Leonid Viktorovich Mikhelson. Leonid Mikhelson is the richest Russian
Fixed Assets
Novatek (24.8%), Sibur (57.2%), OJSC First United Bank (Pervobank, about 75% of shares). Main partners: , Leonid Simanovsky.
Biography
Graduated from the Kuibyshev Institute of Civil Engineering with a degree in civil engineering in 1977. After graduation, he worked as a foreman on the construction of the Urengoy - Chelyabinsk gas pipeline in 1985. became the chief engineer of the Ryazanttruboprovodstroy trust in 1987. headed Kuibyshevtruboprovodstroy, which became joint stock company"Nova" and soon became part of the structure of "Novafininvest", which was engaged in gas production.
Mikhelson began purchasing shares of the Purneftegazgeologiya association, which owned several areas with large gas reserves; organized a network of oil and gas production enterprises in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug. With the assistance of the ex-manager of Purneftegazgeologiya and the new vice-governor of the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Okrug Joseph Levinzon JSC Novatek was created in 1996. which began gas production at three main fields in the region.
By the end of the 1990s. Novafininvest bought Russia's only plant of insulating materials for pipelines, Truboizolyatsiya. At the same time, a profitable deal was concluded with Itera Oil and Gas Company.
In 2003, OJSC Novafininvest was renamed Novatek. In the early 2000s. Mikhelson tried to attract investors. In 2002 managed to reach an agreement on the merger of oil and gas assets with Itera Igor Makarov, but the deal was terminated without explanation. The agreement with the French Total on the sale of a blocking stake in Novatek was rejected by the FAS.
As a result, Mikhelson held an IPO in 2005. by placing 19% of Novatek shares on the LSE.
In 2010-2011 Mikhelson and Timchenko managed to resell the shares of Novatek owned by the French Total "Gazprombank", businessmen gained about $800 million from the deal.
In 2011 100% of the shares of the largest Russian petrochemical holding SIBUR were acquired by Sibur Limited, the ultimate beneficiaries of which are the shareholders of Novatek OJSC: Leonid Mikhelson (57.5%) and Gennady Timchenko (37.5%).
In 2012 Novatek acquired a 49% stake in Northgas for $1.38 billion and a 1% stake in Northgas from Gazprom.
In 2013, the name of Leonid Mikhelson was in third place in the overall ranking of two hundred richest people Russia. According to Forbes magazine personal wealth Russian businessman estimated at $15.4 billion.
With a personal fortune of $11.7 billion, in 2014 he took 7th place among Russians included in the ranking of the richest people in the world (according to Forbes magazine).
In the fall of 2015, NOVATEK and Chinese investment fund The Silk Road Fund (SRF) signed a framework agreement for SRF to acquire a 9.9% stake in the Yamal LNG project. After the transaction is closed, the shareholder structure of Yamal LNG OJSC will be as follows: NOVATEK OJSC (50.1%), French Total (20%), Chinese CNPC (20%) and Chinese SRF (9.9%).
Mikhelson, for his part, said that he welcomes the entry of the Silk Road Fund into Yamal LNG. He named the deal being prepared "continuation of mutually beneficial cooperation with Chinese partners in the framework of the development of Russian Arctic gas projects."
Touches to the portrait
In 2009 created the Foundation for Contemporary Art "Victoria - The Art of Being Modern" with the aim of presenting contemporary Russian art in the West.
Married, has a daughter, Victoria. In 2005 Rumors appeared about Mikhelson's possible divorce, but the media did not provide details.
I was fond of volleyball. Novatek is a partner of the Nova volleyball team (Samara region), the Dynamo hockey club (Moscow) and the Spartak basketball club (St. Petersburg).
Gossip
Mikhelson's father headed the Kuibyshevtruboprovodstroy trust and was considered an influential person not only in Kuibyshev, but also in Moscow. In 1987 Mikhelson's father died, after which the Minister of Construction of Oil and Gas Enterprises gas industry USSR Vladimir Chirskov appointed his son as the new head of Kuibyshevtruboprovodstroy. There were rumors that Mikhelson’s father himself lobbied for this appointment before his death.
Novatek has become a major player thanks to the Yurkharovskoye gas condensate field. Mikhelson did not have the funds to purchase the site, but thanks to the inclusion Joseph Levinzon As a shareholder of Novatek, Mikhelson managed to obtain a large bank loan from one of the state banks.
In 2002 Novafininvest received a loan of $500 million from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) for the development of Geoilbent, but the company never repaid the loan. Contrary to the collateral obligations, the company sold the enterprise, which was on the verge of bankruptcy. Searches were carried out at the Novatek offices. The media claimed that Mikhelson could flee abroad, and the company could repeat the fate of YUKOS, but this did not happen.
In 2005, newspapers wrote that NovaTEK risked becoming another victim of Gazprom, which was trying in various ways to become a gas monopolist. At that time, the main owners of NovaTEK were Leonid Mikhelson and the vice-governor of the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug Joseph Levinson. The latter yielded to Gazprom's pressure and gave Alexey Miller a controlling stake in NovaTEK. The chairman of the board of directors also tried to defend NovaTEK Leonid Simanovsky, thanks to which NovaTEK enjoyed serious support from the regional authorities, including the governor Vladimir Neelov. A subsidiary of NovaTEK also received a license to develop the Yuzhno-Russkoye field, but Gazprom subsequently took it away. In the fight for NovaTEK, Gazprom also used the prosecutor's office of the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District - NovaTEK shareholders were accused of withdrawing assets and concealing profits. The initiation of a criminal case coincided with NovaTEK's attempt to sell a blocking stake to the Franco-Belgian concern Total - if the shares had gone to the West, Gazprom would not have been able to establish control over the company. The deal with Total did not take place because the Federal Antimonopoly Service of Russia, which had previously given permission for it, reversed its own decision. Subsequently, the Franco-Belgian concern Total finally abandoned the deal with NovaTEK due to the opacity of the sources of this company's assets.
Newspapers wrote about Leonid Mikhelson’s troubles in 2005, when employees at the NovaTEK offices in Samara, Salekhard and Moscow law enforcement carried out seizures of documents - in connection with the filing of two civil lawsuits by the prosecutor's office of the Yamalo-Nenets District - about the unlawful transfer to VEB of 5.6% of the shares of NovaTEK, which belonged to the Yamal Regional Development Fund, and about invalidating the very creation of the fund.
Mikhelson's name appeared in the media in 2005 in connection with the trial in the Stavropol region. Cyprus company Broadwood Trading & Investments Ltd. (BTI, owns a 34% stake in Geoilbent), acting in the interests of NK Russneft, accused the management of NovaTEK of violating its preemptive right to buy out shares of Geoilbent. NovaTEK was going to sell its 66% stake in Geoilbent to the oil company LUKOIL at a reduced price; to complete the transaction, LUKOIL needed the approval of the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS). To reduce the chances of the second co-owner of Geoilbent LLC challenging the transaction, the management of NovaTEK sold a stake in a transaction that did not involve a direct purchase: NovaTEK contributed the shares of the LLC that belonged to it to authorized capital oil company registered in Salekhard holding company, owned by a subsidiary of LUKOIL. Newspapers wrote that Mikhelson only pretended to be a tender and tried to get from the heads of corporations things that had not been taken into account by anyone additional payments"real" money. There have been different versions of why Mikhelson needs funds: for support and his future political party, for Mikhelson’s divorce proceedings or to reduce the traditional shares of his partners, Levinson and Simanovsky.
In 2005, newspapers wrote about financial fraud in NovaTEK, mentioning the names of Mikhelson’s partners - Leonid Simanovsky and Joseph Levinzon. They said that Levinson, in official speeches, estimated the reserves of the gas fields of Yurkharovneftegaz at 9 billion cubic meters. When affiliated companies Gazprom abandoned the Yurkharovskoye field, and it came under the control of NovaTEK OJSC; it turned out that these reserves are approaching a trillion cubic meters. Levinzon was accused of actively manipulating mining companies’ access to the most profitable deposits in terms of production in favor of NovaTEK. For example, the transfer of Purneftegazgeologiya to NovaTEK was accompanied by the erosion of the 30 percent share of Gazprom's subsidiary, Zapsibgazprom OJSC, and the inexplicable loss of significant investments.
A number of media outlets accused Leonid Mikhelson of staging a scandal surrounding the construction of a palace on Istra, which allegedly belonged to the head of Gazprom. There were suggestions in the press that Mikhelson was trying in different ways to get onto the board of directors of Gazprom, so he organized the collection of compromising material on Miller. In particular, from a helicopter they were made panoramic photographs palace on the banks of the Istra River near Moscow and 32 hectares of the palace complex. The information campaign against Miller coincided with the timing of next meeting shareholders of Gazprom. The goal was to discredit Miller by the fact that in a time of crisis for the country, he allows himself to spend money from the people's Gazprom on personal luxury. Thus, journalists believe, Mikhelson is realizing his plans to join the board of directors of Gazprom.
Mikhelson's company NovaTEK was involved in a case initiated in 2005 regarding the theft of money from Mezhregiongaz, a subsidiary of Gazprom. Six people were involved in the criminal case. The Ministry of Internal Affairs brought charges in absentia against the deputy general director of Mezhregiongaz Igor Dmitriev, director of the NovaTEK department Alexander Lyadov(died in 2007), Galina Sheremet, citizen Gulyaeva(former CEO and Chief Accountant LLC "Trustinvestgaz", TIG), Dmitry Novikov(CEO of TIG), as well as to a certain citizen Kataev, posing as the general director of the Investment Agency Intellect and Law LLC. They are accused of abuse of power and causing property damage.
They wrote that Mikhelson was able to save his business only because he gave a share in NovaTEK to a friend Vladimir Putin Gennady Timchenko. The Volga Resources fund, owned by the latter, increased its stake in NovaTEK to 18.2% of shares (Timchenko acquired 13.13% of shares from Cartagena Development Inc) and now his stake exceeds the share of the company’s management. This was an exchange of assets - Timchenko sold 51% of the shares of Yamal LNG to Mikhelson’s company at a lower price than the market and thereby increased his stake in NovaTEK. Leonid Mikhelson was forced to include Timchenko on the company's board of directors. This deal, according to analysts, means the establishment of strategic state control over NovaTEK.
Leonid Mikhelson is a Russian entrepreneur. It took him almost twenty years to go from “red” director to oligarch.
This path has been trodden by many, but Leonid Mikhelson showed by his example how far one can go along it. Last year, he topped the list of the richest businessmen in Russia, significantly ahead of long-term leaders: Friedman, Usmanov, Potanin and Timchenko. It was thanks to the latter, who shared a partnership with him in the NOVATEK gas empire, that he took the lead, increasing his capital to $14 billion.
No one in our country has yet reached this level. However, the 61-year-old billionaire is not going to stop there: he has ambitious plans and has all the resources to implement them.
He does not accept hints of retirement age, because he only recently became a young dad. So there is still time ahead to raise an heir. He has already done a lot for his adult daughter Victoria, giving her a dream - a gallery of contemporary art named after herself.
He himself is reputed to be a connoisseur of painting: in his office hangs a canvas by the most expensive European artist, Gerhard Richter. He can afford, as well as, to place pieces on a shaky business board.
Father's covenant
Leonid Mikhelson was born during the Thaw years: in 1955 in a small town on the seashore of Kaspiysk. His parents are builders. Father Viktor Zelmanovich was soon offered a job on the construction of an oil pipeline in Novokuibyshevsk, and the family moved to a new place. Mom Praskovya Fedorovna also got a job at a construction trust.
Lenya graduated from school and, at the insistence of his father, entered the Kuibyshev Institute of Civil Engineering. In his last year, he asked student Lyudmila to marry him, and she agreed. The groom was a worthy candidate: an active Komsomol member, a good-looking and cheerful guy with a guitar.
The certified specialist was assigned to Kharkov, but he was more attracted by the romance of the north. IN Tyumen region The history of big oil began and many went there for earnings and discoveries. The family knew a lot about this: the father quickly walked along career ladder to the Kuibyshevtruboprovodstroy enterprise, constantly went on business trips to the Ministry of Neftegazprom for new orders, so he had first-hand information. Therefore, he took care of his son and he went to build the Urengoy-Chelyabinsk gas pipeline with a length of almost one and a half thousand kilometers. For eight years he worked in the incredibly harsh conditions of the north, lived in a ravine and developed his character. As he admitted in one of his interviews, the north taught him to understand people, find a common language with everyone and achieve solutions to the most difficult problems.
In 1979, Mikhelson Sr. became the head of the Kuibyshevtruboprovodstroy trust and successfully fulfilled government orders for the construction of oil and gas pipelines, both in the north and in the central part of the country. His work will be appreciated by the government: he will be awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labor and other awards. But health will increasingly fail, so Leonid and his wife will move closer to their parents - to Ryazan. The position of chief engineer at Ryazanttruboprovodstroy will become a launching pad for him into a great future. He will gain the necessary professional experience, and when his father becomes seriously ill, he will quit and help him in everything.
After the death of Viktor Zelmanovich, the regional party committee considered several candidates for his position. But the son was able to convince his superiors to entrust him with the management of the trust, which Mikhelson Sr. led for almost ten years. At 32 years old, Leonid Viktorovich becomes one of the youngest directors of the largest enterprise that built strategically important facilities. He supervises more than four thousand workers, who very soon, together with the whole country, will experience political and economic changes associated with a new trend - perestroika.
Leonid Mikhelson recalls that in the 90s the enterprise was left without orders, it was necessary to work on barter and pay wages not only with money, but also with the products that were used to pay for the construction of gas pipelines - fabrics, metal and other things. Therefore, at the first opportunity, Mikhelson privatizes the trust and buys 15 percent of the shares, and the rest is distributed among the employees. This one is his initial capital he acquired an old Zhiguli for sale.
In 1991, the Nova company appeared, with which Mikhelson’s entire big business would begin.
Stake out the market
Leonid Viktorovich quickly adapted to new economic realities. In 1994, he registered Novafininvest for investment activities.
He saw prospects only in the Tyumen north, where large oil companies are actively corporatizing, and the redistribution of tasty oil and gas fields is underway. Mikhelson offers to pay for work in shares, thanks to which he becomes a shareholder in a number of large enterprises and makes contacts that will be useful for the growth of your business.
From these times, his friendship with Joseph Levinson, who headed one of the oil and gas companies and contributed to the acquisition of a number of fields, including Yurkharovskoye. It currently accounts for the bulk of NOVATEK's production. Later, after a loud scandal associated with his dismissal from the Yamal administration, Levinzon will become a member of the Board of Directors of NOVATEK for some time.
The name of Levinzon and the increase in the assets of Mikhelson’s company will be associated with the prosecutor’s audit of 2005. Charges of money laundering and transfer of profits to offshore companies will not be proven.
Initially Leonid gets three largest deposits in Yamal, which his company begins to develop, build a gas pipeline, and then engage in oil and gas production. In only one of them: East-Tarkosalinsky - gas reserves amounted to 150 billion cubic meters, and oil reserves - 19 million tons. Four years later, the first natural gas was supplied to consumers.
In 2003, the company changed its name to NOVATEK and continued its active activities, which led two years later to the placement of shares on stock exchanges. By this time, the only private gas production company was producing more than 25 billion cubic meters.
The state company Gazprom reacted ambiguously to its vigorous activity. The gas monopolist did everything to clear the market and successfully absorbed competitors. But these schemes did not work with NOVATEK: Mikhelson turned out to be more cunning, he himself offered to buy out part of the shares of his company to the head of the giant, Alexei Miller. And Gazprom became a shareholder of NOVATEK, and this partnership opened up new regional sales markets for the company, which were shared by the monopolist. But these are “trifles”, because NOVATEK received access to the Arctic, where, together with other shareholders, including international ones, and with state support is implementing the Yamal LNG mega project with reserves of more than 900 billion cubic meters of gas. Consumers are not only the domestic market of the country, but also the European and Asian markets.
Another area that Mikhelson’s management team is actively developing is petrochemicals. Here, too, he involved his partners, offering investment tycoon and co-owner of NOVATEK Gennady Timchenko a partnership in Gazprom’s legacy, Sibur.
Leonid Mikhelson receives good dividends every year: together with Timchenko, the bonus left each of them $1.5 billion in 2016.
Secret behind seven seals
Mikhelson's personal life is absolutely closed. He does not seek to initiate anyone into family affairs. Only once did he let slip that he was living happily married to Lyudmila. Daughter Victoria appeared in 1992, when Leonid turned 37 years old. She studied at a university in America and received a degree in art history.
She runs a gallery in Samara, a gift from her dad that he gave her when she came of age. She recently entered the international arena: she became a member of the board of trustees of the New Museum of Contemporary Art in New York. She was spotted several times at social events, they write about her as a rich bride - she does not dedicate anyone to the details of her personal life. There is also a foundation named after her, promoting modern Art without Borders.
A couple of years ago, the media circulated information that Mikhelson had divorced and was living with new family in Spain. Allegedly, a certain Olga Eskova gave birth to his son, but there is no confirmation of these facts.
Mikhelson exhibited his photographs from his travels in his daughter’s gallery, including Spanish motifs.
He is a philanthropist, finances cultural projects, sports teams and does not forget about social assistance to Novokuibyshevka. He pays special attention to the school where he studied. Recently, a monument to his father was unveiled in the city: the bust was installed in the park at the request of the staff of the enterprise where the Michelsons worked.
Mikhelson Leonid Viktorovich, Chairman of the Board and CEO JSC " NOVATEK", Chairman of the Board of an oil and gas company "Itera", General Director of JSC " Pur Land".
Education
In 1977 he graduated from the Kuibyshev (now Samara) Institute of Civil Engineering with a degree in civil engineering.Professional activity
He worked in the Tyumen region near Surgut on the construction of the first line of the Urengoy - Chelyabinsk gas pipeline.In 1985 - appointed chief engineer of the Ryazantruborovodstroy trust.
In 1987, he headed the Kuibyshevtruboprovodstroy trust (which was headed by his father until 1987).
From August 1987 to October 1994 - manager of Nova.
From 1994 to 2000 - General Director of OJSC Financial and Investment Company Novafininvest.
In 1995 - member of the board of directors of OJSC KB Solidarnost (Samara).
In 1996, he founded the company OJSC NOVATEK.
From 1997 to 2001 - member of the board of directors of OJSC Rosneftegazstroy
From 1998 to 2001 - Chairman of the Board of Directors of OJSC Pur-Land
From 1998 to 2001 - General Director of JSC Nordpipes.
From 1998 to 2001 - member of the board of directors of OJSC Selkup Oil Company.
From 1998 to 2001 - member of the board of directors of OJSC Polar Star.
In 1998 - Chairman of the Board of Directors of OJSC Oil company"Tarkosaleneftegaz".
In 1998 - member of the board of directors of OJSC Oil Company Mangazeya.
In 1998 - member of the board of directors of JSC Truboizolyatsiya.
From 1999 to 2001 - member of the supervisory board of Novokuybyshevsk Television CJSC.
From 2000 to 2001 - General Director and member of the Board of Directors of OJSC Samara People's Enterprise Nova.
In 2001 - General Director of OJSC Pur-Land.
In 2001 - member of the board of directors of Minley OJSC.
In 2001 - Chairman of the Board of Directors of OJSC Yurkharovneftegaz.
In 2002 - Chairman of the Board of Oil and Gas Company Itera.
In 2002 - member of the Board of Directors and Chairman of the Management Board of OJSC NOVATEK.
From 2000 to 2002 - Chairman of the Board of OJSC Financial and Investment Company Novafininvest.
In 2003 - Chairman of the Board and General Director of OAO NOVATEK
In 2004 - member of the exchange council non-commercial partnership"Interregional Exchange of the Oil and Gas Complex" (IBNK).
In 2008 - member of the Board of Directors of OJSC Stroytransgaz, Chairman of the Board of Directors of OJSC Stroytransgaz.
In 2008 - member of the Board of Directors of Art Finance LLC.
In 2008, Nova Bank was transformed into the First United Bank, which since 2008 has been almost entirely owned by Novatek.
In 2009 - Chairman of the Board of Directors of OJSC Yamal LNG.
In 2009, he was an honorary citizen of Novokuybyshevsk, donating significant funds to support the infrastructure of Novokuibyshevsk.
Key interviews
20.07.2011 | Vedomosti newspaper -02.11.2005 | Vedomosti newspaper - " "
04/05/2004 |
01.12.2003 | Nakanune.ru - " "
IA "Interfax" - " "
2005| ScandalsIn 2005, in the offices of NovaTEK in Samara, Salekhard and Moscow, law enforcement officers seized documents - in connection with the filing of two civil lawsuits by the prosecutor's office of the Yamalo-Nenets District - about the unlawful transfer to VEB of 5.6% of NovaTEK shares that belonged to the Regional Yamal Development Fund, and to invalidate the very creation of the fund.
(“Vedomosti” dated 06/22/2005, www.polit.ru dated 07/06/2005) 2009|" Six people were involved in the criminal case. The Ministry of Internal Affairs brought charges in absentia against Deputy General Director of Mezhregiongaz Igor Dmitriev, director of the department "NovaTEKa" Alexander Lyadov(died in 2007), Galina Sheremet, citizen Gulyaeva(former general director and chief accountant of Trustinvestgaz LLC, TIG), Dmitry Novikov(CEO of TIG), as well as to a certain citizen Kataev, posing as the general director of the Investment Agency Intellect and Law LLC. They are accused of abuse of power and causing property damage.
(“Newspaper” dated March 30, 2009)
2009| Mikhelson was able to save his business only due to the fact that he gave a share in NovaTEK to a friend Vladimir Putin Gennady Timchenko. Fund owned by the latter Volga Resources increased his stake in NovaTEK to 18.2% of shares (Timchenko acquired 13.13% of shares from Cartagena Development Inc) and now his stake exceeds the share of the company’s management. It was an exchange of assets - Timchenko sold 51% of the shares below the market " Yamal LNG Mikhelson's company and due to this increased his stake in NovaTEK. Leonid Mikhelson was forced to include Timchenko on the company's board of directors. This deal, according to analysts, means the establishment of strategic state control over NovaTEK.
(“Kommersant” No. 94 (4149) dated 05/28/2009, No. 93 (4148) dated 05/27/2009)
2010| The name of Leonid Mikhelson was mentioned in the media in connection with the scandalous construction of a sports and recreation complex (journalists call the facility a new state residence), which took place in the city of Anapa, Krasnodar Territory - in the Utrish nature conservation area. The construction was officially initiated by the Fund for Regional Non-Profit Projects “Dar”, controlled by Leonid Mikhelson - the Fund leased land plot and entered into a construction contract with LLC "Harwinter". The public spoke indignantly about the destruction of a unique corner of nature, blaming the Presidential Administration for everything Medvedev. According to journalists, Mikhelson and his Foundation in this case are a player who should be subject to the wrath of the people and a source of financing for the presidential project. (“Live Kuban” from 01/18/2010)
Additional Information
Married, has a daughter.Daughter Victoria, whose name is given to an art gallery and charitable society in Samara.
Born August 11, 1955 Place of birth: Dagestan, Kaspiysk. Higher education: Kuibyshev Civil Engineering Institute. Marital status: Married, daughter.
Leonid Viktorovich Mikhelson is a very atypical figure for the Russian establishment. He entered the economy even before the start of perestroika. Not from Moscow and not a member of the St. Petersburg team. He never sought sole control over his assets and, nevertheless, remained at the helm of the NovaTEK company he created. In addition, Mikhelson is one of the least public Russian oligarchs. He himself once stated that he does not like to “exhibit”, and his business does not need PR.
Leonid Viktorovich is a hereditary builder. His father headed a large trust, the main activity of which was the laying of oil and gas pipelines in the Volga region, Siberia and Central Asia. “I started going to oil and gas fields earlier than going to school,” says L.V. Mikhelson.
Leonid Mikhelson believes that only 40% of a businessman’s success is “work, brains, determination, and 60% is luck and the ability to use it.”
The company headed by Leonid Mikhelson remains the largest independent gas producer and the second company after Gazprom in production natural gas.
He is interested in sports, prefers volleyball and is a sponsor of the Nova volleyball team and the Krylya Sovetov football team. Patron of arts, founder of the Samara art gallery "Victoria". Married, he entrusted the management of the gallery to his daughter Victoria.
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Biography by year
Articles
NOVATEK has come close to making an investment decision on the Arctic LNG gas liquefaction project, having sold 10% each to the Chinese CNPC and CNOOC. The terms of the deal will be basically the same as with Total, that is, NOVATEK can receive from each Chinese company up to $2.1 billion in cash and about $600 more...
“The main parameters of the transaction have been agreed upon. The corporate procedures necessary to complete the transaction have now begun. They may take several months. Gazprom Neft will receive NOVATEK’s Malo-Yamalskoye field in exchange for shares in two Arcticgas fields - Evo-Yakhinskoye and Severo-Chaselskoye...
NOVATEK may begin transshipping LNG from its Arctic Yamal LNG plant in Murmansk by the end of the year. To do this, the Ministry of Transport must agree on a number of issues in the next three to four months. The company is also waiting for agreement on conditions for the construction of a terminal in Rostock, Germany, which will help it...
The Leningrad region and the Novatek company, which built the Cryogas-Vysotsk LNG plant in the region, agreed to implement a phased transfer project public transport and municipal equipment for gas motor fuel, the governor said on Wednesday Leningrad region Alexander Drozdenko. "WITH…
On Tuesday, April 23, Novatek shareholders approved the proposed amount of dividends for 2018, the company said in a statement. More than 79 billion rubles, or about 34% of normalized profit under IFRS, which amounted to almost 233 billion rubles at the end of 2018, will be allocated to pay investors. This…
The fourth line of Yamal LNG, a natural gas liquefaction project based on the South Tambeyskoye field, is planned to be launched at the end of 2019 - beginning of 2020. The head of Novatek, Leonid Mikhelson, announced this while answering questions from shareholders during the annual meeting. Let us remind you that in...
Investment support tools tested in the Far Eastern regions will be introduced in the Arctic, head of the Federation Council Valentina Matvienko said at a retreat in Sabetta of the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug. Members of the Federation Council discussed legislative initiatives that should...
Severstal, IHI Corporation and Mitsui plan to create a joint venture to produce liquefied gas storage facilities in the interests of Gazprom for the Baltic LNG project. As Metals Supply and Sales reports with reference to Kommersant, the board of directors of the gas monopoly approved the appropriate...
The decision on the accrual of dividends will be made at an extraordinary meeting of shareholders of the company on June 7, 2019, the closing date of the register is May 13. If dividends are approved, the register for receiving them will close on June 18. For the first quarter of 2018, the company paid dividends in...
The Zvezda shipyard (owned by Rosneft, Rosneftegaz and Gazprombank) does not plan to purchase propellers from the United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC) for the 15 Arctic gas carriers that Zvezda will build for Novatek’s Arctic LNG 2 project. Two people told Vedomosti about this...
Interview
Is life good for independent gas producers in Russia, is it possible to change the regulation of the industry by changing the responsible department, how to get away from Gazprom’s monopoly on the market through the export of gas in liquefied form and through gas chemical projects, he said in an interview with "...
Despite low price hydrocarbons on the world market, NOVATEK will continue to rely on the development of its LNG projects in Yamal and Gydan. In addition, the company is interested in gas processing projects and the domestic gas market. About how it will be arranged new strategy development of the company, and about the attitude towards...
On entering business “I was a person of the Soviet system, respected it, felt quite comfortable and could not imagine that it could be any other way. Therefore, what happened in 1989-1991 was wildness for me. Chaos, no one controls anything, total shifting of responsibility. IN…
Leonid Mikhelson confidently states that only 40% of a businessman’s success is “work, brains, determination, and 60% is luck and the ability to use it.” Excerpts from an interview with a businessman who managed to create the largest private gas company in a monopoly market - in...
— NOVATEK is the largest and longest-standing asset that you personally manage. How is the company developing, and what growth in gas production is planned for the next year, 2014?—We announced that in 2013 production volumes will increase by 6-7%. And although they were very...
Novatek today attracted a new investor to its LNG project. It was the Chinese CNPC. The head of the Russian gas producer Leonid Mikhelson told BFM.ru about the terms of the partnership. Leonid Mikhelson and his partner Gennady Timchenko have long defended the idea of the need...
The head of the second largest gas company in Russia, Leonid Mikhelson, shared with Vedomosti his view of the Russian gas market, told how cooperation with Gennady Timchenko began and how to work with him, noting that Timchenko is not the only one at Novatek...
The partnership with Gennady Timchenko and the French Total in Novatek seems so successful to Leonid Mikhelson that he wants to extend it to Sibur. Mikhelson admires Timchenko’s energy, but does not link Novatek’s successes recent years with his...
Leonid Mikhelson says that only 40% of a businessman’s success “is work, brains, determination, and 60% is luck and the ability to use it.” Luck often accompanied him in the main thing - selecting the right partners at the right time...
— Why do you need SIBUR? — This business is clear and interesting to me. SIBUR is a leading company in the petrochemical industry; I have been following its development and see significant potential for further growth. - Why are you acting...
Analytics
The Varandey Terminal company, owned by Lukoil, filed a lawsuit in Arbitration court to FAS. The service supported Rosneft in mid-March, considering the tariffs at the terminal to be too high. This was reported by a correspondent of The Moscow Post. Did Igor Sechin take a position “against everyone”? It may…
According to the head of NOVATEK, Leonid Mikhelson, to develop the production of LNG equipment in Russia, preferences from the state will be required in the amount of about 25 billion rubles. The oligarch stated this at a retreat of the Federation Council dedicated to legislative initiatives on...
Leonid Mikhelson is a famous Russian entrepreneur, one of the main shareholders of NOVATEK OJSC (24.8%), chairman of the board of directors of the SIBUR holding. He topped the list of the richest businessmen in Russia in 2016-2017 with a fortune of $16.7 billion and $18.4 billion, respectively. In 2019, he again took the first position with a fortune of $24 billion.
Childhood
Leonid Viktorovich was born on August 11, 1955 in Kaspiysk. As a child, he moved to the city of Novokuibyshevsk, Kuibyshev Region (now Samara Region). There he graduated from high school No. 8. His father, Viktor Zelmanovich, was a native of Ukraine, had a secondary technical education and worked in the construction of oil pipelines. Being a master of his craft, he later headed the Kuibyshevtruboprovodstroy trust.
Mother, Praskovya Fedorovna Shirokova, worked in the same field - at OJSC Construction Trust No. 25.
Education
In 1972, he graduated from school and entered the evening department of the Kuibyshev Institute of Civil Engineering to become a civil engineer.
Later, he switched to studying full-time at a university with a degree in water supply and sewerage. Having received higher education in 1977, he started working.
Labor activity
On March 25, 1977, he was assigned to Yuzhtranstekhmontazh of the Volga and South of the Ministry of Transport in Kharkov, where he went with his young wife, having exchanged an apartment on Samara Square for a hostel.
Then I went to Siberia. At the very beginning of his journey, he was a foreman at SMU in Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug on the construction of the first line of the Urengoy - Chelyabinsk gas pipeline.
In 1983, he became a line supervisor in the construction of one of the gas pipeline branches, which was carried out by a company headed by his father.
In 1984, he was appointed to the position of chief engineer of the Ryazanttruboprovodstroy trust. Three years later, his father died and his son was offered to become the head of Kuibyshevtruboprovodstroy. Later, in 1991, the structure became the first joint-stock company and private company in the region construction company"Samara People's Enterprise "Nova".
From 1987 to 1994 he was the manager of Nova. Later he worked at Novafininvest Management Company as General Director. In 2003, he joined the board of directors of NOVATEK OJSC and at the same time became chairman of the company’s board, a position he holds to this day.
From March 2008 to December 2010, he was on the board of directors of Stroytransgaz, and then its chairman. At the same time, in 2008, he became a member of the directors of Art Finance LLC, where he remained until 2011.
Then, for two years, he was a member of the supervisory board of the All-Russian Regional Development Bank, leaving it in 2013.
It is known that at the end of 2010, one of Mikhelson’s companies bought 50% of the SIBUR petrochemical holding from Gazprombank. The deal was financed by Gazprombank secured by this package.
Since 2011 - Chairman of SIBUR Holding CJSC.
Owned a 75% stake in a large Samara bank - OJSC First United Bank (Pervobank), founded by merging Nova Bank and Samara Credit Bank.
Owner of the Dar fund for regional non-profit projects.
In 2017, he bought a 17% stake in the petrochemical company SIBUR from Kirill Shamalov, increasing his stake in the company to 48%.
On April 10, 2018, the RIA Novosti agency reported that due to new US sanctions, the losses of Russian billionaires per day after their introduction exceeded $15 billion (based on data from the Bloomberg Billionaires Index (BBI) rating). Thus, the co-owner of NOVATEK and SIBUR lost $1.03 billion.
Social activities
He is a member of the trustees of the Moscow School of Management "Skolkovo" and the development fund of the State Russian Museum "Friends of the Russian Museum".
As the head of the largest oil and gas enterprise in the country, he conducts large-scale activities in the district where his company is located. This includes the construction of housing, socio-cultural facilities, and the development of traditional national crafts.
Video:
For more than fifteen years, NOVATEK has been funding a class of gifted children in one school in Novokuybyshevsk. Similar and other programs operate in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug.
It started in 2004 social partnership with the St. Petersburg State Mining Institute, then with the Moscow Oil and Gas University named after I.M. Gubkin.
Patronage and sponsorship
In 2009, he opened the Victoria - The Art of Being Modern foundation to bring Russian artists and curators to the Western market and integrate them into the global artistic context.
Together with NOVATEK, it has been sponsoring concerts of the chamber ensemble “Moscow Soloists” under the direction of Yuri Bashmet for many years.
Charitable assistance is also provided to the Yekaterinburg Museum of Fine Arts.
Awards
For many years he has been holding the title of Honorary Citizen of Novokuibyshevsk and “Honorary Worker of the Gas Industry.”
Also in his collection of awards is the Order of the Badge of Honor and the medal of the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, II degree.
In 2013, with $15.4 billion, he was third among the two hundred richest Russian businessmen according to Forbes. In 2014, his fortune increased to $15.6 billion, but in 2015 it decreased to $11.7 billion, so he was only in seventh place in the ranking.
In March 2018, in the latest Forbes list, he was third among Russians and 64th in the world with a fortune of $18 billion. In April 2018, due to new US sanctions, he lost $1.03 billion in a day.
Hobbies
One of my main hobbies is photography. Collects photographs from various trips and travels, some of which were exhibited in his gallery.
Loves sports, especially volleyball. Financially supports the Nova volleyball team and the Krylya Sovetov football team.
Family
Officially married, his wife's name is Lyudmila. In 1992, their daughter Victoria was born, who now runs the gallery of the same name in Samara. In addition, the girl founded a charitable children's foundation.