The one who called with an unusual proposal asked not to laugh, but it was difficult to resist. Financier and former vice-president of Petrocommerce Bank Natalya Kolobova did not plan to change her occupation so radically - she was offered to head the Moscow Zoo.

I thought about this opportunity for about three months and realized that this is what I wanted to do. A zoo is, after all, the same production structure, subject to universal laws of management. And at the same time, retail, where in good weather there is no need to fight for the client. Yes, there were more problems than I expected.”

After the appointment of Natalya Kolobova as director of the Moscow Zoo in April 2013, the public became terribly worried. Moreover, as news agencies emphasized, the leader here was changed for the first time in 30 (!) years. The zoo is not just an object of urban culture. If we are talking about Muscovites, then everyone has their own, like all childhood memories, and the changes in this territory alarm the townspeople.

The Moscow government decided: it is necessary that the zoo, which turns 150 this year, does not remain a wonderful memory, but turns into a new wonderful reality. It would maintain a high scientific and educational level and become a comfortable museum of wildlife. And it would be nice if he could provide for his own running expenses.

This required new management. Natalya Kolobova personifies him. Her style - dry, elegant, constructive - is felt in everything. In the manner of dressing, furnishing the office, talking with subordinates and journalists. Although at the zoo, business elegance for some reason looks unexpected.

News spread on the Internet with viral speed that the new director had flooded the area with fast food stalls, exterminated rare breeds of sturgeon, and the rock concert she organized had killed newly hatched chicks. After many years of protected existence, the zoo became the subject of close attention and public control.

“Publicity was the first serious test for me. And at first I “shuddered.” But now I understand that we have to put up with this and be able to stick to our line.”

In theory, Kolobova’s “line” is for the Moscow Zoo to become a modern urban space, comfortable for both people and animals. Not only grandmothers and grandchildren, but also a variety of people came to see miracles like the pink flamingo and the white tiger in the center of the capital.

“Visitors often complain: they came, but didn’t see the animals. What to do? Public feeding cannot be frequent. But when everything in the park is beautiful - cages, enclosures, paths, navigation, then people just relax, walk and think that they can look at the animals next time. At some point, the zoo turned into an amusement park with inferior rides. But they were removed before I arrived. An endless number of stalls were demolished - instead of 70 there were 15, while rental income remained at the same level. We have already developed a new corporate identity and brand. Evening excursions were introduced (after updating their very outdated text), and they became mega-popular! The zoo will have a new, modern website this spring. Finally, it will be possible to buy an electronic ticket, book an excursion without a prior telephone appointment, create a visiting itinerary... But what’s the point of a website when there have been no lanterns here yet? They'll be here soon."

A zoo is animals and their needs, on the one hand, and visitors and their interests, on the other. And this also includes more than a hundred real estate properties of various sizes, a huge flow of feed, financial services, neglected reconstruction facilities, outdated enclosures, utilities, some of which are the same age as the hero of the day. And of course, pipes are constantly breaking and roofs are leaking. Plus a grandiose reconstruction for the anniversary, and then festive events.

The ponds are now being cleaned and the enclosures are being repaired. In the fall of 2014, after the anniversary celebration, construction of an additional exit to Krasnaya Presnya will begin. Several targeted projects have emerged.

“For example, we hope to completely renovate the Polar World pavilion with polar bears. There you can build an enclosure of a good European level. But for this you need to find a serious investor. Without them, not a single zoo in the world exists. In our charity, so far it comes down to small donations for specific animals. The amounts vary - it’s one thing to donate for an elephant and another thing to donate for a mouse. But this money, in general, does not make the weather. The sponsor must be global!”

If we talk only about current expenses, then in 2013, funds earned from visits amounted to 45% of the zoo’s budget. This is the highest figure in recent years.

“At the bank, I, a financier with a mathematical background, was a risk manager for a long time,” says Natalya Kolobova. “The ability to calculate situations, not make hasty decisions, and natural, perhaps purely feminine, caution came in handy in my new place. A large number of people working at the zoo every day face threats to life and health. There are clear rules of the game and the strictest safety precautions. I think they weren’t looking for a tough manager for this position. They were looking for someone who wouldn't break any wood. I am not making any mass layoffs, although 8% of the management staff had to be replaced. Further personnel changes are necessary, but they will take place slowly, calmly, and in working order. Of course, I’m used to the fact that in the banking industry, money and career advancement serve as reliable motivation for staff. Those who “serve” at the zoo for 20 or even 60 years have their own values and their own ideas about incentives. And it’s definitely not money and a career.”

The public and the media will closely monitor everything that happens on Barrikadnaya. But it seems that Kolobova works calmly in a situation where all her actions are viewed with special bias.

“In Russian society, of course, a chauvinistic attitude towards women leaders remains. A woman needs to be better, more competent, work harder and prove herself better in order to get a chance to take the place that is a priori intended for a man. So it's okay, I'm used to it. In a zoo, like in Alice in Wonderland, behind each door there is another one, and then another. And it's endlessly interesting. I will never become a zoologist and will not know all the subtleties. But I move forward, get used to it and don’t regret for a second that I came to work here. And the Moscow Zoo will not regret this either.”

Zoo is about working with people