Alexei Bakulin Biography
Bakulin Alexey Anatolyevich is a Russian entrepreneur, general director of Volgabas Group of Companies LLC. By 2016, his company was close to the top three leaders in the Russian bus market.
Alexey Bakuliin, General Director of Volgabas Group of Companies
Alexey Bakulin: Early years. Carier start
Alexey Bakulin, a native Volzhan, was born on August 31, 1975. The future entrepreneur received higher education at the Volgograd Academy of Public Administration (Volgograd branch of the RANEPA).
The first brick in the foundation of his managerial experience was laid during his studies. Then, back in 1994, a sophomore founded the Volga Service advertising agency. Not afraid to introduce innovative methods in the development of advertising strategies, Alexey Anatolyevich Bakulin soon became the owner of one of the most effective advertising bureaus in his native region. Among his clients were the largest players in the international market, including Coca-cola and the Reemtsma tobacco holding.
In 1996, the talent of Alexei Bakulin was noted by the leadership of the Volzhanin bus plant, and the young man took the post of Deputy General Director for Marketing and Finance. Under his control, a federal system of dealers was created almost from scratch, and soon the Volzhanin brand became easily recognizable throughout Russia. As a result, the plant was able to modernize the scientific and technical base and significantly increase production in a short time.
In 1998, Alexei Bakulin received a “red” diploma from the VAGS, becoming a specialist in the field of management, after which he continued his postgraduate studies at the Saratov Socio-Economic University. In 2001, Alexey Anatolyevich received a PhD in Economics. His dissertation was devoted to the development of financial strategies for enterprises in the industry of priority investment on the example of the production of buses.
In 2002, Alexei Bakulin headed the Volzhanin plant
Already in 2002, he was able to fully apply the skills gained over the years of study, taking the post of general director of the Volzhanin plant. Since that moment, the company began a confident introduction to the domestic market of commercial vehicles. In the same year, the Volzhanin-6270 increased passenger capacity model entered mass production, which even today continues to be considered one of the longest single-section buses not only in Russia, but also in the world. This 15-meter giant was highly appreciated by transport professionals in the largest cities of Russia, including Moscow and St. Petersburg.
Alexey Bakulin and Volgabas: the birth of the future
Since 2006, the name of Alexei Bakulin has been inextricably linked with the Volgabas holding. He is its founder, CEO and key shareholder. Just a year later, the company began to conquer the international transport market. Such a significant growth of the enterprise required an increase in production capacity, and at the initiative of Alexei Bakulin, a project was developed for the Volgabas technopark in the city of Volzhsky, personally approved by Vladimir Putin. Enlisting both regional and federal support, Bakulin began construction of a new workshop, which was scheduled to open in 2016. In 2011, a new milestone in the life of Bakulin’s brainchild came – Volgabas entered into an agreement with Gazprom, which included the use of natural gas as a motor fuel in a new line of buses that promise to become much more environmentally friendly, more economical and safer than public transport on gasoline, which is gradually leaving into the past.
Alexey Bakulin: ambitious plans
Bakulin Aleksey Anatolyevich closely follows innovations in the engineering industry and actively cooperates with prominent domestic research centers – Skolkovo and SKB MiSIS.
In 2015, the company, under the new name Bakulin Motors Group, launched a promising project for the production of electric and unmanned vehicles. In the summer of 2016, Alexey Bakulin announced that the prototype of the first unmanned bus for the urban environment was already being tested at Skolkovo. According to him, an unmanned bus under the Volgabus trademark will be able to easily adapt to urban traffic: bypass traffic jams, let pedestrians through, and even interact with passengers through a smartphone application. The launch of the unmanned chassis at Skolkovo was attended by Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, who highly appreciated its potential.
At SPIEF-2016, the entrepreneur presented a drone platform called “MatrЁshka”. With its help, unmanned public transport will receive a wide range of add-on options: such buses can be used as taxis, trucks, mobile offices or shops.
Personal life of Alexei Bakulin
In the past, a deputy of the Volzhsky City Duma, Alexei Bakulin, is successfully working in the “Club of Leaders” and the “Agency for Strategic Initiatives”, aimed at improving the business climate in Russia.
Alexey Anatolyevich is married, has two children, among his hobbies are tennis and mountaineering. Achievements – climbing Elbrus, Mont Blanc, expedition to Vinson Peak in Antarctica.
Anatoly Bakulin now
Alexei Bakulin is happy to share with the press the future prospects of his native holding. He plans to increase production to 500 buses per year, expand geography and strengthen in the international market. As for unmanned buses, it is planned that their launch on open routes will be timed to coincide with the 2018 World Cup.
