Vladimir Potanin

Vladimir Olegovich Potanin is an international expert, an incredibly remarkable representative of our time, one of the wealthiest inhabitants of planet Earth.

Since 2015, according to Forbes magazine, he has strengthened his position among 200 businessmen owning billions of dollars in assets. In the world ranking of billionaires, he is in 60th place, with a capital of 15.4 billion US dollars.

Position: Owner of management
Organization: Interros
Date of birth: January 3, 1961
Place of birth: Moscow
Height: 179
Weight: 75
Zodiac sign: Capricorn
Occupation: Entrepreneur, politician
Profession: President

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Vladimir was born in 1961, in the capital of the USSR, on January 3. The head of the family, Oleg Romanovich , represented the interests of Russia, namely the USSR Ministry of Foreign Trade in friendly countries, the last of which was Turkey. Tamara Ananyevna received an education and mastered the specialty of a doctor, but her main role and profession is that of a wife, mother and faithful friend. She always accompanied her husband and supported him.

The parents laid the foundation for their only child thoroughly. The family did not need anything, and the boy grew up without knowing any lack of anything, since material well-being was ensured. The only task he needed to cope with on his own was childhood phobias. Glimpses of a strong-willed character were noted from childhood, since the fear of the dark, which had long haunted the boy, was destroyed by independent, bold, strong-willed decisions and training. The desire to be invulnerable in small things pushed the guy to temporary, conscious stays in dark, enclosed spaces - this is how his main fear, the fear of darkness, was defeated.

After the end of his father’s career in Turkey, returning to his native place, the family settled in Davydkovo, a microdistrict with an elite population.

Potanin Vladimir Olegovich - entrepreneur of modern Russia

Biography of Vladimir Potanin

Date of birth: January 3, 1961 Place of birth: Moscow, USSR

Potanin Vladimir Olegovich is an entrepreneur of modern Russia. Vladimir Potanin is also known as a philanthropist. Vladimir was born in the capital of the USSR in January 1961 into a diplomatic family.

Father, Oleg Romanovich, worked in African countries. Mother, Tamara Ananyevna, was a doctor.

It is not surprising that Vladimir followed in his father’s footsteps and chose MGIMO as his university. Graduates of this institution, as a rule, were prepared for good positions. Vladimir was no exception - he became an employee of the Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations.

As soon as the opportunity arose and export activities to private companies were allowed, he became the head of Interros.

His competence included financial consulting and conducting large international transactions. At the same time, an important acquaintance took place - which grew into many years of cooperation. M. Prokhorov became a partner.

Soon, Onexim Bank joined Potanin’s financial empire. The bank managed to successfully acquire shares of Norilsk Nickel, which further strengthened the financial power of the entrepreneur.

Potanin was also involved in government activities - he held leading positions in a number of ministries and commissions. After 1997, he became interested in publishing - printed publications, such as the well-known Komsomolskaya Pravda and several regional publications, came under his influence.

The empire continued to grow, but soon there was a conflict with Prokhorov, which led to the division of assets. The division dragged on and relations between the former partners deteriorated significantly.

Before the Sochi Olympics, Potanin was one of the key investors. It was under his leadership that Rosa Khutor grew.

Achievements of Vladimir Potanin:

• Has eight orders, five medals of the Russian Federation • Has the fourth largest fortune in Russia • Was included in the list of the 50 richest people in the world • Spends a significant part of his fortune on charitable purposes

Dates from the biography of Vladimir Potanin:

• 1961 was born in the capital of the USSR • 1983 began working as an official • 1988 became a senior engineer • 1992 became president of Interros • 1996 received the position of Deputy Chairman of the Government • 1997 created Prof-Media • 2007 announced the division of business with Prokhorov • 2013 publicly announced a divorce

Interesting facts of Vladimir Potanin:

• He is interested in active sports • He decided not to leave his entire fortune to his three children, but to give most of it to charity • He continues to sue his wife for his fortune. Divorced after 25 years of marriage • Has international awards, for example, Cyprus • Supports the activities of the Hermitage • Has a fortune of about $ 14 billion • Speaks three languages • Member of boards of trustees involved in supporting sports, Olympians • Weighs 75 kilograms • Capricorn zodiac sign

Education

His school years were fruitful, the boy grew up inquisitive and comprehensively developed. Outside the institution, Vladimir was interested in sports and learning languages. Secondary school No. 58 gave the future billionaire a good amount of knowledge, taught him to defend his point of view and gave him friends with whom he maintains relationships to this day. It is worth noting that, unlike today’s children of wealthy parents, Potanin was respectful of teachers, serious about his studies, did not have a conflicting nature, and was a good student.

Apparently, the school years were not ordinary, since in the bustle of life, Vladimir Olegovich Panin did not ignore the teacher’s illness. In his desire to help the class teacher cope with a serious diagnosis, the oligarch transferred a substantial amount for treatment.

The further path after receiving a diploma at school was the best institute in the country. It is quite logical that the parents supported the admission of their only child to the elite university MGIMO University of the USSR Ministry of Foreign Affairs . In 1983, after graduating from the Faculty of International Economic Relations, he became a qualified international economist. It is worth noting that he never had the opportunity to serve in the Ministry of Foreign Trade. Understanding the importance of mastering languages for further growth, the oligarch perfectly mastered English, French, and Italian.

Since time dictated its own rules, Potanin was a Komsomol member from 1975 to 1989, with further rise to the Communist Party.

Family

A family with a lot of money is always interesting to society. Women are of particular interest.

Vladimir Potanin first married while a student, to a girl he had known since 9th grade. It is difficult to call him a poor student at that time, but he was not yet an oligarch. Natasha was his childhood friend; at the time the family was created, she was graduating from the Moscow Institute of Engineers and Transport, and this friendship grew into a strong, 30-year marriage with the successive birth of three children:

Anastasia Potanina born in 1984. Graduated from the Faculty of Finance and Credit at MGIMO. Contrary to her father's expectations, she became a multiple champion of Russia in aquabike and a three-time world champion in JetSki. His sports career had to be interrupted due to injury. Works in, which belongs to his father. Responsible for organizing large-scale sporting events.
Ivan (1989) - multiple champion of Russia in aquabike. Married and has a son. He worked in his father’s company until disagreements arose. Family troubles forced the parent to fire his middle son and help get him out of America.
Vasily (1998) - after the breakup of his parents’ relationship, he is under the care of his mother.

Even metal wears out and what seemed stable collapses. The Potanins' marriage broke up in 2013, and in 2014, he started a second family, where he already had an illegitimate child and another one appeared. Ekaterina , played a major role in the destruction of the first marriage . A new passion appeared in 2011 after one of the New Year's parties and was the billionaire's mistress for three years before the divorce proceedings began. By the time of the divorce, she was raising a three-year-old daughter and gave birth to a son, Potanin. The conflict with the first wife remained open.

Thanks to the divorce, the world learned about some of the businessman’s hidden capital. Professional lawyers conducted a number of investigations, and the results of the discovery of Potanin’s assets were recorded all over the world. Thus, the billionaire’s machinations related to the Cyprus offshore scandal were revealed. It is worth noting that neither the Cypriot Themis nor the Russian courts were able to help the woman, since it is not beneficial for either of them, and we are not talking about the letter of the law here.

Labor activity

The moment when the monopoly on foreign trade was abolished was long-awaited by the state and became the determining factor before the big start. Vladimir Potanin has been the head of the Interros since 1990. Meeting Mikhail Prokhorov led to close cooperation and partnership. The fruit of the business partnership was the joint opening of the International Financial Company bank, in which Potanin sits as vice president (1992) with subsequent management of the economy in the presidential chair.

While retaining his status as chairman of the board of directors of the IFC, Vladimir Olegovich in 1993 became president of Onexim . After holding auctions for loans initiated by Potanin, JSCB Onexim Bank received 51% of the shares of MMC Norilsk Nickel .

Two controlled banks brought state shares to the billionaire. Truly, when it comes to the owner of factories and ships, it’s time to remember Vladimir Olegovich Potanin.

, Onexim Bank already controlled the media holding company ZAO Prof-Media (founded in 1997):

"Komsomolskaya Pravda";
"Poster";
"Big city";
"News".

1996 brought the businessman a stake in Svyazinvest , where he joined as one of the directors two years later. He also controlled the economic block of issues of the Ministry of Economy of the Russian Federation and state committees on antimonopoly policy. Oversaw antimonopoly policy, issues of state property management, securities market, and energy. The year was quite fruitful, and Potanin managed to become the head of 20 state commissions, which also include:

Money-credit policy.
Commission under the Government of the Russian Federation for the improvement of settlement and payment systems.
Interdepartmental Commission for Interaction with Economic Organizations and G-7, incl.

The career history of Vladimir Olegovich includes his tenure as a manager from the Russian Federation at the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development at the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency.

The year 1998 is notable for the oligarch becoming chairman of the board of directors and directly president of the Interros , the basis for the creation of which was the financial and industrial groups Interros , Norilsk Nickel , and SIDANKO .

The merit of Vladimir Olegovich is the selection of a site for the 2014 Olympics. It was he who began the study and construction of ski slopes in the area of the famous resort.

After 7 years of productive cooperation, two billionaires - Prokhorov and Potanin went their separate ways.

At this stage, Vladimir Potanin is the owner and president of the management company, which is rightfully considered one of the largest in Russia. In addition, he owns:

"ProfEstate".
"ProfMedia".
"Rosa Khutor".
MMC Norilsk Nickel.

In 2021, the Internet holding Rambler&Co, created by merging Rambler and Afisha with SUP Media in 2013, was sold to Mamut, since in 2013 there was a transaction that stated that, if desired, Potanin could sell his share to Mamut in 2. 5 years.

In 2021 , the businessman became the owner of 32.9% of Norilsk Nickel .
Interros bought them from Crispian, part of the Millhouse group, and in fact from Abramovich.

During the Soviet years, Vladimir Potanin was a member of the CPSU and worked in the USSR Ministry of Foreign Trade. Shortly before the collapse of the USSR, he went to work for the International Bank for Economic Cooperation (IBEC) and in the same year created Interros. The company offered consulting services to participants in foreign trade activities.

In 1991, he met his future partner Mikhail Prokhorov (No. 14), who at that time worked at IBEC. Together they created the International Financial.

Potanin was the initiator of the idea of loans-for-shares auctions and he received his largest assets thanks to them. As a result of privatization, companies associated with Potanin received stakes in the oil company Sidanco, Norilsk Nickel, Novorossiysk Shipping Company, Svyazinvest and other enterprises.

Potanin also managed to work in the government in the 1990s: for almost a year he served as first deputy chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and oversaw the economic bloc. In 1998, a holding company was created on the basis of the Interros group, Norilsk Nickel and Sidanko, headed by Potanin.

In 2007, Potanin announced a “divorce” from Prokhorov, as a result of which in 2008 he became the owner of 100% of Interros shares. Prokhorov left the capital of Norilsk Nickel by selling his stake to Oleg Deripaska (No. 37). This deal was the beginning of a long-term confrontation between Potanin and Deripaska for control of the company.

Capital Almost 35% of the shares of Norilsk Nickel, one of the world's largest producers of refined nickel and palladium.

Event

In March 2021, Norilsk Nickel paid a record 146.2 billion rubles as compensation for environmental damage from a fuel spill near Norilsk

Conflict From 2008 to 2012, he participated in the so-called “nickel wars” and fought with another Norilsk Nickel shareholder, Oleg Deripaska, for control of the company. In 2012, Potanin and Deripaska, through the mediation of Roman Abramovich (No. 12), signed a settlement agreement. But the smoldering conflict flared up again more than once. The last reason is Norilsk Nickel's dividends for 2021. Potanin's Interros called on them to tighten their heads and use money to compensate for damage from the accident; Deripaska's Rusal criticized the idea. Whatever the outcome of the dispute, the situation at Norilsk Nickel will worsen, because the current shareholder agreement expires in 2023.

Court At the end of 2013, he divorced his first wife Natalia. In 2015, the Presnensky Court of Moscow refused to divide the stake in Norilsk Nickel between the ex-spouses. In November 2019, Potanina’s claim for almost 6 billion pounds sterling was also rejected by the High Court of London.

Figure One of the initiators of the Winter Olympics in Sochi in 2014, invested 8.7 billion rubles of his own funds in the construction of the Rosa Khutor ski resort. The total investment in construction amounted to 68.4 billion rubles, of which 55.7 was a loan from VEB.

Transaction At the beginning of 2021, he sold 50% of Rambler & Co to Alexander Mamut (No. 65), who became the sole owner of the media holding.

Sports Passionate about hockey. Supports various sports in the regions where Norilsk Nickel operates - cross-country skiing, mini-football, basketball and curling.

Charity Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Vladimir Potanin’s charitable foundation promised to allocate a billion rubles to NGOs and museums.

The best Forbes texts about Vladimir Potanin

Potanin's five-year plan: what helped the head of Norilsk Nickel return to the top of the Forbes list
"There's a plug in every barrel." Vladimir Potanin's business rules
Norilsk Ark: how Vladimir Potanin became the richest man in Russia
Vladimir Potanin: “I say without any complexes that I was a thieves”
Billionaire on Olympus: how Potanin became the main private investor in Sochi 2014
Vladimir Potanin: “Which country is privatized”
Principles of Vladimir Potanin

About the dispute with Oleg Deripaska over Norilsk Nickel

War and peace in Norilsk Nickel. How will the battle between Deripaska, Potanin and Abramovich end?
Chronicle of battles: what is known about the corporate war for Norilsk Nickel
How Roman Abramovich became the guarantor of peace at Norilsk Nickel
Friend and enemy: what Vladimir Potanin said about Oleg Deripaska

About charity

“Potanin knows how to turn two and two into five and even six”: how a billionaire helps the country’s main museum
Vladimir Potanin: “Gates and Buffett and I have the same universal ideas”

*Quote source: Forbes, 2020

Social activity

In this field, an important merit is Potanin’s entry into the main composition of the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation. Since 2016, he was authorized to take under his patronage the Commission on Charitable Assistance and Its Development, as well as Charity and Volunteer Activities. In collaboration with the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation and Potanin in the structure of the commission and under his supervision, he put into force a law allowing the correct use of endowment capital by non-profit organizations. Actively worked in 2008 – 2010 to improve legislation on NPOs (non-profit organizations of the Russian Federation). Thus, it has become much easier to carry out actions in the field of social advertising and charitable assistance.

Political activity

1996 -1997 – Potanin works as Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation. He was responsible for overseeing economic issues. At this time, Potanin headed about two dozen government, federal, and interdepartmental commissions.

2003 - Potanin participated in the All-Russian forum of United Russia supporters.

2006 – joined the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation. From that time on, he headed the Commission on Charity, Volunteerism and Mercy.

2008-2010 – served as head of the Commission for the Development of Charity and Improvement of Legislation on Non-Profit Organizations. During this time, the Commission developed a number of initiatives that improved the legislative framework. For example, organizations that distributed or produced social advertising were exempt from VAT.

Potanin heads the National Council for Corporate Governance, as well as the Supervisory Board of the Russian International Olympic University.

Charity

Vladimir Olegovich shows interest in charity. The society that contributed to his growth and achievements deserves to give back. It is worth noting that he did not bequeath billions to his children. The wisdom of the decision lies, first of all, in the desire to stimulate their descendants to achieve something in life on their own, because their parents gave them a good start. The multiplied capital will and should work for the development and prosperity of society and help achieve important goals. It is important that the children correctly assessed and even in some way supported their father’s position, since the right seeds were laid in their upbringing. Children achieve their successes without relying on the capital of a powerful ancestor.

Vladimir Potanin created a foundation in his name in 1999 . The oligarch is widely known as a philanthropist and philanthropist in Russia. In addition to the fact that it stimulates and encourages students with increased scholarships, active work is carried out with the development and implementation of projects in the field of development of education and culture.

Since 2001, the billionaire has become a philanthropist and trustee of a non-profit organization that finances and promotes the development of contemporary art, created by the Copper King and Hilla von Rebay. Since 2002, he has been a member of the board of directors of the state-of-the-art Hermitage-Guggenheim Museum Foundation.

Since 2013, Vladimir Olegovich has become a member of the philanthropist company “Oath of Giving” , under the terms of his stay in which an agreement is signed on the transfer of half of the property to charity. At one time, Zuckerberg and Rockefeller .

In 2021, an incentive project in the education system began. In 75 universities in Russia, students can apply for a personal scholarship. As a result of the two-stage competition, 500 students will be able to receive 15,000 rubles throughout their studies.

The billionaire purchased the Pompidou Center in Paris for the presentation of the exhibition “Collection! A unique gift to the museum" half of the exhibits of Soviet and Russian art of the second half of the 20th century.

Leisure

The billionaire has maintained a love of physical activity since his youth. He is interested in various sports. Since my youth I developed an interest in chess and like badminton. Like many men, he is not indifferent to football. Norilsk Nickel has invested about 2 billion rubles in sports.

Norilsk Nickel, led by Vladimir Potanin, invested about 2 billion rubles in sports

Vladimir Olegovich enjoys walking around London, Paris, and New York. In the Moscow region he prefers cycling. Buying a yacht Anastasia speaks not only of high status, but also of a love of boating. Travel and vacation involve activity.

Friendship with Fetisov revealed a passion for hockey in the businessman, and even in this he succeeded. According to the coach, the oligarch is showing excellent results.

Awards

At 57 years old, Vladimir Olegovich Potanin has an incredible number of insignia:

Medals:

“For services to the Fatherland” I and II degrees;
“In memory of the 850th anniversary of Moscow” and “300th anniversary of St. Petersburg.”

Orders:

"For services to the Fatherland" IV degree;
"Alexander Nevsky".
“Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Grand Duke Vladimir” III and II degrees;
“St. Sergius of Radonezh” III and II degrees;
“The Holy Blessed Prince Daniel of Moscow” II degree;
“Holy Venerable Seraphim of Sarov”, 1st degree;
"St. Anne" II degree;
"Golden Order of the Apostle Paul" (Cyprus).

Other awards:

officer of the Order of Arts and Letters;
badge “For Charity and Mercy”;
badge of the “Holy Great Martyr Barbara”, 1st degree;
laureate of the International Foundation for the Unity of Orthodox Peoples (2003);
philanthropist of the year.

Biography of Vladimir Potanin

In March 1990, Vladimir Potanin created the foreign economic association Interros, in which he took the post of president. The company provided financial consulting services and supported foreign trade transactions.

In the early 1990s, Potanin met Mikhail Prokhorov, who served as head of a department on the board of the International Bank for Economic Cooperation. Subsequently, the acquaintance grew into a long-term business partnership.

In 1992, Vladimir Potanin and Mikhail Prokhorov created the joint-stock commercial bank International Financial Onexim Bank. Vladimir Potanin was elected president of the bank.

In the spring of 1995, Vladimir Potanin became one of the initiators of the so-called loans-for-shares auctions.

From August 14, 1996 to March 17, 1997, Potanin served as First Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation. Supervised the economic block of issues.

While working in the Russian government, he headed about 20 federal, governmental and interdepartmental commissions, including the government commission on financial and monetary policy, the operational commission under the Russian government on improving the payment and settlement system, the interdepartmental commission of the Russian Federation on cooperation with international financial -economic organizations and the Group of Seven. He was also a manager from the Russian Federation at the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency.

Since May 1997, he again took up the post of president of Onexim Bank.

In 1997, through Onexim Bank and Sidanko OJSC, Vladimir Potanin acquired a controlling stake in Izvestia. In the fall of the same year, he created the holding company Prof-Media CJSC to manage all the media controlled by Onexim Bank.

On May 26, 1998, in connection with the reorganization of the Onexim-MFK-Renaissance group, he took over the post of president and chairman of the board of directors of Holding CJSC, created on the basis of Sidanko and Norilsk Nickel.

Since December 2012, Potanin has held the post of General Director - Chairman of the Board of OJSC MMC Norilsk Nickel.

In 2007, Vladimir Potanin began the process of dividing joint assets with Mikhail Prokhorov. The division escalated into a conflict, during which former business partners sorted out their relationship in the courts.

As a result of the restructuring of the business, it remained under the ownership of Vladimir Potanin, and Mikhail Prokhorov created his own management company.

Since February 2008, Vladimir Potanin has been the sole owner.

Potanin is a member of the bureau of the board of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RSPP); Chairman of the National Council on Corporate Governance (NCCG); member of the Supervisory Board of the ANO "Organizing Committee of Sochi-2014"; member of the Board of Trustees of the non-profit organization “Russian Olympians Support Fund”; Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Russian International Olympic University (RIOU).

In January 2012, he headed the Commission for the Development of Charity and Volunteering of the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation, and is a member of the Council of the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation.

Vladimir Potanin is actively involved in charity work. In 1999, he established a non-profit charitable organization, the V. Potanin Charitable Foundation, to implement socially significant long-term projects in the field of domestic education and culture.

In 2013, he joined the international philanthropic initiative Giving Pledge.

Since December 2001 - member of the Board of Trustees of the Solomon Guggenheim Foundation (New York). Since June 2002 - Chairman of the Board of Directors

The Hermitage-Guggenheim Charitable Foundation. Since April 2003 - Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the State Hermitage.

Since May 2006 - member of the board of trustees of the MGIMO University of the Russian Foreign Ministry.

Recognized with government awards - the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, IV degree (2007), the medal “In Commemoration of the 850th Anniversary of Moscow” and the medal “In Commemoration of the 300th Anniversary of St. Petersburg”. Awarded the Honorary Badge of the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation “For Charity and Mercy” (2002).

For services to the Russian Orthodox Church, he was awarded the Order of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir, III and II degrees, the Order of St. Sergius of Radonezh, III and II degrees, the Order of the Holy Blessed Prince Daniel of Moscow, II degree, and the Patriarchal Badge of the Holy Great Martyr Barbara, I degree.

In December 2009, the Russian Imperial House awarded the Order of St. Anne, II degree, “in reward of services to the Fatherland and the Russian Orthodox Church.”

In 2012, Vladimir Potanin was awarded the Golden Order of the Apostle Paul of the Cypriot Orthodox Church.

Laureate of the International Foundation for the Unity of Orthodox Peoples Prize for 2003.

In January 2007, he was ordained an officer of the Order of Arts and Letters of France.

According to Forbes magazine, in 2013, Vladimir Potanin took 58th place in the list of the richest people on the planet. His fortune is estimated at $14.3 billion. In the ranking of the richest businessmen in Russia for 2013, he ranks seventh.

Fluent in English and French.

Vladimir Potanin is married and has three children. Daughter Anastasia and eldest son Ivan are actively involved in sports and are multiple champions of Russia and the world in aquabike.

On December 25, 2013, it became known that Vladimir Potanin filed a lawsuit for divorce.

The material was prepared based on information from RIA Novosti and open sources