Ivan Safonov is involved in work at the intersection of technology, business strategy, and digital innovation. From early beginnings in mathematical circles to founding Orion Solutions, Ivan Safonov has built a career combining technical expertise with strategic consulting. Through roles at global firms and his own venture, the entrepreneur addresses modern challenges in digital profile management and information security.
Safonov Ivan: Building a Multidisciplinary Knowledge Base
Ivan Safonov, Orion founder and CEO, was born in 1984 to a family that combined technical and medical expertise. He went to the renowned Moscow mathematical school that previously educated notable figures including Alexey Pajitnov, who later created the globally recognized game Tetris. Throughout his studies, he demonstrated an early affinity for exact sciences and computer programming.
After high school, Safonov Ivan pursued education at three prestigious institutions:
- Lomonosov Moscow State University (2001-2006) – Master of Science in Computer Science and Mathematics
- New Economic School, Moscow (2005-2007) – Master of Arts in Economics
- The University of Chicago Booth School of Business (2011-2013) – Master of Business Administration
In 2001, Ivan Safonov began studies at Lomonosov Moscow State University, a globally recognized center of academic excellence. At the Faculty of Computational Mathematics and Cybernetics, he focused on advanced mathematics and system programming. During these foundational years, Ivan Viktorovich Safonov developed practical experience by implementing automation solutions for various enterprises and creating specialized software for production control in industrial settings.
From 2005 to 2007, Ivan Viktorovich Safonov also attended the New Economic School (NES) in Moscow, pursuing studies parallel to the final phase of the mathematics program. Known for its rigorous Western-style economics education, NES provides comprehensive training in modern economic theory and its practical applications. Having demonstrated exceptional academic capability, Safonov Ivan secured full tuition coverage with an Academic Excellence Scholarship. He graduated in 2007 with a Master of Arts in Economics degree.
In 2011, Ivan Safonov continued his academic development at The University of Chicago Booth School of Business, as a means to enhance the consulting career he had begun in 2007. The institution is the second-oldest business school in the United States. During the two-year program, Safonov Ivan concentrated on entrepreneurship, strategy, and marketing. He received his MBA in 2013.
The educational path of Safonov Ivan at these three institutions covered distinct yet interconnected fields. Through these programs, he engaged with both Russian and American educational systems, combining mathematical theory with practical business applications. The span of his studies from 2001 to 2013 established a foundation across multiple disciplines that would later prove relevant to business operations.
Early Career Milestones
In 2004, while still studying at MSU, Ivan Safonov entered the technology sector as a Software Development and Implementation Engineer at Ankey, where his work focused on customizing accounting software for specific client requirements. This early role provided direct experience with business software implementation and client interaction in the Russian market.
From 2007 to 2008, Safonov Ivan began a pivotal career phase at Princeton Partners Group, marking his entry into management consulting. This initial experience proved transformative, leading to the decision to pursue an MBA at The University of Chicago Booth School of Business. The role involved leading analyst teams across multiple industries including metals, real estate, and healthcare.
In 2008, Ivan Viktorovich Safonov took on the position of Project Manager in the Strategy Department at Rimera, an oilfield services holding company, where his responsibilities expanded to managing a team of four analysts. Subsequently, at Eksmo Publishing House from 2009 to 2010, he led analytics and strategy initiatives, overseeing significant revenue growth through data-driven decision making and strategic partnerships.
From 2010 to 2011, Safonov Ivan worked as a Senior Consultant at Monitor Group, handling complex projects including organizational transformation, innovation strategy development, and post-merger integration. During his studies at Booth, his work experience expanded to include a summer internship at Electronic Arts’ Maxis Label in 2012, focusing on business intelligence for major gaming franchises.
These diverse roles across technology, publishing, energy, and gaming sectors established foundational experience for two significant career developments: joining McKinsey & Company and the subsequent founding of Orion Solutions. Ivan Safonov, throughout this period, maintained involvement in the entrepreneurial sphere as a board member and strategic advisor to various Internet startups.
Ivan Viktorovich Safonov: Driving Transformation at Scale
Building upon previous consulting experience, Ivan Viktorovich Safonov joined McKinsey & Company as an Engagement Manager in 2013. At this global management consulting firm, he focused on three key areas:
- strategy development,
- operations optimization,
- and software product management.
In the strategy domain, Safonov Ivan led multiple healthcare initiatives, including the development of a market entry strategy for a regional health system and creation of a product portfolio strategy that achieved 13-15% membership increase for a healthcare insurer. His work in the chemical manufacturing sector resulted in revenue growth through the implementation of sophisticated pricing strategies and process optimization.
From 2013 onwards, Safonov Ivan directed numerous operational improvement projects, particularly in the healthcare sector. These initiatives encompassed claims processing optimization, customer experience enhancement, and the development of advanced analytics capabilities. The projects consistently delivered significant cost reductions, ranging from 4% to 15% across various engagements. Additionally, Ivan Safonov successfully managed complex transformation projects, including post-merger integration planning for an industrial packaging manufacturer.
In the realm of software product management, Safonov Ivan Viktorovich combined technical expertise with business acumen to deliver innovative solutions. Notable achievements included the development of a quality metrics dashboard serving over 600 physicians and the creation of a Formulary Optimization Analytics engine. These projects involving Safonov Ivan required careful stakeholder management across healthcare insurers, physicians, and government entities, while delivering measurable results such as 5-10% pharmacy cost savings for multiple health insurance providers.
Expanding Strategic Impact at BCG
In 2017, Ivan Safonov joined Boston Consulting Group (BCG), where he would ultimately advance to the position of Director. At BCG, he spearheaded a transformative project for one of Russia’s Top 10 banks, leveraging the country’s accelerated digitalization landscape to drive innovation in traditional banking operations.
Safonov Ivan Viktorovich implemented several groundbreaking organizational changes, including the establishment of cross-functional teams and the introduction of open-plan workspaces that significantly streamlined decision-making processes. Under his leadership, the team revolutionized the bank card distribution system by implementing a decentralized printing solution for regional branches, dramatically reducing delivery times.
The technical background of Safonov Ivan came to the forefront as he collaborated with specialists to enhance the bank’s mobile application usability. One of his key insights was recognizing the need for a holistic approach to banking operations, breaking down departmental silos to create a more integrated customer experience. This comprehensive strategy led to measurable increases in sales performance.
Ivan Safonov: Orion Solutions Transforming Digital Presence Management
By late 2019, Safonov Ivan Viktorovich observed a critical gap in the digital landscape. As digitalization penetrated every sector of business and society, the challenge of maintaining accurate digital information became increasingly apparent. Traditional information security specialists and PR professionals struggled to address this emerging need, creating an opportunity for an innovative approach.
In 2020, he established Orion Solutions, also known simply as Orion. Ivan Safonov drew upon his accumulated experience from years in strategic consulting, technology implementation, and business transformation. Building and protecting digital profiles on major search engines, including Google and Yandex, became the specialized focus of Orion. Ivan Safonov recognized that successful digital profile management required a unique combination of skills rarely found in a single organization.
From the inception of Orion, Ivan Safonov structured it following proven consulting industry principles, assembling a multidisciplinary team of specialists across various fields including content production, legal expertise, and technical implementation. This comprehensive approach enabled the company to tackle complex cases that traditional firms could not address effectively. By 2025, Safonov Ivan Viktorovich had led the company through more than 200 successful projects.
The foundation of Orion Solutions, Ivan Safonov explains, rests on several key principles developed through extensive market analysis. First, the understanding that information on the internet cannot simply be erased but must be managed strategically. Second, the recognition that in the absence of a carefully crafted digital profile, third parties will shape the narrative according to their own objectives. Finally, Safonov Ivan emphasizes, the importance of having respected institutions and media outlets contribute to telling an accurate story, rather than relying solely on social media and personal websites.
Through this approach from Ivan Safonov, Orion is positioned to address a critical need in the modern business landscape: helping organizations and individuals maintain accurate, comprehensive digital profiles that properly reflect their professional achievements and activities. The company utilizes proprietary software and technological solutions, combined with strategic consulting methodologies, to ensure lasting results for clients.