Vagit Alekperov facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Vagit Alekperov
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| Vahid Ələkbərov | |
Alekperov in 2013
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| Born | 1 September 1950 Baku, Azerbaijan SSR, Soviet Union
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| Nationality | Azerbaijani |
| Citizenship | Russia |
| Alma mater | Azerbaijan State Oil and Industry University , Master of Engineering |
| Occupation | Chairman of the supervisory board of Basic Element Company |
| Spouse(s) | Larisa Victorovna Alekperova |
| Children | 1 |
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Vagit Alekperov (born 1 September 1950) is a well-known Azerbaijani-Russian businessman. He was the president of the large oil company Lukoil for almost 30 years, from 1993 until 2022. As of September 2024, he is one of the richest people in Russia and the world. He used to own a part of the football club Spartak Moscow.
Some countries like the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand have placed restrictions on Alekperov. This happened because of the international reactions to the 2022 conflict in Ukraine.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Vagit Alekperov was born on 1 September 1950, in Baku. At that time, Baku was part of the Soviet Union. It was a very important place for the oil industry.
His father worked in the oilfields his whole life. He passed away when Vagit was young, but he inspired Vagit to work in the oil industry too. Vagit's father was Muslim, and his mother was Russian Orthodox. Vagit is a religious person.
In 1974, Vagit Alekperov finished his studies at the Azerbaijan State Oil and Industry University. He earned a degree in engineering.
Building an Oil Empire
Starting in Siberia
In 1979, Alekperov moved to Western Siberia. He worked for an oil company called Surgutneftegaz from 1979 to 1985. During this time, he became known as an expert in the oil industry.
He quickly moved up in his career. By 1985, he became a top manager at the Bashneft company. In 1987, he became the general director of a new company called Kogalymneftegaz.
Moving to Moscow
In 1990, Alekperov was given a big job in the Soviet Union. He became the deputy minister of the Oil and Gas Industry. He was the youngest person to hold such a high position in the Soviet energy ministry.
At this time, Alekperov wanted to create large state-owned energy companies. These companies would bring together all the different parts of the energy business.
Creating LUKOIL
In April 1993, several oil companies joined together to form a new company called LUKOIL. Alekperov became its first president and chairman. By 2002, he owned a significant part of the company.
In 2000, Alekperov stepped down as the head of LUKOIL's board of directors. However, he remained the company's president. In 2008, he bought more shares in LUKOIL. This made him the company's largest shareholder.
LUKOIL was the first Russian company to buy an American company. In 2000, LUKOIL bought Getty Petroleum Marketing. This included 1,300 gas stations in the United States. Alekperov also became a main owner of IFD Kapital Group, a financial company.
In April 2022, Alekperov stepped down from his roles at Lukoil. He resigned from the board of directors after 29 years with the company.
Personal Life
Vagit Alekperov is married to Larisa Victorovna Alekperova. They have a son named Yusuf, who was born in 1990. In 2023, his son Yusuf started a company called WellTech. This company helps with repairing oil wells for LUKOIL.
Alekperov has a hobby of collecting old coins, which is called numismatics. The exact details of his collection are not fully known. However, some reports say it is one of the three largest private collections in Russia. His private Museum of Numismatics has over 700 coins on display. Most of these are gold coins from ancient times to modern Russia. He also has some silver and rare platinum coins.
Helping Others
In 2007, Alekperov started a foundation called "Our Future." This foundation helps to promote social businesses in Russia. Social businesses are companies that aim to solve social problems while also making money.
Alekperov has said that he plans to give his shares in Lukoil to a special charity foundation after he passes away. This is a very large donation, as he owns over 20% of the company.
During the 2020 coronavirus pandemic, Lukoil donated a lot of money to help. They gave over 652 million Russian Rubles to 22 regions in Russia. They also donated almost $900,000 in other countries where they operate. Alekperov also personally donated 50 million Russian Rubles to help fight the virus in a region called Komi.
Awards and Honors
Vagit Alekperov was the first Russian citizen to receive the Woodrow Wilson Award. He received this award in 2005 for being a good corporate citizen.
On 31 August 2020, the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, gave him the "Dostlug" Order. This award was for his special help in developing good relations between Azerbaijan and Russia.
On 4 May 2022, Alekperov received the Order "For Merit to the Fatherland" of the first degree. This was for his great work in the fuel and energy industry over many years.
Vagit Alekperov is also a full member of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences.
See also
In Spanish: Vaguit Alekpérov para niños
- List of Azerbaijanis
- List of Russian billionaires
