Andrey Yanovsky, currently CEO, Nidan Soki
Quite recently career and top positions in a large international company had been a dream of life for almost any Russian manager. Getting into the magic world of western corporations, climbing the career ladder and achieving social stability with the broad range of material benefits that accompany it seemed to be the synonym for success. But at a certain point of time just a few years later, many managers who had been working in foreign companies for quite a while began to move to the young, fast growth oriented Russian businesses. I could realize the reason of such changes in managers’ preferences based on my own experience.
The year was 2002. By that time I had worked for a global corporation with a world-known brand for nearly a decade. Being a head of one of the company’s regional plants I realized suddenly that my career was reaching a plateau. I understood that there were no possibilities for my professional growth anymore. All processes were well-tuned, the business was working like a clock, the responsibility was spread among many executives and I had no more interesting projects. I was beginning to become bored, because I had outgrown that place.
At that very moment I received an offer from the Russian company called Nidan Soki. I felt as if I opened a window and discovered that the world was not red and white only (corporate colors of the international company I worked for), but full of many different colors other than these two.
I flew to Moscow, came to the Russian company’s office and asked the stockholders just a few questions. Things that interested me most were: what my job would be, what would be my powers and how much independence I would have. And the answers really pleased my ears. I understood that we were like-minded and what they wanted me to do was exactly the challenge I had been missing for so long.
I had to think it all over and I flew back to Novosibirsk. But just a few days later I was unexpectedly phoned by one of the stockholders, who said to me: “As a matter of fact tomorrow I am leaving for long, so I would like to meet you at the Novosibirsk airport at 5.30 a.m.” At that moment I realized that I had already made a decision and next morning having no doubt left, I went to the airport at the crack of dawn. It will soon be 5 years since I started working in this company and I have never regretted my choice.
Russian original
