“You need a keep a sense of humour,” says Goodwin, who founded global recruitment company Antal International in 1993 and entered the Russian market in 1994. “The Russians can seem a bit harsh at times and their jokes can be a little cruel.” He tells the story of how his employee flew out to Moscow for a meeting with a client. On his way back, he got lost and ended up in a dodgy part of the city. “He rang the office and they told him not to move. They said they’d send ‘Yevgeny’ to pick him up,” says Goodwin. “After a very nervous 20 minutes standing around in a smart suit with an expensive briefcase, being eyed by rather threatening locals, a blacked-out Mercedes pulled up and he jumped in. “He turned to the large individual sitting next to him and said, ‘Hi Yevgeny, I was getting really worried there’. As the car pulled off at high speed, his companion gave him a wolfish smile and said, ‘My name’s not Yevgeny’. “Our man proceeded to have a minor heart attack before his ‘kidnappers’ burst into uproarious laughter.” Read our feature on doing business in Russia in the September edition of Real Business magazine. Picture source
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.