Tigran Poghosyan, Deputy General Director of OAO MegaFon for Strategic Projects, interview. News and analytical portal "time of electronics"

Tigran Karlenovich Poghosyan, Deputy General Director for Strategic Projects, MegaFon OJSCTigran Karlenovich Poghosyan, Deputy General Director for Strategic Projects, MegaFon OJSC: If we talk about what we see, what will remain in the city of Sochi. Undoubtedly, according to the created infrastructure, which we will build together with Rostelecom, Sochi will have the most modern communications. To date, we are already working with those technologies, in particular, these are fourth-generation technologies, for which standards are only just being adopted. We have implemented a project in the city of Sochi that will allow you not to think about where you are, how fast you should have access to your personal data. Namely, we are working on a project of a unified identification system that will allow, for example, residents of the city of Sochi, athletes, athletes who come here, firstly, to have identification access to any facilities if they have paid for it. Pay with this card, order services, and moreover, since the development of the telecommunications field is proceeding in such a way that the quality of information communication is increasing more and more, and the speed, of course, should be higher. This technology allows you to actually have unlimited access to the Internet, any systems. That is, while at the stadium, the one who did not buy a ticket can see the same competitions through his friend, who at that time is watching the competitions online. He can watch competitions from other venues. Here is video monitoring, security, that is, you simply won’t even think about how this happens. There is a MegaFon slogan – the future depends on you – today we already know what will happen in 2014. I am sure yes, and our only task is to correctly calculate the flows. There will be a million and a half, two million, so we can handle it. And I think that we will show you the part that today can raise Sochi to a qualitatively different level of communication. Thanks a lot. I saw Erick van Egeraat come in and I would like a question that was prepared for Eric. Eric is the head of the architectural bureau, which is named after him, and Eric is a fairly well-known personality in world architecture. And Eric has already spent a lot of time and effort in relation to the city, and is constantly present here, and trying to implement various projects, like all of us. But the question is, we discussed the topic of infrastructure, we discussed the topic of urban planning. Eric, here's the question, we're talking about what we've spent the last three days together in various discussions about what heritage is and what the city should become. If possible, in a nutshell. The image of the city today should change, but from the point of view of a specialist, from the point of view of a master, what basic things can be recommended to the city today in order to change its appearance and transform it into a modern and already new city? Erick van Egeraat, Head of Designed by Erick van Egeraat: Obviously, if you want to be hospitable, you don't just have to be unique. You must be sure that you are developing, developing yourself. I am sure that Megafon is able to provide wi-fi connection in 2014. I am sure that in Russia we are able to quickly build large buildings. Even if there is no time, we can build buildings where you can play sports. The same with hotels - you can find solutions for this. But this is not a hospitable city. A hospitable city is a city that can be so attractive in itself that something new is added every year, so that the investor will be happy to say that everything is fine, and in 2016 I also want to have some of these great opportunities. We should think about attracting people with investments after 2016. Because everything that happens is for the Olympics, it might be fine for a three-week show, but not after it's over. If you want to have such grandiose ideas, to detail everything, develop grandiose plans. So you have to get up, step forward and make a plan. You know the principle of 5-10 year projects. They work in Russia, they work in many other countries, but logically they can only work for a short period of time, so it makes no sense to start developing a plan in 2009, 7 or 6 that will still work in 2020. Such a plan cannot exist, it should not exist. No need to try to make one global idea, according to which everything will work. Do we need a plan? So there are differences between a universal, all-unifying idea, which basically tries to bring everything under one big project, and an idea that allows you to create, continue projects almost every year. Logically, in order to start this, we will have to invest money - not in communications - we will have to start creating infrastructure with the aim of making the city an attractive place. At the moment he is only good. I wouldn't invest if I had a million. I won't do it here now because I don't see anything going on. I may lose all my money. Here's what needs to be discussed. We need to have something that changes so much that people believe that after the first project, others will have reasons to become profitable. The project can be a university, a big bridge... Anything. Anything can work in the world, at its own level, as long as it is there. If it's not there, it's just a plan - it won't work. It is better to start building big buildings, roads, or bridges, or a university - but you have to do something in order to get it. If this is done, as I said, done only with federal money, because there are no private funds yet, it is clear how this will happen, you start thinking about the details, of course, you start thinking about the connection. And MegaFon's programs on how to create a connection, of course. There are hundreds of projects, they interact with each other, but they don't have to be related. Everyone knows how important it is to have good enough staff, to serve people well in restaurants. It's good at the Olympics when the food is well prepared and the service is good. But I don't think it's a big problem. Russia has a good service at the world level. It is better to eat in Moscow than, for example, in London. Waiters in Moscow are better than in France, in Paris. So we have these people. These projects are real. They must be moved to the city where we work. They won't give you a decision about what happens after that. Only this has been done: a few major projects and of course a small intervention in the improvement of cash dispensing systems, good food, beaches - all these things can be done. You can make a menu-like list of several thousand items. Beaches are important to me personally. If at least one thing from this list is not implemented, Sochi may still be hospitable, but if we implement all these items, we will look - and we will enjoy. We need a master plan. But the master plan is not a frozen list or blueprint with bullet points that we should just build. A master plan is a list of ideas that we think should be done as soon as possible. Here is my answer. Artur Petrovich Markaryan, General Director of the NADECO Group of Companies: I would now like to ask a question to Yuri Ugovich Reilyan, who is the Deputy Minister of Regional Development Russian Federation. Yuriy Ugovich is directly responsible in the Ministry for coordinating issues related to the preparation for the Olympics. For those who don't know, Yury Ugovich himself is from the city of Sochi, so here's a question for you from the point of view of the federal authorities. What should be the main legacy of the Olympic Games? It is clear that there are many problems on the way to solution, and we are discussing them very intensively, and, in my opinion, a lot has already been done as a result of these discussions. But in general, from your point of view, what should be the legacy of the Olympic Games, from the point of view of the federal government? Yuri Ugovich Reylyan, Deputy Minister of Regional Development of the Russian Federation: Thank you Artur Petrovich! Frankly, I was one of the initiators of making the most of the synergistic effect that the Games should give us, and that is why we started developing the Sochi – Hospitable City Program and the second Games Legacy Program. That's just the moderator's question was more about heritage. I will tell you that for us, as representatives of the federal government, the main thing is maximum effect . Any game is remembered for three things. This is the opening, closing and what is left after them. The experience is different, you know as well as I do, and we are not pioneers here, we are not pioneers, and we are trying to do what they are trying to do at every city game that hosts them. We try to take into account the experience of each of these cities, both positive and negative, in order to get the maximum effect. So the main thing for us is not to give birth to "white elephants", not to leave the city alone with all the splendor that we will create, in the form of very high tariffs, very high costs for the operation of all these facilities, for maintaining the roads in good condition , bridges, tunnels, of which there will be a huge number. This magnificence has a downside. And I'll tell you that today this city surpasses Moscow in terms of the cost of living, and at the same time, the main residents of the city are people with a very average income, most of the city's residents are pensioners today. And that's just the legacy of the games is to make this city comfortable for people to live. I can't say that it will be comfortable for everyone. It is possible that some category of people will appear who will no longer need to live here, and they will choose another city, but those who will live here will make such a choice. This city should be comfortable first of all for the residents. We came to this city, declared it the winner of the Olympiad, held this Olympiad for three weeks and left. And for all these people to live here, this is a very serious problem. Perhaps it is even more serious than how to attract additional tourists here, how to use all these facilities, we are now working on it. Any of the decisions that are made today, the construction of energy facilities, the construction of infrastructure facilities – together with the city leadership, we are very actively and carefully dissecting the consequences. And now we separately, for example, are fighting hard for the tariff consequences that arise, and arise, pay attention, not only for the city, but for the entire region. Such is the specificity of our legislation that the entire region will have to pay for these benefits. The second problem is the direct use of what we have created, and therefore we are now actively developing all these programs in order to have time to coordinate everything that is happening. We have a program for the construction of Olympic facilities, we have a program for developing Sochi as a world-class resort, such are our ambitions. We have a large number of federal authorities, and the state corporation "Olympstroy", and the regional administration, and investors who create something. Now we have a whole layer of partners of the Organizing Committee, and the distinguished colleagues present in the hall were just talking about this. So, we are now trying to coordinate all this at the stage of preparation for the Games. So that it does not happen that Megafon, now you heard about it, was ready to provide all these services not only for communication, but also for control over the organization traffic, to remove problems with emerging traffic jams, and at the same time we have the Transport Directorate of the Olympic Games, which is implementing such a project. And, by the way, if you do not build relationships correctly, then, probably, when the transport directorate learns about the capabilities of MegaFon, it may be too late. They will design their project, while the city of Sochi has been implementing the Safe City Program for a year already, in order to have control over the situation, in order to take timely measures in case of various incidents. Probably, let the respected mayor also not be offended, but the analysis of this program, our analysis showed that by 2014 it will not be very relevant in terms of technical solutions and the possibilities of its modernization, expansion, and other things. Therefore, we are trying to do all this, to combine everything together, so that the effect is maximum. Well, and the last. Heritage is not only about deciding how to use the remaining Ice Palace. By the way, you probably know that of the five ice palaces being built by the time of the Olympics, only one will remain after the Olympics. The rest will be dismantled and taken to other regions of Russia, these regions have been determined and the places have been determined, and we are now designing palaces in a collapsible structure so that they can be dismantled and taken out. Because it became obvious that there is no need for ice palaces in this city, not the region where figure skaters need to be nurtured. And it's hard to imagine people in shorts and panama hats looking at hockey match local teams of the two districts. And the operating costs of these facilities are huge. Therefore, such a decision was made, we will take away all these palaces, so that the city does not curse us, paying for all this magnificence. At the same time, the remaining one ice palace, I will not hide, has not yet been worked out by us. Such a serious and correct balanced decision on how to use it has not been worked out. We are now actively studying the experience of everyone who has experienced this, including London, where right choice managers and the management company that took care of the palace, led to the fact that the operation of this palace is 5 days a week throughout the year, and this is very good result. Now, if we divide it, then for me, not only as a representative of the federal authorities, coordinator of the preparations for the Olympic Games, but also as a person who was born and raised in this city, it is important for me that this legacy does not crush this city. Here if to tell briefly. Thank you. Artur Petrovich Markaryan, General Director of the NADECO Group of Companies: Thank you very much, Yuri Ugovitch. And I can only say that the discussion about the legacy, preparation for the Games, it is now in a very active phase. And the leader, I'm not afraid of this word, is Yury Ugovich. From what he wanted to say on a large scale, he managed to shrink and say very concisely. And I think that in principle we heard today very different opinions and visions of the situation, and maybe we didn't hear even 10% of what we would like to express. However, it is very important that there is an exchange of views. And the most important thing is that we listen to what happened on the side, attract specialists, and listen to all the opinions that are there. And I would like, first of all, to thank the organizers of such events. I would like to express my deep gratitude to the mayor of the city, who today being a very popular and busy person, nevertheless, pays great attention to this discussion and listens. And those meetings that take place, either he himself is present, or he sends his representatives. It seems to me that the most important thing, perhaps, is that such discussions should not stop even for a minute, even if we understand that everything has already been decided, everything is clear, we are moving along some kind of plan. It is very important all the time, that's what Eric was talking about, that there are no such reflected frozen situations, there is development all the time. And only in development, only in communication, only in dialogue will it be possible to understand how we are moving. And, in my opinion, one of the legacies of Sochi, or the Olympics, or this process, I can’t even name it correctly. It seems to me that one of the legacies should be a completely and fundamentally new format of communications, communication between federal and municipal authorities, business and the community, the world community. It seems to me that this is very important, because in our country, in Sochi, this is such a first large project. In fact, we have a huge number of such projects ahead of us. They may not be associated with Olympic Games but with some other things. If we learn to communicate with each other correctly, make decisions responsibly and bring decisions taken to the result, and it will be appreciated by the whole society, it will be, in my opinion, one of the most important results. I would also like to express my deep gratitude to my colleagues from the Institute of Regional Policy. This is a group of very young talented people who have organized a number of events, who, before we got on stage here, produced a lot of information materials. I just didn’t take anything, just this booklet, where there are beautiful pictures “what is the city”, and in the end the last slide, the guys approached this creatively. And they said, the last slide says that people are getting on the train, and it says that my friends and I will definitely come here again. Probably the main legacy is that when leaving, you should always want to return to this city. Thank you very much to everyone, thank you very much to the participants, and thank you very much to the speakers. And, once again, a huge gratitude to the mayor for his rather interesting and informative report, and we, for our part, are interested, ready to join in any format to speak. Gather us, discuss, not only within the framework of this forum, but in general. I think that people's desire, that's the disinterested desire of people to participate in this process, it is simply huge today. Please, let's make the most of this wish. Thank you all for your attention! - 25 -

Tigran Poghosyan, who managed the Sochi 2014 Olympics project at MegaFon for six years, has taken over ZTE's office in Russia. The arrival of an eminent manager creates a chance for this Chinese manufacturer to strengthen its presence in the Russian market, raising it to the average global share of ZTE.

Tigran Poghosyan left MegaFon at the end of 2014, at the beginning of 2015 he was invited by ZTE to negotiations and cooperation as an expert, and on May 5 he was officially appointed Senior Vice President of ZTE Corporation for Russia.

Xue Bin, head of ZTE in Russia and CIS countries, told ComNews that the main task set before Tigran Poghosyan is to strengthen ZTE's position in the Russian market. "The Russian market is one of the key ones for us, since for a long time our company's position as an international supplier for more than 500 operators in the world does not correspond to the positions in Russia," says Xue Bin. "We strive to quickly increase sales of telecommunications equipment, although we have been leaders in sales of smartphones and phones for a long time. An important success factor in Russia can be the involvement of top managers of the Russian market with extensive, sometimes unique experience, with business connections and trusted partners and the entire telecom."

In a conversation with a ComNews reporter, Tigran Poghosyan spoke about his plans at ZTE: "It was difficult for me to make a decision on choosing a job after the implementation of such a project as the Sochi Olympics. However, I realized that I want to continue innovative development and solve another ambitious task - to give an opportunity for the Russian consumer to learn more about ZTE and its products, and to give operators competitive advantage using world leading products. In addition, ZTE's design solutions for various industries - healthcare, transport, energy, security, etc. - are an excellent opportunity with partners to do something that no one has done before you in Russia."

Since April 2009, Tigran Poghosyan was invited to MegaFon by General Director Sergey Soldatenkov, where, as Deputy General Director, he was responsible for the 2014 Olympic project and, in particular, for the construction of the entire infrastructure of MegaFon in Sochi - as soon as in April 2009 the operator received the status of the general partner of the XI Paralympic winter games 2014 in this city. "Participation in such a project as the Olympic and Paralympic Games has increased the value of the MegaFon brand. We have proven that we can provide high-quality communication for events of any level of complexity," said Tigran Poghosyan, summing up the results of the Olympic project in May 2014 (see. on ComNews).

In March 2015, Russian President Vladimir Putin awarded Tigran Poghosyan for participation in Olympic project Order of Friendship. "For six years, Tigran Karlenovich was the driving force and leader of one of MegaFon's key strategic projects - the construction of a telecommunications infrastructure in Sochi, which had the status of Russia's main reputational and investment project," MegaFon's press service said. The experience of implementing such a large telecommunications project as Sochi-2014 should help Tigran Poghosyan in a new position in a vendor company.

ZTE positions itself as a major international supplier of terminals, technology solutions for fixed and mobile operators, high-speed Internet, solutions for corporate clients and private users. In the past few years, ZTE has been actively increasing sales in the global market. For example, according to the vice president and director of communications of the Norwegian company Telenor ASA in the Europe region, Eric Nord, ZTE has become the second largest supplier of telecommunications equipment for the Telenor Group.

Telenor uses ZTE equipment in many countries where it operates, but the position of this Chinese vendor is especially strong in the networks of Telenor subsidiaries in Hungary, Montenegro, Malaysia and Pakistan. In particular, back in 2012 Telenor in Pakistan signed a five-year contract with ZTE for the supply of base stations and other equipment for GSM, 3G and LTE networks. In February 2015, Telenor signed another major 5-year contract with ZTE for the supply of radio access equipment and services.

In March 2015, ZTE announced that it had won 170 LTE/EPC (Evolved Packet Core) commercial contracts worldwide in 2014. In 2014, ZTE's share of 4G shipments grew by 100%, showing a two-fold increase for the second year in a row. About 70% of the countries in which there are investments in the field of LTE use ZTE products. ZTE is also an active participant in the development and standardization of fifth generation networks (5G).

However, ZTE's position in Russia is still much more modest. "ZTE's Russian market share is still relatively low. However, given the technological restrictions imposed by US and European countries, the share of this major telecommunications equipment supplier could rise sharply," says Evgeny Evdokimenko, head of research at ComNews Research.

ZTE Corporation was founded in 1985 to solve problems related to providing the Chinese army (in particular, the aerospace department) with communications and other electronics. Controlling stake in ZTE Corp. (about 52%) is held by the Chinese government, 31.5% is traded on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, 16.7% - on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

The Moscow office of ZTE was opened in 2000. According to preliminary forecasts, in 2014 the company's revenue worldwide amounted to $13.5 billion.

ComNews dossier

Tigran Karlenovich Poghosyan was born on July 26, 1960. In 1982 he graduated with honors from the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute with a degree in Radio Engineering with a qualification of a radio engineer. In 1982, he began his career in the Yerevan branch of the Research Institute of Communications, in 1984-1987. studied at the postgraduate course of the Institute of Control Problems (Moscow), candidate of technical sciences. In 1988-1995 - Head of the Scientific Department, Deputy Director in the Yerevan branch of the Research Institute of Communications. Then, from 1995 to 2005, he worked at Ekvant CJSC (formerly Sprint Set, Global One), now at Orange Business Services, where he worked his way up from sales manager, operations director to deputy general director. Successfully implemented in "Ekvant" (Orange Business Services) projects to build a network control center, support services, project management services, regional development, large corporate sales.

From March 2005 to June 2007, he held the position of Deputy General Director for Commercial Development of Synterra CJSC. In Synterra, he was involved in the unification of a group of companies into a single operator, the establishment of commercial sales, as well as the launch of the first WiMAX network, the first call-center of the company, was responsible for its regional development.

After working at Synterra, he came to OJSC Central Telegraph, where he held the position of Deputy General Director for Commercial Activities. Among his achievements in Central Telegraph, he names the implementation of strategically important projects for the company with the involvement of large corporate customers, increasing sales efficiency, laying the foundations for customer service at various levels, developing the image of the oldest company in the industry as an innovative company and outpacing the market pace of development of Central Telegraph in Moscow region.

In April 2009, he was appointed Deputy General Director of OJSC MegaFon for Strategic Projects. The priority area of activity was the work on the project of the Olympic Games in Sochi in 2014.

Poghosyan Tigran Karlenovich - Deputy General Director for Strategic Projects of MegaFon. Born on July 26, 1960, in Kirovobad.

Education

In 1982 he graduated with honors from the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute with a degree in radio engineering with the qualification of a radio engineer.

Career

In 1982, he began his career in the Yerevan branch of the Research Institute of Communications as an engineer. From 1984 to 1987 he studied at the graduate school of the Institute of Control Problems (Moscow), candidate of technical sciences. In 1988-1995, he was deputy director at the Yerevan branch of the Research Institute of Communications. Then, from 1995 to 2005, he worked at Ekvant CJSC (formerly Sprint Set, Global One), where he rose from sales manager, operations director to deputy general director. Successfully implemented projects to build a modern Network Control Center, support services, project management services, regional development. From March 2005 to June 2007, Mr. Poghosyan served as Deputy General Director for Commercial Development of Synterra CJSC. At Synterra, Mr. Poghosyan was involved not only in establishing commercial sales, but also in launching WiMax networks, the company's first call center, and was responsible for its regional development. Tigran Karlenovich came to MegaFon from OJSC Central Telegraph, where he also held the position of Deputy General Director for Commercial Activities. Among his achievements at Central Telegraph, Mr. Poghosyan names the implementation of strategically important projects for the company involving large corporate customers, increasing sales efficiency, laying the foundations for customer service at various levels, developing the image of the oldest company in the industry as an innovative company and outstripping the market pace of development " Central Telegraph" in the Moscow region.

For September 30, 2015 Tigran Karlenovich Pogosyan works as the senior vice president of ZTE Communication Technologies in Russia.

President of ZTE Corporation for Russia

In 2010, he received a master's degree in economics and management of the national economy (Belarusian State University, Faculty of Economics).

He began his work in ZTE Corporation in 2009 in its representative office in the Republic of Belarus, which he later headed. In 2014, he was appointed General Representative of ZTE Corporation in Belarus. In 2017, he was appointed President of ZTE Corporation for Russia.

Senior Vice President for Russia, ZTI-Svyaztekhnologiya LLC

In 1982 he graduated with honors from the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute with a degree in Radio Engineering with a qualification of a radio engineer. Candidate of Technical Sciences - Institute of Control Problems (Moscow).

In 1982, he began his career in the Yerevan branch of the Research Institute of Communications.

From 1988 to 1995 - head of the scientific department, deputy director in the Yerevan branch of the Research Institute of Communications.

From 1995 to 2005, he worked at Ekvant CJSC (formerly Sprint Set, Global One), now at Orange Business Services, where he rose from sales manager, operations director to deputy general director.

From 2005 to 2007, he held the position of Deputy General Director for Commercial Development of Synterra CJSC.

From 2007 to 2009 Deputy General Director for Commercial Activities of Central Telegraph OJSC.

From 2009 to 2014 Deputy General Director of OJSC MegaFon for Strategic Projects, Director of the Sochi 2014 Project.

Since 2015 - to the present time, Senior Vice President for Russia at ZTI-Svyaztekhnologii Corporation LLC, responsible for business development in Russia and for interaction with operators, GR, PR.

Awarded with the Order of Friendship, Commemorative Medal"Kazan 2013", Commemorative Medal "Sochi 2014", Gratitude of the President of Russia, the Government of the Russian Federation.

Corresponding member of the International Academy of Telecommunications Quality.

Vice President for Development, ZTI-Svyaztekhnologii Corporation LLC

In 2006 he graduated from the Higher state college communications (Minsk, Belarus). In 2013, he studied under the General Management Program at the IPM Business School (Minsk, Belarus), in 2014 he studied under the Professional Diploma in Marketing (CIM) program at the IPM Business School (Minsk, Belarus).

He began his career in 2006 as an engineer at Mobile TeleSystems LLC (Minsk, Belarus). In 2010, he was invited to work at the representative office of ZTE Corporation in the Republic of Belarus, where he successively held the positions of technical solutions manager, head of the sales department, and since 2013 - deputy general director for development. In 2015, he was appointed to the position of Deputy General Director, then - Vice President of ZTE Corporation's subsidiary in Russia - ZTI-Svyaztekhnologii Corporation LLC.

In 2015, he was appointed to the position of Deputy General Director, then - Vice President of ZTE Corporation's subsidiary in Russia - ZTI-Svyaztekhnologii Corporation LLC.