Former Avtovaz VP Karagin becomes head of AGR Group

MOSCOW. Nov 19 (Interfax) - The former executive director of Hyundai in Russia, Alexei Kalitsev, has left the post of CEO of AGR Holding (the group's parent structure), transferring operational management of the company to Andrei Karagin.

Karagin's tasks include ensuring the development of AGR Holding's production sites, deepening localization and strengthening the company's independence, with the goal of bringing the company into the ranks of leading Russian automotive industry companies, AGR's press service said.

Karagin was born in the Nizhny Novgorod region. He received a specialized technical education from Tolyatti Polytechnic Institute, a second higher education in economics (RANEPA) and an MBA from the Grenoble Ecole de Management business school (France). He has more than 20 years of experience in the automotive industry, including projects in international companies and joint ventures both in Russia and abroad, and held the position of vice president for car production at Avtovaz . In 2024, Karagin moved to AGR Holding, heading the Kaluga auto plant (the former VW site).

After leaving his post as head of AGR, Kalitsev intends to focus on new projects. "Andrei Karagin possesses a unique combination of deep understanding of production and strong managerial competencies. His experience in launching and developing production sites will be a serious advantage for the further growth of AGR Holding. His competencies fully correspond to the company's ambitions for further developing and strengthening the industrial foundation," AGR's press service quoted Kalitsev as saying.