The PBN Company
Unofficial Translation

www.rbc.ru

An Independent Study, Confirmed by the RF Ministry of Economic Relations and Trade, Reveals 100 Successful Companies in the Russian Consumer Market

April 1, 2003

The independent Interactive Research Group (IRG) identified the 'Top 100' successful domestic companies in the Russian consumer market. Greg Thain, Chairman of the IRG Board of Directors, said at a press conference, "This is a first-of-its-kind study, which reveals some of the most exciting and potentially rewarding investment and sales opportunities in Russia in the coming decade." A representative of the Ministry of Economic Relations and Trade confirmed that the results of the study agree with information obtained by the ministry.

Mr. Thain noted that IRG researchers collected information from public sources including media publications, free databases and corporate websites of selected companies and verified information where possible with financial analysts, journalists and representatives of the companies themselves. The companies were selected based on the following criteria: the company's turnover, managerial effectiveness, corporate image and business reputation, marketing policy and so forth. However, the list did not include Russia's most famous companies because investors already have comprehensive information about their activities. Russian companies controlled by foreign corporations were also excluded.

The final roster lists 16 companies from Moscow and the Moscow oblast, and 12 from Saint Petersburg and the Leningrad oblast. The smallest number of companies are from Southern Russia, Siberia and the Urals - three companies from each region. Of the 100 companies named, 42 produce or sell fast-moving consumer goods, 15 are consumer service providers, 12 are retailers, and 8 are in agriculture and food production.