Alisher Usmanov facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alisher Usmanov
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| Алишер Усманов | |
Usmanov in 2013
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| Born | 9 September 1953 Chust, Uzbek SSR, Soviet Union
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| Education | Moscow Institute of International Relations |
| Known for | Businessman, sports leader, philanthropist |
| Spouse(s) | Irina Viner (m. 1992; div. 2022) |
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Alisher Burkhanovich Usmanov is a well-known international businessman, sports leader, and supporter of charities. He was born in Uzbekistan when it was part of the Soviet Union. He later built large companies in Russia and around the world. Over several decades, he became one of the wealthiest people on Earth. He earned wealth through mining, metals, technology firms, and telecommunications.
Usmanov is famous for helping grow global tech brands. He made early investments in social networks like Facebook, Twitter, and VK. He also helped manage heavy industry, including the giant mining firm Metalloinvest and copper exploration projects.
Beyond business, Usmanov is deeply passionate about athletics. He practiced the sport of fencing when he was young. Later, he served for many years as the president of the world fencing organization, the Fédération Internationale d'Escrime. He also owned a large part of the English football club Arsenal. He is also known for giving large amounts of money to science, museums, arts, and schools.
Contents
Who Is Alisher Usmanov?
Usmanov is a global investor who helped build major industrial networks and modern digital platforms. Many magazines, including Forbes, have listed him among the richest people in the world. He has lived in both Russia and Uzbekistan.
He holds investments through companies such as USM Holdings. Over time, he has shared his wealth by donating billions of dollars to educational, medical, and cultural projects.
Early Life and Growing Up in Tashkent
Usmanov was born on 9 September 1953 in the town of Chust. This historic town is located in the eastern part of Uzbekistan. Soon after his birth, his family moved to Tashkent, which is the capital city of Uzbekistan.
In Tashkent, his father worked as a senior legal official for the state. His mother, Dilbar, worked as an educator who taught the Russian language. Growing up in Tashkent gave young Usmanov an interest in books, languages, and international affairs.
Education in Moscow
As a teenager, Usmanov dreamed of becoming a diplomat who represented his country abroad. To follow this dream, he traveled north to Moscow to attend university.
He gained entry to the Moscow State Institute of International Relations, which is often called MGIMO. This university is famous for training diplomats, lawyers, and experts in global business. Usmanov worked hard and graduated in 1976 with an advanced degree in international law.
After finishing his university education, he moved back to Tashkent. There, he took a leadership role with the Foreign Economic Association of the Soviet Peace Committee, helping build international cultural and trade relationships.
Building a Business Empire
Usmanov began his journey as an entrepreneur during the late 1980s. At that time, the Soviet Union started allowing citizens to open small private businesses called cooperatives.
Making Everyday Essentials: Plastic Bags
In the late 1980s, common goods were often very hard to find in Soviet stores. Simple items like plastic shopping bags were extremely rare and prized by shoppers.
Usmanov saw a helpful opportunity to solve this problem. He established a private cooperative enterprise named Agroplast. His company manufactured plastic bags using modern machinery. The business was very popular because it provided useful items that ordinary families needed every day. Through this company, he earned his very first fortune.
Banking, Energy, and Natural Resources
During the 1990s, the economic system changed quickly as the Soviet Union came to an end. Usmanov moved into finance, banking, and resource management.
Between 1990 and 1994, he worked as a senior director at Intercross JSC. From 1994 to 1998, he directed Interfin, an investment company that worked with banks. He also served as an adviser to an aviation manufacturing company and took on leadership roles at MAPO-Bank.
Between 1997 and 2000, Usmanov joined Gazprom Vestholding LLC, a subsidiary of the massive energy firm Gazprom. He later directed this firm until 2014. In that role, he helped the company purchase important resource fields, including Severneftegazprom, which manages the giant South Russian energy field.
Mining and Heavy Industry
Natural minerals and metals are the building blocks of modern cities, bridges, and machines. Usmanov spent much of his career organizing companies that dig up iron and refine metals safely and efficiently.
Metalloinvest: Making Iron and Steel
In 1999, Usmanov teamed up with his business partner Vasily Anisimov to create Metalloinvest. Instead of taking over old state factories through quick auctions, Usmanov spent years buying shares on the open market.
Metalloinvest quickly grew to become one of the largest producers of iron ore in the world. The company operates major open-pit mines, including Lebedinsky GOK and Mikhailovsky GOK. It also owns steel factories like the Oskol Elektrometallurgical Plant and Ural Steel.
To protect the environment, the company started planning cleaner ways to make steel. In Kursk Oblast, it planned facilities to produce Hot-briquetted iron. This material allows factories to manufacture steel with less carbon smoke, helping reduce pollution in heavy industry.
Usmanov grouped these massive industrial assets together under an umbrella company named USM Holdings. He owned a large share of USM, working alongside fellow investors Andrei Skoch and Farhad Moshiri.
Exploring for Minerals Across the Globe
Usmanov looked beyond Russia to find mineral deposits needed by world industries. Between 2006 and 2008, his investment groups purchased shares in Australian mining firms, including Mt Gibson and Strike Resources. Strike Resources explored a large iron ore deposit located in Peru.
Metalloinvest also held shares in Medusa Mining, a gold mining business, and Nautilus Minerals, which studied minerals found deep on the ocean floor.
The Giant Udokan Copper Project
Copper is an essential metal used in electrical wires, computers, motors, and green electric cars. In 2008, Metalloinvest bought the license to develop the Udokan mine for $500 million.
Udokan is located in a remote part of eastern Russia with freezing winter temperatures. Geologists had discovered the deposit many decades earlier, but nobody had built a mine because the mountains were so hard to reach. Under modern Mineral resource classification guidelines, experts calculated that Udokan contains over 26 million tonnes of copper.
In 2020, workers began mining at Udokan. The project built processing plants to produce pure cathode copper sheets and concentrates, supplying global clean energy industries.
Investing in the Digital World
During the 2000s, the internet transformed the way human beings learn, communicate, and play. Usmanov became one of the most successful international investors in digital technology.
Early Belief in Social Networks
In 2008, Usmanov met tech investor Yuri Milner. Together through investment funds like DST Global, they searched for brilliant young technology founders who needed funds to expand their websites.
In 2009, Usmanov decided to make a very large investment in a young American company called Facebook. At the time, founder Mark Zuckerberg needed money to build new computer servers for millions of new members. Usmanov invested $200 million through his company Mail.ru. In exchange, he received a small percentage of Facebook without demanding voting control. This decision helped Facebook build its platform. When Usmanov later sold those shares in 2013, the investment had gained $1.4 billion in value.
Usmanov used the same strategy to back other popular platforms. In 2011, his investment fund provided $400 million to help the social media site Twitter expand its network. He held those shares until 2014.
Mail.ru and the VK Platform
Inside Russia, Usmanov became the primary backer of Mail.ru, which ran email portals, casual online games, and web search services.
He also invested in VK, which is the most popular social networking site for Russian speakers. When entrepreneur Pavel Durov was starting up the secure messaging application Telegram, Usmanov and his partners assisted with business support during corporate disputes. USM Holdings owned shares in VK for many years before selling them in 2021 to companies like Sogaz and Gazprombank.
Global Mobile Apps and Shopping Sites
Usmanov supported many other well-known tech firms during their fastest growth periods. His technology funds invested in:
- Airbnb, a service that lets travelers book homes around the globe;
- Alibaba Group and JD.com, two of the world's largest online shopping marketplaces;
- Xiaomi, a company famous for designing popular smartphones and gadgets;
- Zynga, a developer known for social mobile video games;
- Groupon and healthcare booking app Zocdoc;
- Apple, where he invested $100 million in 2013 to support the maker of iPhones and computers.
Usmanov also backed youth culture and online gaming. In 2015, his company USM provided $100 million to support Virtus Pro, a professional video game team that competes in world esports championships.
MegaFon: Mobile Phones and Wireless Networks
Usmanov recognized that people needed reliable cellular connections to browse the web on portable devices. In 2012, his companies bought a controlling stake in MegaFon.
MegaFon is one of the largest wireless phone companies in Eurasia. It built thousands of transmission towers, laid fiber-optic cables, and introduced high-speed mobile internet to towns across the country.
Media and News Publishing
Usmanov also purchased established news media and television networks. In 2006, he bought the respected daily business newspaper Kommersant, which was originally owned by Boris Berezovsky.
He also invested in youth television. He bought a 50% stake in the sports network 7TV and 75% of the music television station Muz-TV. In 2011, he partnered with the Walt Disney Company, selling them a stake in his television network to help broadcast family programs. He later sold his television networks to partner Ivan Tavrin.
Sports Leadership and Stadiums
Sports have always played a central role in Usmanov's life. He has spent millions of dollars building arenas, training young athletes, and helping major teams compete at the highest level.
Arsenal Football Club
Football is the most popular sport in the world, and Usmanov loved watching matches in the English Premier League. In August 2007, he purchased a large share of the famous London club Arsenal.
He partnered with investor Farhad Moshiri and former club leader David Dein. Together, they formed an investment vehicle called Red and White Holdings. Over time, Usmanov bought more shares from other club owners, including Danny Fiszman and Scottish club Rangers.
Eventually, Usmanov owned more than 30% of Arsenal. Another businessman, Stan Kroenke, also owned a large share of the club. The two investors had different ideas about how the club should spend money on star players. In August 2018, Usmanov decided to step aside and sold his shares to Kroenke for around £550 million.
Everton Football Club
After leaving Arsenal, Usmanov continued supporting English football through partnerships with Everton F.C., a historic club based in Liverpool.
In 2017, USM Holdings agreed to sponsor Everton's modern training ground, Finch Farm. In 2019, MegaFon became a jersey sponsor for the club, and in 2020, it became the main sponsor for the Everton women's team. However, in early 2022, Everton suspended these sponsorship deals due to geopolitical conflicts involving Russia and Ukraine.
Revitalizing the Sport of Fencing
When Usmanov was a young student, he loved the quick reflexes and discipline required in swordplay. He became a skilled sabre fencer, competing for the national fencing team of the Uzbek republic.
After becoming successful in business, he dedicated himself to making the sport popular around the world. He served as president of the Russian Fencing Federation from 2001 to 2009. He also led the European Fencing Confederation.
President of the FIE
In 2008, Usmanov was elected president of the International Fencing Federation, which is known worldwide by its French initials, the FIE. He was re-elected in 2012, 2016, 2021, and again in late 2024. During his presidency, he donated roughly $100 million of his own money to help the federation thrive.
Under his leadership, fencing changed in many positive ways:
- Modern Technology: Usmanov introduced wireless sensor systems so fencers did not have to drag long electrical cords behind them. He also added glowing LED strips to the competition floor to show points and timer information clearly.
- More Olympic Medals: For many decades, the Olympic Games only offered 10 sets of fencing medals, meaning some team events had to be left out. Usmanov worked closely with the International Olympic Committee. At the Tokyo Games, fencing offered a full set of 12 gold medals for the first time.
- Global Growth: The FIE grew to include 156 member countries from every continent.
- Charity for Athletes: Usmanov created funds like "For the Future of Fencing" to buy safety gear for poor clubs and support athletes who compete in wheelchair fencing.
Due to political tensions in Europe, Usmanov voluntarily stepped aside from daily FIE duties starting in 2022 to keep the sports federation out of political arguments.
Personal Life and Family
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Usmanov was married for thirty years to Irina Viner, a famous coach who trained many Olympic champions in rhythmic gymnastics. The couple married in 1992 and divorced amicably in 2022. Usmanov has a stepson named Anton Viner, who works as a property developer.
Usmanov practices the Muslim faith. Today, he spends much of his time living and working in Tashkent, close to his original family roots. He also works closely with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev to support schools and local industries.
Magnificent Houses and the Dilbar Superyacht
Over the years, trusts established for Usmanov's family owned remarkable properties. These included historic estates in England, such as the Tudor manor Sutton Place in Surrey and Beechwood House in London.
One of the most famous vessels in the world is the motor yacht Dilbar, named in honor of Usmanov's mother. Built by the German shipyard Lürssen, the ship is 156 meters long. It contains 84 crew members and features the largest indoor swimming pool ever built inside a private vessel. European courts later ruled that the vessel was legally owned by an independent family trust rather than Usmanov directly.
Philanthropy: Giving Back to Society
Usmanov is widely recognized as one of the most generous donors in the world. According to international charity monitors, he has given away more than $7 billion of his personal fortune to help other people.
Protecting Art and World History
Usmanov believes that history and fine art belong to everyone:
- The Rostropovich Collection: In 2007, a priceless collection of historic Russian paintings and porcelain owned by musician Mstislav Rostropovich was scheduled to be broken up and sold at an auction by Sotheby's. Usmanov purchased the entire collection before the auction began for over £20 million. He immediately donated every single piece to the public museum at the Konstantinovsky Palace near St. Petersburg.
- Classic Animation: In 2007, he purchased the rights to a huge archive of beloved vintage Soviet cartoons from actor Oleg Vidov. Usmanov donated all the films to a children's television network so kids could watch them for free.
- Ancient Monuments: In 2015, he donated €1.5 million to the city of Rome, Italy, to help restore the ancient ruins of the Basilica Ulpia, which was built by Roman Emperor Trajan.
- The Olympic Manifesto: In 2020, he bought the original 1892 handwritten speech by Pierre de Coubertin, the French founder of the modern Olympic Games. Usmanov paid $8.8 million for the manuscript and donated it directly to the Olympic Museum in Switzerland.
Science, Health, and Education
Usmanov has provided regular financial support to universities, including the National Research University Higher School of Economics and the European University at St Petersburg.
In 2014, American scientist Dr. James Watson, who helped discover the double-helix structure of DNA, was forced to sell his Nobel Prize medal at an auction to raise money for scientific research labs. Usmanov bought the medal for $4.8 million. He then invited Dr. Watson to a ceremony and returned the medal back to him, explaining that an outstanding scientist who helped cure human diseases should never have to lose his award.
During the global COVID-19 pandemic, Usmanov was ranked by The Sunday Times as the single most generous donor on its giving list. He gave over £134 million to provide medicine, safety equipment, and hospital beds to patients across Uzbekistan, Russia, and Italy.
In early 2026, he funded the construction of the Center for Islamic Civilization in Tashkent. This massive museum and library preserves ancient scientific manuscripts, books, and artistic treasures from Central Asia for future generations to study.
Honors and Awards
For his support of sports, education, and culture, Usmanov has received medals from many nations:
- Order "For Merit to the Fatherland" (Russia)
- Order of Alexander Nevsky (Russia)
- Order of Honour (Russia)
- Order of Friendship (Kazakhstan)
- Commander of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (Italy)
- Order of El-Yurt Hurmati (Uzbekistan)
Images for kids
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The superyacht Dilbar docked in the harbor of Barcelona.
See also
In Spanish: Alisher Usmánov para niños
