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Alexander Mamut

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Alexander Mamut
Александр Мамут
Mamut in 2018
Born (1960-01-29) 29 January 1960 (age 64)[1]
Moscow, Russia
CitizenshipRussian, Israeli
EducationMoscow State University
Occupation(s)Businessman and investor
Known foradvisor to Boris Yeltsin
SpouseWidowed
Children5

Alexander Leonidovich Mamut (Russian: Алекса́ндр Леони́дович Маму́т; born 29 January 1960)[1] is a Russian billionaire, lawyer, banker and investor.[2] Until 2020, he was a co-owner of Rambler Group.[3][4] He is an Israeli citizen.[5]

In June 2022, Forbes estimated Mamut's net worth at $2 billion.[2]

Early life and education

[edit]

Alexander Mamut was born on 29 January 1960. His father is Leonid Solomonovich Mamut, a lawyer and one of the authors of the Russian Constitution. His mother, Cicilia Ludwigovna, is a defense attorney. In 1977, Mamut graduated from Moscow gymnasium #17. He studied law at Moscow State University, graduating in 1982.[6]

Career

[edit]

Mamut began his career as a legal advisor at a printing house.[7][6]

In 1990, together with Andrey Gloriozonov, Mamut founded "Business and Cooperation” Bank, that was renamed in 1991 into Commercial Bank "Imperial"[a] with Segey Rodionov as chairman and President of the Board.[8][9][10] The bank was founded to service companies in the field of fuel and energy. Its biggest clients were the Rem Viakhirev[b] associated Gazprom and the Vagit Alekperov[c][d][e] associated Lukoil.[11]

In 1990 Mamut founded "ALM-Consulting" law firm (ALM abbreviated after Mamut's name) and served as Managing Partner there throughout 1990–1993. In 1991, ALM Consulting partnered with Frere Cholmeley Bischoff, a law firm based in London and headed by Tim Razzall from 1990 to 1994, in order to establish many offshore shell companies with which ALM Consulting would create the offshore shell company through Frere Cholmeley Bischoff for $300 and then ALM Consulting would sell that same offshore shell company for $5000.[4][18] In 1993, Roman Kolodkin (Russian: Роман Колодкин)[f] introduced Mamut to Igor Shuvalov who worked at the Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the legal department as an attache.[21] According to an interview published in the Russian independent newspaper Meduza, Mamut hired Shuvalov as a senior advisor to ALM. On behalf of the company, Shuvalov conducted special assignments with offshore companies and transported money.[21][22] Such Russian businessmen as Alisher Usmanov, Roman Abramovich, and Boris Berezovsky were among the largest clients of ALM Consulting in the 1990s.[21][23][24]

During the 1990s, Mikhail Kasyanov, while he was the head of the department of external loans and foreign debt at the Russian Ministry of Finance, made decisions in support of Mamut.[25]

Mamut founded the Design Bureau "Company of Project Financing" (KOPF) (Russian: ЗАО КБ "Компания по проектному финансированию" (ЗАО КБ "КОПФ")), which is a bank, in 1993, and served as its chief executive officer until 1998. In 1996, KOPF donated 280 million rubles to Boris Yeltsin's election campaign.[25] Meanwhile, he was the co-founder and director of Sedmoy Continent from 1993 to 1997.[citation needed] He was the founder of ALM Development and remained an investor until 2001.[citation needed]

Mamut was Chairman of Moscow Business World (MDM-Bank) (Russian: «Московский Деловой Мир» (МДМ)) or Moskovsky Delovoy Mir (MDM) from 1999 to 2002.[citation needed]

Mamut made donations to Boris Yeltsin's 1996 re-election campaign.[26] He was an economic adviser to the chief of the Russian presidential administration, Alexander Voloshin from 1998 to 1999.[citation needed]

On 31 May 1999, Mamut was elected to the board of directors of Sobinbank (Russian: Собинбанк).[27][28]

Mamut's "A&NN" Investment Company acquired 100% of shares of Evroset from Evgeniy Chichvarkin and Timur Artemiev in 2008.[29] By October 2008, he sold 49.9% to VimpelCom.[30]

Mamut acquired 60% of the Spar Moscow Holding in 2009. He also acquired the "Torpedo-ZIL" football club for the symbolic price of $1. Two years later, in 2011, he invested in the Nomos-Bank. He is a large investor in Ingosstrakh, the insurance company, and Troika-Dialog, an investment bank.[26] He has also invested in Polymetal International, a mining company, and PIK Group, a construction company.[7]

Media

[edit]

Mamut founded the SUP Company in 2006, and acquired LiveJournal Russia in 2007.[citation needed]

In May 2011, after James Daunt and Alexander Mamut were introduced through a mutual friend, Mamut acquired Waterstones, a UK-based bookstore chain, through Capital Fund Management Limited, a subsidiary of Mamut's A&NN company, for the equivalent of $66 million.[31] Mamut then named James Daunt as the managing director of Waterstones, replacing Dominic Myers.[32][33] Mamut later sold off a majority stake in April 2018 to Elliott Advisors, valuing the company at $250 million with N M Rothschild & Sons handling the deal, and Elliott retained James Daunt as CEO of Waterstones.[32][34][35][g]

Mamut became the sole owner of the SUP Media in December 2012.[37] In 2013, he acquired Lenta.ru.[38] By 2014, he became the Chairman of Rambler&Co.[7]a Russian news website.[39] In 2014, he fired Galina Timchenko, the editor of Lenta.ru, for publishing an interview with a far-right Ukrainian nationalist.[40][41] She was replaced by a pro-Kremlin journalist.[41]

He acquired sports betting firm Rambler in 2016, selling a 46.5 percent stake to Sberbank in December 2019.[42] Mamut was subsequently involved in an intellectual property rights dispute between Rambler and Sberbank.[42]

A&NN acquired two Moscow art-house cinemas, also showing some foreign mass market films - "Pioneer" in 2008, and the Khudozhestvenny in 2016. In 2017, they acquired movie chains Cinema Park and Formula Kino.[43]

In 2020, Mamut sold Rambler to Sberbank.[4]

Personal life

[edit]

Mamut is a widower from his second marriage.[7] He has five children.[7] As of 2016, he resides in Moscow, Russia,[7] and has a secondary residence in Kensington, London. He also owns a yacht.[26] He has given grants of £200,000 to Eton College.[41]

Rambler Group

[edit]

Sberbank acquired 45% of shares in Rambler Group from Alexander Mamut in 2020 whereby the share of Sberbank in Rambler Group increased to 100%.[44]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Commercial Bank "Imperial" was involved with financially supporting the East-West United Bank in Luxembourg while it was liquidating VEB's debts during the 1990s.[8]
  2. ^ In addition to Gazprom, Rem Viakhirev was also the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Commercial Bank "Imperial" after the resignation in July 1994 of Vladimir Chirskov.[11] Viakhirev was the chairman of the board of Imperial Bank from July 1994 until June 1995.[11]
  3. ^ In June 1995, Vagit Alekperov replaced Rem Viakhirev as chairman of the board of Commercial Bank "Imperial".[11] Although Viakhirev resigned as chairman of the board of Imperial Bank in June 1995, Gazprom continued to maintain its accounts with Imperial Bank.[11]
  4. ^ Because of the very large debt that Ukraine allegedly owed Gazprom by August 1995, the Oleg Boyko, who is allegedly a KGB agent,[12] associated National Credit Bank (Russian: банк "Национальный кредит", AКБ "Национальный кредит"), instead of Imperial Bank, serviced a $1.4 billion Ukraine government bonded loan.[11][13][14][15][16][17]
  5. ^ During 1997, Pavlo Matvienko became associated with National Credit Bank.
  6. ^ Later, from 5 November 2009 until 15 September 2015, Roman Kolodkin was the Russian Ambassador to the Netherlands.[19][20]
  7. ^ In August, Elliott Management Corporation acquired Barnes & Noble turning Barnes & Noble into a privately held subsidiary of Elliott and named James Daunt the CEO of both Waterstones and Barnes & Noble with Daunt relocating from London to New York.[36]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Billionaires: Aleksandr Leonidovich MAMUT". Wealth-X. Archived from the original on 3 January 2017. Retrieved 2 January 2017.
  2. ^ a b "Alexander Mamut". Forbes. Retrieved 6 July 2022.
  3. ^ "Сбербанк стал единственным владельцем Rambler". rbc.ru. 29 October 2020.
  4. ^ a b c "A man without bones Meduza special correspondent Anastasia Yakoreva tells how an excellent lawyer and successful negotiator Alexander Mamut broke down in the media business". Meduza. 3 March 2021. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  5. ^ McEvoy, Jemima (28 April 2022). "Why Israel Became A Safe Haven For Russian Billionaires". forbes.com. Retrieved 6 July 2022.
  6. ^ a b "Мамут, Александр Леонидович" (in Russian). TASS. 2020. Retrieved 22 March 2022.
  7. ^ a b c d e f "The World's Billionaires (2016 ranking): #722 Alexander Mamut". Forbes. 1 March 2016. Retrieved 2 January 2017.
  8. ^ a b "Банковские альянсы, слияния и поглощения: Консорциумы и финансовые группы — новая реальность" [Banking alliances, mergers and acquisitions: Consortiums and financial groups - a new reality] (in Russian). Kommersant. 24 December 1994. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
  9. ^ Дарья Юрищева, Инна Ерохина (6 April 2011). "Александр Мамут выбросил якорь" [Alexander Mamut dropped anchor] (in Russian). Kommersant. Retrieved 22 March 2022.
  10. ^ ЕЛЕНА КУЗНЕЦОВА (11 November 1994). "Шеф банка "Империал" встретился с журналистами: Банк сохранил склонность к стратегическим альянсам" [The head of the Imperial bank met with journalists: The bank retained its penchant for strategic alliances] (in Russian). Kommersant. Archived from the original on 23 March 2022. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
  11. ^ a b c d e f Максим Акимов, Глеб Баранов, Михаил Логинов (25 May 1996). "Газовый концерн и банки" [Gas Concern and Banks] (in Russian). Kommersant. Retrieved 22 March 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  12. ^ "Записки колишнього підполковника КДБ: Агентура впливу російської "глибинної держави": Один з авторів книжки "КДБ грає в шахи" і колишній співробітник Комітету держбезпеки СРСР Володимир Попов нещодавно завершив роботу над своїми мемуарами. У книжці "Змова негідників. Записки колишнього підполковника КДБ" він розповідає про становлення режиму російського президента Володимира Путіна, його соратників, про свою роботу в комітеті та головні події, до яких були причетними радянські спецслужби. Раніше книжки не видавали. За згодою автора видання "ГОРДОН" ексклюзивно публікує розділи з неї. У цій частині Попов пише про агентів КДБ у бізнесі та на держслужбі" ["Notes of a former lieutenant colonel of the KGB: Agency of influence of the Russian "deep state": Volodymyr Popov, one of the authors of the book "The KGB plays chess" and a former employee of the State Security Committee of the USSR, recently completed work on his memoirs. In the book "Conspiracy of scoundrels. Notes of a former lieutenant colonel of the KGB" he tells about the formation of the regime of Russian President Vladimir Putin, his associates, his work in the committee and the main events in which the Soviet special services were involved. Previously, the book was not published. With the consent of the author, the publication "GORDON" exclusively publishes chapters from In this part, Popov writes about KGB agents in business and in the civil service.]. «ГОРДОН» (Gordonua.com) (in Ukrainian). 12 August 2020. Archived from the original on 17 July 2023. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
  13. ^ "Две оперативные справки на Бойко" [Two online inquiries on Boyko]. Free Lance Bureau (FLB) (in Russian). Archived from the original on 5 July 2000. Retrieved 28 August 2024. Obtained from the (security branch) database of the SB Group Most.
  14. ^ "Бойко входил в состав группы "кидал", которые промышляли в районе валютных магазинов "Березка". Когда-то имя Олега Бойко не сходило с газетных полос - в рубриках "светская хроника" восторгались его экстравагантными выходками и костюмами, а в рубриках "криминал" - на толстые криминальные обстоятельства его бурной деятельности. Теперь Бойко старается тихо-тихо заниматься торговлей цветными металлами" [Boyko was a member of the "scam" group, which traded in the area of currency stores "Berezka". Once the name of Oleg Boyko did not leave the newspaper pages - in the headings "gossip" they admired his extravagant antics and costumes, and in the headings "crime" - at the thick criminal circumstances of his violent activities. Now Boyko is trying to quietly trade in non-ferrous metals]. Free Lance Bureau (FLB) (in Russian). 7 December 1992. Archived from the original on 2 January 2005. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
  15. ^ ПЕЛЕХОВА, ЮЛИЯ (PELEKHOVA, YULIA); СКВОРЦОВ, ЯРОСЛАВ (SKVORTSOV, YAROSLAV); БАРАНОВ, ГЛЕБ (BARANOV, GLEB); ЛОГИНОВ, МИХАИЛ (LOGINOV, MIKHAIL) (5 December 1996). "Слухи об отзыве лицензии у банка: Сумерки "Национальный кредит"" [Rumors about revoking the bank's license: Twilight "National Credit"]. Kommersant (in Russian). Retrieved 28 August 2024.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  16. ^ СКВОРЦОВ, ЯРОСЛАВ (SKVORTSOV, YAROSLAV) (19 December 1996). "Ситуация вокруг "Национального кредита": Чуда не произошло" [The situation around the "National Credit": No miracle happened]. Kommersant (in Russian). Retrieved 28 August 2024.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  17. ^ Солнцевская ОПГ
  18. ^ Lindsay, Robert (30 November 1998). "Freres: an offer it could not refuse: Robert Lindsay takes a look at the causes of Frere Cholmeley Bischoff's demise and assesses the prospects of its successor firms". The Lawyer. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  19. ^ "УКАЗ Президента РФ от 05.11.2009 N 1239 "О НАЗНАЧЕНИИ КОЛОДКИНА Р.А. ЧРЕЗВЫЧАЙНЫМ И ПОЛНОМОЧНЫМ ПОСЛОМ РОССИЙСКОЙ ФЕДЕРАЦИИ В КОРОЛЕВСТВЕ НИДЕРЛАНДОВ И ПОСТОЯННЫМ ПРЕДСТАВИТЕЛЕМ РОССИЙСКОЙ ФЕДЕРАЦИИ ПРИ ОРГАНИЗАЦИИ ПО ЗАПРЕЩЕНИЮ ХИМИЧЕСКОГО ОРУЖИЯ В ГААГЕ, КОРОЛЕВСТВО НИДЕРЛАНДОВ, ПО СОВМЕСТИТЕЛЬСТВУ"" [DECREE of the President of the Russian Federation of 05.11.2009 N 1239 "ON THE APPOINTMENT OF KOLODKIN RA THE EMERGENCY AND Plenipotentiary AMBASSADOR OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION IN THE KINGDOM OF THE NETHERLANDS AND PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION ORGANIZATION]. Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs website (in Russian). 5 November 2009. Archived from the original on 6 May 2014. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  20. ^ "Указ Президента Российской Федерации от 15.09.2015 № 462 "О Колодкине Р.А."" [Decree of the President of the Russian Federation of September 15, 2015 No. 462 "On R. Kolodkin."]. Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs website (in Russian). 15 September 2015. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  21. ^ a b c "Вице-премьер по роскоши Как складывалась карьера Игоря Шувалова" [Deputy Prime Minister for Luxury How did Igor Shuvalov's career develop?]. Meduza (in Russian). 22 July 2016. Archived from the original on 30 January 2018. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  22. ^ "ХОРОШИЙ ПАПА, ПЛОХОЙ ПАПА: ИСТОРИЯ ШУВАЛОВА И ЕГО ДЕТЕЙ: Сыну — самолет и элитный военный билет, дочери — балетную пачку и активы" [GOOD DAD, BAD DAD: THE STORY OF SHUVALOV AND HIS CHILDREN: Son - an airplane and an elite military ID, daughter - a ballet tutu and assets]. RussianGate (russiangate.com) (in Russian). 27 October 2017. Archived from the original on 8 November 2017. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  23. ^ Alpert, Bill (3 December 2011). "How a Putin Aide Gained $119 Million". Barron's. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  24. ^ Amos, Howard (7 November 2012). "Think Tank Reopens Shuvalov Corruption Scandal". The Moscow Times. Archived from the original on 13 December 2020. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  25. ^ a b "КТО ЕСТЬ КТО: МАМУТ - ЧЕЛОВЕК КАСЬЯНОВА И ЛУЖКОВА" [WHO IS WHO: MAMUT - THE MAN OF KASIANOV AND LUZHKOV]. corruption.ru (in Russian). 28 February 2001. Archived from the original on 28 February 2001. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  26. ^ a b c "Alexander Mamut profile: probably the most powerful oligarch you have never heard of". The Daily Telegraph. 4 February 2011. Retrieved 1 June 2016.
  27. ^ "Связи Александра Мамута" [Alexander Mamut's connections.]. sovesti.net (in Russian). 12 December 1999. Retrieved 15 April 2021.[dead link] Alt URL
  28. ^ "КБ Собинбанк ("Содействие общественным инициативам")" [KB Sobinbank ("Assistance to Public Initiatives")]. sovesti.net (in Russian). 12 December 1999. Retrieved 15 April 2021.[dead link] Alt URL
  29. ^ Тимур Бордюг, Владимир Лавицкий (22 September 2008). ""Евросеть" переключилась" (in Russian). Kommersant. Retrieved 22 March 2022.
  30. ^ Инна Ерохина, Владимир Лавицкий (20 October 2008). "Александр Мамут распутал "Евросеть"" (in Russian). Kommersant. Retrieved 22 March 2022.
  31. ^ "UK Book Chain Waterstone's Sold to Russian Billionaire". Publishing Perspectives. 20 May 2011. Retrieved 19 November 2015.
  32. ^ a b Segal, David (8 August 2019). "Can Britain's Top Bookseller Save Barnes & Noble?". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 8 August 2019.
  33. ^ Campbell, Lisa (20 May 2011). "Waterstone's sold, Daunt in, Myers out". The Bookseller. Archived from the original on 21 December 2014. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  34. ^ Campbell, Lisa (9 April 2019). "Waterstones sale expected to complete this month". The Bookseller. Archived from the original on 26 April 2018. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  35. ^ Jones, Philip (7 June 2019). "Elliott to buy Barnes & Noble; Daunt will run both chains". The Bookseller. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  36. ^ "Elliott Completes Acquisition of Barnes & Noble". Business Wire. 7 August 2019. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  37. ^ Rose, Scott (27 March 2012). "Rostelecom, MegaFon May Buy Euroset From Mamut, Kommersant Says". Bloomberg.
  38. ^ "Russia Lenta.ru editor Timchenko fired in Ukraine row". BBC. 12 March 2014. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  39. ^ Hille, Kathrin; Weaver, Courtney (26 February 2015). "Russia: Left out in the cold". Financial Times. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  40. ^ "I was 'fired' because of the Kremlin". BBC News. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
  41. ^ a b c "The tight web of lawyers and PR firms who oil the wheels for billionaires". the Guardian. 6 March 2022. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
  42. ^ a b Seddon, Max (16 December 2019). "Russian web giant Rambler seeks to drop criminal case against Nginx". Financial Times. Archived from the original on 17 December 2019.
  43. ^ "Russian investment company A&NN acquires the country's two largest Cinema operators - IHS Technology". technology.ihs.com. Retrieved 8 August 2019.
  44. ^ "Сбербанк стал единственным владельцем Rambler". rbc.ru. 29 October 2020.
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