List of Russian billionaires. Forbes Rating

Forbes Magazine is a world-famous print publication specializing in the global economy. It was named after Bertie Charles Forbes, who founded it in 1917. Since 2004, the Russian version of the magazine, Forbes Russia, has been published in Russia. Probably the most anticipated news annually announced by Forbes is the ranking of billionaires around the world. What changes have occurred over the year? Who led, and indeed entered the list of Russian billionaires? We will talk about this and much more in the article.

The history of the Russian version of Forbes

Russia was the fifth country in the world to launch a magazine on its territory. The first issue, as already mentioned, was published in 2004. Axel Springer Russia CJSC undertook the project. After 5 years, an electronic version of the Russian Forbes magazine is being created.

The print media has succeeded in changing many editors in a decade. And less than a year ago, Axel Springer Russia CJSC sold its publishing rights to ACMG, led by businessman Alexander Fedotov. I must say that this decision was forced due to changes in Russian legislation on the share of foreign managers of local media. In fact, it was a direct clash between the owners of Vedomosti and Forbes, because it is these publications that touch upon serious political and economic issues and also have a significant contribution from foreign owners. It is worth noting that the Forbes magazine, from the date of its foundation, held its own views and was independent of the opinions of others and influence.

Russia's first billionaires at Forbes

In 1997, the magazine for the first time included in its list of Russians who were at that time in good condition. These were the leaders:

• Lukoil companies - Vagit Alekperov;
• ONEXIM Bank - Vladimir Potanin;
• Yukos - Mikhail Khodorkovsky;
• Gazprom - Vyakhirev Rem;
• the Bridge group - Vladimir Gusinsky;
• Boris Berezovsky (Deputy Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation).

The list has since been updated. However, one of the management companies is still among the richest people the planet. This is Vladimir Potanin, who in 2015 led the list of Russian billionaires.

Each year, the rating was replenished with new faces. The largest aggregate fortune of Russian billionaires was achieved in 2008 before the onset of the economic crisis.

Forbes Magazine Rating Results for 2016

On March 1 of this year, the latest ranking of billionaires of Russia and the whole world was published. The list included 77 citizens of the Russian Federation. The size of each of them has remained virtually unchanged over the past year. But it is well known that 20 oligarchs have become even richer. There are also newcomers, which we will talk about a little later.

The economic situation in the world has not been stable lately. This, of course, affected the state of billionaires. The total amount of funds held by Russian oligarchs in 2016 decreased by almost 54 billion conventional units compared to last year. The financial situation of the majority of wealthy individuals has changed, and therefore the list has been updated. Forbes information on the state of the world's richest people for 2016 is reflected in the table:

As you can see, men of retirement age can boast of big money, there are, of course, young lucky ones. The greater number of billionaires, as in other years, is in the USA. The leader of the list is Bill Gates, the world-famous creator of the Windows operating system.

And where are ours?

As you can see, the oligarchs of Russia are still not so rich as to get into the top ten Forbes. The richest man in the country is only in 60th place on the general list. His fortune is estimated at 14.4 billion dollars. And this person completely unexpected for many readers is Leonid Mikhelson. “Why unexpected?” You ask. The head of Novatek last year was not even one of the five billionaires in the Russian version of Forbes magazine. In just a year, he was able to break through from 7th place to the leader.

The top ten people with a huge fortune by Russian standards also included:

In 2016, 77 Russians were included in the Forbes world list, which is 11 people fewer than last year.

The main "ups" of the capital of the year

This year the leader of the list of Russian billionaires has changed. They became Leonid Mikhelson - the "gas" and "oil" tycoon, a shareholder of Novatek. He was able to increase his fortune by 23%, which allowed him to make an unthinkable breakthrough: from 105 places in the world ranking to 60! It is also worth noting that before this Mikhelson had never been on the list of Russia's billionaires.

But this successful businessman in capital growth in one year jumped Mikhail Gutseriev - Head of the Board of Directors of RussNeft. He was able to climb 577 steps higher and took 205th place in the world ranking. His condition has almost doubled. At the end of 2015, he was on the 16th line of the Forbes Russia rating. It will not be surprising if next year he becomes Russia's leader in equity. With such rapid growth, one should expect great achievements from the billionaire.

From heaven to earth?

The ups and downs followed. How many billionaires in Russia have lost their positions in a difficult year economically and politically? Despite the fact that Fridman and Usmanov maintained their position in the ranking (2nd and 3rd place, respectively), their capital decreased slightly. M. Fridman lost almost 9% of his money, and Usmanov - about 13%. Vladimir Potanin, an entrepreneur and politician who became the leader of the Forbes Russia ranking of the richest people in Russia in 2015, felt the changes more noticeably. Its losses amounted to about 22%, which in monetary terms is equivalent to $ 3.3 billion. Due to a decrease in his capital, he lost ground in the list of 2016, moving to line 4.

But most of all, Oleg Deripaska, the owner of the Basic Element holding, was not lucky. The entrepreneur dropped 624 positions down in the Forbes global billionaire rating. More than four billion were irretrievably lost.

More about leaders: Mikhelson Leonid

The sixty-year-old Russian entrepreneur increased his capital by $ 2.7 billion in 2015, which led him to leadership in the ranking of Russian billionaires. By the way, he is not much behind the 50 richest people in the world according to Forbes magazine, where he occupies 60th place. The total amount of his fortune is equal to 14.4 billion dollars.

This is one of the main shareholders of OJSC Novatek and Sibur Holding, which specialize in the production of gas and petrochemical products.A portion of the funds is also brought by the stake in Promsvyazbank. Mikhelson is fond of art, which is expressed in sponsoring exhibitions in Russia and the USA.

"Silver" oligarch Mikhail Fridman

Compared to 2015, Friedman maintained his position on the Forbes Russia list, although he lost some of his fortune ($ 1.3 billion). This year, he owns 13.3 billion dollars. He is the head of the financial and industrial investment group Alfa Group.

Has been in stable condition since 2010. The owner of such brands as Pyaterochka, Beeline, Perekrestok. Through Alfa-Bank, Mikhail Fridman is engaged in charity work, helping children with severe cardiac diseases. Has dual citizenship (Russia, Israel).

Usmanov Alisher

Owner of a fortune valued at $ 12.5 billion. Last year, he lost almost 2 billion, but retained his position on the Russian Forbes list. He has several business empires, which bring him good income. Among them: Metalloinvest, Megafon, Kommersant.

He invested in Facebook at the stage of the emergence of a social network. Three years ago, Usmanov invested in Chinese assets: Alibaba Internet retailer, production of Xiaomi smartphones. In addition, the billionaire is a co-owner of Arsenal Football Club (London).

Newly made Russian oligarchs

Russian dollar billionaires replenish the Forbes list every year. In 2016, the magazine published four new surnames previously unknown to the public. Of course, in the overall ranking they are still significantly behind the leaders. But who knows, maybe next year one of them will enter the 20 oligarchs of Russia.

1126 place was taken by Mikhail Shishkhanov. A fairly young entrepreneur, the head of Binbank PJSC. At 43, he already has a fortune estimated at $ 1.6 billion. Gutseriev Sait-Salam, one of the members of the directors of RussNeft, is on equal terms with him. Leonid Boguslavsky is a little behind his comrades. It occupies the 1476th place in the Forbes rating and has a capital of $ 1.2 billion. Together with him, Kirill Shamalov, quite young by oligarch standards (33 years old), was presented to the public, he has $ 1.2 billion and shares 1476 places with Boguslavsky in the world ranking.

In addition to new faces, Forbes welcomed entrepreneurs temporarily absent from the 2015 list: Viktor Kharitonin (Pharmstandard), Dmitry Pumpyansky (Sinara), Boris Rotenberg (SMP Bank) and private investor Megdet Rakhimkulov. Each of them freely owns one billion dollars. Together, the "new" oligarchs took 1649 place in 2016.

Out of Rating

The consequences of the economic crisis affected everyone, and billionaires were no exception. Of course, few of them became impoverished. But the losses were tangible. For many entrepreneurs, this turned out to be getting out of the list of the richest people in the world. In 2016, 19 Russians left the rating, including: Tsvetkov Nikolay (Uralsib), Mikhail Balakin (head of SU-155), Rustam Tariko (Russian Standard Bank). Their fortune is estimated at between 1.1 and 1.7 billion dollars. At the moment, they have returned to the finish line and will now fight for the title of "more successful entrepreneur" with the "young" generation of Forbes.

Young billionaires of Russia

The business is developing, in spite of any obstacles. The most dexterous, brainy and far-sighted ones are skyrocketing, flying over millions of their fortunes. At some period, a new stage in their life and career begins: the first billion dollars. Of course, to achieve such heights on their own without the help of inheritance is difficult. The process of conquering the top glory of the oligarch can take a long time.

By Forbes standards, the average age of the nominees is 45 years. This is the period of a person’s maturity, when behind his back is already a significant life experience and stability of the financial situation. All those who are under the age of forty are considered young. Are there many in the world? And how many of them are Russians?

Forbes Russia celebrates 7 lucky people who, despite their small years, already have financial achievements:

1. Shamalov Kirill (33 years old) - takes a place on the board of directors of Sibur. In 2016, he ranked 64th on the Forbes Russia rich list. His fortune is estimated at 1.2 billion dollars.
2. Vyacheslav Mirilashvili (32 years old) - almost a billionaire, in his hands cash in the amount of 0.95 billion dollars. He is the fund manager for Vaizra. It occupies 85th line in the rating of Russian oligarchs.
3. Pavel Durov (31 years old) - the founder of the VKontakte social network and the Telegram program, known among young people. In 2016, owns a fortune of $ 600 million and occupies the 136th position in the Forbes Russia rating.
4. Elena Rybolovleva (27 years old) - the former wife of Dmitry Rybolovlev, received her fortune of $ 600 million thanks to a settlement agreement of the divorce process. Engaged in investment. Forbes is 142nd on the Russian list.
5. Denis Bazhaev (20 years old) is a young co-owner of the Alliance Group, the owner of $ 500 million and 155 lines in the ranking of Russian oligarchs.
6. Ivan Tavrin (39 years old) - owner of 400 million dollars, head of PJSC Megafon. He founded his own business. According to the results of 2015, it occupies 194 place in the Forbes Russia rating.
7. Vitaly Yusufov (36 years old) - engaged in investments, owner of 400 million dollars. It is located on the 196th position in the list of the Russian version of Forbes.

Young oligarchs have every chance to win the first Forbes position. Many of them achieved results independently, without the help of relatives and other people's finances.

Russian billionaires are well-known figures, founders of large industrial and financial enterprises. Each of them has its own history of the path to success. Over the past year, there have been many victories and setbacks that have made changes to the Forbes list. But troubles, like victories, temper morale. Next year it will be seen how they successfully and with dignity defended their cause and once again became one of the richest people in Russia.