[3][4] In 2011, Sokolov became professor and chair of the department of the Higher Management School of Saint Petersburg State University.

In 1999 and 2004 he became Chairman of "Corporation S", a company that builds elite homes in St Petersburg.

[5] In 2004, he began working in the Administration of Saint Petersburg as Head of Committee for Strategic Projects of the Municipal government.

In 2009, he was a member of the municipal government, as Chairman of Committee for Economic Development, Industrial policy and Trade.

In 2009, he moved to Moscow and on December 4 of the same year he became the Director of Department for Industry and Infrastructures of the Government of Russia.