Nikolai Aleksandrovich Tsvetkov is a well-known Russian businessman whose name is on the list of the hundred richest businessmen of Russia in 2010, published in Forbes magazine. He went from a soldier to the head of the financial corporation Uralsib. He has a Ph.D. in economics, is the author of several articles and monographs on the problems of the financial market.
early years
Moscow region, Krasnogorsk district, the village of Novobrattsevo - the place where Nikolai Tsvetkov was born. Date of birth - May 12, 1960. Near the village where Nikolai grew up, there was a Tushinsky airdrome. Therefore, like all his peers, he watched with admiration the elements of aerobatics taking off cars and dreamed of becoming a pilot. But most of his friends after leaving school went to study at vocational schools or went into the army. However, Tsvetkov Nikolai did not abandon his plan and chose a different path. He entered the Tambov Higher Military Engineering School, where he trained high-class specialists. In 1980, Tsvetkov graduated with honors. Deciding to continue his education, Nikolai Alexandrovich enters the Air Force Academy. N.E. Zhukovsky. In 1988, Tsvetkov graduated from the course with a gold medal.
The period of military service
In the Soviet years, most graduates of military academies were waiting for the distribution of garrisons in different parts of the country. The same thing happened with Tsvetkov - he was sent to serve in the Far East. By this time, Nikolai Alexandrovich was already married, and his wife Galina with him endured all the difficulties of a military life. This is a constant moving and disorder of life, a rare presence of her husband in the walls of the house.
After some time, Tsvetkov Nikolai left to serve in Afghanistan. Galina Tsvetkova had to go through many troubled days and nights in concern for her husband. Fortunately, the Afghan campaign came to an end, and Soviet officers returned home. At the age of just over 30 years, Nikolai Alexandrovich already had the rank of lieutenant colonel of the Air Force. But the changes in the country with the advent of the 90s radically affected the army. The monetary and material maintenance of the military sharply worsened, so Tsvetkov had to think about leaving the army. At that moment, the family actually lived on the salary of the wife of Galina, who worked at the post office. So it was decided to move to Moscow, where Nikolai began to engage in teaching activities.
Career start
After dismissing Tsvetkov from the ranks of the military, Nikolai has been working at the Moscow Institute of Radio Engineering, Electronics and Computer Science for more than two years, teaching science at the military department. Not forgetting about their own self-education, at the same time studying at the Russian Economic Academy. Plekhanov on a management course.
Tsvetkov Nikolay understands: in order to ensure a decent life for the family, it is necessary to rebuild and take new cardinal measures. He is actively engaged in the study and prospect of developing the country's stock markets. So, in 1992, together with a friend, he created the investment and consulting company Brokinvest. It is noteworthy that the entrepreneurs did not have their own funds for the authorized capital, so it was decided to contribute to the fund a village house near Moscow, Tsvetkov’s spouse. So from 1992 to 1993. He served as vice president of the company.
His brilliant mind and great ability to work are also evidenced by the fact that in 1996 a businessman defended a dissertation on the problems of attracting domestic and foreign investment in the oil and gas industry of the Russian economy. So Nikolai Aleksandrovich Tsvetkov, whose biography indicates that his whole life is constant work and self-improvement, becomes a candidate of economic sciences.
Foundation of the NIKoil company
An educated exchange broker Nikolai Tsvetkov very quickly comes to the conclusion that the most promising business is the one in which you work for yourself. In 1993, he decides to create his own investment company. She received the name "NIKoil" and specialized in working with oil.
A little earlier, fate brings Nikolai Alexandrovich with Vagit Alekperov, president of the Lukoil oil concern. The latter really needed people who were well versed in matters of investment and business. So Tsvetkov’s company began to deal with investment and financial issues of Lukoil, and he himself headed the post of head of the concern’s securities department.
During his time at Lukoil, Tsvetkov gained wide popularity among domestic business. Oil companies wanted not only to make a profit, but also to invest profitably in development. That is why the services of NIKoil were in demand, the customer base was constantly expanding and over the course of several years included about 50 enterprises.
The development of Nikoil
Despite the successful cooperation with the Lukoil concern, Nikolai Tsvetkov realizes that his own business requires further development. He sees the path to success in the field of client money management. Therefore, in 1996, the entrepreneur decided to purchase a small commercial bank, Rodina. On its basis, creates a structure with a wide range of banking services: account maintenance, lending, insurance. The company has its own customer base, branches are opened in different parts of the country. In 1998, the structure was renamed the investment banking group NIKoil.
A proof of the successful work of the businessman was the awarding in 2000 the title of "Best Banker of the Year". In 2002, Nikolai Tsvetkov was also named the best manager. A photo of him is presented in the article.
The head of the financial corporation Uralsib Nikolai Tsvetkov
Tsvetkov was one of the first to cooperate with foreign clients, his company began to position itself as a reliable investment channel in Russia with an impeccable reputation.
In 2002, Nikolai Alexandrovich acquired Avtobank shares, whose branches totaled more than a hundred points of sale in different regions of the country. 2003 was marked by the largest purchase of the regional bank Uralsib.
As a result of the restructuring, which lasted more than one year, a rebranding of Tsvetkov’s business is underway, which gave a single name - Uralsib. In 2009, the entrepreneur’s personal fortune was estimated at 2 billion 300 million dollars. According to Forbes magazine, in 2011 Nikolai Tsvetkov was on the 27th position in the list of 200 richest businessmen of Russia. Uralsib FC had over 100 offices in 81 regions of the country.
Business development
The Russian businessman Nikolai Tsvetkov, in addition to managing Uralsib, was involved in a number of other commercial projects. After Putin signed the law “On the Turnover of Agricultural Land”, the businessman created the Land Agro-Industrial Corporation, called the “Znak”. He buys about 100 thousand hectares of land in different areas of the Moscow region and becomes the largest private landowner.
Tsvetkov was known as a co-owner of the Kopeika retail retail chain, as well as SportVentcher Moscow. For 8 years, the cost of Kopeyka has grown 10 times, later Tsvetkov was able to profitably sell it to X5 Retail Group, according to a signed agreement in London in 2010.
Porcelain factory acquisition
In 2002, the businessman acquired the Lomonosov Porcelain Factory, effectively saving him from the fate of the closure that befell many enterprises during the restructuring. The dilapidated equipment, the delay in salaries led to a reduction in production and the departure of the best craftsmen. A factory with a century and a half history, considered the historical heritage of Russia, fell into decline. In addition, he was threatened with privatization in the face of foreign investors.
The wife of businessman Galina Tsvetkova acquired 75% of the shares and became the chairman of the Supervisory Board of the enterprise. Now it is called the Imperial Porcelain Factory, it managed to regain its leading position in the market. Galina herself is a passionate lover and collector of porcelain. Apparently, it was not only the economic benefit that made her become the owner of the enterprise.
In 2012, a unique gallery-shop of products from Russian porcelain opened in Moscow. Items made at the Imperial Porcelain Factory were presented here. In addition to modern products, there were exact replicas of ancient services, which for over two centuries adorned the palaces of the Romanov dynasty.
Nikolai Tsvetkov: biography, family
Two daughters, Julia and Victoria, together with his wife Galina, are brought up by Nikolai Tsvetkov. His biography is a description of the path from a humble officer to a man with a billion fortune. However, this in no way affected the businessman’s family: he was never seen in the society of long-legged models. Marriage of an entrepreneur lasts more than 25 years, the wife in all matters supports her husband. Daughters are brought up in severity and are kept away from secular parties. The head of the family always tries to spend a day off with his family.
Galina Tsvetkova is the head of the corporate family club at Uralsib Corporation and organizes family evenings for employees. Daughter Victoria devoted herself to curating the father’s charity fund for helping orphans. Julia is the general director of the equestrian sports club of the Kremlin Riding School.
Charity
Charity is another area of activity that Nikolay Tsvetkov is actively involved in. His biography in this area is quite extensive: assistance to children from dysfunctional families, children with disabilities and orphans. The businessman became the founder of the Victoria Children's Fund, named after his daughter and formed in 2004.
In 2012, the Children's Village-SOS was opened in Vologda, created with charity funds from the foundation. It was funded not only the construction of the village, but also the support of the project in the first year of work. Such villages are an alternative to orphanages, a special form of family structure.
In 2014, the Children's Village in Armavir of the Krasnodar Territory was commissioned. The project cost amounted to 380 million rubles, individual cottages for 14 foster families opened their doors. Over 80 children have found parents and home comfort. Nikolai Aleksandrovich Tsvetkov took part in the grand opening of the Village. Uralsib, or rather, the employees of the corporation also did not stand aside: more than 5,000 thousand employees transferred part of the salary for construction.
Over the 10 years of operation, the Victoria Charity Relief Fund has been able to support more than 12,000 children in difficult situations. Various programs and projects of the fund covered almost 400 children's institutions from 47 regions of the country.
Interesting Facts
It is known that a wealthy billionaire never forgot about his recent past. Years of service in the armed forces - that is what Nikolai Tsvetkov always remembered. Uralsib, as part of its staff, had many former military personnel, including those who passed through Afghanistan.
The businessman has always advocated a healthy lifestyle, rewarded with prizes those who wanted to lose weight or quit bad habits. He even opened a number of stores selling organic products "Bio Market".
The entrepreneur is fond of Indian philosophy, yoga, composing songs. Sports, proper nutrition - that’s what Nikolai Tsvetkov tried to introduce into the corporation. The photos of the businessman speak for themselves - a smart and energetic person radiating powerful energy.
Difficulties of FC Uralsib
Since 2013, when the Central Bank began an active audit of the banking sector, FC Uralsib began a difficult period. As it turned out, the losses significantly exceeded the bank’s income. There was a need for additional capital injections. The Central Bank issued an order to reassess the assets and reserve about 17 billion rubles.
Information began to appear in the press about a possible revocation of the license or reorganization of the company. Tsvetkov began to seek funds to save the bank. Negotiations were conducted with potential investors: Alfa-Bank, Otkrytie FC, AFK Sistema, IFC Bank, BTB Group and several other organizations. However, the negotiations did not end there.
Trying to keep Uralsib afloat, Nikolai Tsvetkov began selling off assets. It became known that in August 2015 he made a deal to sell the land to the Znak company. Despite this, there was not enough money to create reserve capital. In the autumn of the same year, the Central Bank announced a reorganization and held an auction in which the businessman came out the winner. Vladimir Kogan, owner of the company "Neftegazindustriya".
Nikolai Aleksandrovich Tsvetkov retained 14% of the bank’s shares; the businessman’s personal fortune is currently estimated at $ 200 million. In addition, the entrepreneur owns:
- The company "Organic", producing organic dairy products under the brand name "It's Summer".
- The enterprise "Palisad", producing rolled lawns.
- Agricultural land - about 12,000 hectares.
- Imperial Porcelain Factory.
- Porcelain Deshoulieres plant in France.
- Wellness Corporation "Meta".
- 42% of shares in Azerbaijan Investment Company Nikoil.
Despite the fact that Nikolai Tsvetkov is unlikely to be able to return to the list of billionaires, he does not regret it. According to the businessman, you can always do teaching and research. Difficulties never frightened him, and vital optimism and industriousness always helped to achieve the implementation of any plans. Moreover, money as an end in itself never stood in the first place in the life of Tsvetkov Nikolai.
