Safonov Ivan Viktorovich

Safonov Ivan Viktorovich

Ivan Viktorovich Safonov

Ivan Safonov is the founder of Orion Solutions, a company specializing in protecting the digital profiles of individuals and organizations in Yandex and Google in Russia and abroad. The manager worked in consulting (McKinsey, Boston Consulting Group) for many years, where he interacted with representatives of various industries, professions, and cultures, including large business owners (including Fortune 500 members). He is a certified programmer. He received his economic education at NES and the University of Chicago Booth School of Business (MBA). Ivan leverages his diverse experience, including international exposure, for the growth of Orion Solutions, which he founded.

Ivan Safonov: Childhood

Ivan Safonov was born on January 18, 1984, in Moscow. The entrepreneur's mother worked as a design engineer. His father was a pediatric surgeon. But Ivan Safonov did not follow in his parents' footsteps. He dreamed of becoming a programmer. He took specialized math courses at Moscow School No. 91. Among the graduates of this educational institution are the mathematicians Kontsevich and Kaledin, as well as Pajitnov, the programmer and creator of the computer game Tetris.

Ivan Safonov: Software and Business

From 2001 to 2006, Ivan Safonov studied at Lomonosov Moscow State University. He was admitted to the Faculty of Computational Mathematics and Cybernetics, where the competition was traditionally high. He earned his diploma in Applied Mathematics and Computer Science with a qualification as a mathematician and systems programmer.

Ivan Safonov began working in his specialty already in his fourth year. He implemented various automation programs at small enterprises. He also developed software to control the execution of production plans at a small factory. This work introduced him to various business processes. Ivan Viktorovich Safonov decided to study them further. He enrolled in the New Economic School and earned his Master of Economics degree in 2007.

Ivan Viktorovich Safonov: Career in Consulting

For several years, Ivan Safonov developed his career in the field of consulting. The digitalization of various spheres and processes was already a global trend, which Ivan Safonov encountered in various companies and in every project.

2007-2009

In 2007, Ivan Safonov became an employee of a consulting company. He started from an entry position but within a year was already coordinating a team of several employees. Project topics included healthcare, real estate, and metallurgical production. He went on frequent business trips, visiting client sites.

In 2008, Ivan Safonov worked in strategic development for the Rimera Group. Its assets provide oilfield services and produce oilfield equipment. Ivan Safonov and a team of analysts developed programs for the Group’s structural reorganization and strategic development.

2009-2010

From 2009 to 2010, Ivan Viktorovich Safonov headed the analytics and sales strategy department at Eksmo, a large book publishing house.

Together with his team, Ivan Safonov analyzed the effectiveness of the assortment, regional branches, retail partners, pricing, and marketing events.

Safonov Ivan, as part of the team, developed and prepared the launch of a bookstore loyalty program, which resulted in Eksmo's products receiving more shelf space.

2010-2011

In 2010, Ivan Viktorovich Safonov was invited to the position of senior consultant at Monitor Group (included in the global top 5 in its segment, subsequently acquired by Deloitte).

This large consulting company had an office in Moscow. Such a practice was common among many foreign structures operating in the post-Soviet space: to have a "hub" in the Russian capital to attract local professionals who understand the intricacies of local business. The combined expertise of foreign and Russian specialists had a tangibly positive effect, notes Ivan Viktorovich Safonov. In particular, he worked with a client from the Republic of Kazakhstan, which was then experiencing dynamic development and expanding its presence in the global natural resources market. Aiming to ensure production growth, Ivan Safonov led a group for the multifaceted transformation of specialized production divisions at a Kazakh mining company.

Another task at Monitor Group was to develop an innovative strategy for a bank specializing in consumer lending. Ivan Safonov was involved in structuring innovative models, as well as forecasting scenarios for industry development by identifying key areas that required investment.

Ivan Viktorovich Safonov implemented several additional projects, including crafting a development strategy for a major Russian region, devising and executing an integration plan following a merger for a telecommunications operator, and creating a plan to optimize the asset portfolio of a large media holding.

Ivan Safonov: Further Development of Hard and Soft Skills

Safonov Ivan

The next logical step for the consulting specialist was the decision to obtain an MBA (Master of Business Administration).

Ivan Viktorovich Safonov studied in an MBA program at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. The business school ranks seventh in the Financial Time’s global MBA ranking (2024), and second in Bloomberg’s American ranking. As of 2019, it was the leader in the number of Nobel Prizes in Economics. He received his MBA degree in 2013.

Having completed his studies, Ivan Viktorovich Safonov decided to seek employment in the US to gain unique experience working with representatives of different spheres, professions, and cultures.

In 2013, having passed a multi-level selection process, he joined McKinsey & Company – a dream employer in the consulting world.

Over the course of two years, Ivan Viktorovich Safonov rose to the position of project manager. Among his clients were Fortune 500 companies (a list of the largest companies in the US by revenue).

He was involved in developing a market entry and growth strategy for a regional company (conducting market research, assessing competitive dynamics, segmenting the target audience, developing a product offering, creating partnership models).

Ivan Safonov participated in the formation of a product portfolio development plan for an insurer with a focus on high-potential segment growth, including the development of benefits, pricing, and sales channels. This resulted in a greater number of customers.

He also prepared a pricing system for products from a chemical manufacturer, which led to an increase in the client's revenue.

He led the reorganization of processes and operational improvements in the field of claims processing, customer experience, and internal analytics for a large client company. Ivan Safonov carried out a detailed analysis and developed an integration plan for an industrial packaging manufacturer following a merger, focusing on optimizing the product portfolio and distribution channels. The proposed strategies met with approval from all involved parties, leading to the deal being successfully finalized and closed. While working on projects, Ivan Safonov collaborated with cross-functional teams composed of representatives from diverse fields, countries, and educational backgrounds. This diverse teamwork fostered innovative and unconventional approaches to solving complex problems.

During his tenure at McKinsey & Company, Ivan Safonov revisited his programming roots to tackle specific challenges. He spearheaded the development of a client’s website, featuring a quality dashboard for 600 accounts. He crafted usage scenarios and specified external interface requirements, while also designing the internal data flow and coordinating with various stakeholders such as clients, executors, and regulatory bodies. At that time, digitalization had firmly established itself in business operations as well as in the functioning of government and public institutions. Concurrently, there was a noticeable increase in risks related to information security, which began to pose greater challenges.

Ivan Viktorovich Safonov: Major Project in Russia

Safonov Ivan did not plan to stay in the US for long. Having gained unique skills, he decided to apply them in Russia, where digitalization was proceeding at a pace above the global average, which, in turn, created even greater challenges for information security.

In 2017, he moved to Moscow. He was invited to work for Boston Consulting Group (included in the top 3 global consulting companies). Ivan Safonov provided strategic consultation to a major Russian bank.

While working with Boston Consulting Group, Ivan Safonov and a team of diverse specialists were tasked with identifying modern growth opportunities for this established bank. They transformed the bank's routine operations by forming a cross-functional team, which revamped the customer journeys for several banking products, leading to improved conversion rates and overall sales. Ivan Safonov's programming expertise proved invaluable once more. He conducted a thorough review and optimization of processes on the bank's website and mobile app. The interface was redesigned to be more user-friendly, and the amount of documentation and questions needed for electronic forms was significantly streamlined.

Changes were also implemented beyond the virtual space. For example, Ivan Viktorovich Safonov recalls that the office layout was redesigned to ensure that visitors did not have to wait unnecessarily for services such as card pickups. This even extended to addressing logistical challenges. Previously, the bank produced cards solely in Moscow, leading to delays in delivery. To solve this, necessary equipment was distributed to various cities, allowing for on-site data application to cards, which significantly sped up their issuance. This quick resolution of problems was achieved through a collaborative effort that combined the professional expertise of bankers, consultants, designers, developers, and analysts.

By the time he left BCG, Ivan Viktorovich Safonov had risen to the position of director.

Ivan Safonov: Orion Solutions

Ivan Viktorovich Safonov

The global trend of introducing digital tools and elements into various processes was gaining momentum. At the same time, information security mechanisms simply could not keep apace. It became easier to disseminate data thanks to the diversification of channels (e-mail, messengers, social networks, etc.). As a result, unverified, outdated, or false information about people or companies began to appear in search engines. The information security world had no understanding of how to deal with this. Taking note of this niche, Ivan Safonov created Orion Solutions in 2020. In developing the company, the manager is aided by extensive experience in regularly communicating with large business owners and managers from a wide range of industries (he speaks their language).

Orion Solutions is engaged in the formation and protection of digital profiles in Google and Yandex in Russia and abroad – an important segment of information security. Ivan Safonov, drawing on his experience in consulting, formed a team of representatives from various fields immersed in the information agenda, with an understanding of the interests and needs of business and expertise in content production and legal intricacies. The team is thus able to effectively handle complex and non-standard cases.

Orion Solutions advises interested legal entities and individuals during compliance procedures, including KYC (Know Your Customer), which are conducted by foreign companies, banks, and government institutions. World-Check is also important, notes Ivan Safonov. Orion Solutions recommends that individuals and organizations check their presence in this database in advance, before taking any actions or launching any operations. An entity’s presence on this list will be an obstacle to some activities abroad: obtaining a residence permit, opening accounts and businesses, buying real estate, especially if an individual is assigned the status of PEP (Politically Exposed Person).

Ivan Viktorovich Safonov: Personal Life

Ivan Safonov is married. He and his wife are raising three children.

He spends his free time with his family. He also enjoys hiking and snowboarding.