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RUSSIAN-ARMENIAN BUSINESSMAN ON RUSSIA'S TRANSFORMATION AND BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES
Tert.am
29.08.11
Below is an excerpt from an interview with Ruben Vardanyan, President
of the Moscow-based Troika Dialog investment and asset management
company, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Russian Venture company,
published by SPEAR'S Russia:
- What do you need to remain what your are?
- You cannot deceive yourself. I am well are of my own faults, and it
is important for me to be hones to myself. I am the strictest judge
for myself.
- What is there is business that you consider unethical or even
criminal?
- I have seen a lot in Russia. Some things are most difficult to
comprehend. A big businessman was eager to purchase a plant and had the
owner's son imprisoned to force his father into signing the papers...
"Ethical" is a term without much weight in Russia... Unethical is
when people think everything is permissible. Capitalism makes people
think that money has no smell. But your success depends on how you
achieve it.
- What would you punish the people you work with for?
- At one of the banks officers were fined for dirty shoes. In Troika
we have no punishment system. Punishing is the last thing to be done.
If you form a team of liberal and professional people, there is no
punishing them. You can express your discontent and reduce their
bonuses. But it is not punishment...
- What is more important: strictly following your principles or
being flexible?
- Certainly, you should be flexible and tolerant. But where is the
limit? Sometimes you have to agree on compromise in business. You are
not living in an environment with all the steps described in detail...
- When would you be the first to attack?
- My father would say: 'You have to be very strong to be kind.' I
have not been involved in 'corporate wars' since I opened up business
20 years ago. I am not a ruffian, but in some cases I had to be the
first to strike... It has nothing to do with business though.
- What is your living standard?
- I have never counted... I fly both economy class and take charter
flights. Books are not so expensive. I do not collect cars or watches.
I spend very little on clothing. Except for trips and charity, it is
several hundred U.S. dollars a year.
- What about sense of safety and confidence in the future?
- Long ago I decided that I would not like to find myself in a
situation when I would have to run across the street only because
I could feel ashamed of looking in a person's eyes. It is a sense
of peace and safety for me. But I cannot claim that I have never
made mistakes...
- What about the acknowledgement of your services? Do you have
any titles?
- Client confidence is the key factor in our business. We do not need
any titles.
- Have you completely realized your business potential? Is your
business a platform for self-expression or you have another?
- Of course, not. There are always opportunities for more and better.
As to self-expression, I have business school projects and I am
working much on them. I also have charity industry plans.
- Are you striving to improve the world by means of business?
- I think I am. In 1991, when we started our business, very few people
believed Russia would even have the market economy we are having now.
The world was different, and many people have realized their potential
due to our activities, including the foundation of the Troika Dialog
company... That is, the transformation process in Russia was due to
our efforts. Have we succeeded in every way? No, but we have greatly
contributed by being the first to create products and infrastructure.
We have done more than just making money.
Tert.am
29.08.11
Below is an excerpt from an interview with Ruben Vardanyan, President
of the Moscow-based Troika Dialog investment and asset management
company, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Russian Venture company,
published by SPEAR'S Russia:
- What do you need to remain what your are?
- You cannot deceive yourself. I am well are of my own faults, and it
is important for me to be hones to myself. I am the strictest judge
for myself.
- What is there is business that you consider unethical or even
criminal?
- I have seen a lot in Russia. Some things are most difficult to
comprehend. A big businessman was eager to purchase a plant and had the
owner's son imprisoned to force his father into signing the papers...
"Ethical" is a term without much weight in Russia... Unethical is
when people think everything is permissible. Capitalism makes people
think that money has no smell. But your success depends on how you
achieve it.
- What would you punish the people you work with for?
- At one of the banks officers were fined for dirty shoes. In Troika
we have no punishment system. Punishing is the last thing to be done.
If you form a team of liberal and professional people, there is no
punishing them. You can express your discontent and reduce their
bonuses. But it is not punishment...
- What is more important: strictly following your principles or
being flexible?
- Certainly, you should be flexible and tolerant. But where is the
limit? Sometimes you have to agree on compromise in business. You are
not living in an environment with all the steps described in detail...
- When would you be the first to attack?
- My father would say: 'You have to be very strong to be kind.' I
have not been involved in 'corporate wars' since I opened up business
20 years ago. I am not a ruffian, but in some cases I had to be the
first to strike... It has nothing to do with business though.
- What is your living standard?
- I have never counted... I fly both economy class and take charter
flights. Books are not so expensive. I do not collect cars or watches.
I spend very little on clothing. Except for trips and charity, it is
several hundred U.S. dollars a year.
- What about sense of safety and confidence in the future?
- Long ago I decided that I would not like to find myself in a
situation when I would have to run across the street only because
I could feel ashamed of looking in a person's eyes. It is a sense
of peace and safety for me. But I cannot claim that I have never
made mistakes...
- What about the acknowledgement of your services? Do you have
any titles?
- Client confidence is the key factor in our business. We do not need
any titles.
- Have you completely realized your business potential? Is your
business a platform for self-expression or you have another?
- Of course, not. There are always opportunities for more and better.
As to self-expression, I have business school projects and I am
working much on them. I also have charity industry plans.
- Are you striving to improve the world by means of business?
- I think I am. In 1991, when we started our business, very few people
believed Russia would even have the market economy we are having now.
The world was different, and many people have realized their potential
due to our activities, including the foundation of the Troika Dialog
company... That is, the transformation process in Russia was due to
our efforts. Have we succeeded in every way? No, but we have greatly
contributed by being the first to create products and infrastructure.
We have done more than just making money.