"Russia for the Advanced" is the second volume in the series, in which senior foreign business owners and business managers who have made a success of their time in Russia give their insights into the country and its people. They show that, in Russia, ANYTHING is possible, if you as a manager can understand the human factor and the context — historical, social, economic, religious, spiritual — in which the Russian peoples live today.

My journey of discovery that Russia is a real land of opportunity and that so much conventional wisdom about Russia and Russians is just plain wrong began in a very fishy fashion. More precisely, it began with fish.

Doing business in Russia is both risky and lucrative, which makes it both challenging and interesting. The business environment here is rapidly evolving, but sometimes the market environment can be even hostile. It is like the ocean — for those who sail it is the easiest way fr om one place to another, for those who cannot swim it is very dangerous. That is why I see Russia as one of the most exciting opportunities that I have ever come across.

I am conscious that I am in Russia as a guest. For me it is a privilege to be here. It is my duty to try to leave my workplace better than it was when I arrived. I have to create something as a legacy.

Doing business in Russia is a fascinating experience for many reasons. It is almost always a multicultural experience involving some combination of participants fr om countries of virtually every continent, in addition to Russians. But for me the most intriguing part is the Russians themselves, and the complex set of perspectives that shape the prism through which any individual Russian views a personal or business relationship or decision.

I remember back in 1994 when I had just arrived in Moscow to live. It was very, very hard to own a car. We were sharing one car between four families. We had to organize ourselves well to get time with the car. One day we finally had the use of the car. I had done a big shop and was waiting for it to pick me up. The car somehow did not arrive — the car and me and my shopping never connected with each other. I stood outside in minus 20 degrees Celsius with my bags of shopping waiting for the car to arrive. I waited.

I took a speed-reading course and read "War and Peace" in 20 minutes. It involves Russia.

Some people are calling the present situation in Russia a "crisis" and are saying that the slowdown has been imported from the United States. Others like to talk about the economic slowdown being so huge that Russia itself has no future. I disagree with these assessments. It is essential to compare what is comparable and to keep things in context.

Understanding and working in Russia is one of the most rewarding but challenging experiences that you could have as a business leader. Being asked to predict what Russia may be like in the next five to 10 years is even more challenging. Putting aside political predictions is a basic requirement since I am no political forecaster, but the development of Medvedev's and Putin's "tandem leadership" will of course have a profound short-term impact on the country and ways of doing business.

Stolen glances with sultry, ice-maiden stewardesses. Champagne toasts in luxurious business lounges. The golden glow of the sun setting through the window of a private Gulfstream jet…

What a temptation it is to paraphrase John Lennon in saying: "I was born, I lived, I moved to Moscow." Even worse is to categorize my life in terms of BR and AR as in "Before Russia" and "After Russia."

Russia is developing at a rapid pace, but it is still a developing country, and, as a result of human factors, it will still be in transition over the next five to 10 to 15 years. It will take a longer time, 15 to 20 years in my view, before we see the emergence of the new Russia. This will happen when the new generation, people now in their 20s, takes over.