About Andy Verich

Andy is an Emerging Markets Expert based in Moscow, Russia and devoted to empowering business ventures with the vital tools and information necessary to navigate the challenging emerging markets and to wisely uncover the untapped opportunities in Russia and Eastern Europe.

Andy first visited the USSR just before its collapse in 1991.  Realizing then that Eurasia would open up new opportunities for the post Cold War global economy, Andy dedicated his education and career to uncover the enormous opportunities in this region.  As the Soviet Union began to collapse, Andy co-authored a proposal to establish an “East European & Russian Studies” program at the University of Wisconsin Green Bay as an accredited major to prepare students for the business and investment opportunities in the region.  Following an intensive Russian language immersion program and field research at Kharkov State University in Ukraine, Andy launched his career serving his country as an Infantry Officer in the United States Army where his linguistic and subject matter expertise was put to use in the Balkans and during joint operations with the Russian Armed Forces.  In 1999, Andy decided to take his acquired military leadership techniques, and East European expertise to launch his own offshore technology company in Ukraine.
 
In Ukraine, Andy discovered first-hand the frustrations Western entrepreneurs encounter managing their ventures in a developing country.  To meet this challenge, Andy was able to successfully manage the local staff by developing a process that trained, mentored and motivated people using proven U.S. military leadership techniques and other available resources.  He also learned to navigate through the local bureaucracy, shield his company from corrupt practices and develop solutions to overcome the typical challenges that  usually hamper foreign companies. 
 
Since then, Andy has been called upon on many occasions to provide solutions for a variety of businesses and organizations trying to understand or make inroads in the region.  He has personally informed members of the White House, National Security Council, State Department, various members of Congress, and other high-profile U.S. dignitaries on issues in the region.  He has also facilitated numerous foreign delegations to meet the U.N. General Secretary Kofi Annan, and participated in other meetings/press conferences with Presidents, Prime Ministers and Parliamentarians of various Southeast European countries.   His comments have been published in the New York Times, Financial Times, various foreign newspapers and numerous television appearances on Voice of America.
 
Andy speaks Russian and Serbian languages fluently.  More recently, Andy has been widening his area of expertise geographically to participate on projects in Central Asia, Caspian Sea, the Gulf, Middle East/Northern Africa (MENA) and other emerging markets.  He has met with various ministers of the governments of Azerbaijan, Bosnia Herzegovina, Egypt, Kazakhstan, Montenegro, Russian Federation, Serbia, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Ukraine and other high-profile U.S. and Foreign dignitaries concerning multi-billion dollar projects.
 
Known for his expertise in the region, vast network of contacts, and management techniques, Andy prides himself as the “interface” to make investments work in these exciting emerging markets. Working closely with clients, he helps them identify the untapped opportunities awaiting and develop the right mechanism to address risk and turn their global strategy into reality. For Andy, this is the most rewarding aspect of what he does: helping people develop, build and manage a successful venture in this new market!

Interested in implementing Andy’s solutions to help you enter the Russian/CIS market place?  Check out more articles in this blog or contact Andy directly.  Whether you need some help with your existing operations or just need advice on planning your next market entry strategy, email him at: andy.verich@missiondirectservices.com