Alexander Lebedev Net Worth

Biography of Alexander Lebedev

Alexander Evgenyevich Lebedev is a large businessman, banker, beneficial owner of the financial and industrial holding National Reserve Corporation, which includes about a hundred enterprises in various sectors of the economy, media mogul, owner of a large stake in Novaya Gazeta, British television channel London Live, influential publications Evening Standard, Independent, I Newspaper and other media resources. Previously, he was a people’s deputy and a KGB officer.

According to Forbes, he made a billion-dollar fortune in the late 1990s in commercial and government debt transactions. In 2006, the amount of his capital reached $ 3.7 billion, but subsequently the entrepreneur lost most of his assets. In 2015, his property was estimated at $400 million.

Childhood and family of Alexander Lebedev

The future oligarch was born on December 16, 1959 in Moscow. The head of the family, Evgeny Nikolaevich Lebedev, was a well-known optical physicist in professional circles, a professor at Moscow State Technical University. Bauman. Mom, Maria Sergeevna, taught students a foreign language at MGIMO.

Parents gave their son an excellent education. At first, he studied at school with an English bias No. 17, then at the Faculty of Economics of the Institute of International Relations. In 1982, after completing his studies, he began working at the academic Institute for the Economics of the World Social System.

Career of Alexander Lebedev

In 1983, he was offered to join the ranks of state security officers. In 1984, Alexander graduated from the Red Banner Institute. Yu. Andropov KGB of the USSR. As an undercover security officer, he held various positions in Soviet diplomatic missions abroad. Since 1987, Alexander lived and worked in the capital of Foggy Albion, which allowed him to make many useful contacts.

A successful diplomat, spy, well-connected to the British establishment, he acquired useful connections in business circles, met with Mikhail Prokhorov, Oleg Boyko, Vladimir Potanin, Andrey Kostin.

In 1991, a special services officer with the rank of colonel of the KGB resigned and embarked on entrepreneurial activities. From 1992 to 1993 he was the representative of the banking institution Kompani Finansjer Tradison in the CIS.

In 1993, the ex-special agent, in partnership with former colleagues, established the Russian Investment and Financial Company, included in the structure of CB Imperial, within which he specialized in restructuring the external debts of the Russian Federation. In 1995, RIFC bought out the National Reserve Bank. Gazprom was among its founders and main shareholders. In 1999, Lebedev initiated the creation and headed the National Investment Council.

Political career of Alexander Lebedev

In 2000, Alexander defended his Ph.D., and three years later – his doctoral dissertation. In 2003, he was nominated for the post of head of the administration of the capital and received about 12% of the vote (against about 75% of the vote for Yuri Luzhkov). According to analysts, this attempt was a means to express themselves in big politics.

In the same period, he became the head of the Motherland bloc, participated in parliamentary elections and was among the deputies of the State Duma of the 4th convocation. Then the parliamentarian left his business projects and posts, including the position of the head of the NRB, and concentrated his efforts on fulfilling the tasks of the highest authority. He moved to United Russia, became deputy chairman of the Committee on CIS Affairs, head of the group of deputies for cooperation with the Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada, and a member of the group of Russian delegates to PACE.

In 2006, the politician announced his entry into A Just Russia, and also, in partnership with Gorbachev, acquired a stake in Novaya Gazeta, transferred a stake in Aeroflot to the fund of the wife of the ex-president.

In 2007, Alexander Evgenievich took over the leadership of the National Reserve Corporation, receiving more than half of the company’s shares. In 2008, he was “expelled” from A Just Russia (allegedly due to the discontent of the Right-wing Russians in connection with the publication of information about the alleged divorce of Vladimir Putin and his wedding with Alina Kabaeva).

In 2008, the New Media company was established, headed by Lebedev. In 2009, he bought (for the symbolic £1) the UK tabloid Evening Standard, the first influential British publication owned by the Russian media mogul. In 2010, for a similar fee, he also bought out the Independent.

Personal life of Alexander Lebedev

At the moment, the oligarch is married for the second time. His first wife was the daughter of Academician Vladimir Sokolov Natalia. Their common son Eugene was born in 1980. In 1998, the marriage broke up. Evgeny Alexandrovich became an economist, was the executive director of English media resources owned by his father (Independent, I Newspaper, Evening Standard).

The second chosen one of the millionaire was the model Elena Perminova, who was 27 years younger than her husband. She gave him three children: Nikita (born 2009), Yegor (born 2011) and Arina (born 2014).

According to the media, at a young age (17 years old) she was prosecuted on charges of distributing narcotic drugs. The young girl was threatened with a prison term of up to 6 years in prison. However, allegedly thanks to the support of Alexander, in those years of the deputy, to whom Lena’s father turned for help, she received a suspended sentence.

The main hobbies of a businessman are swimming and football.

Alexander Lebedev today

In 2011, the oligarch became a Duma deputy from the Slobodsky municipal district, located in the north of the Kirov region. In 2012, critical articles about his business methods in various fields of activity (aviation, agriculture, construction) were published in the press. In the same period, the millionaire announced his intention to focus exclusively on publishing with the suspension of all his business projects in Russia. According to him, he concluded that his mission was to support free media.

Lebedev volunteers to provide disinterested assistance to non-profit programs in the field of culture, ecology, and social protection. To this end, he created the Charitable Reserve Fund project.

Among the awards of Alexander Evgenievich are gratitude for participation in the election campaign of Boris Yeltsin, the Order of the Russian Orthodox Church, the Ukrainian Order of Yaroslav the Wise, the UNESCO Dialogue of Cultures medal and other awards.