Many people know such a name as Alisher Usmanov. He is one of the most famous and richest people Of Russia. How did this man manage to achieve all that he has? It is about this famous oligarch that the article will be discussed.
Businessman Alisher Usmanov: biography
The homeland of the now famous and influential manager in Russia Alisher Usmanov is the city of Chust, which is located in the Namangan region of the Uzbek SSR. 63 years ago, a boy Alisher was born in this city, who was destined to become one of the richest and most famous people in the Russian Federation. Alisher’s father held the post of prosecutor, so his son was predicted to have a comfortable life with the opportunity to use for his good many of his father’s necessary connections. Today, Alisher Usmanov, whose ethnicity is Uzbek, also has Russian and British citizenship.
Childhood and youth of the future oligarch
As a child, the boy liked swords and musketeer battles. He attended the fencing section. After two years of training, as a member of the country's youth fencing team, young Alisher strove to achieve new heights in his favorite sport. He was able to achieve the title of master of sports, and he was enrolled in the USSR national team. During this period, the young man met Irina Viner, who was destined to become his wife. The girl was engaged in rhythmic gymnastics.
The path to billions
Upon graduation from school, the young man became a student at MGIMO, studied the specialty "International Law". The working days of Alisher Burkhanovich began in 1976. At first he was a researcher at the ANSSSR. Then, while serving as senior referent for the Central Committee of the Young Communist League of Uzbekistan, the young man began to rapidly build his career. After some time, Usmanov received the post of head of the Foreign Economic Association of the Soviet Peace Committee.
1980 brought bad news to the prosecutor’s son. He was charged with fraud and theft. Alisher was sentenced to 8 years in prison. After 6 years, he was released ahead of schedule. The convict himself claimed his innocence. According to him, he was hit by political repression.
The son of the prosecutor was completely rehabilitated in 2000 as a result of the decision that he was accused undeservedly. Craig Murray, the former British ambassador to the Uzbek SSR, denied such information, claiming the opposite, since, according to him, Usmanov was engaged in racketeering, gangster activity and was a rapist, for these reasons the rehabilitation was undeserved. Murray claims that Usmanov Alisher Burkhanovich is associated with many mafiosi, and the origin of his money capital has a criminal basis. Usmanov himself denied the fact that he was accused of violence.
Alisher Usmanov, whose nationality, as already mentioned, is an Uzbek, decided to move to Russia. In this he was helped by university friends.
The business of the future billionaire began with the manufacture of ordinary plastic bags. In addition, he took an active part in the supply of tobacco. In parallel, the entrepreneur studied at the Finance Academy.
From 1990 to 2013, a wealthy Uzbek managed to change many positions, but all of them were somehow connected with the management of different companies. For 10 years, Usmanov Alisher Burkhanovich has been a member of the Bureau of the Board of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs.
In 2007, a businessman bought a 75% stake in the Muz-TV television channel. A year later, there was an acquaintance with Yuri Milner. In August of the same year, the oligarch became a shareholder of DST.
In 2010, under the absolute control of the Digital Sky Technologies foundation, part of which is owned by Usmanov, the mail.ru Internet portal also fell. After 2 years, the oligarch acquired a 60% stake in the new diversified international company USM Holdings, the components of which were Metalloinvest, MegaFon, Scartel, Mail.ru Group, Disney Russia, Muz-TV, and Yu ".
In 2013, the Russian oligarch owned Apple shares, the value of which was $ 100 million. The oligarch sold them and with the proceeds bought shares of technology companies in China.
Usmanov's activity in sports
In 2007, Red and White Holding, which took exactly half Usmanov’s shares, bought a 14.58% stake in Arsenal Holdings, a company that completely owns London's Arsenal football club.
The oligarch and manager pays a lot of attention to the development of the sports industry at the state and world level. In 2015, USM Holdings Usmanova, together with UTV Holding, invested $ 100 million in the eSports organization Virtus Pro.
What is the state of the billionaire
Alisher Usmanov, whose biography is presented to your attention in the article, was included in the list of ten richest people in Great Britain in 2010, taking the sixth step. After 4 years, he was named the wealthiest man in the UK.
Alisher Usmanov’s fortune in 2012 was estimated at $ 18.1 billion. Then he took 28th position in terms of solvency in the world and first place in the Russian Federation. A year later, Forbes magazine valued the oligarch at $ 17.6 billion.
In 2015, Usmanov left the first stage of the richest people in the Russian Federation, where he sat from 2012 to 2014.
The assets of the oligarch are concentrated in metallurgy and the Internet. And although during 2015 the revenue from the metallurgical industry decreased by 30%, the income from the functioning of the Mail.ru Group holding more than offset these losses.
Today, Usmanov owns not only the mail.ru service, but also the social networks VKontakte, Odnoklassniki, My World, the ICQ messenger, the game portal my.com, dozens of other social networks, services and portals. It is predicted that in 2016, Vkontakte advertising revenue will reach more than 50% of the mail.ru group’s revenue. In addition, the Russian billionaire owns a number of television channels and radio stations, the Komersant Publishing House, and shares in some Chinese trading floors.
The wife and relatives of the oligarch
Alisher Usmanov's wife is Irina Wiener. A young Alisher met her at the Sports Palace, where his fencing classes and rhythmic gymnastics classes were attended by the girl. Young people did not immediately open their relationships to parents. Usmanov was convicted. From the conclusion, the future businessman sent the girl a scarf. So in Uzbekistan they make a marriage proposal. The bride waited for the release of the groom, and in 1992 the young people joined in a marriage.
Now Irina Viner is an honored coach of the Russian national gymnastics team, the head of the All-Russian Federation of Rhythmic Gymnastics.
Alisher Usmanov’s wife prepared many world-famous champions and Olympic medalists.
The billionaire has no children. The closest relative to the Russian manager can be called the stepson of Anton Wiener. He owns a network of tanning salons throughout Russia. Alisher Burkhanovich’s nephew Babur Usmanov died in 2013. In addition to him, among close blood relatives of the billionaire there are still grandchildren Mamur Usmanov (Alau Rustamov) and Timur Usmanov (Rustamov).
Charity with the participation of the oligarch
In 2007, Usmanov bought a huge collection of works of art. The purchase cost the billionaire $ 111.750 million, and he handed it to the government of the Russian Federation as an acquisition as part of charity work. Now these works of art can be seen by everyone in St. Petersburg.
In the same year, the businessman bought all the rights to a selection of animated films from the time of the Soviet Union.He handed them to the Bibigon television channel for children.
In 2011, Alisher Burkhanovich was included in the list of the five largest British philanthropists in the rating compiled by The Sunday Times. For this year, the Russian manager spent almost $ 126.5 million on charity.
The Alisher Usmanov Charity Fund “Art, Science and Sport” is engaged in assisting in the development of art, culture, sports, and contributes to the implementation of education, science, and social projects in Russia.
The project is implemented in three directions:
- Art and cultural activities. The fund accompanies the augmentation and preservation of the cultural heritage of the Russian Federation. Particular attention is paid to literary, musical, architectural development.
- Scientific activity and education. The fund provides financial assistance to educational institutions in order to modernize the education system, as well as investment in the scientific field.
- Sport. The Fund sponsors federations and clubs, competitions, and supports athletes.
In December 2014, the world learned about the new acquisition of the billionaire - the James Watson Nobel Prize. The scientist was forced to sell it. The purchase cost the oligarch $ 4.1 million at Christie’s auction in New York. The philanthropist returned the award to the scientist who had received it in his time for research in the field of cancer, for which Watson expressed his sincere gratitude.
House of Alisher Usmanov
A world-class oligarch owns a £ 48 million estate in London. This is one of the most expensive estates. Alisher Usmanov’s house is built in the style of the English Empire, located on a plot of 11 acres. Usmanov is also the owner of estates in the suburbs and the county of Surrey, a villa in Sardinia, a luxury home in Tashkent.
Oligarch awards
Like many influential people, Alisher Usmanov was awarded many awards. Among all, one can single out gratitude from the President of the Russian Federation, an order from the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan, and even the Order of Honor of South Ossetia.
Investments in eSports
Usmanov, the founder of USM Holdings, invests in the development of the largest e-sports community in Russia - Virtus.pro, as it became known in October 2015. It is estimated that investment may exceed the $ 100 million line.
Today, occupying the third step among the most affluent people in the Russian Federation, Alisher Usmanov continues to invest in the development of information structures, supports the financing of theaters, museums, and provides financial assistance in the development of the sports industry and social projects.
