On 13-14 September 2012, IFC METROPOL organized the first annual conference for investors: “Beyond the Blue Chips: Growth and Value in Russian equities.”
The main objective of the Conference is to open up opportunities for the top managers of the leading Russian small and mid-equity companies to tell investors about their market strategies, growth potential and risks. The conference focused on two areas that would, in the long run, drive investors’ interest in Russia – growing domestic demand and infrastructure development.

Each day of the conference was opened with a plenary session that included presentations by stock market experts, followed by meetings of issuers and investors in the “face-to-face” format.
Issuers were invited to the conference whose activities most representatively demonstrate the potential of the sector in which they work: Bank Saint Petersburg, Nomos-Bank, RBC Holding, Group COX, M.Video, PIK Group, UTair, Rusagro, Globaltrans, Mostotrest, Transcontainer, Sollers, HMS Group, Kuzbass Fuel Company, Nakhodka Active Marine Fishery Base, IDGC of Center, IDGC of Center and Volga region, IBS, Raspadskaya, Steppe Cement and Cherkizovo.

The conference attracted more than 60 investors representing management companies, funds, banks, such as Troika Dialog, Centrokredit Bank, CJSC Transfingrup, Bank Zenit, MC BCS, Softline, Capital Growth Russia Fund, VTB Capital, MC Uralsib, Metropol Global Partners Fund, Inventum Fund, East Capital, Danske Capital, NCH Advisors, and others. During the two days of the conference, over 200 meetings were held, in which each investor was able to meet the issuer of its interest.
On the first day, September 13, the plenary session was opened by Chief Executive Officer of IFC METROPOL Alexey Rodzyanko. He spoke about his expectations of the Russian stock market and stressed that during and after the crisis Russian companies had dropped out of the spotlight of portfolio investors as risky assets. Small second-tier companies were affected the most. Their quotes are falling faster, while growing slower. This gap creates a potential that will be realized in the near future, when the market is more optimistic. He added that the IFC METROPOL conference is intended to draw the attention of investors to such companies.

The next speaker was Anna Kuznetsova, Managing Director of the Moscow Stock Market Exchange. She described the already completed and ongoing projects on the site, aimed at creating more comfortable conditions for stock trading, including companies with low capitalization. After her speech, several investors asked Ms. Kuznetsova questions.

Analytic Department Director of IFC METROPOL Mark Rubinstein also gave an opening speech. He said: “The greatest growth potential is seen in small and mid-cap companies. This segment is key for our company; we are the leading experts in it and have one of the most extensive research coverage of the market, to ensure that our customers know and understand the sector well. The most interesting investment topics in the sector are domestic demand and infrastructure.  We are confident that the popularity of these issues will increase over time. The Russian market looks much cheaper than its counterparts because of political risk perception. We expect that this perception will gradually decline, and the lower the discount is, the closer to its peers the market assessment will be.” 
Deputy Chairman of Central Bank Mikhail Sukhov also attended the first day of the conference. He spoke about the situation in the banking sector and the prospects for its development, stressing that the banking sector shows high profitability and is quite attractive for investors.
On 14 September the prospects for the growth of infrastructure industries were discussed. The plenary session was opened by Nikolay Osadchy, Head of Metal Courier. He described the situation in the steel industry, the trends and the companies that are the most attractive for investments, and presented forecasts of the industry dynamics.

In its report on the second day of the conference, Mark Rubinstein reiterated that the overall Russian market growth would outperform its counterparts. Small and mid-cap companies, in turn, will be ahead of the market average. This statement was illustrated by comparing the indices of small and mid-cap companies with average market indices in times of rapid growth of the market in the near past.

The conference participants continued the discussion in the lobbies. In general, they appreciated the relevance of the event and its topics. IFC METROPOL plans to hold a conference for investors every autumn, at the beginning of the business season.

Alexey Rodzyanko, Chief Executive Director of IFC METROPOL, and Anna Kuznetsova, Managing Director of the Moscow Stock Market Exchange, on the conference opening day

Anna Kuznetsova’s speech

At the plenary session

During the round table discussion, participants touched upon all the relevant issues

Report by Mark Rubinstein, Analytic Department Director of IFC METROPOL

Report by Nikolay Osadchy, Head of Metal Courier

In the intervals between the meetings, the participants had the opportunity to talk informally. Mark Rubinstein, IFC METROPOL, and Konstantin Noskov, Bank Saint Petersburg