The session was moderated by Georgy Petrov, Counselor to the President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Russia. 

The panelists discussed the importance of family businesses for the economy in Europe and Russia, main factors for growth and current key challenges, including in terms of globalization and digitalization, state support and regulation, access to financing, and taxation. 

 

Andreas Bitzi highlighted in his speech the following characteristics of the family businesses in Europe: high profitability and cautious risk-taking behavior, reasonable investments in business development,  importance of presence in a particular region, striving for continuous improvement of product quality and company development, high attention to societal aspects and charitable activities as a precondition for long-term sustainability. 

                                                                                

L-R: Georgy Petrov, Counselor to the President of the CCI of Russia;  Andreas Bitzi, Chairman of the AEB North-Western Regional Committee, Managing Director, quality partners; Le Truong Son, President of the Vietnam Business Association in Russia; Vittorio Torrembini, Vice-president of the Association of Italian Entrepreneurs in Russia; Falk Tischendorf, Representative of the Federal State of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania in Russia; Anton Ionov, Partner, Head of Private Client Service, EY.