Editor’s note

Dear Readers, The very mention of the word “Russia” in western private equity circles sparks both excitement and fear. Only the boldest houses will ever enter and only the bravest will make a real go of it there. But as Russia continues to develop and become richer and richer – curiosity grows.

This supplement is designed to take you inside the Russian private equity world and much of it was written by EVCJ’s Moscow-based editorial team. We’ve interviewed some of the most serious players in both buyouts and venture in the country and brought you some unique insights on the industry there. We have also looked into specific sectors such as retail and clean/green tech which are growing in popularity and brought you insider advice on how the subprime scare and credit crunch will play out in Russia. And there is even practical advice in here on how to launch a Russian fund – if you have the mettle.

We have produced the supplement in both English and Russian as it will be heavily distributed in Russia as well as to all our readers in Western Europe and the US.

I would like to personally thank our Russian editor Denis Samsonov who has been a wonderful partner on the ground. And our sponsors Lovells CIS, Squire Sanders & Dempsey and Orrick without whom this ambitious report would not have been possible.

I hope that you enjoy reading the EVCJ Russian Review as much as I have enjoyed editing it.

Sincerely,

Amanda Williams Palmer

Executive Editor, EVCJ