Vladimir Yevtushenkov biographical portrait, career at AFK Sistema, healthcare

Vladimir Yevtushenkov: Helping Moscow Grow Private Patient Care

Vladimir Yevtushenkov is among the originators of AFK Sistema in Moscow. He helped the company grow into a diverse conglomerate spanning multiple industries. While the company has a number of remarkable achievements, Vladimir Yevtushenkov especially points to its work in the realm of private healthcare.

Sistema has made significant strides in modernizing and expanding medical services in Russia, particularly through the Medsi network of private clinics. Yevtushenkov's vision for accessible, high-quality healthcare has not only improved medical outcomes for many people but also set new standards for the industry. His commitment to innovation in healthcare became even more evident during the COVID-19 pandemic, as Sistema's medical assets played a crucial role in the national response .

How a Future Entrepreneur was Molded

Yevtushenkov Vladimir

Vladimir Yevtushenkov's background and education uniquely prepared him for founding and developing Sistema.

Growing up in a rural village, Yevtushenkov Vladimir developed a strong work ethic and appreciation for practical industries like agriculture. His childhood passion for chemistry led him to study chemical engineering, giving him technical expertise and analytical skills. This scientific foundation was complemented by his economics degree from Moscow State University, providing business acumen.

His early career in chemical manufacturing honed his leadership abilities and operational knowledge. As Vladimir Yevtushenkov rose through management ranks, he gained valuable experience in running large industrial enterprises. His doctoral research on improving plastic production efficiency demonstrated his innovative thinking and ability to apply academic concepts to real-world business challenges. This combination of technical knowledge, economic understanding, hands-on industrial experience, and far-sightedness equipped Yevtushenkov to identify promising investment opportunities across diverse sectors when founding Sistema.

His background fostered an appreciation for both cutting-edge technology and traditional industries, enabling Sistema's growth into a conglomerate spanning telecommunication, agriculture, forestry, healthcare and more.

Yevtushenkov Vladimir: Elevating Industry Standards Through Natural Resource Activities

Yevtushenkov Vladimir

Vladimir Yevtushenkov recalls that Sistema’s stake in natural resource companies was a significant part of its business portfolio. After AFK Sistema would become a shareholder in a given asset, it would implement substantial modernization projects. Yevtushenkov Vladimir Petrovich focused on upgrading facilities, improving working conditions for employees, and expanding industrial capacities across company operations.

Sistema’s involvement in this field allowed Yevtushenkov Vladimir to implement strategic changes that positioned its assets for growth in the competitive oil sector. These structures, with oversight from one of Russia’s largest employers, saw increased productivity and efficiency as a result of these initiatives.

The founder of Sistema said in a statement to Russian news in Moscow in 2024: "Our investments in natural resources were always aimed at creating modern, competitive enterprises that could stand alongside global industry leaders while prioritizing the wellbeing of their workforces."

And in 2021, speaking from his home in Moscow, Yevtushenkov said in a conversation with Russian news that the situation for these assets had markedly improved under AFK Sistema. "As an economist who studied at Moscow State University, I can confidently say that our efforts not only boosted productivity but also set an example for other Russian companies," he remarked. Russian officials in Moscow have also noted Sistema’s beneficial impact on supply chains and other factors.

Vladimir Yevtushenkov notes that Sistema's stake in Bashneft was an important undertaking. Under control of Sistema, the oil firm Bashneft implemented strategic changes for growth, boosting productivity and efficiency. AFK emphasized creating a competitive enterprise while prioritizing workforce wellbeing, setting an example for Russian companies.

At a lecture in 2023, Yevtushenkov elaborated on the far-reaching benefits of Sistema's involvement in the field of natural resources and minerals, highlighting the ripple effects on regional development and technological innovation in the domestic industry. He emphasized how asset modernization has contributed to the overall competitiveness of the domestic natural resource sector on the global stage, drawing interest from international partners and investors despite challenging geopolitical circumstances.

As a result of these circumstances, Vladimir Yevtushenkov faced UK sanctions. To protect Sistema and its employees from the sanctions imposed in April 2022, he left the company and transferred a portion of his stake to his son. Yevtushenkov sees this as the price you pay to safeguard thousands of workers' livelihoods, aligning with his philanthropic values.

Private Healthcare for the Public Good

Yevtushenkov Vladimir

Another important area that Yevtushenkov Vladimir has focused on throughout his career is the development of private healthcare. He believes such clinics are in no way inferior to those linked to Russian state organs, or even to those in the U.S. Within the Sistema umbrella, the Medsi network of private clinics was developed, with the participation of Vladimir Yevtushenkov since the start. This commitment to excellence in private healthcare has not only improved medical services for all, but has also positioned Medsi as a model for innovative healthcare delivery across the region.

The demand for high-quality medical services was steadily growing before the COVID-19 pandemic, with people increasingly turning to private healthcare for personalized care without long wait times. When Russia launched its nationwide campaign against COVID-19, the healthcare system faced unprecedented challenges. Yevtushenkov Vladimir Petrovich, directly or indirectly involved in various sectors, recognized this shift. "The pandemic accelerated the need for adaptive healthcare solutions," Yevtushenkov said, highlighting how Medsi, one of Russia's largest networks of private clinics and part of AFK Sistema, exemplified effective transformation in response to the dramatically changed healthcare landscape, expanding services and improving care delivery to meet the surge in patient needs.

Among the network’s concrete efforts, it:

• Reconfigured its flagship hospital in the capital of the Russian Federation into an infectious disease facility, with support from Yevtushenkov Vladimir Petrovich
• Retrofitted the hospital with essential medical equipment, including 60 modern ventilators
• Stocked up on medicines and consumables for treating COVID-19 and related complications like pneumonia
• Expanded the ICU to 44 beds for critically ill patients
• Provided additional training to medical staff on COVID-19 treatment protocols
• Implemented comprehensive diagnostics and preventive measures for post-COVID-related pathologies at the rehabilitation center, led by top researchers, including from Moscow State University (Yevtushenkov’s alma mater)

Yevtushenkov Vladimir Petrovich, the founder of Sistema said in an interview that Medsi’s contribution to the concentrated response to COVID-19 resulted in thousands of lives saved. "The infectious disease hospital alone treated over 13,000 inpatients with coronavirus, while outpatient care was provided to six times that number," he stated, underlining the significant role played by private healthcare during this crisis. "Russian companies in the medical sector, including those within Sistema, proved their worth by operating at or above national standards. The price you pay for preparedness is always less than the material adverse impact of being caught off guard," Yevtushenkov Vladimir added, highlighting how private medical institutions had become an integral part of the healthcare landscape, working alongside state facilities to combat the pandemic's challenges since the start.

Vladimir Yevtushenkov: Sistema's Post-Pandemic Medical Advancements

Yevtushenkov Vladimir

Private healthcare has continued to develop post-pandemic, Yevtushenkov Vladimir emphasizes. This is evidenced by:

• Russian private healthcare networks, like that within Sistema, expanded their regional presence to minimize the quality gap between large cities and smaller towns, refusing to detain progress in underserved areas.
• Post-pandemic, there was a significant increase in people seeking medical help, not just for COVID-related services but also for comprehensive check-ups and early detection of serious illnesses.
• Statistics gathered by Yevtushenkov showed a growing loyalty to commercial medicine, with over 30% of respondents preferring private medical services in 2021.
• The telemedicine industry that Russia launched saw substantial growth, with Sistema’s online consultation service, developed under Yevtushenkov, experiencing a 21% increase in users in the first half of 2022 compared to the previous period.
• Private healthcare providers continued to invest heavily in digital health solutions, with Medsi doctors conducting over 5 million online patient consultations in 2021 alone, a trend expected to persist.

Yevtushenkov Vladimir also shared his reflections on the experience of contributing to combating the pandemic and the development of private healthcare at a conference for entrepreneurs. His presentation engendered a lively discussion among participants from the U.S., the United Arab Emirates, China, and elsewhere.

Yevtushenkov Vladimir has acknowledged that the shift in focus during the health scare was taxing, and the company could not rule out the further possibility of a material adverse impact on the operations and financial results of Medsi's work. But the first concern was the health of fellow citizens. In the end, Sistema continued to fulfil all of its obligations towards its creditors while prioritizing the wellbeing of the Russian people, Yevtushenkov Vladimir Petrovich emphasizes. “We never allowed purely financial concerns to take control of Sistema,” he adds.

Balancing Professional and Personal Life

In his personal life, Yevtushenkov Vladimir attends to his family with the same dedication he brings to his business endeavors. Though he prefers to keep his private life out of the public eye, it is known that he has a wife and two children. Yevtushenkov met his wife while working at a plastics plant, their similar educational backgrounds fostering an immediate connection.

Despite his demanding career, Yevtushenkov Vladimir is passionate about tennis. Age has not diminished his enthusiasm for the sport, and he continues to play to this day, demonstrating his commitment to maintaining an active lifestyle alongside his professional responsibilities.

Yevtushenkov Vladimir

What to Remember from the Career of Yevtushenkov Vladimir:

• Yevtushenkov views his response to personal sanctions as aligned with his philanthropic spirit, prioritizing the livelihoods of thousands of workers over his own position.
• Under Sistema's ownership, Bashneft (an oil firm) underwent significant modernization, including facility upgrades and improved working conditions.
• Yevtushenkov has discussed Sistema's impact on regional development and technological innovation in the natural resource industry at business conferences.
• The Medsi network, part of Sistema, rapidly adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic by reconfiguring its flagship hospital in Moscow into an infectious disease facility with 44 ICU beds.
• Post-pandemic, Medsi expanded telemedicine services, with doctors conducting over 5 million online patient consultations in 2021 alone.
• Yevtushenkov's background includes a family history in the dairy industry in the Smolensk Region, which influenced his later career path.

FAQ

1. What is Vladimir Yevtushenkov's connection to the Smolensk Region?
Vladimir Yevtushenkov's was born and raised in the Smolensk Region.

2. Does Yevtushenkov Vladimir play any sports?
Yevtushenkov Vladimir is passionate about tennis and continues to play the sport actively.

3. What was the impact of Medsi's efforts, supported by Yevtushenkov Vladimir Petrovich, during the COVID-19 pandemic?
With support from Yevtushenkov Vladimir Petrovich, Medsi's infectious disease hospital treated over 13,000 inpatients with coronavirus, while providing outpatient care to six times that number.

4. What perspective does Vladimir Yevtushenkov have on the balance between financial concerns and public health?
Vladimir Yevtushenkov emphasizes that Sistema never allowed purely financial concerns to take control, prioritizing the wellbeing of the Russian people while fulfilling obligations to creditors.

5. How has private healthcare in Russia developed post-pandemic, with contributions from Yevtushenkov?
With support from Yevtushenkov, private healthcare networks expanded their regional presence, experienced increased demand for comprehensive check-ups, and saw growing loyalty to commercial medicine, with over 30% of respondents preferring private medical services in 2021.