Usmanov Tops List of Russia's Richest Businessmen

By The Moscow Times

April 17, 2014

Alisher Usmanov Andrei Makhonin / Vedomosti

Alisher Usmanov has retained the title of Russia's richest businessman for the third year running, according to a Forbes ranking published Thursday.

Usmanov increased his wealth by $1 billion last year to $18.6 billion through successful investments in iron ore and steel firm Metalloinvest, mobile phone operator MegaFon, internet firm Mail.ru and the social network Facebook.

Andrei Makhonin / Vedomosti

Mikhail Fridman

Mikhail Fridman, founding owner of Alfa Group, ranks second, having increased his fortune by $1.1 billion to $17.6 billion.

He is followed by the founder and owner of oil-to-telecoms Renova Group Viktor Vekselberg with $17.2 billion. He increased his net worth by $2.1 billion last year and moved to the third place on the list from fourth.

Majority shareholder of Novolipetsk steel giant Vladimir Lisin, with 84 percent, rose to fourth place from eighth this year after his wealth grew by $2.5 billion to $16.6 billion.

Wikicommons

Viktor Vekselberg

Oil and gas magnate Leonid Mikhelson gained $200 million and ranks sixth with $15.6 billion.

LUKoil majority shareholder Vagit Alekperov ranks seventh with $13.6 billion, after losing $1.2 billion, while co-owner of Russia's top nickel producer Norilsk Nickel Vladimir Potanin lost $1.7 billion last year and ranks eighth with $12.6 billion. Main owner of EuroChem mineral fertilizer producer Andrei Melnichenko lost $3 billion and ranks ninth with $11.3 billion.

German Khan, co-owner of mobile operator VimpelCom, X5 Retail Group and Alfa Bank, ranked 10th with $11.3 billion after increasing his net worth by $800 million.

Vladimir Filonov / MT

Mikhail Prokhorov

Next on the Forbes list is Mikhail Prokhorov, a shareholder in top aluminum producer Rusal, potash fertilizer producer Uralkali and owner of U.S. basketball team the Brooklyn Nets, who topped the list in 2009 after selling his stake in Norilsk Nickel to Rusal, left the top 10 after losing $2.1 billion last year, bringing his fortune down to $10.9 billion.

Alexei Mordashov, main owner of Severstal steel producer, followed Prokhorov after his fortune shrank by $2.3 billion to $10.5 billion.

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