the evening matches which can start at midnight and end at dawn. It turns out that the US Open tennis follows the format of American show business - it always goes on! Some players do not feel enthusiastic about night matches. Thus, the overwhelming desire for sleep prevented Elena Dementieva from beating Samanta Stosur last year, despite the Russian having four match-points! “We started the match at 11 p.m. and played the deciding tie-break at 1.30 a.m. But I did not need to check the time; I was sleepy and felt it was too late", Dementieva said. "I suppose, it’s the

last game of my career, at least I was not interviewed during the night!” Elena retired at the beginning of 2010 and married hockey player Maxim Afinogenov this summer. Although a wise man says “never say never”. Elena always said that after finishing her tennis career she wanted to work as a journalist. Elena is very educated and versatile, fluent in Russian, English and French, she has chosen a suitable profession, but not the easiest one.

There are those for whom a hard court experience is a real pleasure. “Nothing can compare with the energy emanating from the New York fans and the excitement that prevails in the stadium during the matches”, Maria Sharapova said. “Perhaps my victory four years ago, when the whole stadium stood up to greet me, is one of the most unforgettable moments of my life”.

I should add that, when it comes to the prize money, the US Open is the richest

tournament. Players are fighting not for large, but incredibly large monetary rewards! Winners of the singles earn $1.8 million, together with bonus prizes, this sum can rise to $2.8 million. By the way, the US Open was the first Grand Slam in the world that offered equal prize money for men and women, this happened back in 1973!

It’s silly to think that players and the fans have different schedules. Well after midnight, when Serbian Novak Djokovic had just won a hard fought battle against German, Philipp Petzschner, I followed a large mob of people down to the subway, Mets Willets Point Station.

In a packed train I met one of the executive managers of Federal Bank of New York, “I’ve been at the stadium the whole day. The matches were fantastic! Of course, in the morning I’m going to work and have to get up early, but it is worth sacrificing sleep for the opportunity to see the US Open!”

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