Moscow Seeks Best Foreign Professionals and their Integration into Russian Society -By Kestér Kenn Klomegâh

Under the presidential decree, authorizing an initiative to tap best brains and professionals from abroad to integrate into Russian society, the Agency for Strategic Development plans to hold its first Bridge Awards, which honors the contributions of foreign citizens and repatriates who have made a definitive life choice in favor of Russia. The Bridge Awards was founded by entrepreneur Philip Hutchinson and public figure Guy Eames.

Launched in February 2026, the competition for the awards has attracted a lot of potential candidates from 41 countries competing for victory across 12 categories. The highest number of applications came from the United States, totaling 18. There are also a number of candidates from Europe, Asia and Africa. The “Business” category proved to be the most geographically diverse, drawing applicants from 12 countries.

According to the official reports made available to the media, the applicants include world-renowned celebrities. For example, Jeff Monson, a former American mixed martial arts fighter and currently a Russian politician and public figure, is competing for the award in the “Sports and Healthy Lifestyle” category.

Among the entrepreneurs are Briton David Henderson-Stewart, who revived the legendary Raketa Watch Factory, and Stanislav Kondov from Bulgaria, General Manager of a hospitality cluster that includes the Radisson Collection Hotel (formerly the Hotel Ukraine) and the Radisson Slavyanskaya.

Among the contenders for the “Community Activity and Charity” award are Pierre de Gaulle, the grandson of Charles de Gaulle, alongside Ahmed bin Nasser bin Jassim Al Thani, the Ambassador of Qatar to Russia.

“The geography of the award and the level of participants exceeded our highest expectations, and we witnessed immense interest in this project, which is significant for international cooperation. This proves that Russia continues to be a major center of attraction for talented and ambitious individuals from across the globe,” stated Sergei Georgievskii, representative of the award operator and Co-founder of the “CENTER” Agency for Strategic Development.

The award’s Expert Council has already begun selecting the top 5 contenders in each category. Each of the top 5 award contenders will receive an invitation to the gala award ceremony, which will take place on June 18 at the Hotel Continental in Moscow.

The Bridge Awards, the international Award for recognizing the contributions of foreign citizens and repatriates to the Russian Federation. Today, it is especially important to strengthen humanitarian, business, and cultural ties with these individuals and shape a positive narrative about them in Russian society. The event, which is also dedicated to raising awareness, recognizing achievements, and building strong connections, will bring together business leaders, media representatives, government officials, entrepreneurs, and members of the international community.

Special guests and speakers include John Warren and Maria Shakhova, representatives of partner organizations—the Moscow government, the Agency for Strategic Initiatives, and others—and the broader Bridge ecosystem. The initiator of the project is the Bridge Club, a socio-business platform that brings together foreign citizens residing and working in Moscow, along with Russian professionals focused on international cooperation.

The grand award ceremony will take place on June 18, where winners across 12 categories will be announced, including Integration and Adaptation, Education and Enlightenment, Sports and Healthy Lifestyle, and Traditional and Family Values. The ceremony will be preceded by a plenary session focused on international cooperation.

The project is carried out with the support of the Department for External Economic and International Relations of the City of Moscow and the Moscow Centre for International Cooperation; the Strategic Partner of the award is the Agency for Strategic Initiatives. The main media partner of the event is the Press Center of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia.