Vladimir Potanin

Vladimir Olegovich Potanin (Russian: Владимир Олегович Потанин, scientific transliteration Vladimir Olegovič Potanin, born January 3, 1961 in Moscow) was the inventor of the "Equity for Loans Program" and the years 1996 and 1997, Vice - Prime Minister of the Russian government. In this role he was responsible for financial issues. In a few years Potanin was promoted from officer to six times a billionaire. He is among the Russian oligarchs who are neither in prison nor were driven into exile, but still included in the Russian political system.

He is chairman of the Interros holding company. For early 2007, its assets amounted to 13.5 billion U.S. dollars. A 2008 published list of finansmag.ru estimated his fortune at 21.5 billion U.S. dollars. In 2009, the crash in the global ranking of billionaires took place. With only 2.1 billion U.S. dollars, according to Forbes he lands at No. 318

Career

Potanin graduated from the Moscow State Institute of International Relations and worked in the Soviet Ministry of Commerce. He was head of the International Bank for Economic Cooperation and in the 1990s he founded the President Oneximbank and the holding company Interros. Potanin entertained in this context close relations with the Russian government and presented on 30 March 1995 at a government meeting the notorious "loans - for - shares program " before. The program envisaged to lend to banks, shares in state-owned large commodity companies by auction. The banks would put the state in return concessional loans in the amount of the auction value available. After a period ( October 1996), the shares should then be reclaimed by the government against repayment of the loan or pass into the possession of the bank.

Settlement of the loans - for - shares program and changes in the private sector

For Potanin the months were particularly profitable as deputy prime minister in 1996 and 1997: For a relatively low loan of 171 million U.S. dollars, only 100,000 U.S. dollars over the minimum set, he had received as a deposit 38 percent of the metal combine Norilsk Nickel. The state did not pay back the loan, and Potanin was the share package. Also, shares of oil company Sidanko could secure Oneximbank far below the actual value of the company. Potanin then moved up to the board of Sidanko.

He is also president of the financial holding Interros, President of the International Finance Corporation, a member of the Supervisory Board of the Group Svyazinvest in 2002 and received the medal of honor of the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation " For charity and mercy."

Since November 2005 he has been member of the Russian " Public Chamber " and there since 2006 Chairman of the Commission on issues of development of charity, compassion and volunteerism.

Foundation

Potanin funded jointly with his Interros Holding the work of Vladmir - Potanin Foundation. The Foundation was founded in 1999 supports projects in education, culture and grants scholarships to gifted students.