Mr. Alexey Valkov is the Deputy Director of the Roscongress Foundation and Director of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. Mr. Valkov joined the Roscongress Foundation team in 2009. In three years he rose through the ranks from a regular specialist to the head of the directorate for work with participants of events. He was a head of the department for more than 5 years, forming the audience of major international congress events.

Since 2017, he has been holding the post of the Director of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. In 2019 he was the head of the project directorate of the Roscongress Foundation and coordinated the preparation of the 23rd UNWTO General Assembly in St. Petersburg. Since 2021 he has been acting head of the Roscongress Foundation working group for the preparation of the annual Congress of Young Scientists.

St. Petersburg International Economic Forum has repeatedly been recognized as the best in the Project of the Year nomination of the international annual independent award among the organizers of the Eurasian Event Forum (EFEA Awards).

Excerpts from an interview with Mr. Alexey Valkov:

Question: The Kingdom of Bahrain was a Guest of Honour country at SPIEF 2025. Could you share your thoughts on Bahrain’s participation at the Forum?

We are absolutely delighted to have the Kingdom of Bahrain as the Guest of Honour at SPIEF 2025. Their substantial representation, including members of the Royal Family, government officials, and business leaders, underscores the significance of this partnership. We were particularly grateful for the insightful remarks by His Highness Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, His Majesty the King’s Representative for Humanitarian Work and Youth Affairs, during the Plenary Session, where he emphasized SPIEF’s crucial role in the global economy. The Guest of Honour status is exceptionally important to us, and we are confident that the Bahraini delegation achieved their objectives at the Forum.

Question: How are the key topics of the forum formed and what factors influence it?

Our event boasts an exceptionally extensive and all-encompassing program, designed to offer something relevant and valuable for every participant. The topics span a broad spectrum, including innovation, technology, culture, demography, economy, finance, health, oil & gas, and agriculture and food security, among others. It would be challenging to find any significant area that isn’t addressed.

In total, the Forum features over 300 events with more than 1,000 speakers from across the globe. Beyond our international attendees, we have strong representation from all regions of Russia, ensuring a comprehensive discussion of various issues and themes. We purposefully avoid restricting the agenda to a single focus, allowing participants to explore their specific areas of interest.

Question: In 2024-2025, Roscongress held many off-site events under the auspices of SPIEF in different countries. Can we say that the Roscongress International platform is a successful tool for promoting Russia’s interests abroad and developing constructive dialogue with international partners?

Absolutely. The plenary session highlighted how SPIEF serves as a vital platform, particularly for countries in the Global South, to collaborate on new solutions and approaches that foster stronger interaction. We are proud to be an instrument in achieving these important goals.

Regarding our international events, we firmly believe in the power of first-hand experience – “seeing it once is better than hearing it a thousand times.” While many business representatives may be interested in our Forum, they might not have detailed knowledge of it. To address this, Roscongress organizes a series of international events to disseminate information about SPIEF and our other initiatives.

These events aim to foster bilateral cooperation or serve as multilateral platforms for several countries to participate simultaneously. The core idea is to discuss and identify solutions for developing bilateral ties and to inform potential participants about the opportunities available at our Forum. We have observed that once a country attends SPIEF, they often become consistent participants in subsequent years.

Furthermore, a crucial element of these international events is the opportunity for participants to experience Russia firsthand and learn about our culture and business landscape. Similarly, it allows Russian businessmen to engage with the people, culture, and economies of the countries where such events are held. This exchange of knowledge and culture facilitates the creation of strong alliances, contributing to the growth of the global economy. Our international events are instrumental in multiplying these contacts and fostering collaboration.

Question: How has the participation of Western business community delegations been this year at SPIEF?

The participation of Western countries at SPIEF mirrors global trends. While there has been a decrease in the number of participants from Western countries compared to pre-COVID-19 levels, they have not ceased participating in our Forum. In fact, their numbers are gradually increasing each year. These participants are primarily business leaders, organizations, and SMEs who come to engage in constructive dialogue, and we always welcome their presence. Our speakers include individuals from Europe, the Americas, and Asia, among other regions. We view our platform as an open forum for meaningful discussion, and I want to emphasize that anyone is welcome to attend.