Potanin Vladimir Olegovich

Vladimir Potanin - since 1990, the founder and president of one of the largest private investment companies in Russia - the holding company Interros. President, Chairman of the Board of PJSC MMC Norilsk Nickel.

Aktivs

2022

As of September 2022, through the Interros investment company, Vladimir Potanin is the owner of the following assets:

• 35.9% of shares of PJSC MMC Norilsk Nickel;
• 35% of the shares of the parent company Tinkoff Bank - TCS Group Holding;
• Rosbank;
• mountain resort "Rosa Khutor";
• the developer of pharmaceuticals "NPO Petrovax Farm"^[1].

Biography

Potanin Vladimir Olegovich was born on January 3, 1961 in Moscow.

In 1983 he graduated from the Faculty of Economics of the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO) with a degree in international economist. He speaks French and English.

1983: Work in the foreign trade association Soyuzkhimexport

Since 1983, he worked in the Soyuzkhimexport foreign trade association subordinate to the USSR Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations, and then moved to the International Bank for Economic Settlements (MBES).

1990

Foundation of Interros Foreign Economic Association

In 1990, Vladimir Potanin founded and headed the foreign economic association Interros.

Acquaintance with Mikhail Prokhorov

Opening an account of a legal entity with the International Bank for Economic Cooperation (MBES), Potanin met and became close friends with future long-term private business partner Mikhail Prokhorov, at that time the head of the MBES department.

1991: Establishment of the private bank "International Financial Company"

In 1991, a private bank, IFC, was created at MBES, where a significant part of the funds is transferred and the best clients leave. The bank is owned by Vladimir Potanin and his partner, and previously a colleague at MBES, Mikhail Prokhorov.

1992: Vice President, then President of International Finance Company

In 1992-1993 - Vice President, then President of the International Financial Company (IFC) bank created jointly with Mikhail Prokhorov.

1993

Creation of Onexim Bank

In April 1993, Partners Vladimir Potanin and Mikhail Prokhorov created the United Export-Import Bank (ONEXIM Bank), where, together with the money, customers first moved to Vnesheconombank (after 1992 - Moscow International Bank), and then Vneshtorgbank. As noted by the main media of that time, Commerstant, MMB, which was superior in terms of assets to Sberbank before the creation of ONEXIM, after the brainchild of Potanin and Prokhorov appeared on the market, quickly rolled back from second to 13th place in this indicator, and Vneshtorgbank faced a "short-term but strong outflow of clients to the new bank"^[2].

President of Onexim Bank and Chairman of the Board of Directors of International Financial Company Bank

Since 1993, Vladimir Potanin has been President of ONEXIM Bank and Chairman of the Board of Directors of International Financial Company Bank (IFC).

1996: First Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation

From August 14, 1996 to March 17, 1997 - First Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation. He oversaw the economic block of issues and coordinated the work of the Ministry of Economy of the Russian Federation, the State Committee of the Russian Federation on Antimonopoly Policy, the State Committee of the Russian Federation on State Property Management, the Russian Federal Property Fund, the Federal Insolvency (Bankruptcy) Administration, the Federal Securities Market Commission, and the Federal Energy Commission of the Russian Federation.

In total, while working in the Russian government, Potanin headed about 20 federal, government and interdepartmental commissions, including the government commission on financial and monetary policy, the operational commission under the government of the Russian Federation to improve the payment and settlement system, the interdepartmental commission of the Russian Federation for cooperation with international financial and economic organizations and the Group of Seven. He was also the manager from the Russian Federation at the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the Multilateral Agency for Investment Guarantees.

1997: Return to the post of president of Onexim Bank

In May 1997, Vladimir Potanin returned to the post of president of ONEXIM Bank. In 1997, the Prof-Media CJSC holding was created to manage all media controlled by ONEXIM Bank, including at different times such popular publications in Russia as Izvestia, Komsomolskaya Pravda, Afisha and Big City.

1998: President of Interros

In 1998, in connection with the reorganization of the business of the Onexim-IFC-Renaissance group, he took the post of president, chairman of the board of directors of Interros.

In 1998, on the basis of the Interros group, Norilsk Nickel and Sidanko, the Interros holding company was created.

1999: Establishment of the V. Potanin Charitable Foundation

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

2001: Member of the Board of Trustees of the Solomon Guggenheim Foundation

From 2001 to 2022, he is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Solomon Guggenheim Foundation (New York).

2002: Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Hermitage-Guggenheim Charitable Foundation

Since 2002, he was Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Hermitage-Guggenheim Charitable Foundation.

2003: Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the State Hermitage Museum

Since April 2003 - Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Federal State Budgetary Institution of Culture "State Hermitage."

2006

Member of the Board of Trustees of MGIMO University, Russian Foreign Ministry

Since May 2006, he has been a member of the Board of Trustees of the MGIMO University of the Russian Foreign Ministry. Donations to the MGIMO endowment fund by 2021 amounted to about $6.5 million.

Member of the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation

From 2006 to 2014, being a member of the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation, he headed the work of commissions on the development of charity, mercy and volunteering, as well as on improving legislation on non-profit organizations (NPOs)

2007

Business section with Mikhail Prokhorov

In 2007, he announced the division of business with his long-term private business partner Mikhail Prokhorov. The division of the business resulted in a protracted and complicated procedure, during which former partners found out their relationship in the press and courts^[3]. As a result of the division, in 2008, Potanin became the owner of a 100% stake in Interros.

Member of the Supervisory Board of the Sochi-2014 Organizing Committee

In 2007-2012, he was a member of the Presidium of the Council under the President of the Russian Federation for the development of physical culture and sports, sports of the highest achievements, the preparation and holding of the XXII Olympic Winter Games and XI Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi in 2014. In 2007-2014 he was a member of the supervisory board of the Sochi-2014 organizing committee.

2010

In 2010, he announced a decision to give most of his fortune to charity.

2011: Net worth - $17.8 billion

In the ranking of the Russian-language version of Forbes "The richest businessmen of Russia - 2011" took fourth place^[4]. The fortune of Vladimir Potanin was estimated at $17.8 billion.

2012

General Director of MMC Norilsk Nickel

December 17, 2012 took the post of General Director of the Norilsk Nickel mining and metallurgical company instead of Vladimir Strzhalkovsky.^[5]

Fortune - $14.3 billion

In the ranking of the richest Russians in 2012, Forbes magazine estimated the fortune of Vladimir Potanin at $14.3 billion, he took seventh place.

2013: Internet assets

In 2013, businessmen Alexander Mamut and Vladimir Potanin decided to combine their Internet assets - the combined Afisha and Rambler company with Soup Media, which owns the popular blog service Livejournal.com and other projects (data from the official message "Soup Media"). The financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed, but Mamut is known to become the managing shareholder and chairman of the board of directors of the combined company. The deal was completed in early 2014.

In 2013, he was the first Russian businessman to officially join the Giving Pledge international philanthropic initiative.

2014: Principal Assets

As of December 2014, Interros Potanin owned the following through the investment company "":

• about 30.3% of MMC Norilsk Nickel (another 0.103% of the company is owned directly by Potanin);
• 100% in the cinema chain "Cinema Park";
• 88% in the development company "ProfEstate," which is engaged in construction;
• 100% in the ski resort "Rosa Khutor";
• 90% in the pharmaceutical company NPO Petrovax Farm;
• 51% in the transport company "Interport";
• 50% in the Internet company Rambler & Co.

The businessman also owns an Anastasia superyacht worth $155 million.

2015: President, Chairman of the Management Board of MMC Norilsk Nickel

Since June 2015 - President, Chairman of the Board of MMC Norilsk Nickel.

2017: Sale of 50% Rambler & Co

In early 2017, Vladimir Potanin sold 50% of Rambler & Co to Alexander Mamut, who became the sole owner of the media holding.

2020

Fortune - $19.7 billion

On April 16, 2020, Forbes magazine published an updated rating of the richest businessmen in Russia. Vladimir Potanin, the largest shareholder of the Norilsk Nickel mining and metallurgical company, rose to the first place with a fortune of $19.7 billion. Read more here.

Income from dividends and asset sales - $897 million

On September 22, 2021, Forbes magazine presented an updated rating of Russian billionaires, in which it assessed the "real, real money" received for the sale of assets or in the form of dividends at the end of 2020, and not the value of assets owned by entrepreneurs. Vladimir Potanin, according to analysts of the publication, earned $897 million in 2020 and took 6th place in the ranking of billionaires. Read more here.

2021

Investing 500 million rubles in the creation of a laboratory of physics of programmable functional materials

On February 10, 2021, Interros announced that the owner of the company, Vladimir Potanin, had allocated 500 million rubles of his own funds to create a laboratory of programmable functional materials under the leadership of 2010 Nobel Prize winner in physics Konstantin Novosyolov. As part of this project, developed on the basis of the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT), "smart materials" will be developed, with the help of which the emergence of conceptual new technologies will become possible. Read more here.

Fortune - $27 billion

On April 6, 2021, Forbes magazine published an annual ranking of the richest people on the planet. Vladimir Potanin's fortune was estimated at $27 billion, he took second place in the ranking. Read more here.

2022

Fortune - $17.3 billion

In April 2022, Forbes magazine published a rating of the richest Russians. Vladimir Potanin took second place in it with a fortune of $17.3 billion^[6]

Being sanctioned by Canada

On April 6, 2022, Canada expanded the sanctions list against Russia. Nine people got into it, including Russian billionaires Vladimir Potanin, Viktor Vekselberg, Leonid Mikhelson, Dmitry Pumpyansky and Vadim Moshkovich^[7].

Falling under the sanctions of Britain

In June 2022, Britain imposed sanctions against Vladimir Potanin - in connection with the purchase of Rosbank. Potanin's assets also have a 35% stake in Tinkoff Bank.

1st place in the list of richest Russians with a fortune of $27.8 billion

Falling under US sanctions

On December 16, 2022, the United States expanded the sanctions list against Russia, adding Vladimir Potanin to it. The businessman is included in the SDN list - this means blocking assets in the United States and a ban on interaction with Americans.

Tinkoff and Norilsk Nickel, which are owned by Potanin's Interros holding, did not fall under US sanctions.

2023: Offer to buy Yandex

Vladimir Potanin and Vagit Alekperov sent Yandex N. V. An offer to acquire a controlling stake in Yandex. This was reported on May 19, 2023 by Bloomberg, citing its sources. According to them, Russian billionaires are ready to pay 560-600 billion rubles for the purchase of the company. Read more here.

2024: Receiving 52 billion rubles of dividends

Family

As of November 2022, Vladimir Potanin is married, he has seven children.

Vladimir Potanin's father, Oleg Romanovich Potanin, was an honored worker of the USSR Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations.

• First wife Natalya Potanina
• Daughter Anastasia Potanina
• Son Ivan Potanin
• Son Vasily Potanin

Billionaire family: wife Natalya (1), daughter Anastasia (2), Vladimir Potanin (3) and sons - Vasily (5) and Ivan (4). Photo: Valery LEVITIN (Kommersant).

• Second spouse - Catherine

2010

In 2010, in an interview with the Financial Times, Vladimir Potanin said that he would not leave the inheritance^[8] All the oligarch's capital will go to charity, thereby he is going to follow the example of Gates and Buffett.

2013: Divorce from wife Natalia begins

In December 2013, it became known that Vladimir Potanin decided to divorce his wife Natalya. He filed a lawsuit to terminate the marriage in the magistrate's court of the Presnensky district of Moscow. "Their marriage is over," the businessman's representative confirmed to Izvestia. Natalya Potanina herself does not agree to a divorce, Interfax reported, citing its sources.

According to Russian law, jointly acquired property is divided equally between spouses, except in cases where there is a marriage contract, recalls Yukov & Partners lawyer Alina Topornina.

Whether the Potanins have a marriage contract, the businessman's representative did not tell Izvestia. But if half of the billionaire's fortune really goes to his wife, Natalya Potanina will receive money and assets in the amount of $7 billion and will become the richest woman in Russia. Now this honorary title is held by Elena Baturina with a fortune of $1.1 billion. Vladimir Potanin himself in the ranking of the rich will let forward, among his other colleagues in Norilsk Nickel, Roman Abramovich ($10.2 billion) and Oleg Deripaska ($8.5 billion) and, together with his ex-wife, will close the top twenty Forbes.

According to a Izvestia source close to Potanin, the divorce will be peaceful and there will be no division of property. But if the spouses still begin to share assets in court, the proceedings will take place on the territory of Russia. Natalia Potanina will be able to fight for part of Interros in a Russian court, explains Vladimir Pleshakov, partner of the law firm Pleshakov, Ushkalov and Partners. Despite the fact that Potanin formally controls his flagship asset through the Cypriot structure.

According to unofficial data, Vladimir and Natalya Potanin have long lived separately. According to Vladimir Pleshakov, a lawsuit in court may mean a desire to "get a decision on divorce as soon as possible," for example, so that the money expected by the owner of Norilsk Nickel from the next transactions is not considered jointly acquired property.

Indeed, Potanin will soon receive a substantial amount. At the end of November 2013, Interros announced the sale to Gazprom-Media holding of its Profmedia company (combines the 2x2, Friday, TV3 TV channels, as well as the Avtoradio, NRJ, Humor FM and Romance radio stations). The amount of the transaction is estimated at $1 billion. Its completion, according to Profmedia, will take place in the first quarter of 2014.

The magistrate's court is the standard first instance in divorce cases, and you must go through it if there are minor children in the family, explains Alina Topornina from Yukov & Partners.

On December 25, 2013, the magistrate of the judicial district No. 418 of the Presnensky district of Moscow decided to give the spouses Vladimir and Natalya Potanin two months to reconcile.

Vladimir Pleshakov believes that Potanina's chances of getting exactly half of her husband's fortune are small, if only because it is technically very difficult to assess all assets.

It will take a lot of time and a huge legal team. In addition, it is unlikely that she herself is going to manage Interros. Usually in such cases they agree on compensation, - the lawyer comments.

For example, Boris Berezovsky's wife Galina Besharova managed to sue hundreds of millions of pounds. Roman Abramovich's divorce from his wife Irina passed without unnecessary conflicts. According to British tabloids, the oligarch's ex-wife received about £6 billion in compensation, including elite real estate (the Russian press spoke of $300 million). One of the most high-profile processes was the divorce of the ex-owner of Uralkali Dmitry Rybolovlev from his wife Elena, the courts are still going on (for December 2013). They pass abroad, since one of the spouses lives outside of Russia.

The Presnensky Court of Moscow in 2015 refused to divide the stake in Norilsk Nickel between the ex-spouses, then Potanina rejected the claim and the High Court of London. But in 2021, a London court agreed to consider the appeal of ex-wife Potanin.

2014: Second marriage

On December 9, 2014, it became known that Vladimir Potanin confirmed that he had married a second time. In an interview with the Russia 24 TV channel, the entrepreneur said that he had arrived in St. Petersburg with his wife as part of the St. Petersburg Cultural Forum.

"Yesterday was a tour of the Hermitage. Most of the guests were at the concert, and my wife and I went with the guide to the halls of the Hermitage, "said Potanin, who officially divorced his first wife Natalia Potanina in February 2014. 'Absolutely empty halls. You can imagine: the Hermitage, and the two or three of us walk through these halls, "the businessman added

.

Earlier, a number of media outlets, citing sources, have already reported that the businessman married a second time, but there was no official confirmation of this information. The only thing known about Potanin's new wife is that her name is Ekaterina and she worked with an entrepreneur.

Social activities

As of November 2022, he is on the board and board of trustees of the Olympians Support Fund, and Russia is also:

• member of the Board of Trustees of the Foundation for the Preservation and Development of the Solovetsky Archipelago;
• Member of the Board of Trustees of the Non-Profit Association of Legal Entities "Russian-American Council of Business Cooperation";
• Member of the Management Board and the Board Bureau of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RSPP);
• Chairman, member of the Presidium of the National Council on Corporate Governance (NSCU);
• Deputy Chairman of the Board of Trustees of MGIMO University, Russian Foreign Ministry;
• Deputy Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Russian International Olympic University (RIOU);
• Member of the Board of Trustees of the All-Russian Public Organization "Russian Football Union" (RFU) (since 2021);
• member of the Board of Trustees of St. Petersburg University and the Higher School of Management;
• Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Night Hockey League Amateur Hockey Development Fund;
• Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Norilsk Development Agency (ARN);
• member of the Board of Trustees of the Fund for Supporting the Construction of Churches in Moscow;
• member of the Board of Trustees of the Russian Geographical Society;
• member of the Board of Trustees of the ANO "Club for the Development and Support of Sports ROSA";
• Member of the Board of the Fund "Specialized Fund for Managing Targeted Capital to Support Education and Culture";
• Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the V. Potanin Charitable Foundation;
• member of the Presidium of the International Public Fund for the Unity of Orthodox Peoples;
• Deputy Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Specialized Fund for Targeted Capital Management for the Development of MGIMO;
• member of the Board of Trustees of the NO Specialized Fund for Managing Targeted Capital for the Development of the State Hermitage;
• Member of the Management Board and the Bureau of the Management Board of the RSPP OOR.

Previously was:

• member of the Council on Competitiveness and Entrepreneurship under the Government of the Russian Federation;
• member of the Public Council under the Ministry of Defense of Russia;
• member of the scientific advisory council at the General Prosecutor's Office of the Russian Federation;
• Member of the Supervisory Board of the Organizing Committee of the XXVII World Summer Universiade 2013 in Kazan;

Awards

State and public awards

Order of Merit for the Fatherland IV (for active participation in the work to ensure the victory of the application of the city of Sochi for the right to host the XXII Winter Olympic Games in 2014), III and II degrees (2007, 2016, 2019), Order of Alexander Nevsky for participation in the organization, preparation and holding of the XXII Olympic Winter Games in Sochi (2014), Certificate of Honor of the President of the Russian Federation (2010), Gratitude to the President of the Russian Federation (1996, 2012, 2018).

Government awards

Medals "In memory of the 850th anniversary of Moscow" (1997) and "In memory of the 300th anniversary of St. Petersburg" (2003).

Departmental awards

Honorary Badge of the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation "For Charity and Mercy" (September 2002), Honorary Badge of the Governor of the Tver Region "For Charity. Grand Duchess Anna of Kashin "(2020).

Awards of the Russian Orthodox Church

For services to the Russian Orthodox Church he was awarded the orders of St. Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir III and II degrees (1993, 1995), Order of St. Sergius of Radonezh III, II and I degrees (1996, 2001, 2018), Order of St. Prince Daniel of Moscow II and I degrees (2002, 2015), Patriarchal Sign of St. Great Martyr Barbara I degree (2009), the Order of St. Seraphim of Sarov I degree (2012), the Patriarchal sign of the temple builder (2017), a medal in honor of the 1000th anniversary of the repose of Prince Vladimir (2015), a medal in honor of the 100th anniversary of the restoration of the Patriarchate (2017), a medal of the 1st degree of the Saratov Metropolitanate "Savior Not Made by Hand" (2020), the Order of St. Andrew the Iconographer of the 1st degree, the medal of St. Righteous Filaret the Gracious (2021).

The Russian imperial house was awarded the Order of St. Anna II degree "In the reward of merit to the Fatherland and the Russian Orthodox Church" (2009).

Foreign awards

Officer of the Order of Arts and Fine Literature of France (2007), Cavalier of the Order of the Apostle Paul (Cyprus) for social and other activities to support the church (2012), Cavalier of the Legion of Honor, France (2017).

He is a Laureate of the International Foundation for the Unity of Orthodox Peoples (2003). He was awarded the State Diploma and the Golden Olive Branch of the Republic of Cyprus for his wide contribution to the development of cultural ties, as well as the development of friendly relations between Cyprus and Russia (2010).

Notes