Vagit Alekperov (Вагит Юсуфович Алекперов) was born on Sept. 1, 1950, in Baku, Azeri S.S.R.

Education: Azizbekov Institute of Oil and Chemistry, 1974. Ph.D., economics.

1968: Began working in the oil industry in Soviet Azerbaijan

1979: Sent, on Party orders, to West Siberia, where he worked for Surgutneftegaz and Bashneft

1987-1990: CEO of Kogalymneftegaz, a division of Glavtyumenneftegaz within the Soviet Oil and Gas Industry Ministry

1990-1991: Deputy, then first deputy oil and gas industry minister

1991: Helped merge three state-run West Siberian oil companies to form Langepasuraikogalymneft, the Soviet Union's first vertically integrated (exploration, refining and distribution were separate under the old Soviet system) state-owned energy company and a subsidiary of the Oil and Gas Industry Ministry.

1992-1993: President of Langepasuraikogalymneft

1993-2000: Chairman of the board of directors of LUKoil, successor to Langepasuraikogalymneft (Langepas-Urai-Kogalymneft)

1993-present: President of LUKoil. Alekperov is currently a member of the company's board of directors and chairman of its management committee.

1994: LUKoil became the first Russian company listed on the New York Stock Exchange

Member of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences.

Alekperov has a good relationship with the curator of the oil industry in Russia, Igor Sechin, as well as with Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

In March 2011, Forbes estimated his wealth at $13.9 billion, making him the 8th wealthiest person in Russia and the 50th wealthiest in the world.

Alekperov is married and has a son.