Family

Born into a prosperous Soviet family: Father is a policeman, worked in the criminal investigation department; mother was an accountant at Sberbank. The older brother is a doctor. My sister is a teacher of Russian language and literature.

Wife Firuza Nazimovna Khanbalaeva (b. 1968) classmate at the Faculty of Economics of DSU named after. V.I. Lenin.

Three children: daughter Gulnara (1990), son Abusaid (1995) - MGIMO student, daughter Aminat (2003).

Biography

In his youth, Kerimov practiced judo and kettlebell lifting, was a champion of various competitions.

After graduating with honors from secondary school No. 19 in Derbent in 1983, he entered the Faculty of Construction Dagestan Polytechnic Institute. After the first course he was drafted into the army. In 1984-1986 he served in the missile forces strategic purpose in Moscow, senior sergeant as crew chief.

After returning from the army, Suleiman Kerimov transferred to the Faculty of Economics of the Dagestan State University, from which he graduated in 1989. He was deputy chairman of the university trade union committee.

While still a student, Suleiman married fellow student Firuza. Wife's father, major party functionary Nazim Khanbalaev, helped him get a job as an economist at the Eltav plant.

From 1989 to 1995, Kerimov made major steps in his career, moving from an ordinary economist to assistant general director for economic issues.

In 1993, in order to conduct mutual settlements with consumers, Eltav and its associates established the Federal Industrial Bank and registered it in Moscow. Suleiman was sent there to represent the interests of Eltava. Since then, Kerimov has settled in Moscow.

In 1995, Kerimov accepted an offer to become deputy general director of the company "Soyuz-finance". This Moscow company worked in the domestic aviation business, raw materials industries and the banking sector.

In April 1997, he began working as a research assistant at "International Institute of Corporations"(Moscow), and in February 1999 he became vice-president of this autonomous non-profit organization.

It was in the 1990s that Kerimov earned his initial capital. In October 1998, Kerimov acquired 55 percent of the shares of the investment company for $50 million OJSC "Nafta-Moscow"(traded oil and petroleum products, was created on the basis of the Soyuznefteexport association) under its leadership, within a year he increased his share in the company to 100 percent and became the owner of the company.

In December 1999 he was elected deputy State Duma RF.

Having become a deputy, Karimov still had full control of his company, and the source of Kerimov’s capital was the purchase of assets. During that period, according to media reports, a business alliance was formed between Kerimov and, and later business relations were established with.

In 2000, Nafta-Moscow bought the company "Varyoganneftegaz". In 2001, Kerimov, together with the structures of Abramovich and Deripaska, received a share in the business Andreeva, consisting of more than a hundred companies. It is interesting that Kerimov’s company, which was once one of the largest oil traders in Russia, moved away from its original activities and in 2002 practically curtailed oil trading.

At the end of 2003, Nafta began buying land in the Moscow region on Novorizhskoye Highway in order to build 2.7 million square meters luxury housing and entertainment complexes. The cost of the project was estimated at $3 billion. The project was called a private city "Rublevo-Arkhangelskoe". By 2006, it already occupied 430 hectares of land. However, later Kerimov sold the project to the president of Bin-Bank Mikhail Shishkhanov.

At the end of 2005, Nafta bought "Polymetal", Russia's second gold mining company, and planned to list about 25 percent of its shares on the stock exchange. In February 2006, Kerimov decided to turn Nafta-Moscow into a full-fledged investment company, turning it into a leading private equity fund.

By 2006, Nafta, according to official data, owned more than 6 percent of the shares Sberbank(about $1.6 billion at current prices) and more than 4 percent of the shares "Gazprom"($10.4 billion), cable television operators in Moscow and St. Petersburg - "Mosteleset"(Nafta owns 59 percent of the company’s shares) and "National Cable Networks", almost 20 percent of shares Bin-bank, two percent shares OJSC MGTS and 91 percent of the shares of the Krasnopresnensky sugar refinery (in August 2006, shares of the plant, bought by Nafta from two rival companies, were sold to the PIK group (according to media reports, Kerimov made money on resale). In addition, the company owned 50 percent of the shares of the network supermarkets "Mercado".

By that time, resale transactions, including in the real estate market, had become Kerimov’s main “trick”. In April 2006, Nafta became a co-owner Mosstroyeconombank, which belongs to "Smolensky Passage", in June gained control of SPK "Development", combining three construction companies, and in July notified the mayor’s office that she owned 17 percent of the holding’s shares "Mospromstroy". None of these acquisitions later remained with Nafta: Development was bought up "Basic element" Deripaska, "Mospromstroy" And Mosstroyeconombank- group "BIN".

In July, Kerimov, together with Deripaska and Abramovich, acquired a stake in the state oil company "Rosneft"(which, at the end of 2004, bought the former subsidiary of Yukos Oil Company - Yuganskneftegaz). And in August 2006, reports appeared in the press that Nafta-Moscow intended to buy out the debts of NK "YUKOS". It was alleged that Kerimov negotiated such a possibility with the president of Yukos. Stephen Theede. Later, the Nafta press service officially denied these reports.

On November 21, 2006, the Nafta company and the Moscow government announced the creation OJSC "United Hotel Company" (authorized capital– $2 billion), to which the shares of more than 20 hotels on the city’s balance sheet (including Balchug, Metropol, National and Radisson-Slavyanskaya) were transferred. It was assumed that participation in the project would make Nafta one of the leaders in the Moscow hotel market.

In June 2008, the Kommersant newspaper reported that structures controlled by Kerimov sold large blocks of shares belonging to them "Gazprom" And Sberbank. The share price at the beginning of the year was $15.37 and $5.4 billion, respectively.

The newspaper also reported that Kerimov’s structures have sold or are negotiating the sale of other Russian assets of the businessman - the company Metronom AG, the operator of the Mercado supermarket chain (sold to X5 Retail Group in the fall of 2007 for $200 million), National Telecommunications (the acquirer was called the National Media Group, the main shareholder of which was Rossiya Bank Yuri Kovalchuk) and shares in the Polymetal company (the founder of the ICT group was mentioned as acquirers Alexander Nesis, as well as a Russian financier and structures of the Czech PPF fund). After the sale of land, telecommunications, metallurgical and other assets, according to the publication, the businessman should have virtually no investments left in Russia.

It was also reported that Kerimov would invest the funds freed up as a result of the sale of Russian assets in foreign financial institutions (according to the newspaper, at that time he had already acquired about 3 percent of the shares Deutsche Bank, as well as papers Morgan Stanley, Credit Suisse, UBS).

However, in February 2009, information about Kerimov’s acquisitions in Russia was published. It was reported that his Nafta-Moscow became the owner of 75 percent "Glavstroy SPb"- a company that in St. Petersburg owns development projects of the Glavstroy corporation (the construction division of Deripaska's Basic Element).

In the same month it became known that the Moscow government had offered Nafta-Moscow a controlling stake JSC "Dekmos", who was involved in the construction of the Moscow Hotel. However, Nafta-Moscow gained partial control over Dekmos OJSC only in January 2010, when it acquired 50 percent of the shares of Konk Select Partners, a company that owned 51 percent of Dekmos OJSC shares.

In August 2009, the financial director of Nafta Co. confirmed the information that Nafta Co. owns almost 100 percent CJSC "Trading House TSVUM". He added that the deal was closed in the fall of 2008. The amount was not mentioned, but Vedomosti's source reported that the department store cost Kerimov's company approximately $300 million - with the condition that it would enter the project only after the reconstruction of Voentorg was completed.

In March 2009, Kommersant reported that the owner of the Interros holding was selling 22 percent of the shares to Kerimov’s structures OJSC "Polyus Gold". It was assumed that Kerimov acquired these assets “for a certain period of time for further resale.” In June, the leadership of the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) announced that the purchase of a stake in Polyus Gold by Kerimov's company was approved by the government commission on foreign investment.

In July 2009, when Polyus Gold revealed its ownership structure, it became known that Kerimov is the beneficiary of 36.88 percent of the company's shares: it was reported that he controls this stake through Wandle Holdings Limited. Despite the fact that 24.59 percent of the shares from this package were sold under a repo transaction, Kerimov retained the right to vote on it.

In February 2010, the Polyus Gold company, which Kerimov owned together with, acquired 11.4 percent of the shares of RBC Information Systems OJSC, the parent company of the RBC media holding. In April of the same year, Kerimov, having bought 19.71 percent of the shares, became one of the co-owners of the bank "International Financial Club"(MFK), part of the Onexim group owned by Prokhorov.

In April 2013, Kerimov transferred beneficial rights to his business assets to the Suleyman Kerimov Foundation.

In the fall of 2013, after a scandal between "Uralkaliem" And "Belaruskaliem", Kerimov began to sell assets. The scandal broke out when the Russian company refused to sell potash through a trading joint venture with Belaruskali. After that, the general director of Uralkali Vladislav Baumgertner and Kerimov himself, criminal cases were opened in Belarus.

This story has acquired political implications, the President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko stated that he would not work with Kerimov. As a result, the oligarch sold his officially 21.75% (and unofficially 27%) shares. Also last year, Kerimov’s structures sold about 1% of Alrosa with a market value of $40.8 million.

In December 2014, a meeting of the President took place V.Putin with 40 of the largest Russian entrepreneurs, among whom was Suleiman Kerimov. At the meeting, they discussed, in particular, the amnesty of capital.

At the beginning of September 2015, the twenty-year-old son famous businessman Suleiman Kerimov, Said Kerimov, got full control over Wandle Holdings, which owns 40.2% of the shares Polyus Gold. At the same time, it became known that Wandle Holdings was considering the possibility of purchasing all shares of Polyus Gold that it did not own. If the deal is concluded, the price per share could be $2.97. The authorized capital of Polyus Gold consists of 3.0322 billion shares.

Polyus Gold is an international company engaged in gold mining and production in Russia. Headquarters The company is located in London. Polyus Gold shares are traded in the premium segment London Stock Exchange.

At the end of September 2015, construction of the largest mosque in Europe was completed in Moscow. According to media reports, Kerimov took on the main financial burden in its construction.

Political activity

He was a deputy of the third convocation (2000-2003) on the federal list from Blok Zhirinovsky.

In 2003, Kerimov played a prominent role in political processes in Dagestan. On December 7 of this year, in the elections to the State Duma in the Buinaksky single-mandate constituency of the republic, a former high-ranking tax police officer won a convincing victory over a candidate supported by the official Makhachkala Magomed Gadzhiev, considered a person close to Kerimov.

Before the cancellation of the national elections of the heads of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation, it was assumed that it would be Kerimov who would promote a candidate in opposition to the then leader of this republic for the presidency of Dagestan Magomedali Magomedov. Subsequently, Kerimov’s visible political activity in his homeland began to decline.

On December 7, 2003, Kerimov was again elected to the State Duma and again from the federal list. Appointed Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on physical culture and sports, and is also included in the safety committee.

On April 6, 2007, it became known that Kerimov wrote a statement about leaving the LDPR faction. As a representative of the State Duma Committee on Regulations stated, Kerimov did not justify his decision in any way. , told reporters that the reason for his departure from the faction was a gross violation of party discipline: the deputy allegedly did not take proper part in election campaigns in your region.

In December 2007, Kerimov was elected as a representative of the People's Assembly of Dagestan in the Federation Council. His candidacy was supported by all 56 deputies present at the meeting of the republican parliament. The speaker of the Dagestan parliament proposed electing Kerimov Magomed Suleymanov.

According to him, Kerimov is a fairly well-known politician who provides support to Dagestan, especially to the republic’s athletes. On February 20, 2008, Kerimov became a senator.

In March 2011, Kerimov was elected as a deputy of the People's Assembly of Dagestan on the list of United Russia and was again confirmed as the representative of Dagestan in the Federation Council of the Russian Federation.

Suleiman Abusaidovich heads the Board of Trustees of the Russian Wrestling Federation.

Since January 2011, Suleiman Kerimov has been the owner football club"Anzhi" from Makhachkala.

State

Possessing personal wealth $7.8 billion USA, in 2011 he took 19th place in the list of the 200 richest businessmen in Russia (according to Forbes magazine).

In 2012, with a declared family income of 983 million rubles, he took 8th place in the ranking of income of Russian officials compiled by Forbes magazine.

Scandals

At the end of November 2006, I was in a serious accident in Nice: a car Ferrari Enzo, driven by Kerimov, for an unknown reason drove off the road and crashed into a tree; burning gasoline spilled from the burst fuel tank of the car onto Kerimov’s back. Kerimov ran out, engulfed in flames and rolled on the ground, trying to put out the fire; this was only possible after three teenagers who were playing baseball nearby ran up to him.

The helicopter took Kerimov with severe burns to a specialized department of the Conception hospital in Marseille, where he was connected to a ventilator. The victim was in a state of artificial coma. At the same time, Kerimov’s companion, a famous TV presenter, was practically unharmed.

year 2014. Russian authorities pay special attention to Russian entrepreneurs who have their own business in Ukraine and cooperate with Ukrainian oligarchs who support "EuroMaidan". Suleiman Kerimov continues to conduct his business with the Ukrainian oligarch Victor Pinchuk, one of the sponsors of the Maidan.

On May 12, 2014 it became known that the state "Rostelecom" may be purchased by private Wimax operator Freshtel. It is known that the real owners of Freshtel are considered to be the structures of Suleiman Kerimov and Ukrainian billionaire Viktor Pinchuk.

That is, thanks to Kerimov’s influence, part of the Russian budget money, since Rostelecom is owned by the state, can be received by a Ukrainian oligarch who supports EuroMaidan and the current government of Ukraine.

Kerimov, according to experts, was the main culprit in the conflict between Russia and Belarus over the supply of potassium by a Russian company "Uralkali", which Kerimov almost destroyed.

Attempts to manage an international company using methods inherited from the semi-gangster 90s caused a quarrel between Kerimov and almost all his partners and significantly eroded his client base. This was the beginning of the end - the company began to slowly but surely lose its position.

As a result, Kerimov fell out with Lukashenko when Uralkali left the tandem with the Belarusian potassium producer, which led to political disputes between Russia and Belarus. Wherein "Belaruskali" after breaking the agreement with Uralkali, I found a Qatari trader for export supplies. That is, a split was introduced in an important area economic space Customs Union , now transformed into Eurasian Union.

This conflict spread to the political plane, since the Kremlin believed that it was Kerimov who was to blame for the deterioration of relations between Moscow and Minsk. As a result, Kerimov was forced to sell Uralkali, however, according to rumors, he was forgiven top level“It never happened. In Belarus, a criminal case was opened against S. Kermov.

As soon as economic activity Kerimova went against state policy, and legal claims immediately arose against the businessman. On June 10, 2014, journalists, citing a source close to Suleiman Kerimov, reported that the oligarch intended to leave Russia.

The authoritative Forbes magazine conducted its own journalistic investigation regarding the emergence of capital from Kerimov and found out: at the end of 2004, the owner of Nafta, Kerimov, entered into big game- buying up Russian blue chips, primarily Gazprom and Sberbank.

The purchase was carried out first with our own funds, then with borrowed funds. The Russian stock market was constantly growing, so the scheme was a win-win. Kerimov pledged shares against a bank loan, the value of the collateral grew, which made it possible to take out new loans, buy more shares, pledge them, etc.

By 2006, Kerimov had collected 4.25% of Gazprom shares and 5.64% of Sberbank shares. During 2004–2006, the capitalization of Gazprom grew fourfold, and that of Sberbank almost 12-fold. Having borrowed about $3.2 billion to purchase shares, Kerimov became the owner of securities, which by the end of 2006 were worth more than $15 billion and continued to grow.

With loans from Sberbank, Kerimov bought most of his numerous assets: from a controlling stake in Polymetal to shares in Gazprom and Sberbank itself. In those years, the bank approved flawed schemes under which it issued loans for the purchase of its shares on the security of its own shares - under this scheme, Sber worked not only with Kerimov, but also with Vadim Moshkovich And Filaret Galchev.

But just for the sake of Kerimov, Sberbank violated one of the strictest rules by exceeding the loan limit (the bank can issue loans to one borrower in the amount of no more than 25% of its capital).

By May 2005, Nafta Moscow had practically chosen this limit, and another company of Kerimov began taking loans from Sberbank, JSC "New Project". And the bank “decided” that these companies were not related to each other. By the end of the year, the limit for the second company was also exhausted: the loan debt of Nafta Moscow amounted to 54.6 billion rubles, New Project - 59.8 billion rubles, this is 21.5% and 23.5% (in total 45% ) from the capital of Sberbank at that time.

By mid-October 2007, when it became clear that Sberbank would be headed, Kerimov managed to pay off almost all debts to Sber - more than $4 billion. By that time, investments had brought Kerimov hundreds of percent of profit.

However, according to rumors, with the arrival of Gref at Sberbank, Kerimov’s cooperation with Sberbank only intensified. However, Gref’s contract expires in 2015, which means that Sberbank will soon be headed by a new top manager.

It seems that Kerimov understands that after Gref’s resignation, the security forces will check the validity of lending to his (Kerimov’s) structures in Sberbank. Apparently, this is why he decided to flee Russia in advance, in order to avoid the expected arrest.

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Kerimov Suleiman Abusaidovich

Kerimov Suleiman Abusaidovich, born March 12, 1966, native of Derbent, Dagestan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. Lezgin by nationality. Member of the Federation Council from the Republic of Dagestan. United Russia Party.

Biography

Kerimov Suleiman Abusaidovich, born March 12, 1966, native of Derbent, Dagestan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. Lezgin by nationality.

Currently, Kerimov's fortune is estimated at about $7.5 billion. He is one of the twenty richest businessmen in Russia according to Forbes magazine.

08/29/2013 investigative committee The Republic of Belarus announced that it was ready to initiate a criminal case against Kerimov.

On April 6, 2018, US sanctions were imposed against S. A. Kerimov.

Relatives. Wife: Firuza Nazimovna Kerimova (maiden name Khanbalaeva), born October 22, 1967, housewife. He is the beneficiary of FC-Capital CJSC, which owns 99.5% of the shares of Nafta-Moscow OJSC.

Son: Kerimov Said Suleymanovich, born on July 6, 1995, third-year student at the International Institute of Energy Policy and Diplomacy MGIMO, specializing in International Business and Business Administration. At the end of 2014, he acquired Russia's largest cinema chain, Cinema Park, from Vladimir Potanin for $300 million. In April 2015, it became known that the owner of 40.22% of Polyus Gold is not only the Suleyman Kerimov Foundation, but also Said Kerimov personally.

State. Income in 2014. RUB 109,624,689.02 Spouse: RUB 908,228.04 Real estate Apartment, 37.8 sq. m (in use) Spouse: Apartment, 54 sq. m, shared ownership 1/3 Child: Apartment, 54 sq. m. m (in use) Vehicles Passenger car, Mercedes-Benz S-class Spouse: Passenger car, BMW 7 series Spouse: Passenger car, BMW 7 series Spouse: Passenger car, Mercedes-Benz S-class FORBES magazine assessed Kerimov's condition at 3 .4 billion US dollars (April 2015). In 2014, Kerimov’s fortune was estimated at $6.9 billion.

Hobbies. Cars, auto racing, football.

Education

• After graduating with honors from secondary school No. 19 in Derbent in 1983, he entered the Faculty of Construction Dagestan Polytechnic Institute.

• After the first course he was drafted into the army. In 1984-1986 he served in the Strategic Missile Forces in Moscow, senior sergeant as crew chief.

• After returning from the army, Suleiman Kerimov transferred to the Faculty of Economics of the Dagestan State University, from which he graduated in 1989. He was deputy chairman of the university trade union committee.

Labor activity

After graduating from university, he worked at the Eltav plant (Makhachkala), where he worked his way up from economist to assistant general director for economic issues.

• In 1995, he became deputy general director of the Soyuz-Finance company (Moscow).

• In 1997, he became a research fellow, and in 1999, vice-president of the ANO International Institute of Corporations.

• At the same time, he was engaged in business, purchasing in 1998 a 55% stake in the oil trader Nafta-Moscow for $50 million. He subsequently acquired 100% of the shares of this company.

• From 1999 to 2007, Kerimov was a deputy of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, first from the Liberal Democratic Party, and since 2007 from the United Russia party.

• In 2007, he became a member of the Federation Council of the Federation Council of the Russian Federation from the Republic of Dagestan.

• Continuing to do business, in 2005 Kerimov acquired Mosstroyeconombank and the Polymetal company.

• Since 2011, he has been the owner of the Anzhi football club in Makhachkala.

• He also owns 25% of the shares of OJSC Uralkali. In April 2013, he transferred the rights to his assets to a charitable foundation.

Connections/Partners

Abramovich Roman Arkadievich, born October 24, 1966, entrepreneur. In 2001, he was Kerimov’s ally in obtaining a share in Andrei Andreev’s business (Avtobank, Ingosstrakh, NOSTA). Currently they continue to maintain contact.

Baturina Elena Nikolaevna, born 03/08/1963, entrepreneur. Wife of former Moscow mayor Yuri Luzhkov. Kerimov previously collaborated with her on a number of development projects in Moscow, but their relationship subsequently deteriorated.

Gutseriev Mikhail Safarbekovich, born 03/09/1958, entrepreneur. They collaborated closely in the early 2000s, especially in the acquisition of Mosstroyeconombank.

Deripaska Oleg Vladimirovich, born on January 2, 1968, entrepreneur, owner of the Basic Element Group of Companies. We've known each other since the 1990s. They collaborated in the acquisition of Nafta Moscow and the Varyeganneftegaz company in 2000, as a result of which Kerimov received 70% of the shares of this company.

Kandelaki Tinatin Givievna, born November 10, 1975, TV presenter, journalist. They were in a love affair, as a result of which Kandelaki separated from her husband Andrei Kondrakhin. Together in 2006, they had a serious accident in Nice, as a result of which Kerimov was hospitalized in serious condition.

Matvienko Sergey Vladimirovich, born 05/05/1973, entrepreneur. Son of the Chairman of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Valentina Matvienko. Kerimov worked closely with him in the implementation of development projects in St. Petersburg.

Khanbalaev Nazim Igamutdinovich, born on September 25, 1939, General Director of Dagagrokomplekt LLC. Kerimov's father-in-law. “Supervised” his son-in-law’s career at the initial stage, helped him move to Moscow.

Amirov Said Japarovich, born 03/05/1954, native of the village. Dzhangamakhi, Levashinsky district, Dagestan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. Former mayor of Makhachkala. On June 1, 2013, he was detained on suspicion of involvement in criminal group, which is responsible for drug trafficking and numerous murders of law enforcement officers. He repeatedly contacted Kerimov as part of attracting the wealthy Dagestani community to participate in the “organization of life” of the local elite.

To information

On the night of November 21, 2017, Kerimov was detained at Nice airport. Nice prosecutor Jean-Michel Pretre said that the senator was detained in a case of possible laundering of funds fraudulently withdrawn from taxation. The subject of the investigation was the acquisition of several villas on the French Riviera through fictitious companies in order to reduce taxes. Kerimov’s representative said that no charges had been brought against him, and the senator himself was confident of his innocence. In 2005, information appeared in the media about the proposed construction of a “city for millionaires” near Moscow, in which 30,000 wealthy residents of Russia were supposed to live, the idea of ​​which belonged to Kerimov. However, he later sold the project to the president of Bin-Bank Mikail Shishkhanov. At the end of November 2006, he had a serious accident in Nice: a Ferrari Enzo, driven by Kerimov, for an unknown reason drove off the road and crashed into a tree. As a result of a collision with a tree, burning gasoline spilled from the car’s burst fuel tank onto Kerimov’s back. According to eyewitnesses, Kerimov ran out, engulfed in flames, and rolled on the ground, trying to put out the fire; this was only possible after three teenagers who were playing baseball nearby ran up to him. As a result of a huge traffic jam that formed at the scene of the accident, the entrance to Nice was blocked for about two hours. The helicopter took Kerimov with severe burns to a specialized department of the Conception hospital in Marseille, where he was connected to a ventilator. The victim was in a state of artificial coma. At the same time, Kerimov’s companion, a famous TV presenter Tina Kandelaki, was practically unharmed. The Ferrari, worth around €675,000, was sent to the scrapyard. On September 2, 2013, the Investigative Committee of Belarus announced the involvement of Kerimov as a defendant in organizing abuse of power and official authority (clause 4 of article 16 and part 3 of article 424 of the Criminal Code of Belarus). On the evening of September 2, Interpol accepted the application of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Belarus and put Suleiman Kerimov on the international wanted list.

Member of the Federation Council from the Republic of Dagestan. In the past, he was a deputy of the State Duma of the Russian Federation of the fourth convocation, a member of the United Russia faction (until April 2007, a member of the LDPR faction). Owner of the Nafta-Moscow company. According to media reports, one of richest people Russia.

Suleiman Abusaidovich Kerimov was born on March 12, 1966 in Derbent (Dagestan). Graduated in 1983 high school(with a gold medal) and entered the construction department of the Dagestan Polytechnic Institute. After the first year, he was drafted into the army (deferment for full-time university students was then cancelled). In 1984-1986 he served in the Strategic Missile Forces. He received the rank of senior sergeant and was the head of the Strategic Missile Forces crew. In the army I did a lot of sports - I became the champion of the division in kettlebell lifting.

Returning from the army in 1986, Kerimov transferred to the Faculty of Economics of the Dagestan State University (DSU). During his studies, he was deputy chairman of the university trade union committee. In 1989 he graduated from university, receiving a diploma in "Accounting and Analysis" economic activity", and went to work at the Eltav plant of the Ministry of Electronic Industry - one of the best enterprises in the defense industry. He worked at the plant until 1995, rising from an ordinary economist to assistant general director for economic issues.

In 1995, thanks to the established circle of acquaintances among Moscow businessmen and officials, Kerimov received an offer to become deputy general director of the Soyuz-Finance company. This Moscow company worked in the domestic aviation business, raw materials industries and the banking sector. Kerimov accepted the offer.

In April 1997, Kerimov became a researcher at the International Institute of Corporations (Moscow), and in February 1999 he was appointed vice president of this non-profit organization.

It was in the 1990s that Kerimov, according to media reports, earned his initial capital. In October 1998, for $50 million, Kerimov acquired 55 percent of the shares of the investment company OJSC Nafta-Moscow (traded oil and petroleum products, was created on the basis of the Soyuznefteexport association) from its management, and within a year increased his stake in the company to 100 percent] and so became the owner of the company.

In December 1999, Kerimov was dismissed from the post of vice-president of the International Institute of Corporations in connection with his election as a deputy of the State Duma Federal Assembly Russian Federation(passed into the Duma of the third convocation on the federal list from the Zhirinovsky Bloc).

Having become a deputy, Karimov did not retire. According to his friends, he still had full control of his company, and the source of Kerimov’s capital was the purchase of assets. At that time, according to media reports, a “soft” (without affiliated structures) business alliance developed between Kerimov and Roman Abramovich, and later business relations were established with the owner of Basic Element, Oleg Deripaska (according to some reports, the alliance existed by November 2006).

In 2000, Nafta-Moscow bought the Varyeganneftegaz company. In 2001, Kerimov, together with the structures of Abramovich and Deripaska, received a share in the business of Andrei Andreev, which consisted of more than a hundred companies: Avtobank (by 2006 it became part of the Uralsib corporation), Ingosstrakh, Ingosstrakh-Russia Insurance Company (now Russia"), Ingosstrakh-Soyuz Bank (now Soyuz), Nosta and others. At the same time, Kerimov’s company, which was once one of the largest oil traders in Russia, moved further and further from its original activities and in 2002 practically curtailed oil trading.

On December 7, 2003, Kerimov was re-elected to the State Duma. He entered the Duma of the fourth convocation on the federal list from the LDPR. The deputy was appointed deputy chairman of the State Duma Committee on Physical Culture and Sports, and was also included in the security committee.

At the end of 2003 and in 2004, Nafta began buying land in the Moscow region on Novorizhskoye Highway. On these lands it was planned to build 2.7 million square meters of luxury housing and entertainment complexes. The cost of the project was estimated at $3 billion. The project was named the private city "Rublevo-Arkhangelskoye". By 2006, it already occupied 430 hectares of land.

In November 2005, the International Federation of United Wrestling Styles (FILA) presented Kerimov with one of the most prestigious awards - the “Golden Order”. FILA President Rafael Martinetti expressed a desire to personally present the award to the deputy in order to “express gratitude and respect to the person who supports wrestling in Russia and around the world” (by 2005, Nafta-Moscow became the general sponsor of the Russian national freestyle wrestling team).

At the end of 2005, Nafta bought Polymetal, Russia's second gold mining company, for $900 million and planned to list about 25 percent of its shares on the stock exchange. In February 2006, Kerimov decided to turn Nafta-Moscow into a full-fledged investment company, turning it into a leading private equity fund.

By 2006, Nafta, according to official data, owned more than 6 percent of the shares of Sberbank (about $1.6 billion at current prices) and more than 4 percent of the shares of Gazprom ($10.4 billion), cable television operators in Moscow and St. Petersburg - Mosteleset (Nafta owns 59 percent of the shares of the enterprise) and National Cable Networks, almost 20 percent of the shares of Bin-Bank, two percent of the shares of OJSC MGTS and 91 percent of the shares of the Krasnopresnensky Sugar Refinery Plant (in August 2006, shares of the plant, bought by Nafta from two rival companies were sold to the PIK group (according to media reports, Kerimov made money on resale.) In addition, the company owned 50 percent of the shares of the Mercado supermarket chain.

By that time, resale transactions, including in the real estate market, had become Kerimov’s strong point. In April 2006, his Nafta became a co-owner of Mosstroyekonombank, which owns Smolensky Passage, in June it gained control of the Razvitie SEC, which unites three construction companies, and in July notified the mayor of Moscow that it owns 17 percent of the holding's shares." Mospromstroy". None of these acquisitions remained with Nafta: Development was bought by Deripaska's Basic Element, Mospromstroy and Mosstroyekonombank - the BIN group.

In May 2006, Kerimov headed the Board of Trustees of the Russian Wrestling Federation. According to the president of the federation, Mikhail Mamiashvili, the decision to establish a Board of Trustees and appoint its head was made because, for the effective implementation of the tasks facing the Russian Wrestling Federation, long-term interaction with state sports management bodies and large national business structures has become crucial.

Soon after this, information appeared in the press that the Dynamo football club could be bought by Kerimov, since the owner of this club and the Fedcominvest company, Alexey Fedorychev, intended to completely abandon his sports business in Russia. This information was based on the fact that Kerimov had already tried to enter the football business more than once. In 2004, representatives of Nafta-Moscow negotiated the purchase of a controlling stake in the Italian Roma (the deal did not take place); a little later, Kerimov almost concluded an agreement with the government of the Moscow region on financing the Saturn football club (a deal worth 60 million dollars fell through at the last moment). In 2005, the Nafta-Moscow company became one of the sponsors of the Russian Football Union.

In July, Kerimov, together with Deripaska and Abramovich, acquired a stake in the state oil company Rosneft (the company that at the end of 2004 bought the former subsidiary of the Yukos oil company, Yuganskneftegaz). And in August 2006, reports appeared in the press that Nafta-Moscow intended to buy out the debts of NK YUKOS (On August 1, the Moscow Arbitration Court declared YUKOS bankrupt, and from that moment on, any third-party investor could pay off creditors " Yukos" to actually gain control over its assets). It was alleged that Kerimov negotiated such a possibility with Yukos President Stephen Theede. Later, the Nafta press service officially denied these reports.

In mid-November 2006, journalists learned that Kerimov had decided to start a hotel business in Moscow. On November 21, 2006, the Nafta company and the Moscow government announced the creation of the United Hotel Company OJSC (authorized capital - $ 2 billion), to which the shares of more than 20 hotels on the city's balance sheet were transferred (including Balchug, Metropol ", "National" and "Radisson-Slavyanskaya"). It was assumed that participation in the project would make Nafta one of the leaders in the Moscow hotel market.

In the list of the richest people in the world compiled by Forbes magazine in 2006, Kerimov took 72nd place. His fortune, according to the magazine, reached $7.1 billion. In addition, according to media reports, back in August 2005, Kerimov became one of the 50 richest Russians who have their own aircraft - he purchased a BBJ airliner (a business version of the Boeing 737-700, worth approximately $50 million).

On November 25, 2006, Kerimov was in a car accident. According to the newspaper Nice Matin, the car in which the deputy and his companion were driving along the Promenade des Anglais in Nice crashed into a tree and caught fire. Kerimov was taken to the specialized hospital de la Timone in Marseille with severe burns. According to eyewitnesses of the accident, he managed to get out of the car himself and tried to knock out the flames from his clothes. The businessman's companion, TV presenter of the STS channel Tina Kandelaki, according to journalists, suffered less. She was taken to Saint-Roch Hospital and discharged the same day.

Sources close to Kerimov told reporters that his life was not in danger. At the same time, an employee in the management of the de la Timone hospital told Vedomosti that Kerimov was connected to an artificial respiration apparatus and was in an induced coma. The doctor did not predict the patient’s condition, saying only that Kerimov “is stable and is under medical supervision.” It was also reported that in addition to burns, the deputy also received a traumatic brain injury. As for Kerimov’s companion, according to Alexander Rodnyansky, president of CTC Media (the company where Kandelaki works), on November 26 she was already in Moscow.

Initially, the investigation assumed that Kerimov, who was driving the car, lost control when he overtook. The police were inclined to this version because the speed limit on the embankment was 50 miles per hour, that is, about 70 kilometers per hour. According to the police, as a result of Kerimov's maneuver, the car - a Ferrari Enzo, worth 675 thousand euros - hit the pavement, then it was thrown into a tree, and the impact hit the gas tank.

Kandelaki did not confirm her participation in the road accident for some time, insisting that she had not been to Nice at all, but was at home in Moscow because she had contracted the mumps. Later, the TV presenter admitted that she was with Kerimov in his car, and added that she told about the mumps only to hide her relationship with the deputy. Kandelaki told reporters that a man suddenly jumped out onto the road in front of Karimov’s car. To avoid hitting him, the deputy turned the steering wheel sharply, and this caused the accident.

On December 5, 2006, the Belgian newspaper RTL, citing a representative of the Belgian Ministry of Defense, announced that Kerimov was transported to the Queen Astrid military hospital in Brussels. According to the publication, Kerimov was transported to Belgium at the request of Professor Jean-Louis Vincennes from the Erasme hospital, who even asked the Belgian Defense Minister Andre Flahaut to allocate “as an exception” a specially equipped aircraft and a team of Belgian military doctors to transport “one patient.” In addition, the professor promised that all costs associated with transportation “will be fully reimbursed by the patient or his relatives.”

On January 24, 2007, it became known that Kerimov returned to Moscow and began work. As a source close to the management of OJSC GNK (formerly Nafta-Moscow), which Kerimov owns, told the Interfax news agency, the businessman has “almost completely recovered after the accident” and “works on a daily basis and in full.”

On April 6, 2007, it became known that Kerimov wrote a statement about leaving the LDPR faction. As a representative of the State Duma Committee on Regulations stated, Kerimov did not justify his decision in any way. According to the Rules Committee, Kerimov did not write any additional statements about joining another Duma faction. On the same day, it became known that deputy Oleg Malyshkin, who ran for the presidency of Russia in 2004 from the LDPR, left the faction (and at the same time the LDPR party). The parliamentarian told reporters that he intends to continue to remain an independent deputy. Vice Speaker of the State Duma, leader of the Liberal Democrats, Vladimir Zhirinovsky, commenting on Kerimov’s departure, told reporters that the reason for his departure from the faction was a gross violation of party discipline. According to Zhirinovsky, the deputy did not take proper part in election campaigns in his region.

On April 12, 2007, the media reported that Kerimov wrote another statement - this time about joining the United Russia faction (its consideration was scheduled for April 17).

On April 19, 2007, the Russian version of Forbes magazine published a ranking of the richest citizens of Russia. The list of the hundred richest Russians was headed by Chukotka Governor Roman Abramovich, whose fortune by the spring of 2007 reached $19.2 billion. Kerimov took seventh place with $12.8 billion.

On May 11, 2007, it became known that the presidium of the United Russia faction decided to accept the deputy into the faction. Formally, the issue of accepting Kerimov should have been discussed at a meeting of subgroups of factions, but in fact the issue could already be considered resolved.

In December 2007, Kerimov was elected as a representative of the People's Assembly of Dagestan in the Federation Council. His candidacy was supported by all 56 deputies present at the meeting of the republican parliament. The speaker of the Dagestan parliament, Magomed Suleymanov, proposed electing Kerimov. According to him, Kerimov is a fairly well-known politician who “provides support to Dagestan, especially to the republic’s athletes.” On February 20, 2008, Kerimov became a senator: the Federation Council confirmed his powers as a representative of the People's Assembly of Dagestan.

In June 2008, the Kommersant newspaper reported that structures controlled by Kerimov sold large stakes in Gazprom and Sberbank that they owned. The share price at the beginning of the year was $15.37 and $5.4 billion, respectively. The newspaper also reported that Kerimov’s structures “sold or are negotiating the sale” of other Russian assets of the businessman - the company Metronom AG, the operator of the Mercado supermarket chain (sold to X5 Retail Group in the fall of 2007 for $200 million), National Telecommunications (the acquirer was the National Media Group, the main shareholder of which was Bank Rossiya of Yuri Kovalchuk) and shares in the Polymetal company (the founder of the ICT group Alexander Nesis, as well as Russian financier Alexander Mamut and structures of the Czech fund PPF were mentioned as acquirers). In addition, according to Kommersant’s sources, Kerimov was going to sell the elite village of Rublevo-Arkhangelskoye, which is under construction. After the sale of land, telecommunications, metallurgical and other assets, according to the publication, the businessman should have virtually no investments left in Russia. It was also reported that Kerimov would invest the funds freed up as a result of the sale of Russian assets in foreign financial institutions (according to the newspaper, at that time he had already acquired about 3 percent of the shares of Deutsche Bank, as well as securities of Morgan Stanley, Credit Suisse, UBS).

However, in February 2009, information about Kerimov’s acquisitions in Russia was published. It was reported that his Nafta-Moscow became the owner of 75 percent of Glavstroy SPb, a company that in St. Petersburg owns development projects of the Glavstroy corporation (the construction division of Deripaska's Basic Element). A source close to Kerimov’s company from the Kommersant newspaper, which reported on the purchase, confirmed that Nafta-Moscow was “interested in consolidating” all shares of Glavstroy SPb LLC, whose portfolio of projects was estimated at 6 million square meters of various real estate. In the same month, it became known that the Moscow government offered Nafta-Moscow a controlling stake in Dekmos OJSC, which was engaged in the construction of the Moscow Hotel. However, Nafta-Moskva gained partial control over Dekmos OJSC only in January 2010, when it acquired 50 percent of the shares of Konk Select Partners, a company that owned 51 percent of Dekmos OJSC shares.

In March 2009, Kommersant reported that the owner of the Interros holding, Vladimir Potanin, was selling 22 percent of the shares of Polyus Gold OJSC to Kerimov's structures. The amount of the transaction was not reported, but the newspaper provided data on the value of Polyus shares based on market quotes on the date of the transaction - 22 percent cost $1.42 billion. Analysts agreed that Kerimov acquired these assets “for a certain period for further resale.” In June, the leadership of the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) announced that the purchase of a stake in Polyus Gold by Kerimov's company was approved by the government commission on foreign investment. In July 2009, when Polyus Gold revealed its ownership structure, it became known that Kerimov is the beneficiary of 36.88 percent of the company's shares: it was reported that he controls this stake through Wandle Holdings Limited. Despite the fact that 24.59 percent of the shares from this block were sold under a repo transaction (a type of loan, a transaction for the sale of securities with a mandatory subsequent repurchase of securities of the same issue in the same quantity after a certain period at a predetermined, higher price - editor's note), Kerimov retained the right to vote on it. It was not reported with whom the repurchase agreement was concluded and when the businessman has the right to return these shares. In February 2010, Polyus Gold, which Kerimov actually owned together with Mikhail Prokhorov, acquired 11.4 percent of the shares of RBC Information Systems OJSC, the parent company of the RBC media holding.

Subsequently, Kerimov continued to buy up Russian development companies. Thus, in April 2009, one of the country's largest developers - the PIK group of companies - officially admitted that Nafta-Moscow had received 25 percent of its shares and submitted a petition to the FAS to purchase another 20 percent of PIK. In May of the same year, a source from the Vedomosti newspaper reported that Nafta Co. Kerimova became a co-owner of the Moscow Voentorg, and several of its representatives joined the board of directors of CJSC Trading House TSVUM, which owns Voentorg. In August, the financial director of Nafta Co. confirmed the information that Nafta Co. owns almost 100 percent of CJSC Trading House TSVUM (Voentorg). He added that the deal was closed in the fall of 2008. Amount it was not named, but Vedomosti's source reported that the department store cost Kerimov's company approximately $300 million - with the condition that it would enter the project only after the reconstruction of Voentorg was completed.

Suleiman Kerimov is the youngest child in the family. He has a brother, a doctor by profession, and a sister, a teacher of Russian language and literature. Kerimov's parents and other relatives live in Moscow. The entrepreneur's wife Firuza Kerimova is the daughter of a CPSU functionary; According to some reports, it was to his marriage with her that Kerimov owed much of his early career. According to various sources, Suleiman and Firuza have two or three children. Kerimov was also mistakenly indicated as his wife pop singer Natalya Vetlitskaya, who, according to some sources, has a daughter from him. In 2008, it was reported that another passion of Kerimov, designer Katya Gomiashvili, was expecting a daughter from him.

One of the richest people in Russia, deputy of the State Duma of the Russian Federation Suleiman Kerimov, was born on March 12, 1966 in the city of Derbent, Dagestan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic (now the Republic of Dagestan). Father is a lawyer, worked in the criminal investigation department; mother worked as an accountant in the Sberbank of the Russian Federation system.

In 1983, S. Kerimov entered the construction department of the Dagestan Polytechnic Institute, in 1984, after completing the first year of the institute, he was drafted into the army and completed military service in Rocket Forces strategic purpose of the Armed Forces of the USSR (Strategic Missile Forces of the USSR Armed Forces). After being transferred to the reserve, he continued his studies at the Faculty of Economics of Dagestan State University (DSU) named after. V.I. Lenin, who graduated in 1989 with a degree in Accounting and Analysis of Economic Activities.

In 1989-1995 he worked in positions from economist to assistant general director for economic issues of the Eltav plant of the Ministry of Electronic Industry.

Since 1995 - General Director of the Soyuz-Finance company (Moscow).

Since April 1997, he has been engaged in scientific activities.

In February-December 1999, he was deputy director of the autonomous non-profit organization International Institute of Corporations.

Since December 1999 - deputy of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation of the third convocation on the federal list of the electoral bloc "Zhirinovsky Bloc", was a member of the State Duma Committee of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation on Security.

On December 7, 2003, he was elected as a deputy of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation of the fourth convocation according to the federal list of the LDPR electoral association. In the State Duma, he became a member of the LDPR faction and is deputy chairman of the Committee of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation on Physical Culture and Sports.

In April 2007, he left the LDPR faction and became an independent deputy.

Suleiman Kerimov heads the Board of Trustees of the Russian Wrestling Federation. In his youth, he was fond of judo and kettlebell lifting, and was a multiple champion of various championships. The International Federation of United Styles of Wrestling (FILA) awarded him the “Golden Order” - one of the most prestigious awards.

On April 19, 2007, the Russian version of Forbes magazine published a ranking of the richest citizens of Russia, in which Kerimov took seventh place with $12.8 billion.

Under his control through OJSC GNK Nafta-Moscow and other companies - the mining holding Polymetal (99.5%), National Cable Networks, the Moscow cable operator Mostelecom. He owns 4.5% of the shares of Gazprom ", 5.7% of shares of Sberbank, about 2% of shares of MGTS. Invests in the Moscow region town of Rublevo-Arkhangelskoye (2 million sq. m of luxury housing).

He is the owner of the yacht Ice, built at the Lürssen shipyard in Bremen, Germany. This is a four-deck ship, the length of which is 90 meters. The seven bathtubs and vanities in the owner's and guest cabins are made from solid pieces of limestone, with oak interiors. The owner's bedroom extends from one side of the yacht to the other. On board there is a swimming pool and a helipad. The cruising range is more than 11,000 km. According to some reports, the interior decor alone, including painting, cost $25 million, and the total cost of the yacht could be about $170 million.

As a personal airliner, Suleiman Kerimov uses a luxuriously decorated medium-haul passenger airliner Boeing Business Jet (BBJ) 737-700, which accepts only 16 people on board, and the owner has an office, a shower room and a bedroom on board. The cost of such an aircraft reaches $50 million, its non-stop flight range is up to 12,000 km.

Suleiman Kerimov is married. His wife, Firuza, is the daughter of a high-ranking Dagestan official. He met her while studying in Derbent, and soon the lovers got married. According to rumors, get a job Good work- Kerimov was helped by his father-in-law as an economist at the Eltav electronic plant, one of the largest enterprises in Dagestan. Firuza has always been a real “Oriental” wife, she does not like to appear in public, and does not want to communicate with the press. She is raising three children.

Suleiman Kerimov loves social events, parties with pop stars, and sailing on his own yacht, Ice, off the coast of Spain. He loves to throw luxurious parties, give beautiful gifts. He is credited with having affairs with famous singers, ballerinas, and actresses. Kerimov’s name has recently appeared frequently in the press in connection with the accident in France.

On November 25, 2006, on the Promenade des Anglais embankment in Nice, the billionaire and his companion, who, according to some media reports, was the famous Russian TV presenter Tina Kandelaki, were involved in a car accident. For an unknown reason, in a section where the maximum permissible speed is 50 km/h, Kerimov’s Enzo Ferrari super sports car lost control, flew off the road at high speed, crashed into a tree and caught fire. Engulfed in flames, Kerimov was able to get out of the cabin on his own and rolled on the grass, trying to put out the fire. Eyewitnesses of the accident helped him. Only firefighters from Nice Airport were able to extinguish the burning car. The Ferrari, worth about 675 thousand euros, cannot be restored. His companion, Tina Kandelaki, escaped with minor burns and injuries. She was admitted to the Saint-Roch hospital. and after providing her with medical assistance, she flew to Moscow that same evening. Kerimov, who received severe burns, was sent by helicopter to one of the Marseille clinics, and then transported to a clinic in Belgium, where he underwent treatment and returned to Moscow at the end of January 2007 and began work. Today he has fully recovered from the accident and is working daily and at full capacity.

People who communicate with Suleiman Abusaidovich claim that it is difficult to talk to the oligarch. This person predicts the answer in advance. A mathematical mindset, Eastern wisdom and a subtle sense of profit brought billions to the owner of a large Russian financial and industrial group. Suleiman Kerimov's biography has ups and downs, but as a true chess player, he always quickly analyzed mistakes and played a new combination. As a rule, it’s a win-win.

The future oligarch spent the early years of his biography in Derbent, the oil capital of sunny Dagestan. Suleiman was born in 1966, on March 12. He became the third child in the family of a criminal investigation officer. Abusaid Kerimovich, the boy’s father had a higher legal education. Mother was involved in accounting in one of the local branches of Sberbank. At the time of his birth, Suleiman had a brother, who now works as a doctor, and a sister, who teaches Russian language and literature.

WITH early years Suleiman became addicted to sports. His main hobbies were judo and kettlebells. The boy excelled at chess and subsequently received 1st category. While studying at school No. 18 in Derbent, he delighted the teachers mathematical abilities. However, he mastered other subjects without difficulty. First educational institution The future billionaire graduated with honors, which gave him the right to enter a prestigious university.

Education

After graduating from school in 1983, the young man successfully passed the exams at the Dagestan Polytechnic, where he studied at the Faculty of Construction for a year. In 1984, the educational process was interrupted due to conscription into the army. Until 1986, Kerimov repaid his debt to his homeland by servicing strategic missiles. The years spent in the army hardened the young man and revealed the leadership trait in him.

He returned from service with the rank of senior sergeant. Receipt higher education Suleiman continued in Dagestan state university. As future specialty he chose economics.

The student combined brilliant academic performance with active social work and by the end of the DSU he was listed as deputy chairman of the local trade union committee.

Career and business of Suleiman Kerimov

Suleiman Kerimov Having received a diploma in economics, in 1989 Suleiman Kerimov began working. His first place of work in his biography was the Makhachkala plant "Eltav". Obtaining a position at a prestigious enterprise was not without the participation of Nazim Khanbalaev, who headed the Dagestan Council of Trade Unions and by that time was Suleiman’s father-in-law. Thanks to his hard work and abilities, as well as connections, within 5 years the young specialist made a dizzying career and rose from an ordinary economist to deputy general director of the plant. In the middle of this five-year plan, the management of the enterprise created a bank registered in Moscow. Representing the plant management, Kerimov managed to take possession of controlling stake shares of this organization. Fedprombank provided loans to industrial enterprises in crisis. Since that time, the entrepreneur has settled in the capital of Russia. Read also: Biography and latest news of the owner of the Eurocement Group, Filaret Galchev.

Since 1995, the businessman has headed the trade and financial company Soyuz-Finance, and 2 years later he Researcher Moscow International Institute of Corporations.

Suleiman Kerimov's real business began in 1999, with the acquisition of shares in NTK Nafta-Moscow, which, with the arrival of a new owner, began to transform from a mediocre oil trader into a powerful holding.

In managing a large enterprise, Kerimov revealed himself in all his glory. His instincts and precise calculations allowed him to raise the company to the level of Millhouse and Rusal, which set the tone in the Russian oil market. During 2002-2008, Nafta-Moscow energetically expanded its assets by acquiring shares of promising industrial enterprises. Loans from Vnesheconombank, and later from foreign financial organizations, are used as starting capital. The holding acquired shares in Volvo, British Petroleum, etc. During this period, Kerimov met the most famous financial tycoons, in particular, Bill Gates became one of his friends.

In 2009, Kerimov expanded the scope of his holding’s activities and began to engage in real estate. The “breakthrough” was the reconstruction of the Moscow Hotel, which became a five-star Four Seasons hotel. At the same time, an organization controlled by the businessman took possession of a quarter of the shares of the PIK group of companies, which was the main developer of the country and was in a crisis situation. Kerimov improves the affairs of this enterprise and, by selling its assets, receives a substantial profit.

Another significant event in 2009 was the purchase by Nafta of a 37% stake in the gold mining company Polyus Gold and after 3 years Suleiman Kerimov took almost complete control over it (95%). Since 2016, the oligarch’s son has been on the board of Polyus Gold.

In 2011, the oligarch became the owner of the Anzhi football club (Makhachkala), and in 2014 he got rid of most of his assets.

Among the “dark streaks” in the entrepreneurial activity of Suleiman Kerimov, one should mention the friction between the entrepreneur and Belarusian law enforcement officers that arose in 2007 in connection with shady affairs surrounding the largest fertilizer producer, the Uralkali company. Major losses for the businessman were unsuccessful investments in foreign enterprises. An attempt to save capital during the global crisis in 2008 cost Kerimov and his organization $20 billion.

Political life

The life of Suleiman Kerimov is closely connected with politics. Twice serving as a deputy of the State Duma of Russia (1999 – 2007), the oligarch successfully defended the interests of Zhirinovsky’s party. Since 2008, the billionaire has been a member of the committee of the Federation Council, where he deals with financial problems and represents the Republic of Dagestan.

State of Suleiman Kerimov

Current political activity distracted Suleiman Kerimov from business. Having handed over the reins of control of the companies he owned and got rid of foreign assets, the oligarch remains a prominent person in financial circles; his photos and videos are often found in the media. Including in connection with the senator’s participation in the affairs of his native Dagestan.

Kerimov helps the republic a lot, not only as a representative of the region in the upper house of parliament, but also as an investor and philanthropist. In particular, on his initiative, large-scale transformations began in Suleiman Kerimov’s hometown - Derbent. The task is to make this oldest city in Russia the center of a tourist cluster, in which, while preserving the unique architecture and historical appearance, ultra-modern functionality would appear. At the beginning of August 2019, the finalists of the Open International Competition for the development of a master plan for Derbent were determined, including the largest experts in their field from all over the world.

It was also announced that the branch of the Russian Federation Commission for UNESCO will resume work in Dagestan. It will be headed by the mayor of Derbent, Khizri Abakarov, who is considered a person close to the senator and capable of bringing to life Kerimov’s ideas for transforming the city. In addition, in 2018, a member of the Federation Council from Dagestan announced his family’s decision to register a business in Derbent - this way the local budget will receive additional funds for development, which amounts to billions of rubles additional income in the form of tax deductions. The senator had previously helped the republic a lot, taking an active part in all development projects.

Thus, with the direct participation of Suleiman Kerimov, a branch of the Presidential Center for Gifted Children, Sirius-Altair, was opened in Dagestan. It became one of the first branches of Sochi Sirius in the country and an example to follow for other regions. The dynamics of a businessman’s entrepreneurial activity can be analyzed based on data provided annually by Forbes magazine (year – $, billion/place in Russia):

• 2004 – 0,58/48;
• 2005 – 2,6/16;
• 2006 – 7,5/11;
• 2007 – 12,8/7;
• 2008 – 18,4/8;
• 2009 – 3,1/13;
• 2010 – 19/5,5;
• 2011 – 7,8/19;
• 2012 – 6,5/19;
• 2013 – 7,1/20;
• 2014 – 6,9/19;
• 2015 – 3,4/31;
• 2016 – 1,6/45;
• 2017 – 6,3/21;
• 2018 – 6,4/20.

Having a direct relationship with the power structures of the Russian Federation, Suleiman Abusaidovich could not avoid the April 2018 sanctions. The oligarch’s losses amounted to $1.4 billion, which is equal to more than a fifth of the businessman’s fortune.

Yachts, planes

From 2005 to 2016, Suleiman Kerimov owned the magnificent yacht “Ice”. The ninety-meter four-deck ship was made using latest technologies. Its approximate price is $160 million.

The oligarch's second yacht, Millenium, looks somewhat more modest, three times smaller than the first, but amazes with its speed, which reaches thirty-one knots. This “toy” cost the billionaire €8.9 million.

Until recently, Suleiman Abusaidovich used a Boeing Business Jet (BBJ) 737-700, which was sold in 2018, as an air transport vehicle.

Wife

It is known for certain about his personal life from the biography of Suleiman Abusaidovich that he found his soul mate while still a student. His chosen one was fellow student Firuza Nazimovna Khanbalaeva. It was thanks to her father that the current oligarch began his successful career. The wife gave the businessman three children.

Was born in 1990 eldest daughter, to whom her parents gave the name Gulnara. Five years later, the family was replenished with a son, Abusaid, and in 2003, the businessman became a father for the third time. His youngest daughter name is Aminat.

Charity

Suleiman Kerimov's charitable activities were marked by the transfer of €1 million to the Pinocchio children's burn center. The reason for this was a car accident in which the oligarch got into in 2006. After which he underwent a long rehabilitation course. The billionaire's concern for children was also evident in his work on projects to provide targeted assistance to orphans and sick children.

Since 2013, an international charitable foundation created by Kerimov has been operating. It was here that the Dagestan senator donated the lion's share of his assets.

Thanks to the funds of Suleiman Abusaidovich, Makhachkala acquired a modern Anzhi Arena stadium. Under the guardianship of the billionaire is the Russian Wrestling Federation and the Sochi Center for Gifted Children “Sirius”.

Suleiman Kerimov today

By latest news, Suleiman Kerimov recently suffered heart disease. Now, after recovery, he is in France, where legal proceedings regarding his tax violations continue.

Just like in his youth, the oligarch today continues to be interested in sports, of which he prefers wrestling and football.