Igor M. Namakonov emphasized the role of intellectual assets in the creative economy

January 25, 2026

Igor M. Namakonov, CEO of the Federation of Creative Industries, spoke at the Eurasian Event Forum (EFEA) in St. Petersburg on January 22. Along with experts, he discussed the event industry's transition to the creative industries and outlined key conditions for a successful transformation.

The session "Events as Part of the Creative Industries" was held as part of the 15th Eurasian Event Forum (EFEA) at the PetroCongress Convention Center. The roundtable brought together leading industry experts: Anna Lyatsu (RSPP) moderated, and the speakers included Igor M. Namakonov, Vyacheslav Lashchevsky (AGT), Olga Terno (Federal Resource Center), and Fyodor Belolyubsky (Yakutia Congress Center). Participants discussed the place of convention and exhibition activities in the legal framework of the creative industries, their new value for future generations, and their potential impact on the regional business landscape.

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Igor M. Namakonov noted that the event industry is confidently moving toward creative industries. This process has already received support from the professional community and regulators. However, it is now important to shift the focus from acknowledging this fact to qualitatively changing the operating model itself. The CEO of the Federation of Creative Industries also emphasized that the key criterion for full integration will be the creation and management of intellectual property. Today, many events operate on an "instrumental" model, providing services to other industries. In this format, organizers generate almost no intangible assets, which form the core of the creative economy.

"We need to create not just events, but sustainable intellectual products: working formats, recognizable event brands, digital platforms, proprietary methods, and media content with long-term value," stated Igor M. Namakonov. In his opinion, it is precisely these assets that will form the basis for the industry's inclusion in creative industries registries.

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