Contributor(s): Vladislav Surkov | The challenge of diversifying Russia’s economic structure and reducing its reliance on natural resource sectors has been the policy agenda for many years. Russia aims to transition into a self-sustaining, innovation-led economic growth model. The government has focused increasingly on modernisation and, in particular, on innovation, as the key to Russia’s successful development over the longer term. As a result of this, innovation - boosting government initiatives have been created, such as the highly ambitious Skolkovo Technopark and Skolkovo Institute for Science and Technology, that aspire to make Russia a global innovation powerhouse. Vladislav Surkov is the deputy prime minister of the Russian Federation and chief of staff of the Russian Government. He oversees a large array of government initiatives, including in area of innovation, education and culture. He is a trustee of the Skolkovo Fund and chairman of the Board of trustees at SkolkovoTech, and is actively involved with the government initiative to create a technology innovation park and ecosystem in Russia. Prior to his appointment at the Russian Government, Mr Surkov was the deputy chief of staff of the Russian President. He is widely attributed to the creation of the "Sovereign Democracy" concept in the last decade.