Mikhail Fridman

Mikhail Fridman graduated with High Honors from the Moscow Institute of Steel and Alloys.

After the creation of Alfa-Eco Company in 1988, Mr. Fridman played a key role in transforming Alfa-Eco into one of the most powerful and reliable financial—industrial establishments in Russia, Alfa Group Consortium, making him one of Russia’s most influential business leaders.

Mikhail Fridman headed the list of the 1,000 most professional Russian managers, compiled by the Managers Association together with the publishing house Kommersant in December 2001. Also, according to the newspaper Vedomosti, Mikhail Fridman was recognized as the entrepreneur of 2001, for most effective business management. In June 2002, he topped the list of inter-industry group managers in the list of Russia’s 1,000 most professional managers (Managers Association, Kommersant). In May 2003, he received the Golden Plate Award of the International Academy of Achievement in Washington (US). This award is granted to prominent politicians, businessmen, economists and social leaders of different countries, who have become role models for the youth of the world.

For his role in the 2003 TNK and BP merger agreement, Mr. Fridman was named one of the outstanding businessmen of the year (international magazine Business Week), together with 25 other business leaders of the new Europe (Financial Times).

According to the newspaper Vedomosti, in December 2003, he was awarded the title Businessman of the Year. This title was the result of two successful deals in 2003 – the formation of a new company TNK-BP and acquisition of a blocking share of Megafon by Alfa Group.

Mr. Fridman is Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Alfa Group Consortium, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Alfa-Bank, a member of the Board of Directors of VimpelCom and the Supervisory Board of Directors of X5 Retail Group N.V.

He is a Member of the Bureau of the Management Board of the Russian Council of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs and oversees judicial issues. Founder and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Genesis Philanthropy Group.