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Vladimir Potanin

Vladimir Potanin (Владимир Потанин in Russian) (born in 1961 in Moscow), is President of Interros private investment company. He is widely considered as one of the leading businessmen in Russia.

Vladimir Potanin was born in 1961 into a high-ranking Russian-Jewish family. He attended the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO), an elite school that groomed students for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Upon graduation of MGIMO, he followed in his father's footsteps and went to work for the Soviet Department of Trade. In 1990, he created Interros, a foreign trade association.In 1992-1993- Potanin became Vice-President and later President of MFK company (International Company for Finance and Investmentsts).

In 1993, Potanin became President of United Export Import Bank (UNEXIM BANK). From August 14, 1996 till March 17, 1997 he worked as First Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Government. Since August of 1998, Vladmir Potanin has been holding the positions of the President and the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the «Interros» Company.

The Vladimir Potanin Charity Fund was set up in 1999 with the aim of implementing large-scale projects in support of education and culture.

Since December 2001 he has been a member of the Board of Trustees of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation (New York). In April 2003 Mr. Potanin was elected Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the State Hermitage. Since 2005 Potanin has been a member of the Public Chamber of Russia.

Since March 2003 Vladimir Potanin has taken charge of the National Council on Corporate Governance (NSKU) the main goal of which is to improve the legislative regulations in Russia and to introduce professional and ethical standards of corporate governance into the operations of Russian companies to boost up the reputation and investment appeal of the Russian business.

In January 2007 in Paris Vladimir Potanin was named an Officer of the prestigious Order of Arts and Literature for his cultural contributions. French Ministry of Culture and Communications granted the award.

Vladimir Potanin is fluent in English and French.

His hobbies include: traveling, soccer, alpine skiing, various water sports and chess.

He is married with three children.

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