The moderator of the plenary session was Tadzio Schilling, AEB CEO.

 

Anna Manvelova, General Director, ITEMF Expo and Michael Johannes, Vice-President, Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH,  Brand Manager Automechanika, also addressed the forum participants with welcoming speeches. 

The speakers of the plenary session, Eric-Mark Huitema, Director General, European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) and Sigrid de Vries, Secretary General, CLEPA - European Association of Automotive Suppliers, shared European experience in overcoming the consequences of COVID-19 in the automotive industry and noted the trend of increasing environmental friendliness of transport, which is reflected in the growth of sales of electric cars.

Alexander Migal, Managing Director, Kia Motors Rus, Thomas Stärzel, CEO, Porsche Russland, Chairman of the AEB Automobile Manufacturers' Committee, Jan Eichinger, CEO, MAN Truck and Bus Rus, Chairman of the AEB Commercial Transport Committee and Vyacheslav Zubarev, President of the ROAD Association spoke about doing business in the context of the global crisis in Russia and expected measures of state support.

Commenting on the current level of car sales in Russia, Vyacheslav Zubarev suggested that in the first quarter of next year the situation with consumer demand may change dramatically and additional government incentives will be required.

Thomas Stärzel, Chairman of the AEB Automobile Manufacturers Committee, added that stability of legislation and tax policy as well as localization requirements can support the car market globally. This year, according to the current AEB forecast, 1.522 million passenger cars and light commercial vehicles will be sold in Russia, reminded Stertzel, which implies a reduction of almost 14% to the previous code.

The second analytical session, moderated by Andrey Tomyshev,  Partner, Advanced Manufacturing and Mobility Leader in Strategy and Transactions, Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe & Central Asia, EY, was dedicated to preliminary 2020 results and forecasts for the short and long term. 

Speakers, among whom were Sergey Tselikov, Director, AUSTAT, Tatiana Arabadzhi, Director, Russian Automotive Market Research, Tatiana Kofanova, Partner, Head of the Group for providing services to companies in the automotive industry, Deloitte, Wilhelmina Shavshina, Partner, EY, etc. discussed the differentiation of industrial subsidies, localization requirements, regulation after the regime of industrial assembly, export and corporate programs to improve competitiveness, etc.    

    

The analytical panel was followed by discussions and presentations of projects in partnership with the Skolkovo Foundation, Avtonet STI and Glonass NP on current topics - startups and innovations in the automotive industry, the use of big data and artificial intelligence, etc.