Andrey Melnichenko

Early life and education

Andrey Melnichenko is belorussian but he moved to Russia when he was very young. He finished the Boarding School of the Specialized Education and Research Centre under the auspices of the Lomonosov Moscow State University, formerly known as the Boarding School at Kolmogorov Physics-and-Mathematics School #18. Upon graduation, Melnichenko was admitted in the School of Physics at Moscow State University, and later transferred to and graduated from the Plekhanov Russian University of Economics.

Career

In 1993 at the age of 21, Melnichenko co-founded the MDM Bank which grew to become one of Russia’s largest private banks within ten years. From 1993 to 1997, Andrey Melnichenko chaired the management board of MDM Bank. In 1997, Melnichenko graduated from the Plekhanov Russian University of Economics with a degree in Finance and Credit. He then bought out MDM Bank shares from his partners and became the sole shareholder of the Bank.

From 2001 to 2005, he chaired MDM Bank's board of directors. From 2001 to 2004, he was the president of the MDM Group. Between 2000 and 2001, Melnichenko co-founded the MDM Group comprising industrial assets which later formed Siberian Coal Energy Company (SUEK) and the mineral and chemical Company EuroChem. Andrey Melnichenko also became one of the founders of TMK, Pipe and Metallurgic Company, Russia’s largest manufacturer and exporter of steel pipes. In 2004, he sold his shares in the transaction related to public placement of the company’s stock with the London Stock Exchange.

From 2004 to 2007, Andrey Melnichenko phased sale of all personally owned shares of MDM Bank to his MDM Group partner Sergei Popov, and focused on the development of industrial and energy assets: the fertiliser company EuroChem, the coal producer SUEK, and the Siberian Generating Company (SGC). In 2011, he created the SGK on the basis of electricity assets of SUEK. In 2013, Andrey Melnichenko became the primary shareholder of SUEK and SGK after he has bought his ex-partners shares. He was Chairman of Board of Directors of OJSC SUEK from March 2004 until April 2015.

Andrey Melnichenko is Chairman of the Strategy Committee (Non-executive director) of EuroChem Group AG. He is also Chairman of the Strategy Committee of SUEK LTD. He is the main beneficiary of EuroChem, SUEK and SGK.

Since 2007, Andrey Melnichenko has been Member of the Bureau of the Board of Directors of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RSPP), where he is Chairman of the Mining Commission.

Assets and boards

In 2017, he ranked 89th in the Forbes World’s Billionaires list (#9 in Russia).

Andrey Melnichenko's assets include:

Andrey Melnichenko is Chairman of the Strategy Committee at EuroChem Group AG, SUEK Group and SGK.

According to media reports, Melnichenko's companies invested 16 billion US dollars in Russia's economy and industrial sector.

Accolades

In 2016, Melnichenko was given a special award for "good deeds" and charity works by the President of Russia. According to media reports, he is one of the main social investors and philanthropists of Russia.

Personal life

In 2005, Melnichenko married former model and pop singer Aleksandra Melnichenko in the South of France.

Andrey Melnichenko owns two yachts: M/Y A (2008) and S/Y A. Both were designed by Philippe Starck. Melnichenko also owns a Boeing 737 BBJ (registered M-YBBJ). In 2016 Forbes Russia reported the older yacht was for sale. According to media reports, as of end February 2017, S/Y A was undergoing sea trials in Southern Spain and is thought to be delivered to the owner in late Spring 2017.

The Melnichenkos also own a villa in Antibes known as Villa Altair which was also the location for their wedding and features an extension designed by Phillipe Starck. They also own Harewood Estate in Ascot, Berkshire in the United Kingdom.