Retail Grand Prix '08 - Highlights

On September 5 Premier-Awards ceremony Retail Grand-Prix 2008 was held in Renaissance Congress Center, Moscow. The award was founded in 2007 by the Retail Companies Association (RCA) in cooperation with Business to Business Conference Group (BBCG). Mission of the annual Grand-Prix is to identify strategically crucial projects and achievements of retail companies, recognize personal contribution of the key industry leaders and prominent efforts of the retail chain business partners. Organizers of the award share the idea that the Grand-Prix should expressly and directly reflect the view points of the experts, the industry leaders.

Lev Khasis, CEO X5 Retail Group, the Chairman of the Grand-Prix Expert Council, addressing the colleagues, emphasized:

“Only one year passed since Retail Grand-Prix was founded. Our country and our market change incredibly fast. Today we can be absolutely sure that Retail Grand-Prix is the leading industry awards recognized by the global professional community.

We have successfully accomplished our mission – we have formed consolidated retail market leaders position. The voice of our industry became clearer and solutions - more transparent. Each nomination of the Grand-Prix discloses our vision of the most promising directions for the retail market development to our business community and the government and highlights the individuals, who are worth personal recognition in their activity areas.”

This year the Grand-Prix Expert Council counts 11 members, chaired by Lev Khasis. The Council named the finalists and winners in 19 nominations. Members of the Council are: Lev Khasis, CEO X5 Retail Group; George Adams, President European DIY Retailers Association (EDRA); Sergey Galitsky, Director General Magnit; Jean Pierre Germain, Director General AUCHAN (Russia); Vugar Isaev, President Snezhnaya Koroleva; Sergey Krivosheev, Chairman of the Board Pharmaceutical Chain 36.6; Nikolay Fartushnyak, President SPORTMASTER; Alexander Tynkovan, President M.Video; Alexey Filatov, Managing Director BBCG; Igor Yakovlev, President Eldorado; Andrea Francesco Martinelli, Regional Director METRO Cash and Carry (Russia and Ukraine). ”The weight of the solutions made by the Retail Grand-Prix Expert Council in 2008 has been strengthened by the active position of the new members,” - said Alexey Filatov, BBCG Managing Director and a member of the Expert Council.

Gala-dinner, closing the Grand-Prix ceremony, summed up 2 crucial days of the industry – VII International Retail Congress Retail Director 2008. The ceremony was attended by over 300 general directors and owners of retail companies, providers and Summit delegates.

Winners and finalists in the Retail Category:

MARKETING CAMPAIGNE OF THE YEAR
Finalists:
O.B.I., Х5 RETAIL GROUP (Pyatorochka Chain), М.VIDEO, SNEZHNAYA KOROLEVA.
Winner:
ELDORADO

INNOVATIVE RETAIL CONCEPT OF THE YEAR
Finalists:
BELAYA DACHA (GARDENING CENTER), RED CUBE
Winner:
SPORTMASTER (GYPERMARKET)

RESPONSIBLE RETAILER OF THE YEAR
Finalists:
BILLA (REUSABLE BAGS), DETSKIY MIR (TARGETED CHILD ASSISTANCE) REAL’ (FOOTBALL CUP FOR CHILDEREN)
Winners:
RETAIL COMPANIES, PARTIES TO THE AGREEMENT FOR THE STABILIZATION OF PRICES FOR CERTAIN TYPES OF PRODUCTS:
BILLA, REAL,-GYPERMARKET, X5 RETAIL GROUP, AUCHAN, GROSSMART, KOPEIKA, LENTA, METRO CASH&CARRY, MOSMART

REGIONAL RETAILER OF THE YEAR
Finalists:
DOCTOR STOLETOV, SPORTMASTER, ADIDAS, L’ETUAL
Winner:
METRO CASH&CARRY

RETAIL DESTINATION OF THE YEAR
Finalists:
O.B.I. BELAYA DACHA (MOSCOW), GORIZONT (ROSTOV)
Winner:
PLANETA TRADE AND RECREATION CENTER (KRASNOYARSK).

EMPLOYER OF THE YEAR
To select a prizewinner for this nomination, the Committee held a special research among leading recruitment agencies of Russia and a Job.Ru pool. As a result, the best employers are:

Finalists:
METRO CASH&CARRY, М.VIDEO, EUROSET, SPORTMASTER
Winner:
IKEA

NATIONAL RETAILER OF THE YEAR
Finalists:
DIKAYA ORKHIDEYA, EUROSET, М.VIDEO, MAGNIT
Winner:
X5 RETAIL GROUP

The winners and finalists in the category “Best Articles 2008 in Modern Retail Formats” were recognized:

ARTICLE OF THE YEAR IN FMCG
Finalists:
RUSSKOE MORE (FISH DELICACIES LINE), BELAYA DACHA (FRESH SALADS)
Winner:
TM AGUSHA (Wimm-Bill-Dann).

ARTICLE OF THE YEAR IN ELECTRONICS
Winner:
TM BORK

ARTICLE OF THE YEAR IN FASHION
Finalists:
NEW YORKER, OGGI
Winner:
ZARA

ARTICLE OF THE YEAR IN DIY & HOME GOODS
Winner:
KUBANSKIE KRASKY

IT SOLUTION OF THE YEAR
Finalists:
SAP, ORACLE, 1С
Winner:
The Expert Council resolved not to award the Grand-Prix, since there were no extraordinary IT solutions for the retail sector in the year.

LOGISTICS SOLUTION OF THE YEAR
Finalists:
SAVOY, DHL
Winner:
MAGNIT

The Expert Council unanimously announced an anti-nomination of the year:

MARKETING FAILURE OF THE YEAR
APPLE
- For the absence of official iPhone sales.

Winners of the mass media and experts awards became:

DAILY BUSINESS PAPER OF THE YEAR
COMMERSANTЪ

BUSINESS MAGAZINE OF THE YEAR
EXPERT

INTERNET MEDIA OF THE YEAR
GOOGLE

ANALYST OF THE YEAR
Natasha Zagvozdina, Head of the Russian Share Analysis Department, Renaissance Capital.

JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR
Kristina Busko, Correspondent of Commersant Publishing House.

In 2008 the Expert Council resolved to introduce a Special Nomination – a personal award for the government officials – Personal contribution to the steady and efficient industry development. This prix was awarded to Igor Ivanovish Shuvalov, First Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation.

SPECIAL AWARD – PERSONAL CONTRIBUTION
Igor Ivanovish Shuvalov, First Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation.

Gala-dinner and the ceremony were closed by the show of popular kids group – Domisolki. The children made a unique present to the winners and finalists, which was a re-make of S. Rotary song “My Motherland”, in which the last couplet was revised as follows:

There will be a lot of light in the best shop windows,
Retail chains will be most concerned about our country – And people
Will share their joy through presents bought in the shops
And the wind will raise the flags of the best chains
Over our country for the sake of the kids!

The Organizational Committee joins congratulations of the children and wishes the best success to the winners and participants of the Retail Grand-Prix 2008!