Vagit Yusufovich Alekperov is a well-known Russian businessman, former Deputy Minister of the USSR Oil and Gas Industry. He is currently the president and co-owner of Lukoil, the # 1 oil company in Russia. Doctor of Economic Sciences. Personal capital for 2019 - 20 billion 700 million US dollars. His wife is Larisa Viktorovna, the mother of his son Yusuf. The couple met and got married in the early 70s.
Biography of Vagit Alekperov
Vagit was born in Baku, September 1, 1950. Father - a locksmith in the oil field, a veteran of the Great Patriotic War, an Azerbaijani, later - an employee of the executive committee of the CPSU. He died of untreated wounds in 1953, when Vagit was only 3 years old. Mother is a Russian Cossack woman, a housewife. After the death of her husband, she raised five children alone, refusing to hand them over to an orphanage.
From an early age, Vagit helped his mother as best he could. I put nets on fish in the Caspian Sea, studied diligently, forgetting about games with peers. The elder sister Zuleikha has already worked at an oil production enterprise. Vagit's other sister, Neikha, gave private violin lessons.
After school, from 1969 to 1974, he studied at the Azerbaijan Institute of Oil and Chemistry named after Azizbekov, specializing in Mining Engineering, day and evening departments. During his studies he worked part-time as a driller at sea on unequipped oil platforms. Explosions and fires on them were not unusual. Once, during another explosion, Vagita was thrown into the open sea. He was able to escape only thanks to his excellent swimming skills.
In the 70s, he worked at Kasmorneft, first as an operator, and then as a shift supervisor, oil and gas production foreman, chief engineer and, finally, deputy head of an oil field.
In the 1980s, his career took off when the party sent him to Western Siberia to work for Surgutneft and Fedorovskneft. He began to occupy various managerial positions in these enterprises, many times became the head of oil fields. Rose to the CEO of the production association "Kogalymneftegaz", and then, in the early 90s, and to the first deputy minister of the oil and gas industry of the USSR.
Despite his senior leadership positions, Vagit always tried to do a lot for ordinary workers. During emergencies at the facilities under his jurisdiction, he personally supervised the elimination of accidents. In the mid-1980s, he even went into conflict with the USSR Ministry of Oil and Gas Industry, when he began to build not wooden barracks, but stone houses in workers' settlements for oil producers. But, given the high results of oil production at Alekperov's facilities, the management got off with only a reprimand addressed to him.
As Deputy Minister, he quickly establishes business ties, including with foreign colleagues - British Petroleum. Thanks to his connections, he establishes the future company Lukoil, after the privatization of which he becomes its majority owner (holder of the largest block of shares) and permanent president.
Now "Lukoil" is considered the largest oil company in the country, its products are supplied to 42 countries of the world, its representative offices are located not only in the former republics of the USSR, but also in the USA and EU countries. Lukoil competes on equal terms with companies such as Shell or British Petroleum.
Also in the early 90s, Vagit became the chairman of the board of directors of Bank Imperial (went bankrupt in 1998), and develops the oil business in Belarus. As of 2019, it owns 20.6% of Lukoil shares (according to other sources - 24.8%).
In 1998 he defended his doctoral dissertation, receiving the degree of Doctor of Economics. In the same year he published two books. In 2014 he became a full member of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences.
For his contribution to the socio-economic development of our country, he was awarded the Orders of Merit to the Fatherland, first the fourth (in 2005), then the third (in 2010) and the second (in 2014) degrees. Chevalier of the Order of Friendship of Peoples (Belarus) and the Order of Dustlik (Uzbekistan).
According to Alekperov, his role model was Enrico Mattei, the founder of the largest oil holding in Italy, which supplies the country with oil and gas.
His personal yacht Galactica Super Nova, worth 45 million euros, regularly participates in the most prestigious yacht shows on the planet. Vagit subordinates two private planes: Bombardier Challenger 605 and AirBus ACJ319 with interior decoration corresponding to the presidential suite.
Wife Larisa Alekperova
In 2012 she graduated from the Russian State University of Oil and Gas named after Gubkin with a degree in Development and Operation of Oil Fields. Loves travel, communication with numerous friends and relatives. Favorite vacation spot - Crimea. She is fond of football, rooting for "Spartak", the actual owner of which is her husband.
One of Larisa's biggest hobbies is collecting rare coins and banknotes. According to rumors, her collection is included in the Top 3 largest numismatic collections in our country. About 25% of the entire collection is in the private Alekperov Museum of Numismatics. There are exhibited gold coins, from ancient times to our time. There are also a number of silver and platinum coins of the 17th - early 20th centuries. The most expensive coin in the museum is estimated at $ 410 million.
She enjoys playing tennis and tennis with her husband.
Son of a billionaire
Yusuf Vagitovich Alekperov followed in his father's footsteps and decided to link his fate with oil. Currently he graduated from the Russian State University of Oil and Gas named after Gubkin, and also received a second degree in economics and management.
In 2016, he married a girl named Alice, but they have no children yet. Works in the management of Lukoil, travels a lot, collects expensive cars.
According to Vagit Yusufovich, he will inherit his share of Lukoil shares to his son, provided that he does not sell and divide them.
