Maksim Yevgenyevich Afanasyev, formerly the Commercial Director of NWT’s Novgorod branch, was appointed as Director of the Sales and Service Organization Department at NWT General Directorate with effect from September 22, 2008.

M.Ye. Afanasyev was born in Veliky Novgorod on June 9, 1975. In 1997, he graduated cum laude from the Novgorod State Agricultural Academy with the economist’s qualification.

M.Ye. Afanasyev has the degree of Candidate of Economic Sciences. In 2001 he defended a thesis entitled “Competitive environment diagnostics and formation of a firm’s marketing strategy” at the St. Petersburg State University of Economics and Finance.

Mr. Afanasyev has worked in the telecommunications industry since May 1998. He started his career as engineer at the Marketing Department of the Novgorod Telephone and Telegraphic Center, OJSC Novgorodtelecom, then as electrical communications engineer at the Sales Organization Department, OJSC Novgorodtelecom. In 1999 he was transferred to the position of market researcher at Novgorodtelecom’s Marketing and Advertising Department. In 2002 he was appointed manager of the Economics and Tariff Policy Department of NWT's Novgorodtelecom branch. In 2004 Mr. Afanasyev took the position of manager of Novgorodtelecom’s Borovichi Communications Hub. From 2005 he managed the Commercial Electrical Communications Hub of NWT's Novgorodtelecom branch. From May 2007 he held the position of Deputy Regional Director – Commercial Director of NWT's Novgorodtelecom branch.

In his new office, Maksim Afanasyev will focus on ensuring a sustained growth of the Company’s incomes by:

- forming a single concept of developing and managing sales channels at the branches;

- managing and coordinating a company-wide customer service process;

- preparing and monitoring the implementation of sales plans;

- forming a system of key performance indicators for the marketing units.