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Alexei Mordashov

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Alexey Alexandrovich Mordashov (Russian: Алексей Александрович Мордашов; born 26 September 1965) is a Russian billionaire businessman. He is the main shareholder and chairman of Severstal,[1] Russia's largest steel and mining company.[2]

Alexey Mordashov
Алексей Мордашов
Mordashov in 2018
Born (1965-09-26) 26 September 1965 (age 59)
Cherepovets, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
NationalityRussian
Alma materLeningrad Engineering-Economical Institute
Northumbria University
OccupationBusinessman
Known forMajority shareholder of Severstal
Spouses
Elena Mordashova
​
​
(m. 1986; div. 1996)​
Elena Mordashova
​
(divorced)​
(second wife also Elena)
  • Marina Mordashova
Children7
Awards

As of March 2022, Bloomberg Billionaires Index estimated Mordashov's personal net worth at US$21.2 billion, making him the second-richest person in Russia.[3] In the Forbes 2021 ranking, which takes into account the assets of the whole family, Mordashov ranks first among Russian billionaires ($29.1B).[4] In the Forbes 2023 rating, the Mordashov family moved to fifth place with a fortune of $20.9 billion.[5]

When he was 37, Forbes ordained him (along with Oprah) as a "new arrival" in the world of billionaires.[6]

Mordashov was mentioned in the Panama Papers and FinCEN files leaks – a company associated with Mordashov paid for a number of Vladimir Putin's pet projects and gave generously to close Putin associates.[7][8][9]

He is under sanctions due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[2] According to the EU, Rossiya Bank, in which Mordashov owns a financial stake, is the "personal bank" of the senior officials who benefitted from the annexation of Crimea.[2] In November 2023, the New York Times reported as part of the Cyprus Confidential leak that accounts connected to him paid Hubert Seipel [de], a German author, to write a book about Putin.[10]

Early life

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Mordashov is the son of Russian parents, who were both steel mill workers.[11] According to Mordashov, his family used welfare coupons, allowed only 200g of butter and 400g of sausages per month.[12] He graduated with a bachelor's degree from the Leningrad Engineering-Economical Institute, currently known as ENGECON. He later gained an MBA from Northumbria University in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, in 2001.[13] In an address to students at the European University at Saint Petersburg, Mordashov spoke about his decision to study in Leningrad rather than Moscow and the value his undergraduate studies played in his search for employment and eventual career path.[14] Returning to Cherepovets, he started his career by joining the same steel plant where his parents had worked.[15]

Career

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Early career

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In 1988 he joined Cherepovetskiy Metallurgical Plant after graduation from Leningrad Engineering-Economical Institut as an economist. By 1992 he became finance director, shortly before the company was privatised.[16] When the plant's elderly director instructed him to acquire shares to keep them out of the hands of an outsider, he formed two investment funds and, by buying up workers' shares, built a major stake in the factory.[11] In 1996 he was appointed as CEO of the company. He went on to build a conglomerate, Severstal, acquiring steel, coal and mining companies.[17]

Investments

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In 2003, Mordashov became a co-owner of Rossiya Bank.[18]

In 2004, Mordashov started investing in US steel companies, purchasing companies in Dearborn, MI and Columbus, MS. The acquisition included the Rouge Plant in Dearborn.[19][20] He received a loan from the United States Department of Energy to renovate and refurbish the manufacturing plants in Dearborn.[21] The value of the loan, over $370 million, was revoked in 2012, after growing political tensions between the US and Russia.

Between 2004 and 2014, Mordashov and Severstal invested up to $3 billion in both the Dearborn and Columbus plants.[22] In 2011 he sold a number of US assets in Ohio, Maryland and West Virginia to the Renco Group, owned by industrialist Ira Rennert.[23] By 2014 all of Severstal's US investments had been sold for a total of $2.3 billion.[24][25]

His company Severstal planned a multibillion-dollar project in joint venture with POSCO in eastern India. After ten years of not getting environmental and land clearances, his company opted out in 2008.[26][27]

In autumn 2007, Mordashov purchased shares in TUI Travel.[28] As he increased his stake to the largest single shareholder through his S-Group Travel,[29] TUI Travel under Michael Frenzel[30] expanded into Eastern Europe and Russia in 2008,[29][30] China and India in 2009,[30] and sold off its shipping interests, Hapag-Lloyd AG,[31] to the Albert Ballin Consortium in March 2009.[32] In 2014, he held a blocking stake of more than 25% in TUI Travel when TUI Travel was absorbed by TUI Group.[33] In October 2018, he has a 24.9% stake[34] in TUI Group through his S-Group Travel and has been on the TUI Group supervisory board since 2016.[35]

In 2008, Mordashov, Surgutneftegas and Rossiya Bank created the National Media Group, which now owns packages in TV channels (Fifth, First, REN TV).[36]

In 2011, Mordashov purchased 25% of the shares in steam turbine manufacturer, Power Machines, from Siemens.[37] In 2013, with partner Yuri Kovalchuk, Mordashov bought 50% of Tele2 Russia, the country's 4th largest mobile phone operator.[38]

In 2012, Mordashov consolidated Severstal's gold mining assets into one company, Nord Gold N.V.[39][40][41] The company was listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE: NORD LI).[42] In 2013, Nord Gold was awarded a license to embark on gold exploration in Siberia.[43][44] In 2017 Mordashov announced plans to delist Nordgold[45] from the London Stock Exchange (LSE)[46] citing unfair valuation as the reason. The LSE requires that companies have at least 25% as free float, while Mordashov owns 91% of the company.[47]

Mordashov was elected as chairman of the World Steel Association in October 2012.[48] In 2011, he was the only Russian participant in a meeting of Bilderberg Club at St Moritz, Switzerland.[49]

In June 2013, Mordashov was the fifth largest shareholder of Rossiya Bank owning 6%.[50]

In 2015, Mordashov stepped down as CEO, appointing former COO Vadim Larin, in his place.[51] Mordashov would be appointed as chairman.[52][53] The changes were confirmed by Severstal.[54]

On 10 October 2017 Alexey Mordashov became a Commander of the Order of Merit of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.

Sanctions

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Order of Merit of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg Alexei Mordashov

On 28 February 2022, in relation to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the European Union blacklisted Mordashov and had all his assets frozen.[55][56] In early March, the Italian police seized one of his yachts, the Lady M.[57] At that time, another one of his yachts, the Nord, was outside the European Unions jurisdiction in the Seychelles.[58]

He was sanctioned by the UK government in 2022 in relation to the Russo-Ukrainian War.[59]

Pandora Papers

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Main article: Pandora Papers

The Pandora Papers were a collection of nearly 12 million leaked confidential financial records compiled by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists. Within those records are details of how a special unit known as "Cypriot" within accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) helped Mordashov "build the offshore infrastructure of his business empire." The firm helped set up over 65 shell companies in various "secrecy jurisdictions" such as the British Virgin Islands on behalf of a holding company connected to Mordashov. Through these shell companies, Mordashov expanded his presence in the logging, coal, and media industries inside Russia.[6]

Personal life

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Mordashov and his first wife Elena (sometimes Yelena) have a son, Ilya, and divorced in 1996.[60][61] In 2001, it was revealed in a St Petersburg divorce court that he was paying only $620 a month to support his ex-wife and son,[60] when she sued him for half of his pre-divorce property but lost the case and incurred large fees.[62][63] The case was eventually settled after she took it to the European Court of Human Rights.[64]

Mordashov owns the yachts Lady M and Nord as well as a private jet.[2]

By 2001, Mordashov had married his second wife, also Elena, and had had two more sons - Kirill and Nikita.[61][65]

In 2018–2019, for Kirill and Nikita the KN-holding company was created, to which Mordashov transferred his shares in Nordgold and TUI. In this way, the businessman hoped to transfer business experience to his sons. But in 2021, Nikita lost his share due to unsuccessful studies and leaving for military service.[66]

In 2022, the ICIJ reported that Mordashov transferred most of his ownership stake in tourism conglomerate TUI to a Caribbean shell company controlled by Marina Mordashova who is reportedly the mother of some of his children.[67]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Severstal - Alexey Mordashov". www.severstal.com. Retrieved 6 February 2016.[permanent dead link‍]
  2. ^ a b c d "Alexei Mordashov: Russia's richest man is now an EU sanctions target". the Guardian. 2 March 2022. Retrieved 5 March 2022.
  3. ^ "Bloomberg Billionaires Index: Alexey Mordashov". Bloomberg.com. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  4. ^ "The richest people in the world". Forbes. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  5. ^ "20 богатейших российских бизнесменов в глобальном рейтинге Forbes". Forbes.ru (in Russian). 4 April 2023.
  6. ^ a b "The oligarch's accountants: How PwC helped a Russian steel baron grow his offshore empire - ICIJ". 11 April 2022. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  7. ^ "The Secret Caretaker - The Panama Papers". OCCRP. Retrieved 5 March 2022.
  8. ^ "Putin image-maker's role in billion-dollar cinema deal hidden offshore - ICIJ". 3 October 2021. Retrieved 5 March 2022.
  9. ^ Welle, Deutsche. "The Russian oligarchs of the FinCEN Files | DW | 26.09.2020". DW.COM. Retrieved 5 March 2022.
  10. ^ Graham Bowley (15 November 2023). "Top German Journalist Received Payments From Putin Ally, Leak Reveals". www.nytimes.com.
  11. ^ a b "Bloomberg Billionaire Index: Alexey Mordashov". Bloomberg.com. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
  12. ^ "Alexey Mordashov, CEO, Severstal JSC - World of CEOs". World Of CEOs Ltd., www.worldofceos.com. Archived from the original on 3 August 2015. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  13. ^ "Alexey Mordashov". Forbes. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  14. ^ "A Meeting with Alexei Mordashov". EUSP. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  15. ^ Walsh, Conal (17 June 2006). "Steely ambition of worker who bought the company". The Observer. ISSN 0029-7712. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
  16. ^ "Alexey Mordashov". Archived from the original on 3 February 2016.
  17. ^ Walsh, Conal (18 June 2006). "Steely ambition of worker who bought the company". The Observer. Retrieved 16 September 2011.
  18. ^ "Bank Rossiya Emerges From Shadows | News". The Moscow Times. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  19. ^ "Meet America's biggest bull (Hint: He's Russian)". Fortune. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
  20. ^ "Russia's Steel King Is Betting Billions on Detroit". Forbes. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
  21. ^ "Russian Billionaire Awarded Controversial Energy Dept. Loan". Forbes. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
  22. ^ "Severstal: No plans to expand in U.S. as 2 steel lines go live". Automotive News. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
  23. ^ Elmquist, Sonja; Fedorinova, Yuliya (16 May 2014). "Russian Steel Billionaire Mordashov Seeks U.S. Pull Out". Bloomberg. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
  24. ^ "Alexey Mordashov". Forbes. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
  25. ^ Fedorinova, Yuliya (21 July 2014). "Russia's Severstal Sells U.S. Plants for $2.3 Billion". Bloomberg. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
  26. ^ Jung-a, Song (16 July 2013). "Posco drops $5.3bn India steel project". Financial Times. ISSN 0307-1766. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
  27. ^ "Russian steel giant Severstal decides to pull out of India". www.sunday-guardian.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
  28. ^ Heitmann, Jens (30 August 2010). "Alexej Mordaschow baut Einfluss bei TUI aus" [Alexei Mordashov is extending his influence at TUI]. Göttinger Tageblatt (in German). Archived from the original on 23 October 2018. Retrieved 22 October 2018.
  29. ^ a b "TUI gründet mit Mordaschow Reisetochter in Russland Touristikkonzern und Oligarch vertiefen Partnerschaft" [TUI establishes a subsidiary in Russia with Mordashov. Touristkonzern and Oligarch deepen partnership.]. Financial Times Deutschland (in German). 11 April 2008. Archived from the original on 23 October 2018. Retrieved 22 October 2018.
  30. ^ a b c "Russischer Investor baut Einfluss bei TUI aus" [Russian investor is extending his influence at TUI]. Der Spiegel (in German). 31 January 2011. Retrieved 22 October 2018.
  31. ^ Wnuck, Corinna (30 August 2010). "Tui-Großaktionär stockt Anteil auf" [Tui major shareholder increases stake]. Finance (in German). Retrieved 22 October 2018.
  32. ^ Kuehnen, Eva (23 March 2009). "TUI AG completes sale of Hapag-Lloyd unit". Reuters. Retrieved 8 August 2010.
  33. ^ "Roundup: Tui-Großaktionär Mordaschow nähert sich der Sperrminorität" [Roundup: Tui major shareholder Mordashov approaches the blocking minority]. Bild (in German). 1 September 2017. Retrieved 22 October 2018.
  34. ^ "Shareholder structure". TUI Group. Retrieved 22 October 2018.
  35. ^ "Алексей Мордашов приблизил свою долю в TUI к блокирующему пакету" [Alexey Mordashov brought his stake in TUI closer to the blocking stake]. RBC (in Russian). 10 January 2017. Retrieved 22 October 2018.
  36. ^ "Sony Pictures Television in joint venture with Russia's NMG". Reuters. 5 February 2018. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  37. ^ "Mordashov Eyes Power Machines Buy - Kommersant Moscow". www.kommersant.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
  38. ^ Khrennikov, Ilya (17 October 2013). "Putin's Billionaire Ally Buys Half of Tele2 Russia Operator". Bloomberg. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
  39. ^ "Nordgold eyes London listing". Telegraph.co.uk. 30 November 2011. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  40. ^ "Nord Gold may be spun-off from Severstal before end of January". www.akm.ru. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  41. ^ "Severstal - Separation of Nordgold". www.severstal.com. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  42. ^ Kolyandr, Alexander. "Severstal to list Nord Gold unit on LSE Thursday". MarketWatch. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  43. ^ "News". Nordgold - more than gold. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  44. ^ "Russia's Nord Gold wins license for Siberian gold field". UPI. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  45. ^ "Nordgold considers delisting - Mining Journal". www.mining-journal.com. Retrieved 20 February 2017.
  46. ^ "Russia's Nordgold says considers delisting from London Stock Exchange". Reuters. 31 January 2017. Retrieved 20 February 2017.
  47. ^ "Russia Richest Man Delists Gold Miner in London on Low Value". Bloomberg.com. 9 February 2017. Retrieved 20 February 2017.
  48. ^ "Severstal chief Mordashov elected world steel chairman". AzerNews.az. 10 October 2012. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  49. ^ "List of participants of Bilderberg Club meeting in 2011". Archived from the original on 28 August 2011. Retrieved 24 March 2012.
  50. ^ "У петербургского банка "Россия" в кризис на Кипре завис миллиард долларов: По оценке независимых экспертов, на кипрском депозите в период заморозки находилась треть денежных средств организации" [The St. Petersburg Bank "Russia" in the crisis in Cyprus, a billion dollars: According to independent experts, a third of the organization's money was frozen in the Cyprus accounts.] (in Russian). Neva.Today. 28 June 2013. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
  51. ^ "UPDATE 1-Russia's Severstal says CEO Mordashov to step down". Reuters. 27 April 2015. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  52. ^ Williams, Sandy. "New CEO for Severstal as Mordashov Steps Down - Steel Market Update". www.steelmarketupdate.com. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  53. ^ "CEO of Russia's Severstal Steps Down | Business". The Moscow Times. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  54. ^ "Severstal - Severstal announces plans in respect to changes to Chairman and CEO". www.severstal.com. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  55. ^ Valentina Pop; Sam Fleming; Max Seddon (28 February 2022). "EU freezes assets of Russia's leading oligarchs and allies of Putin". The Financial Times.
  56. ^ "Foreign Secretary announces historic round of sanctions on Russia". GOV.UK. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  57. ^ "Italian police seize yacht owned by Russia's richest man". the Guardian. 4 March 2022. Retrieved 5 March 2022.
  58. ^ "Fleeing sanctions, oligarchs seek safe ports for superyachts". AP/Euronews. 6 March 2022. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
  59. ^ "CONSOLIDATED LIST OF FINANCIAL SANCTIONS TARGETS IN THE UK" (PDF). Retrieved 16 April 2023.
  60. ^ a b Blomfield, Adrian (2 September 2008). "The $1bn 'minigarchs': The children of Russia's oligarchs". Retrieved 10 March 2018 – via www.telegraph.co.uk.
  61. ^ a b Warren, Marcus (27 August 2001). "Email from Russia". Retrieved 10 March 2018 – via www.telegraph.co.uk.
  62. ^ "BBC News | BUSINESS | Russian steel giant caught in divorce row". news.bbc.co.uk. 20 August 2001. Retrieved 20 February 2017.
  63. ^ Barchenko, Anastasía (23 March 2014). "The price of divorce for Russian oligarchs". Russia Beyond The Headlines. Retrieved 20 February 2017.
  64. ^ Bershidsky, Leonid (20 May 2014). "Oligarch's Ex-Wife Earned Her $4.5 Billion". Bloomberg View. Retrieved 20 February 2017.
  65. ^ "The thrown wives of oligarchs". rusnewsjournal.com. Retrieved 10 March 2018.
  66. ^ "Мордашовы поменяют схему владения "КН-Холдингом"". Interfax. 20 January 2021. Retrieved 22 November 2023.
  67. ^ "Pandora Papers shed light on $1.4 billion Russian sanctions mystery - ICIJ". 22 March 2022. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
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