Vladimir Potanin
Metals & Mining

Vladimir Potanin Net Worth

Vladimir Potanin was born on January 03, 1961 in Moscow, Russia. He is an oligarch who acquired a stake in Norilsk Nickel during Russia's privatization in 1995, and today he owns 30%. He cofounded Onexim Bank in 1993, and has interests in insurance, media, agriculture, engineering, oil, pharmaceutical company Petrowax, and ski resort Rosa Hutor.
Vladimir Potanin is a member of Metals & Mining

Age, Biography and Wiki

Birth Day January 03, 1961
Birth Place Moscow, Russia, Russia
Age 62 YEARS OLD
Birth Sign Aquarius
Residence Moscow
Citizenship Russian
Alma mater Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO) with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Occupation Chairman of Interros
Spouse(s) Yekaterina Potanina
Awards Order "For Merit to the Fatherland" (4th class) Order of Alexander Nevsky
President Boris Yeltsin
Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin
Preceded by Oleg Lobov
Succeeded by Anatoly Chubais Boris Nemtsov
Website Interros website

💰 Net worth: $23.7 Billion (2024)

Vladimir Potanin, a prominent figure in the Russian Metals & Mining industry, is anticipated to possess an astounding net worth of $23.7 billion by 2024. As a seasoned entrepreneur and financier, he has made remarkable strides in his career and amassed substantial wealth through his involvement in various mining ventures. Known for his strategic investments and business acumen, Potanin has demonstrated remarkable resilience and adaptability in navigating the volatile economic landscape. With his vast fortune, he continues to influence the industry and contribute to Russia's thriving mining sector.

2009 $2.1 Billion
2010 $10.3 Billion
2011 $17.8 Billion
2012 $14.5 Billion
2013 $14.3 Billion
2014 $12.6 Billion
2015 $15.4 Billion
2016 $12.1 Billion
2017 $14.3 Billion
2018 $16.13 Billion

Biography/Timeline

1978

Potanin was born in Moscow, in the former USSR, into a high-ranking communist family. In 1978, he attended the faculty of the International economic relations at Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO), which groomed students for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Upon graduating MGIMO in 1983, he followed in his father's footsteps and went to work for the FTO "Soyuzpromexport" with the Ministry of Foreign trade of the Soviet Union.

1990

Potanin and his long-term Business partner Mikhail Prokhorov acquired Norilsk Nickel in the early 1990s under the “loans for shares” scheme, owning between them 54% of the firm. They streamlined operations and turned Norilsk Nickel into a modern corporation.

1995

In 1995, Potanin was instrumental in the creation of the “loans for shares” auctions that became a fundamental pillar of Russia’s post-Soviet economic reform. The auctions allowed the selling-off of Russian firms’ assets at below market prices and are regarded as the founding moment of Russia’s oligarchy. According to the New York Times, the auctions plan is “Regarded today almost universally as an act of colossal criminality.”

1996

From 14 August 1996 until 17 March 1997 he worked as First Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation. Since August 1998, Potanin has held the positions of both President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Interros Company.

2003

In April 2003, Potanin was elected Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the State Hermitage, the most renowned Russian art museum.

2005

Between 2005 and 2010 Potanin invested $500,000 in starting a leopard breading initiative in the valley. In 2015 he asked Putin to allow for permits to double the size of the ski resort, an expansion that will threaten the leopard program he contributed to.

2007

In 2007, Potanin split with Prokhorov, citing Prokhorov’s brief detention by French police over soliciting prostitution as the reason and announced the intent to acquire Prokhorov’s Norilsk Nickel assets for a reported $1 billion. Prokhorov offered to sell his 25 percent stake for $15 billion. However, Potanin refused the deal and it never came to pass.

2008

In 2008, Deripaska reached an agreement with Prokhorov for the acquisition of his Norilsk Nickel stake, against Potanin’s wishes. In return, Prokhorov acquired 14 percent of RUSAL.

2009

In March 2009, he sued former Business partner Mikhail Prokhorov for $29 million over a property disagreement in Moscow.

2012

This sparked an ownership conflict between Deripaska and Potanin that was halted in 2012, when Roman Abramovich stepped in as a peacemaker by acquiring 6.5 percent of Norilsk and thereby maintaining the balance of power between Deripaska and Potanin. The truce also barred the parties to sell or acquire new stakes. The deal made Potanin CEO of the company, as he owned roughly 30 percent of Norilsk, about 2 percent more than Deripaska.

2014

Vladmir Potanin's first marriage was to Natalia Potanina, with whom he has three children. In 2014, Potanin got married a second time, to Ekaterina. Potanin is fluent in Russian, English, and French.

2015

The claim was preceded by a smaller claim of $7 billion in 2015, after Potanin had offered a divorce settlement including a monthly allowance of $250,000 as well as real estate in Moscow, London and New York. The claim was struck down in 2016. Natalia argued that Russian law demands that wealth accumulated during a marriage is split evenly between the divorcees.

2016

In 2016, Natalia Potanina filed a $15 billion lawsuit claiming profits of Norilsk Nickel as well as Interros International, in what would have been the world’s largest divorce settlement. A Moscow district court rejected her claim in July 2017, arguing that the lawsuit’s limitation period had expired.

2017

During a meeting with Putin in January 2017, Potanin promised to solve environmental problems by 2023 through the modernization of capacities. Briefing Putin on Norilsk Nickel’s development and performance, Potanin promised to invest $17 billion over a seven-year period on measures to modernize the company’s facilities and reduce pollution from its operations. Potanin said that the company planned to reduce its emissions by 75% as part of its long-term development programme through 2023. In the Norilsk area, emissions were reduced by 30-35% in 2017 alone, according to company data.[2] However, another $2 billion environmental clean-up project is supposedly still outstanding.

2018

In February 2018, Potanin offered to buy 4 percent of Abramovich’s stake. A provisional acquisition agreement was reached in March for Potanin to buy a 2 percent stake in Norilsk from Abramovich. The purchase is not yet officially approved, pending a court ruling in May that will decide whether the acquisition is breaching the 2012 stakeholder agreement. If the purchase is approved, Potanin would own 32.9 percent of Norilsk against Deripaska’s 27.8 percent.

2019

Following Potanin’s complaint about a cost overrun of at least $530 million during the construction of hotels and chalets in Sochi and the Rosa Khutor ski resort (as required by the International Olympic Committee), Potanin sought compensation from the Russian government for the extra costs incurred.

Some Vladimir Potanin images

About the author

Lisa Scholfield

As a Senior Writer at Famous Net Worth, I spearhead an exceptional team dedicated to uncovering and sharing the stories of pioneering individuals. My passion for unearthing untold narratives drives me to delve deep into the essence of each subject, bringing forth a unique blend of factual accuracy and narrative allure. In orchestrating the editorial workflow, I am deeply involved in every step—from initial research to the final touches of publishing, ensuring each biography not only informs but also engages and inspires our readership.