The three-day gala attracted a multitude of major figures from the worlds of business and politics including the US ambassador, Alexander Vershbow, the Minister for Trade and Economic Affairs, Herman Gref, the Governor of the Region of Leningrad, Valery Serduvkov, and a delegation from Ford led by the President of Ford Russia, Henrick Nensen.
The magnitude of interest in this economic milestone is also indicated by the fact that, in addition to the 1,500 invited guests, it attracted 150 media representatives to St Petersburg. The opening of the factory, which next year is expected to turn out 120,000 units of the Ford Focus, was marked with a three-day extravaganza of music and performing arts. Guildia of Masters, the St Petersburg-based company responsible for the sound reinforcement, opted for an X-Array system from Electro-Voice. Guildia of Masters was supported here by Ruton S, EV’s highly competent and versatile partner in Russia. The event went off without a hitch, even deserving a mention in the respected business journal ‘Business International’, according to whom "the sound and organisation were perfect."
(Lee Baldock)
