Olga Balakleets
Olga is a Russian born, and London based renowned award-winning concert pianist who appeared at many international music festivals and as a soloist with orchestras such as the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra, BBC Big Band, Ensemble Modern among the others. She is also a multifaceted entrepreneur and a CEO of international events company Ensemble Productions which organizers numerous cultural and philanthropic projects worldwide in the most prestigious venues such as the Royal Opera House, London Coliseum, Royal Albert Hall, Vienna Musikverein, Teatro della Opera di Roma, Frankfurt Alter Oper, Cairo Opera House, Dubai’s Madinat Jumeirah, Hong Kong Performing Arts Academy Concert Hall and many others. Her annual projects include The Cyprus-Russia Gala in the Presidential Palace under the Patronage of the First Lady of Cyprus Mrs Andri Anastasiades in aid of Radiomarathon Foundation which started since 2007, The Ballet Icons Gala at The Royal Opera House and Coliseum Theatre since 2006, Russian Festival Maslenitsa since 2009 among many others. She has been an adviser to various governments on cultural and philanthropical projects and particular closely works with the Ministries of Culture of the Russian Federation, Cyprus, Hong Kong, the Mayor of London, British Parliament, the Russian State Duma, and the Government of Cyprus. She has initiated several international cultural projects and festivals worldwide.
She is a Founder and CEO of an international high-networking platform Creative Women since 2016 promoting successful female entrepreneurs with a creative approach to business. The platform enjoys the patronage of internationally highly respected female leaders and influencers and welcomes among its speakers and contributors’ leaders, business owners who have been featured in such publications as Forbes, Entrepreneur, The Huffington Post among many others. With an extensive line of live and online events internationally, its fast-growing membership scheme and representatives in 40 countries, the platform is an open platform for shared experience, innovation and mentorship by women who influence business, who are experts from the public and private sectors, emerging millennial talents, successful entrepreneurs and even celebrities.
Olga appears as a speaker at various female conferences including the Women Economic Forum in London, the Woman Synergy Forum among many others. Olga is also a Founder of a global multifaceted venture Theatrum Vitae which is designed to transcend barriers and unite people around the world through a unique synthesis of performing and visual arts and create a lasting cultural legacy for many years to come.
For her services she has been awarded prestigious awards including a Special Medal from President Medvedev (September 2010) and an Order “For the Services to the Fatherhood” of St. Prince Dmitry Donskoi and St. Sergey Radonezhsky” (December 2010), the title “Compatriot of the Year 2012” at the Moscow Forum of Compatriots, a Medal from “Giornale della Danza” in Italy (2011), a Medal from the Russian Union of the Industrialists and Merchants “For the Services to the Fatherhood” (March 2013), the title “The Russian Business Woman of the Year Award” in Cyprus (November 2014), The Inspirational Award at the First Feminine Capital forum in Cyprus (May 2017), the highest Award for a Russian living outside Russia, the Pushkin Medal authorised by President Vladimir Putin (June 2019), the Honorary Silver Order “Social Recognition” by the Westminster Russia Forum and “Social Recognition” National Fund in Russia for her contributions to the strengthening of friendship, humanitarian and cultural cooperation between Russian and United Kingdom (October 2019), a nomination for the Prix of Excellence award in Italy for her contribution for the promotion of ballet and dance (November 2019). Olga often appears on international TV channels making valuable contributions on cultural and philanthropic matters and writes for several international publications in the UK, Russia and Cyprus. Since 2005 Olga has been an Artistic Director of the British-Russian Cultural Association, between 2008 and 2010 a Vice-President of the Swiss-Russian Cultural Foundation and in November 2009 she was elected as a member of the Russian Speaking Council of Great Britain to become its Head of the Culture Section there and in 2015 to become its Chairman. In April 2017 she was appointed the Secretary General of the Advisory Board of the Russian Speaking Council UK and in April 2019 was given a title an Honorary Member of the Russian Speaking Council UK. In October 2019 she has been invited to become the Arts Director of the Westminster Russia Forum.