Arina Nikolskaya is the founder of the SHIFT Project, creator of the Nomad Bar Show, and Academy Chair for Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and the Baltics for The World’s 50 Best Bars. N35 in 100 Most Influential Figures in the Global Bar Industry according to Drinks International. After directing the Moscow Bar Show until 2021, Arina relocated to Kazakhstan where she launched the Nomad Bar Show, a travelling format designed to spotlight Central Asia’s emerging hospitality scene. In 2023 she created SHIFT Project, a cultural exchange initiative dedicated to nurturing underrepresented bar communities, providing mentorship, scholarships, and global networking. SHIFT Project’s mission is to create equal opportunities for bartenders regardless of geography, building bridges between local strength and international visibility.