Graduated from the Saint Petersburg State University of Aerospace Instrumentation in 1978. Completed a course of Manchester Business School (MBS) on the privatization of industrial enterprises in 1993 and a course of advanced training at the Diplomatic Academy on international cooperation in 1997. During the decade from 1978 to 1988 was working as a defence enterprise engineer at the St. Petersburg Polytechnic University. From 1988 to 1992 - secretary of the USSR Mission to UNESCO. From 1992 to 1995 – deputy director of the office of the ‘Interprivatization’ Fund. From 1995 to 1996 - executive director of the Association of Special Economic Zones of Saint-Petersburg. From 1996 to 2000 - Vice-Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee of Saint-Petersburg. From 1999 – President of ‘Fort-Ross’ - Saint-Petersburg Consortium of software developers, which was transformed into Non-Commercial Partnership ‘RUSSOFT’ after merging with NSDA Association in 2004. Valentin Makarov is also a member of the Board of APKIT, a member of the Expert Council at the Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media, a member of the IT-Associations at the Ministry of Industry and Trade. The leader of the SafeNet working group at the National Technology Initiative.