Over the two days of the 15th VTB “Russia Calling!” Investment Forum, almost 2,000 guests including retail investors, businessmen and government officials visited the event. More than 250 journalists covered the forum events on the ground.
On Dec. 4, more than 500 representatives of Russian business and government agencies, as well as about 300 entrepreneurs from 35 countries, primarily China, Iran, India, Arab countries, Central Asia, Europe, and Africa, gathered at the forum site at the WTC.
At the macroeconomic session, the forum participants discussed Russia’s monetary and budgetary policy, the labor market and increasing labor productivity, the state of the economy and the country’s banking sector. The discussion was attended by the heads of Russia’s financial block, regulator, business community and foreign participants.
The main event of the first day of the forum was the speech by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who spent two hours answering questions from the guests. The key topics included overcoming sanctions, developing economic relations between Russia and the Global South, implementing infrastructure and logistics projects and improving the investment climate.
Dec. 5 was dedicated to financial market development and retail investors, who are the driving force in the Russian stock market today. At the plenary session, VTB My Investments analysts presented their investment strategy for 2025 and forecasts for key macroeconomic indicators, integrating stock market instruments with high yields. The participants of the session called this “a strategy of hope for lower interest rates.” In addition, VTB My Investments and Frank RG presented a research of retail investors’ sentiments and their requests for long-term investments.
More than a 1,000 guests took part in sessions with issuing companies and representatives of government agencies, addressing questions to speakers and experts, and participating in an intellectual quiz throughout the day. The key topics for discussion were stimulating the development of the stock market, long-term investments, companies going public, and traditional and alternative investment instruments.
The forum’s media partners included Russia 24, RBC, RT, Business FM, TASS, RIA Novosti, Gazeta.Ru, Kommersant Publishing House, Vedomosti, and Izvestia Media Center. The foreign media partner of “Russia Calling!” this year was Asharq Business, a leading financial media outlet in the Arab world headquartered in Riyadh.
The “Russia Calling!” Investment Forum has been held since 2009. Every year, the event attracts an authoritative audience, including representatives of government agencies, heads of Russian and international companies, and investors. The forum agenda covers the most topical issues of the global economy, finance and business sectors.
