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- Vladimir Potanin is one of the richest men in Russia, worth an estimated $22 billion.
- He made his fortune in the nickel industry after spearheading Russia’s controversial "loans-for-shares" program.
- Potanin has been married twice and says his five children won’t receive the majority of his fortune when he dies — instead, he’ll donate it to charity.
- He vacations on luxury yachts and plays ice hockey with Russian president Vladimir Putin.
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Russian billionaire Vladimir Potanin is worth an estimated $22 billion, making him the richest man in Russia.
The 58-year-old businessman made his fortune in the nickel industry after spearheading Russia’s controversial "loans-for-shares" program. Potanin is the president of Norilsk Nickel, the world’s largest producer of refined nickel.
Potanin has owned at least three luxury yachts and spent $10 million on his daughter’s wedding on the French Riviera. He’s also become known as a philanthropist, having joined The Giving Pledge, the charity organization founded by Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett, and promised to donate most of his fortune to charity rather than pass it on to his children.
The Russian billionaire has close ties to President Vladimir Putin — in fact, the pair are ice hockey buddies — and Potanin was named on the infamous "Putin list" of prominent Russian political figures and oligarchs.
Here’s a look at the life and wealth of Vladimir Potanin, the richest man in Russia and the 37th-richest person in the world.
Vladimir Potanin is the richest person in Russia, worth, according to Bloomberg, an estimated $22 billion.
REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov
The 58-year-old businessman is the president of Norilsk Nickel, the world’s largest producer of refined nickel.
Potanin owns 34.6% of Norilsk Nickel, which brought in $11.7 billion of revenue in 2018.
Anton Novoderezhkin\TASS via Getty Images
Norilsk Nickel is responsible for almost 22% of the world’s high-grade nickel production and about 40% of its palladium.
Potanin has made more than $4 billion in dividends from the company as of January 2018, according to Bloomberg.
In addition to his wealth in the metals industry, Potanin also controls Russian pharmaceutical company NPO Petrovax Pharm and has a sizable real-estate portfolio.
Sovfoto/UIG via Getty Images
He reportedly owns office spaces, hotel property in Moscow, land in central Russia, and a country club in the Moscow region.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
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Source: Business Insider – kwarren@businessinsider.com (Katie Warren)