Yelena Baturina

As an entrepreneur and mother, I support the need to put women at the center, recognizing their crucial impact on social development and their important role of balancing family and professional responsibilities.

I was among one of the first entrepreneurs to start building their own private enterprise when Perestroika began in Russia and the state initiated its first market-oriented reforms.

In the mid-1990s, when Russia was undergoing a construction boom, I entered the real estate development market.

On the one hand, I am a businesswoman - on the other, a wife and a mother. Like many women, I have had to distribute time and attention between business and family. It is not at all easy to find that balance.

I am interested in classic building development, such as hotels and residential homes, rather than commercial properties.

When you are in an unpleasant environment that makes you feel uncomfortable, one of the key ways to improve that situation is through design. That's why I think it is so important to help develop and showcase young designers, as they are our future.

The Garden of Wonders project encompasses the knowledge that Be Open has accumulated over the years of work on different continents and different spheres.

Design can successfully bind the ancient nomadic cultures with today's global marketplace, ensuring the preservation of traditions and knowledge for further generations. This aspect of research is obviously rich in its business potential as well.

The attitude of the business community towards investment in Austria and Germany has always been positive, as both the countries have earned their reputation as countries with a consistent economic environment.

I demand a lot from myself and reflect this attitude upon others: I consider it to be an important quality for a leader. I also think it is impossible to achieve success without persistence.