«Beyond every weakness there is an opportunity for development»

November 11, 2012

Urzhimtsev works as managing director of investor relations and financial communications in “Emerging Communications”(EmCo). Presenting the aims of the financial PR, Urzhumtsev underlined that “the successful financial image of a company for certain helps to create and promote good image of this company in general”.

Andrey Urzhumtsev has a wide range of professional experience: he started in journalism as editor and Radio anchor and then changed to PR and consulting working among others for Financial Times Knowledge in London. "I can stand near Moscow railway station and sell ephemeral pies but nobody buys them. They should be presented, we want to touch and smell them". Investor relations are the part of all communication and business strategies of a company. As Urzhumtsev said, a good IR-specialist should “sell” his company to the investors and at the same time strive for the prosperity of the shareholders.

One of the core topics of the workshop was investment image of Russia: How does foreign business elite evaluate our country in the terms of investment potential? Students had to make a SWOT analysis – determine strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of Russia as a business partner. «Beyond every weakness there is an opportunity for development», said Urzhumtsev, referring to the issues of centralism in the country and to the lack of progress in the province areas. In the end of the discussion with students he concluded that these features can be estimated at the same time as a strong side of Russia, as its weak side, as a threat and even as an opportunity for growth.

The workshop was organized in collaboration with Association of Consultants in the field of public relations (AKOS).