Olga Tolstaia

About Olga Tolstaia

My work is situated at the intersection of executive-level business advisory, interdisciplinary research on sustainability transitions, and practice-based education. It grounds strategic business decision-making and policy design in research-informed approaches and integrates real-life case studies into the learning process, supporting responsible management and environmentally sustainable business transformation.With a PhD in Economics, an MSc in Conservation Project Management, and over 15 years of executive experience, I bring together economic systems thinking, ecological literacy, and applied business practice. Throughout my career, I have led complex international advisory projects, managed multidisciplinary teams, and worked at the business–policy interface to design and implement strategic transformation initiatives.As a project manager and business advisor, I have led complex economic and financial initiatives, supported business development and investment planning through incentive design and policy structuring, and developed strategic transformation roadmaps across sectors. I work across disciplines and stakeholder groups, balancing diverse interests and coordinating cross-functional teams to achieve shared goals. My approach translates sustainability priorities into economically viable, strategically coherent, and policy-relevant actions. I have actively promoted financial innovations and sustainability-oriented practices through business conferences and workshops, and remain engaged in professional business associations.My research focuses on systemic pathways for responsible management and sustainable change in environmentally impactful industries, seeking solutions that generate meaningful ecological impact while remaining economically viable, organizationally feasible, and policy-aligned. I actively participate in international academic conferences and publish on sustainability-related topics, contributing to interdisciplinary dialogue on sustainable business transformation.As an educator, I have developed and taught university-level courses and professional programs for business practitioners in financial and management-related fields, connecting theory with practical implementation. My teaching combines real-world management experience with structured course design, clear learning objectives, and active student engagement, consistently receiving high participant evaluations (average 4.9/5).

Experience

1. Managing Director, Tax, Law and Business Support Department, Business Tax Advisory Services

   EY

   Oct 2016 — Present

   Real estate, construction, hospitality, infrastructure, transportation, government group.Starting June 2022 EY in Russia was transformed into B1 group, including several entities such as B1-consult and Euripus B.V, Moscow branch.• Led advisory projects for 50+ local and international companies operating in Europe, Asia, America and Africa, generating high-quality results and increasing EY revenue. • Managed 10+ types of projects, incl. tax advisory and audit, increase of business process efficiency, tax automatization and methodology, group, deal and project structuring, feasibility study to obtain economic support, financial modelling, sustainable business transformation, due diligence.• Performed comprehensive analysis of laws, policies, practice and numerical data and reviewed deliverables prepared by team members;• Designed, organized, and delivered 30+ client events for 50+ participants, communicating with marketing, business development teams and speakers from different departments, promoting EY services and attracting new clients on local and foreign markets.• Developed, managed and executed series of seminars for the client’s senior tax professionals in collaboration with the university.• Developed and facilitated 10+ local and international business-driven learning programs, including 40+ individual training sessions for EY employees, contributing to individual growth at each level and increasing project efficiency.• Led interdisciplinary research on sustainable innovations in investments.• Supervised the performance of project managers and subcontractors across 5+ departments (incl. tax, legal, non-tax advisory) and countries, maintaining alignment and cohesiveness during project implementation, and resulting in 100% timely delivery of value-driven reports.• Implemented a supportive and motivational approach toward team management, leading to increased team stability and reduced staff turnover at EY.

Education

• University of Kent

  Master's degree, US equivalency verified by WES, Conservation Project Management, Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology

• Finance University under the Government of the Russian Federation

  Ph.D., US equivalency verified by WES, Economics

  2005 — 2010

• Finance University under the Government of the Russian Federation

  Bachelor's and Master's degree, Accounting, analysis and audit

  1999 — 2004