OREANDA-NEWS. October 22, 2012. Igor Makarov, President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of ITERA International Group of Companies, is among the three most competent businessmen based on performance results in the period of September, 2011 - September, 2012. A public-opinion poll was organized by the All-Russia Center of Public Opinion Study (ARCPOS).

The poll was conducted among managers of large enterprises. Experts were asked two questions: "Name the most significant Russian achievements in your professional area for the last year. Who was their author?" and "Name the most important and courageous acts related not only to professional, but also to political areas, accomplished by your colleagues last year. Who made them?" Experts noted achievements of Igor Makarov in promotion and development of cycling in Russia.

Igor Makarov is the founder of Katyusha, the Russian professional cycling team of the World Tour. The team is a member of the Russian Global Cycling Project (RGCP) founded under the auspices of ITERA International Group of Companies, Gazprom and GC Rostekhologii (State Company Russian Technologies) in 2008. RGCP also includes ITERA-Katyusha, a continental team, and two youth teams, one for riders of up to 21 years old, and the second team for riders of up to 23 years old. A men’s RusVelo Team and a women’s RusVelo Team were established within the frameworks of the Project a year ago. Igor Makarov heads the Russian Cycling Federation since 2008.

The transaction on creation of a joint venture of ITERA with Rosneft, the largest Russian Oil and Gas Company, was the major business project for Igor Makarov in 2012. Involvement in the JV allowed ITERA for considerable expansion of the resource base. The consolidated company expects to multiply production in the future and to become a flagship in the Russian gas market.