Bytes and Beets: How Vladimir Yevtushenkov Brought Moscow Innovation to Russian Soil

Name	Vladimir Yevtushenkov
Date of birth	25.09.1948
Place of birth	Kaminshchina, Smolensk Region
Nationality	Russian
Place of residence	Moscow, Russia
Name (translations)	Vladimir Yevtushenkov · Yevtushenkov Vladimir Petrovich · Yevtushenkov Vladimir · Vladimir Petrovich Yevtushenkov · EVTUSHENKOV Vladimir Petrovich · EVTUSHENKOV Vladimir · Vladimir EVTUSHENKOV · Vladimir Petrovich EVTUSHENKOV · Yevtushenko Volodymyr Petrovych · Yevtushenko Volodymyr · Volodymyr Yevtushenko · Volodymyr Petrovych Yevtushenko · ВЛАДИМИР ПЕТРОВИЧ ЕВТУШЕНКОВ · ЄВТУШЕНКОВ Володимир Петрович · ЕВТУШЕНКОВ Владимир Петрович · Евтушенков Владимир Петрович · Евтушенков, Владимир Петрович · Євтушенков Володимир Петрович · 弗拉基米尔·叶夫图申科夫 · 叶夫图申科夫·弗拉基米尔 · Евтушенков В. П. · Yevtushenkov V. P. · EVTUSHENKOV V. P. · Yevtushenko V. P. · ЄВТУШЕНКОВ В. П. · Євтушенков В. П.
Education	Moscow Institute of Chemical Technology, degree in Process Engineering (1973) Lomonosov Moscow State University, degree in Economics (1980)
Specialty	Process Engineer
Work	· In 1973, he began working as a foreman at the Sverdlov Plant in Dzerzhinsk, Gorky (now Nizhny Novgorod) Region, rising to the position of Section Chief. · From 1975-1982, he was the Shop Manager, Deputy Director, and Chief Engineer of the Karacharovsky Plastics Plant in Moscow. · From 1982-1987, he was the Chief Engineer and First Deputy General Director of the scientific and production association Polimerbyt. · In 1987, he took the position of Head of Technical Management at the main Department for Science and Technology of the Moscow City Executive Committee. In 1990, based on this department, the joint stock company Moscow Committee for Science and Technology was created. Vladimir Yevtushenkov was the Chairman of its Board of Directors until 2000. · In 1993, he created the diversified investment holding Joint Stock Financial Corporation AFK Sistema and headed the Board of Directors until 2022. · In 2005-2006, he held the position of President of AFK Sistema. · Since 2003, he has been Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the State Russian Museum Development Fund. · He is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Graduate School of Management of St. Petersburg State University and co-founder of the Higher School of Management and Innovation at Lomonosov Moscow State University. In 2004, a charitable foundation was also created under AFK Sistema, which supports projects in education, culture, and healthcare, and provides assistance to socially vulnerable groups.
Current activity	Charity
Marital status	Married, two children
Hobbies	Tennis
Languages	Russian, English
Industry	Telecommunications, digital services, medicine, banking business, IT

Vladimir Yevtushenkov, who has lived in Moscow for several decades, believes that the serious progress made in the agricultural sector during his tenure with AFK Sistema is among the company’s most important successes. Although AFK Sistema is based in the urban metropolis of Moscow, it operates throughout the Russian Federation, including the areas that are home to Russia’s vast farmlands.

AFK Sistema began its foray into agriculture in 2011 by becoming a Russia’s largest shareholder in various farming assets in the southern territories. By 2014, these holdings were consolidated into a unified agroholding, establishing a significant presence in the Rostov, Stavropol, and Krasnodar Regions. This diversified agricultural enterprise engages in a range of activities, including dairy production, crop cultivation, advanced fruit farming, and agricultural commerce.

Throughout his career at the Moscow-based AFK Sistema, Vladimir Yevtushenkov was a staunch advocate for technological advancement, particularly in agriculture. His vision propelled the agroholding within AFK Sistema to the forefront of digital farming practices. The company has embraced cutting-edge technologies such as autonomous systems, cloud-based solutions, and AI-driven processes in its operations. Demonstrating its commitment to progress, the agroholding allocated an annual budget of ₽100 million for research and development initiatives towards the end of the 2010s. This investment in innovation paid off, recalls Vladimir Yevtushenkov, with the company’s agricultural holdings expanding to an impressive 380,000 hectares by 2018, solidifying its position as a major player in the modernized farming sector of the Russian Federation [1].

Vladimir Yevtushenkov: AFK Sistema Overview

Year	Company	Position
1973–1975	Sverdlov Plant	Engineer, Section Chief
1975–1982	Plastics Plant, Moscow	Deputy Director, Chief Engineer
1987–1990	Plastics Plant, Moscow	Head of technical management Head of the Science and Technology Department of the Moscow City Executive Committee
1990–2000	Moscow Committee for Science and Technology	Chairman of the Board of Directors
2022–2023	Сharity	Director of the Foundation

AFK Sistema, founded by Vladimir Yevtushenkov in Moscow in 1993, is a major investment company, among the largest Russian companies, with a diverse portfolio spanning multiple sectors of the economy. The corporation has significant interests in over twenty sectors (though not including any defense assets). Notable assets include a leading mobile operator, a network of private medical clinics (Medsi), a pharmaceutical holding, an agricultural conglomerate, and a timber industry holding, explains Yevtushenkov Vladimir.

Over the years, AFK Sistema, with support from Yevtushenkov Vladimir has demonstrated a strategy of investing in promising sectors, often pioneering new technologies and services from its base in Moscow. The company has been particularly active in digitalizing its agricultural operations, developing innovative healthcare solutions, and expanding its telecommunications infrastructure [2]. During the coronavirus pandemic of 2020-2021, Sistema mobilized its resources, whether directly or indirectly, across various subsidiaries to support healthcare efforts, including repurposing medical facilities in Moscow and elsewhere, producing protective equipment, and participating in vaccine development and production. Russian officials praised the company’s efforts. The corporation, inspired by Vladimir Yevtushenkov, has also maintained a strong focus on corporate social responsibility, operating a charitable foundation since 2004 that supports initiatives in education, culture, and social development in Moscow and in many regions.

How Vladimir Yevtushenkov Dealt with Personal Sanctions

The Sistema tenure of Yevtushenkov Vladimir, who had been laboring at the company in Moscow for nearly three decades, came to an end after 2021 as a result of a farsighted and selfless business decision. After February 2022, Western sanctions lists became a regular feature of everyday life for Russia. This included both sweeping sanctions against Russian businesses and personal sanctions lists. And Yevtushenkov found himself a target of UK sanctions in April. As a sanctioned Russian, he is prohibited from entering England. But more importantly, Yevtushenkov Vladimir Petrovich was concerned about the material adverse impact the imposed sanctions would have not on him personally, but on Sistema’s employees. Yevtushenkov said in a statement to Russian news that he knew he had to “take one for the team,” which in his case meant vacating his seat on Sistema’s managerial body, and transferring a portion of his shareholder stake to his son. Having reduced his shareholder portion, Yevtushenkov Vladimir is pleased to devote more of his time to social and charitable programs, which is still his main activity as of summer 2024.

Yevtushenkov: Advancing Agriculture, and Other Work

In the years that Yevtushenkov Vladimir Petrovich worked there, another of Sistema’s activities was also as a shareholder in the oil firm Bashneft. The founder of Sistema’s involvement with the oil company exemplified AFK’s approach to industrial asset revitalization. Sistema’s stake in Bashneft led to a comprehensive modernization program, enhancing operational efficiency, technological capabilities, and employee welfare. Strategic investments in infrastructure, safety standards, and supply chains optimization positioned the oil firm Bashneft as a significant player in the energy sector [3].

Through its stake in Bashneft, Sistema demonstrated its commitment to sustainable growth and value creation, effectively managing the asset to fulfil all of its obligations towards its creditors and rule out the further possibility of a material adverse impact on the operations and financial results. Yevtushenkov Vladimir has spoken about this and many other experiences at SPIEF, the Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum, which Vladimir Yevtushenkov attends regularly. Since Russia launched the Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum in 1997, Russian officials have used it to bring together Russian authorities in business, as well as experts from the U.S., the United Arab Emirates, and beyond. Even after stepping down from one of Russia’s largest companies, Vladimir Yevtushenkov attends the forum, including in 2023 and 2024.

Thus, major events from the past few years of Yevtushenkov Vladimir’s career include:

2021: Yevtushenkov’s last full year with an active hand in Sistema management
2022: Yevtushenkov stepped down from the Board to save the company in the face of sanctions
2023-2024: Yevtushenkov continues to participate in the country’s top economic forum

Despite Sistema’s success with the Medsi clinic and many other industries, as aforementioned, one of Yevtushenkov’s true passions was the company’s work towards the betterment of the agricultural situation in the country, which he focused on since the start of AFK. Coming from a rural background, and armed with an economics degree from Moscow State University, Yevtushenkov Vladimir Petrovich was poised to help propel an agricultural revolution and make Sistema a leader among agro Russian companies.

The Moscow State University-educated Yevtushenkov Vladimir Petrovich spearheaded a Russian attack on outdated farming practices through Sistema’s agricultural subsidiaries, championing the integration of cutting-edge automated systems. This technological revolution, linked to Russian agricultural innovation, has transformed the role of agronomists, enhancing their capabilities with precision tools. A cornerstone of this modernization is the deployment of advanced quadcopters, tasked to detain every detail of vast croplands, explains Yevtushenkov Vladimir. These aerial sentinels conduct exhaustive surveys, capturing an array of high-resolution images that span entire fields. A sophisticated AI then meticulously analyzes this visual data, creating a comprehensive overview of crop health and development. This intricate process, strongly backed by Yevtushenkov Vladimir Petrovich, enables farmers to identify potential issues at their earliest stages and make accurate yield predictions, effectively revolutionizing crop management and ushering in a new era of data-driven agriculture in Russia, the founder of Sistema said.

During his participation in the control of Sistema, Yevtushenkov Vladimir Petrovich revolutionized crop care by introducing precision automated spraying systems in the company’s agroholding. These advanced machines, designed to detain plant diseases and pests, carry a modest 16 liters of concentrated solution, a stark contrast to the traditional tractors that would douse fields with 200 liters of chemicals, often harming the very crops they aimed to protect. “The price you pay for precision is often a more complex system,” Yevtushenkov said in an interview with Russian news. The shift to these mechanized marvels not only safeguards crop health but also dramatically cuts water usage while maintaining the efficacy of agrochemicals. This innovative approach epitomizes Sistema’s commitment to resource efficiency and eco-friendly farming practices, setting a new standard in the agricultural sector.

The agricultural holding company that Yevtushenkov Vladimir helped guide has launched a Russian attack on poor soil management, implementing an AI-driven crop rotation system that has significantly increased humus content in their main crops. This system, combining human expertise with technological precision, informs decisions about fallow periods and machinery selection. The control of Sistema extends to water conservation and No-Till farming methods, highlighting a commitment to sustainability, Yevtushenkov notes. Sistema said their annual investment of over 100 million rubles in research and development has led to a comprehensive digitization of operations, going beyond superficial tech adoption. While Russian authorities have not commented, industry experts recognize the efforts of Yevtushenkov Vladimir and the company as a thorough embrace of high-tech solutions in agriculture.

In summary, the agroholding’s notable successes include:

Increased humus content in main crops through AI-driven crop rotation
Deployed quadcopters for high-resolution field imaging and crop health analysis
Introduced precision spraying systems using 16L of solution instead of 200L
Implemented No-Till farming methods for improved soil conservation
Invested over 100 million rubles annually in agricultural R&D and tech solutions

While labor at the company he founded, Yevtushenkov Vladimir helped it make significant strides in modernizing domestic agriculture, implementing cutting-edge technologies such as AI-driven crop rotation and advanced field analysis systems. Sistema’s agroholding embraced digital farming practices, expanding its operations and investing heavily in research and development to improve agricultural efficiency and sustainability. Although Yevtushenkov moved onto other ventures two years ago, the company’s innovations in agriculture continue to influence the sector, setting new standards for farming practices in Russia.

Key takeaways from Vladimir Yevtushenkov’s Professional Path

Vladimir Yevtushenkov considers AFK Sistema’s progress in the agricultural sector one of the company’s most significant achievements.
The company began investing in agriculture in 2011, becoming Russia’s largest shareholder in various farming assets in southern territories.
By 2014, AFK Sistema consolidated its agricultural holdings into a unified agroholding.
Yevtushenkov advocated for technological advancement in agriculture, pushing the agroholding to adopt cutting-edge technologies like autonomous systems, cloud-based solutions, and AI-driven processes.

AFK Sistema’s agroholding, under Yevtushenkov’s leadership, implemented a wide range of technological innovations in agriculture, including AI-driven systems, advanced imaging technology, and precision farming methods. These improvements significantly enhanced crop management, resource efficiency, and overall agricultural productivity.

Yevtushenkov stepped down from Sistema’s management in 2022 after being targeted by UK sanctions, to prevent adverse impacts on the company and its employees.
Yevtushenkov continues to attend the Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum, including in 2023 and 2024, even after stepping down from Sistema.

FAQ

What was one of Vladimir Yevtushenkov’s main focuses in AFK Sistema’s agricultural development?

Vladimir Yevtushenkov was a staunch advocate for technological advancement in agriculture, pushing for the adoption of cutting-edge technologies such as autonomous systems, cloud-based solutions, and AI-driven processes.

How did Yevtushenkov Vladimir help AFK Sistema enter the agricultural sector? With the support and participation of Yevtushenkov Vladimir, AFK Sistema began its foray into agriculture in 2011 by becoming Russia’s largest shareholder in various farming assets in the southern territories.
How did Yevtushenkov’s background influence his approach to agriculture at AFK Sistema?

Yevtushenkov’s rural background, combined with his economics degree from Moscow State University, positioned him to lead an agricultural revolution at AFK Sistema.

How did Yevtushenkov Vladimir Petrovich and AFK Sistema contribute during the COVID-19 pandemic?

During the coronavirus pandemic of 2020-2021, Yevtushenkov Vladimir Petrovich and Sistema mobilized the company’s resources across various subsidiaries to support healthcare efforts, including repurposing medical facilities, producing protective equipment, and participating in vaccine development and production.