For the First Time Ever, the SPIEF Website, www.forumspb.com, Streamed a Live Broadcast From Davos, Switzerland

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia, January 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

- For the first time ever, the SPIEF website, www.forumspb.com , streamed a live broadcast from Davos, Switzerland, of a Plenary Session featuring Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, and a special session organized by the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum and the World Economic Forum, which included Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev addressed the participants of the World Economic Forum (WEF) at the opening plenary of its Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, on 26 January 2011. President Medvedev's address focused on those issues that are reshaping and redefining the global community. It also highlighted how Russia is responding to these challenges - with a special emphasis on the importance of cooperation with international partners.

The following morning, First Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Igor Shuvalov took part in a panel session entitled Russia's Next Steps to Modernization, organized jointly by the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum and the World Economic Forum. The session took an in-depth look at Russia's aspirations for a modernized economy, and the challenges it faces in achieving its goals. Participants discussed a broad range of topics impacting the modernization agenda, as well as debated and analyzed specific initiatives, such as the workings of the President's Commission for Modernization and Technological Development, the Skolkovo project, Moscow's efforts to establish itself as a global financial centre, and others.

    
    Panelists:
    - Igor Shuvalov, First Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation
    - Patrick Kron, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Alstom, France
    - IndraNooyi, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, PepsiCo, USA; Member 
      of the Foundation Board of the World Economic Forum
    - Jim Albaugh, Executive Vice President of Boeing and CEO of Boeing
      Commercial Airplanes, USA

    Moderator:
    - Thomas Friedman, Columnist, Foreign Affairs, The New York Times, USA

A recording of the broadcast is available on the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum's website, http://www.forumspb.com

The St. Petersburg International Economic Forum will take place 16 - 18 June 2011.

Reference guide:

The St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) is a leading international business forum held annually in St. Petersburg, Russia, with support and participation of the President of the Russian Federation. SPIEF brings together political and business leaders from all over the world, as well as leading voices from academia, science, non-governmental institutions and arts, to address the global challenges, forge alliances and build partnerships. For further information please visit the Forum's official website at http://www.forumspb.com

The World Economic Forum (WEF) is an international non-governmental organization that works to foster international cooperation; the WEF's annual forum is held in Davos, Switzerland. Russian delegations have been participating in the WEF since 1987. WEF and St.Petersburg International Forum are jointly organizing sessions in their respective events.

You can find the WEF's official website at http://www.weforum.org