Lisin Vladimir: the joys of life are available to both the rich and the poor. The richest and most successful in Russia - Vladimir Lisin

Metallurgist Vladimir Lisin is known for his unshakable tenacity in any business. Although the choice of profession was random, after being assigned to Tulachermet, the future billionaire went from being an assistant steelmaker to a deputy head of the shop. From the mid-1980s until the collapse of the USSR, Lisin worked at the Karaganda metallurgical plant under the leadership of Oleg Soskovets, who in 1993 would become the first deputy prime minister in the government of Boris Yeltsin. By that time, Lisin will also move to Moscow and, along with future billionaires, will become an employee of the British Trans World Group (TWG). Its owners - brothers Mikhail and Lev Chernykh - were associated with Soskovets, and TWG itself was the largest player in the Russian metallurgy.

In 1996, when Yeltsin fired Soskovets, and the Chernyi began to divide the business, Lisin was not at a loss. He managed to establish control over one of the most promising TWG plants - the Novolipetsk Metallurgical Plant (NLMK). He fought off the claims of the brothers, defended the plant in a corporate struggle with Vladimir Potanin, brought NLMK to an IPO and turned it into a real cash machine.

Lisin is called an addicted person. In the 2000s, he was actively interested in politics in Lipetsk and built a media holding. Then he started buying transport assets and got carried away with GR. Now his main passion is sports shooting. Master of Sports in clay pigeon shooting, since 2002 he has been the head of the Russian Shooting Union, since 2009 he is the President of the European Shooting Confederation (ESC), and since 2018 the President of the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF). In the Moscow region, Lisin built the Lisya Nora, the largest sports and shooting complex in Europe, and launched a target production line at NLMK. Lisin also owns a Scottish estate, where he regularly goes hunting. His eldest son Dmitry is also an avid hunter; he is on the boards of directors of a number of Lisin's assets.

Education Siberian Metallurgical Institute (1976).

Carier start He began his career as an electrical fitter at the Yuzhkuzbassugol association.

First business In the late 1980s, he headed the Soviet-Swiss firm TSK-Steel, which traded substandard metal abroad.

Capital Shareholding in NLMK (84%), transport holding Universal Cargo Logistics (100%).

Number Lisin received $ 1.6 billion in dividends from NLMK in 2018.

Detail In the Rospatent database, Lisin is listed as the author of new methods for washing a blast furnace, processing steel in a ladle, obtaining a coating on a metal strip and the owner of a couple of dozen more patents.

Hobby Shooting sports, hunting. Built Europe's largest sports and shooting complex "Lisya Nora" in the Moscow region.

The name of this person does not often appear in the media. Vladimir Lisin, a billionaire with many years of experience, tries not to shine once again and very carefully protects his personal life from prying eyes. In addition, the person is calm and phlegmatic, he does not interfere in loud scandals, and he tries to resolve conflicts quietly and peacefully. Meanwhile, there is a lot to tell about Lisin's life ... In 2010-2011 he was the richest man in the Russian Federation, and today he is in the top ten. The dimensions of his "empire" are simply immense. Lisin Vladimir lives in an expensive castle in Scotland, and in Russia he has a refuge - "Fox hole", where he does what he loves. However, first things first.

How did a citizen of the former USSR, where everyone was known to be equal, manage to become a powerful figure who now owns a fortune of more than nine billion dollars? Maybe Vladimir's parents were secret millionaires? Or big nomenclature "bumps"? Or maybe Lisin received an inheritance from an overseas uncle? Neither one nor the other, nor the third.

Childhood of Vladimir Lisin

In fact, practically nothing is known about the parents of the billionaire. But, judging by the way the life of the tycoon developed after school, mom and dad were quite simple people.

From the official biographies it follows that the birthday of Vladimir Sergeevich Lisin fell on May 7, 1956, and this significant event happened in the city of weavers - Ivanovo.

Journalists have repeatedly tried to shed light on the first years of the rich man's life, but they managed to find out little. When they showed the yellowed card to Lisin's former classmates and teachers, they only shrugged their shoulders, having difficulty remembering this boy and not knowing what to say about him.

Vova was very quiet, withdrawn, serious. He studied well, although sometimes, like everyone else, he had bad grades. In general, nothing remarkable was different. Not tall, not beauties, not a hooligan, but not a sucker either ... It seemed that his path was waiting for him just as inconspicuous ...

Studying and starting work

At some point, the family of Vladimir Lisin moved from the city of Ivanovo to Novokuznetsk, and after graduating from school, the guy entered the Siberian Metallurgical Institute. Actually, he had no other alternative, so fate helped with the choice of his life path. Studying for a metallurgical engineer goes smoothly. In parallel with his studies, Lisin also manages to earn money. For example, it is known that in 1975 he traveled with fellow students to the BAM, where his construction team was engaged in clearing the flooded area around the Zeya hydroelectric power station. In the same 75th Vladimir begins the official labor activity, having got a job as an electrical fitter in "Yuzhkuzbassugol".

The diploma of a specialist was received in 1979, and the graduate is sent on assignment to Tula, where he works at the local enterprise NPO Tulachermet. The first step career ladder was the position of steelmaker, then Lisin was appointed operator of the installation, casting steel; soon he rose to the rank of shift supervisor, then - the section, and eventually became the head of the shop. And all this in a fairly short period of time thanks to perseverance, diligent work and the desire to do any job with high quality.

Later, Lisin received several more educations, graduating in 1984 from the postgraduate study of the Ukrainian Research Institute of Metallurgy, in the 90th becoming a graduate of the Higher Commercial School at the Academy foreign trade, and in 1992 - the Academy of the National Economy.

First patron - Soskovets

In 1985, fate brought Lisin to Kazakhstan, where he got a job at a metallurgical plant in Karaganda as deputy chief engineer. The head of this enterprise was Oleg Soskovets, and very soon Vladimir Lisin became his deputy.

The role of Soskovets in the fate of the future billionaire can hardly be overestimated. With him, Lisin gained his commercial experience when he headed the "daughter" of the Karaganda plant "TSK-Steel". The company, in partnership with the Swiss, sold metals for export very profitably. The 90s were on the way, and the state loosened its grip, and enterprising people skillfully used holes in the legislation.

It was during this period that Lisin earned his first big money. And although he denies friendship with Soskovets, it is known that this man helped him well at the start.

Moscow and Kislin

In 1991 Oleg Soskovets moved to Moscow and headed the Ministry of Metallurgy Soviet Union... Lisin Vladimir also changes Karaganda to the capital, explaining this event later by a simple coincidence.

In the 90s, Moscow was flooded with foreigners who saw great prospects for their business here. Came from America to the capital of the Russian Federation and the former Odessa citizen Sam Kislin, who before emigration worked as the head of a grocery store. And at the time of his arrival, he already owned a solid metallurgical company Trans Commodities, which was engaged in the supply of raw materials.

The paths of Kislin and Lisin crossed. The latter helped the American "sort out" an almost stalemate financial situation where $ 30 million was at stake. This is how the collaboration began. The business was based on "tolling" - a mechanism that made it possible to ship raw materials abroad practically without duties. Vladimir Sergeevich worked for "Uncle Sam" in Trans Commodities in fact an employee, and this status did not suit him very much.

Trans World Group

The situation changed in 1992, when Vladimir Lisin crossed paths with another foreigner - David Ruben from Great Britain. He was engaged in the trade of non-ferrous metals and created, together with Russian partners, the Trans World Group company, which included Lisin, as a member of the board of directors. Businessmen very quickly took control of most of the largest metallurgical enterprises in Russia. Among them was the Novolipetsk Combine, which today is the main asset of the billionaire. But before owning this plant, Lisin still had to go and go ...

Fight for NLMK

1995 was marked by a series of bloody massacres of the heads of Russian enterprises associated with the metallurgy sector. The killings were distinguished by sophisticated cruelty and impudence. It was rumored that TWG was behind all this, which was almost the only one who felt good at that moment.

But the period of prosperity did not last long. In the group, which consisted of foreigners and Russian partners, feuds began. The founders could not share power in any way, besides, the company was not favored by the new government of Chernomyrdin, who replaced Lisin's patron Oleg Soskovets as prime minister.

TWG was falling apart before our eyes, and Vladimir Sergeevich Lisin tried to make the most of this situation. He swung at the Novolipetsk Metallurgical Plant, slowly buying up its shares. When the founders of TWG decided to sell this unprofitable enterprise, Lisin already had 13% of the shares. He refused the offer to receive compensation for them, although he could become a multimillionaire.

In the fight for NLMK, its current owner had to face Vladimir Potanin (the richest man in Russia in 2015). At first, he played on the same field with Lisin, and then suddenly found himself on the other side of the front. Potanin already had 50% of the shares in his hands, and he tried to throw the challenger out of the game.

After several bold attacks by Lisin, his namesake gave up and sold his stake to Vladimir Sergeevich.

Full control

In 2001, the goal was achieved. As planned by Vladimir Lisin, NLMK was under his complete control. At that time, he had already done a lot for the plant, which he actually headed. After the crisis 98th, growth began, and by the beginning of the 2000s, NLMK was already making a profit of 9 billion rubles a year.

Lisin no longer participated in business wars and was closely engaged in the development of the plant. Today NLMK is not just a plant, but a whole vertical of enterprises, covering all stages of metal production. There are no similar examples in the world.

Vladimir Sergeevich acquired "his own" ore, built a thermal power plant, bought several ports in the south and north of the country to improve logistics and made many more effective steps and acquisitions that today allow both NMLK and its owner to flourish.

Political activity

Lisin Vladimir is an integral and consistent personality, follows the path chosen in his youth, without turning anywhere. For example, he does not apply for the seat of the president of the country or a deputy of the State Duma, as many do. successful businessmen Russia. But Lisin nevertheless made some attempts to succeed in politics.

For example, he wanted to take the post of governor of the Lipetsk region and head of its administration. But, not meeting support from the president, he abandoned his intentions. Lisin never went into conflicts with the authorities.

Shooter

Vladimir Lisin, whose biography began in a simple family of residents of the city of Ivanovo, became interested in sports shooting as a child. This hobby has only grown over the years.

Today, the businessman heads the Russian Shooting Union and sponsors the national this kind sports.

Lisin loves to shoot himself. For these needs, he even acquired a "Fox hole" in the Moscow region, which is a whole complex for recreation, entertainment and training.

It is noteworthy that, shooting skeet, the billionaire does not spend on their purchase, having established own production targets. And this fact is another confirmation of the fact that rich people know how to count money.

Other interests

In addition to financing shooting sports, Lisin is also involved in other types of charity. His company acts as a philanthropist in the construction of churches, and Vladimir Sergeevich himself from 2001 to 2010. sponsored the print media Gazeta, which never became profitable. Lisin stated that he was striving to give the society an independent publication, but Gazeta employees denied that the owner did not interfere with editorial policy.

For some time Lisin owned the Rubin TV channel, today he owns the Business FM radio station.

The billionaire also collects furniture, household items, works of art (in particular, Kasli casting), etc. He speaks fluent English and loves smoking cigars.

Lisin's personal life

The Lisin family owns a luxurious castle in Scotland, bought for 6.8 million British pounds in 2005. The ancient building is surrounded by virgin nature, and the place resembles a piece of paradise.

It is difficult to find a person more permanent than Vladimir Lisin. His wife Lyudmila is the first and only one in her entire life. Peace and tranquility reign in the family. The couple have three children - and all are boys. The first son of Vladimir Lisin – Alexander. The second is called Vyacheslav, and the third is Dmitry. Today they are wealthy heirs. And once it was because of the children that Lisin began to strive upward. Seeing with what appetite his sons pounced on ordinary food, he vowed that they would never be in poverty. And he does everything possible for this!

Lisin Vladimir Sergeevich is a powerful and mysterious man, like the Count of Monte Cristo.

His life is divided between Scotland, where he has his own castle, and Russia, where, in addition to his metallurgical giant he has a place for solitary reflections and amazing holidays - a country club with an ironic name "Fox hole", here in "Fox hole", with a wave of his hand, overnight they can erect a miniature copy of Venice with palaces, canals and gondolas, in which will ride numerous guests during the next gala reception. Or create a life-size acting metallurgical production with blast furnaces and rolling mills- for a corporate party ...

Here, tired of names, faces, smiles, calculations, numbers, a melancholic billionaire puts on soundproof headphones over a baseball cap, loads a rifle with a firm hand and, as if challenging the sky, shoots into its serene depths ... Bah! And the next ceramic plate in an instant turns into a split fan of spray. What is a person with an impassive face and a lively tenacious gaze thinking about and who does he represent at this moment? This is a mystery no less than the oligarch's past.

The owner of the Novolipetsk Metallurgical Plant and the third largest fortune in the country today, Vladimir Sergeevich Lisin not only avoids talking about his past. This past, if not uprooted, is hidden so deeply that no one has yet managed to get to it.

Parents, relatives, neighbors, school friends and teachers were cut out from the biography of Vladimir Sergeevich Lisin by someone's caring and hardworking hands. As if the boy Volodya Lisin himself, who was born in the city of Ivanovo on May 7, 1956, was not there, but the "iron woodcutter" immediately appeared, confidently walking up the career ladder.

For a person with imagination, this "white spot" in the biography of a rich man can become a source of a mysterious magical radiance, like Ali Baba's cave. But Vladimir Lisin is, on the contrary, a man devoid of that romantic and mysterious flair that surrounds most of the Russian oligarchs. And to apply this method of personality research to him is at least to sin against the truth. The truth is that they should not look for a black cat in a dark room, especially if it is not there. Vladimir Lisin was born a deeply earthly and strong being. From an early age, concentrated, laconic, closed, he was like a fairy-tale gnome - an old man and a child rolled into one. And he went through his childhood simply And without emotion, like a potato experiencing the time of its growth in the ground.

The fact that Vladimir Lisin had a rather calm childhood, naturally, extremely upsets those who like to delve into other people's family albums and crypts. But in itself this circumstance very strongly characterizes Vladimir Lisin and all the stages of his subsequent non-childish biography. Volodya Lisin was generally an inconspicuous boy. So imperceptible that none of those who taught Volodya at school and with whom he studied can say anything definite about him. Peering at the yellowed school photos, classmates are surprised to learn that the boy standing in the second row with them is now one of richest people Russia.

After reading the name on the back of the card and again peering into the picture, they push with difficulty to find the right words: There was a short guy ... not handsome ...

Not a bully ... How did you study? God knows, so much time has passed ... Probably, he studied well, since you say that he entered the institute ...

That's for sure. Volodya studied well at school. Moreover, in all subjects. Mathematics did not suffer for literature. And vice versa. Fours, fives in the diary ... There were also threes and twos, like all people. But rarely. In the family, Volodya, in general, was taught from childhood that one should try to do everything well, any business. Subsequent events clearly confirm that in Volodya's attitude to life in childhood and then, little has changed. And those things that he chose in childhood himself, then accompanied him throughout his subsequent life. So, for example, at the age of 12 Volodya Lisin took up arms for the first time.

Small-bore rifle in the school shooting range. Since then, Vladimir Lisin has never betrayed his hobby - sports shooting. The changing situation and career only provided new opportunities for the realization of hobbies. Having become an oligarch, Vladimir Lisin stopped going to the shooting range: he built his own shooting club called "Fox hole" in one of the picturesque corners of the Moscow region. Shooting relieves stress well, because it is impossible to shoot without freeing your head from all strangers. You need to concentrate. It is simply impossible to think about something else, - says Vladimir Lisin about his hobby.

At 9, at 40, and at 50, he was always equally solid, consistent and serious. If Lisin Vladimir Sergeevich was born a little earlier, and not in Russia, but in Japan, he would have made an ideal samurai. Calm, devoid of emotion and striving to achieve perfection in everything, regardless of whether it is about making tea, or about chopping off the head of his colleague. Moreover, Vladimir Lisin does not represent anything supernatural or outlandish in terms of human qualities of character. Anyone who has at least once talked with professional metallurgists will immediately identify this stinginess, common to all of them, in words and in the manifestation of emotions, a certain rigidity in the face and in the voice. And the eyes, dark and prickly like a chipped magnet, are also a sign of the shop floor.

Vladimir Sergeevich Lisin is a typical representative of this breed. In the family of Russian oligarchs, he is one of two real metallurgists. The third - the owner of the Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Works Viktor Rashnikov - has also worked in his industry all his life. Vladimir Lisin not only worked in metallurgy from a young age, but also grew up in the city of metallurgists - Novokuznetsk. In fact, the fate of the oligarch Vladimir Lisin had a moment of predestination. He did not choose for himself the sphere of interests and self-realization, because there was no space for this choice. Vladimir Lisin entered the only possible institute in his case - the Siberian Metallurgical Institute - as a metallurgical engineer. By the way, Lisin earned his first serious money - almost a thousand rubles - during his student years. Construction brigades then were not only a way to make money, but also a kind of spiritual unity of young people. Lisin worked in a construction team in 1975 at BAM. Together with his comrades, he cleared the flood zone of the Zeya hydroelectric power station: felling wood, sawing branches and logs, preparing sawn trees for transportation or for burning.

It was the time of the hardworking romantics. If they were given a dream and a field of activity, they conquered the taiga, permafrost, made tunnels in the rock. Warming up by the fires accompanied by the strumming of a guitar, we withstood the cold, and the midges, and inhuman fatigue. If the state could not only take advantage of their energy and enthusiasm, but also give them opportunities for self-realization, perhaps we would live in a completely different country. But the generation of Vladimir Lisin did not receive these opportunities.

After graduating from the institute, Vladimir Lisin was assigned to the other end of the country - to Tula. Here he worked at the Tulachermet Research and Production Association, where he rose from an assistant steelmaker to a deputy shop manager. Concentrated, unhurried, measured growth. No sudden ups and downs.

Entering a new round of life for Vladimir Lisin coincided with the beginning of perestroika. Then he was already thirty years old. Having exhausted his capabilities at Tulachermet, Lisin without any difficulties went to work in Kazakhstan, at the Karaganda Metallurgical Plant. This was not so far from his native Novokuznetsk as Tula, and the specifics of the work were closer to the interests of Vladimir Lisin. It was 1986. The country was getting ready to be melted down. One of those who, a few years later, took an active part in pouring the molten empire into a new company, was Oleg Soskovets. In 1986, the future Minister of Metallurgy of the USSR and subsequently Nlen of the Russian government, Oleg Soskovets worked as director of the Karaganda Metallurgical Plant. By this time, Vladimir Lisin had become his deputies.

Under the leadership of Oleg Soskovets, Lisin acquired his first commercial experience, which he still recalls with pleasure. The Karaganda plant, together with Swiss engineers, created a subsidiary company “TSK- | cabbage soup ", of which Lisin became the general director. The firm took advantage of a loophole in the legislation: only state intermediaries had the right to export metals, but substandard metal was allowed to be exported freely. Abroad, such products were bought at a big discount, but the company "TSK-Steel" had its own 20-25 million dollars in annual turnover.

Following Soskovets, who began climbing the state ladder, Vladimir Lisin moved from Karaganda to Moscow. Here he was awaited by another fateful meeting, which did not depend in any way on the desires and actions of Vladimir himself. He simply did not know about the existence of an American businessman of Soviet origin Sam Kislin, who again found himself in his former homeland in order to fish in troubled waters. Before leaving for America, Sam Kislin was the head of the central grocery store in Odessa. So Kislin had some kind of commercial experience and business acumen. But in new Russia Kislin was already in the role of the owner of a metallurgical company with a solid turnover.

Kislin's company "Trans Commodities" supplied raw materials to metallurgical plants - partly Russian, partly imported. At some point, his business ran into unforeseen difficulties. Several factories at once told Kislin that they could not pay him either with money or with metal. The industrialist had an unpleasant prospect of losing his $ 30 million invested in the business. It was then that Vladimir Lisin turned out to be next to the American, who promised to solve the problem. The question of where the former Odessa store director got the funds to enter this business and whose efforts Vladimir Lisin turned out to be the “rescuer” of the business will, in all likelihood, forever remain unanswered. But the fact that metal trading, as well as other big business

At that time, they were done solely thanks to the connections in the power structures and their direct support, obviously.

It all ended with the fact that we pulled out the money, Lisin later said, do not tell, however, how exactly he managed to do it. Most likely, he used his acquaintances. At the same time, Lisin denies that he received help from the most influential of his acquaintances - Oleg Soskovets.

It is a legend that Oleg Nikolaevich invited me to Moscow, says Lisin. - After Karaganda, we met only a few times in passing.

After the first successful experience, Kislin and Lisin started a joint business. They were the first to introduce the practice of the so-called "tolling" on a large scale.

The essence of tolling as special customs regime for the processing of raw materials comes down to the following: the owner of raw materials and finished products is a foreign company, and domestic factories only provide processing services, receiving a fixed fee for this. At the same time, neither raw materials nor the finished product are subject to customs duties, and VAT is either not charged at all, or is returned after payment. Tolling schemes are most widely used in the aluminum and light industry.

In Russia, tolling has been used since 1992. In the early 90s, Russian factories were on the verge of shutting down due to a sharp drop in domestic demand. In the absence of orders, enterprises lost working capital, and it turned out to be very difficult to attract Western loans due to high insurance risks. Tolling schemes allowed metallurgists to receive compensation from foreign customers for the processing of customer-supplied raw materials within 50% of the cost of aluminum on the London Metal Exchange. Foreign suppliers of raw materials were given the most favorable treatment: they were exempted not only from VAT, but also from import and export duties.

Together with my secretary, I controlled 50% of the export of Russian pig iron. In addition to state foreign trade associations, I had no competitors, - recalls Lisin. The turnover of the business has already been measured in hundreds of millions of dollars.

In spite of successful work, Lisin remained only a hired employee in Trans Commodities. The status of a partner, besides Kislin himself, had only one person - a businessman from Tashkent, Mikhail Chernoy. And another “simple” hired employee of the company was Iskander Makhmudov, the current owner of the Ural Mining and Metallurgical Company , a major copper producer.

The meteoric rise of "Trans Commodities" looks incredibly easy. Lisin explains this by the fact that Kislin was the first person who brought a lot of money into the industry. We constantly paid, "explains Lisin, meaning that the shipment of goods was paid for" in real money. " At that time, no one was interested in metallurgy anymore, there was a complete ass.

1992 saw the birth of a new metallurgical empire, which left a deep mark on the history of modern Russian capitalism. The younger brother of Mikhail Cherny, Lev, brought to Russia the British non-ferrous metals trader David Ruben, who saw great prospects for business development in Russia. Former partners of Sam Kislin - Mikhail Chernoy, Vladimir Lisin and Iskander Makhmudov - moved to the newly created Trans World Group (TWG). Since the inception of this new company, Sam Kislin closed his business, returned to the United States and never came to Russia again. Journalists, who for several years tried to find out from Kislin what arguments made him go out of business with billions of dollars in turnover, did not manage to find him in the USA. Only more than ten years later, the author of one of the émigré newspapers was fortunate enough to meet with Kislin. The elderly Odessa resident denied everything, even the fact that he met people like Chernoy and Makhmudov. Yes, the then partners of Vladimir Lisin had an amazing gift of persuasion. Probably, entrepreneurial spirit and self-control alone were not enough to do business at the time.

Already in 1993, Vladimir Lisin received the status of a partner in TWG. Soon, most of the largest metallurgical plants in the country fell under the control of the group. TWG has become the third largest supplier of aluminum to the global market. The tolling scheme made it possible to control enterprises without buying shares. And the main defender of tolling in the government was considered the same Oleg Soskovets, who had already taken the post of Deputy Prime Minister.

Lisin, as a representative of TWG, was a member of the boards of directors of five plants: three aluminum and two steel - Magnitogorsk and Novolipetsk plants.

In 1995, the Russian metallurgy experienced a wave of contract killings. On the evening of April 6, 1995, at the entrance of house No. 2 on Leningradsky Prospekt in Moscow, two men were found bleeding, both with gunshot wounds to the head. They turned out to be a member of the board of the Sayan aluminum plant (SaAZ) Valery Tokarev and his driver Lev Kazakov. The policemen summoned to the scene of the incident sent both to the Institute. Sklifosovsky. In the hospital, Tokarev died without regaining consciousness.

A few days later, two unknown persons shot at the car of the deputy head of the Yugorsky bank Vadim Yafyasov on Kutuzovsky Prospekt. In the early 90s, Vadim Yafyasov worked in the Ministry of Metallurgy, in the department responsible for issuing licenses for the export of metal.< приходом Яфясова банк «Югорский» начал активно продвигаться на металлургический рынок и заключил партнерские отношения с Красноярским металлургическим комбинатом.

In July, Oleg Kantor, head of the Yugorskiy bank, was also killed on the territory of the protected government rest house Snegiri. The killers killed his bodyguard with a shot in the head. The banker himself was literally gutted with a collectible Spanish knife from his own collection. On examination of the body, experts counted more than 18 deep stab wounds, each of which would have been guaranteed to be fatal.

In September 1995, at the 107th kilometer of Volokolamskoe highway, five meters from the asphalt recreation area, the body of Felix Lvov, the head of the Russian office, was found on a pile of garbage with five gunshot wounds. American company, which attempted to engage in the export of Russian metal. The members of the business community saw behind all these murders the ominous shadow of the Trans World Group, which did not tolerate competitors in its own field and “enemy” agents in its ranks.

One got the impression that the steel empire of the Cherny brothers was striving to secure for itself complete and unlimited power in the metallurgical market. But a year later, the steel monster began to settle under its own weight and fall apart. The first signs of rapid destruction became noticeable a few months after the resignation of Oleg Soskovets. Yeltsin fired Soskovets from the post of first deputy prime minister in connection with the scandal that erupted after the suppression of an attempt to take out a photocopier box with half a million dollars in cash from the White House. After Soskovets resigned, the most influential people in the corridors of federal power were his implacable enemies - the head of the presidential administration Anatoly Chubais and Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin. This tandem was openly hostile to TWG. In an instant, the entire business of the Cherny brothers was under attack. except external threat The steel empire began to be torn apart by internal conflicts: the Cherny brothers began to conflict with each other and began to divide the business.

The breakup of TWG revealed unexpected facts. As it turned out, Vladimir Lisin had been looking closely at one of the belonging to the group factories - to the Novolipetsk Metallurgical Plant. While the competitors were dividing the market and sorting out the relations among themselves, the inconspicuous and cautious Lisin began his own game. All the while, while the "strategists" were dealing with global issues, Lisin was slowly buying up shares of the enterprise.

By the time the group collapsed, Lisin had acquired 13% of the shares of the Novolipetsk Metallurgical Plant. This was a serious claim for the right to participate in the fate of the enterprise. By that time, the Cherny brothers owned 34% of the shares. And their plans included the bankruptcy of the plant and the sale of its assets. Having started his party, Lisin actually entered into open confrontation with the Cherny brothers. But the brothers did not expect such open defiance from the former partner. And most importantly, Lisin began to “walk” first - and now he had an enviable advantage in the emerging “party”.

The plant was unprofitable, like many others. The "tolling scheme" made it possible for structures that control exports to earn billions, but the factories themselves received practically nothing from this. For his 13% stake and joint successful work, the brothers offered Lisin generous compensation. Taking into account the fame of the Cherny brothers, their tough working methods and the objectively existing rules for sorting out relations in Russia at that time in business, this was an offer that could not be refused. Lisin didn’t say no, but he didn’t agree either.

Unbeknownst to his former partners, he began to implement his plan to establish control over the plant. To win this game, Vladimir Lisin entered into a forced strategic alliance with Vladimir Potanin, who also represented the interests of structures interested in gaining control over the plant. In parallel, Lisin began to negotiate with other structures that are buying up shares. Thus, Lisin openly entered the war against "TWG". The crumbling empire tried to defend itself by filing lawsuits against Lisin. Former partners accused him of squandering a $ 65 million loan. But the Cherny brothers lost all the trials. Vladimir Lisin could celebrate the first major victory.

By this time, Vladimir Lisin managed to get one more advantage. The essence of the agreement between Potanin and Lisin was that Potanin would not prevent Lisin from buying out 50% of NLMK shares from foreign companies and, if possible, would interfere with the attempts of the Cherny brothers to bankrupt the plant.

Thanks to this, Vladimir Lisin in short time concentrated in his hands 63% of the shares of the Novolipetsk plant. In fact, he became its owner. But this did not mean a complete victory and even less a calm life. For two more years, the new owner of NLMK showed miracles of diplomacy, keeping former partners and now competitors from open "military action." During this time, Lisin managed to do the almost impossible. The plant successfully survived the crisis of 1998 and managed to maintain a stable position in 1999. As a result of the measures taken by Lisin, the Novolipetsk Combine in 2000 turned from bankrupt into a profitable enterprise.

Lisin planned another strong move for the fall of 2000. He was going to propose to the meeting of shareholders an additional issue of shares in exchange. Lisin proposed to invest more than a billion dollars in the development of the enterprise. The benefits of this step for Lisin were obvious - the additional issue of shares made it possible to dilute the block of shares owned by the Cherny brothers.

Judging by the fact that the issue of the issue of new shares was included in the agenda of the meeting of shareholders, Lisin had reason to believe that his former colleagues from TWG would not or would not be able to object. But on the eve of the meeting of shareholders, Lisin was in for an unpleasant surprise: 34% of the shares owned by TWG changed the owner. Vladimir Potanin became the new owner of the “hostile” block of shares.

Up to this point, Vladimir Lisin all the time managed to go one step ahead of the circumstances. And usually the breakdown of relations with partners was his initiative, which was always justified. But this time, the relationship is severed with him. Strategic partner not only outplayed him, he encroached on the territory conquered by Lisin.

Lisin accepted the challenge and even launched a counterattack. He chose not to bargain with Potanin for the controversial shares and not overpay for their purchase, but took adequate countermeasures. The money that Lisin planned to spend on the development of the plant, he used to buy valuable papers Potanin's main asset is Norilsk Nickel. And now Potanin had to grab his heart!

The confrontation, which lasted for almost a year, ended in a peace treaty. In 2001, Vladimir Potanin offered Lisin shares of the Novolipetsk Metallurgical Plant for the same amount that he himself paid for them in 2000.

In 2003, Vladimir Lisin first appeared in the Forbes magazine ranking, taking 6th place among Russian billionaires. According to experts, his fortune is $ 3.7 billion.

Having gained control over one of the world's largest metallurgical plants, Vladimir Lisin refused to participate in business wars both inside and outside the industry, and any encroachment on "foreign territory", focusing all attention on the development of the enterprise and the expansion of its activities. In his "creative work" Lisin demonstrated success no less outstanding than on the field of "military operations". In the years that have passed since he established absolute power over the enterprise, Novolinetsky Metallurgical Plant became the first vertically integrated metallurgical company that unites the entire chain of metal production: from the extraction of raw materials to sales. Having invested about $ 30 million in the reconstruction of its own CHP, which meets almost half of the plant's energy needs, it has reduced production costs. The acquisition of one of the mining and processing plants provided NLMK with its own ore for many years. The two ports acquired by the perspicacious Lisin allow him to supply metal for export without interruption.

In 2005, NLMK listed its shares on the London Stock Exchange. And at the beginning of 2006, the plant's capacity was expanded through the acquisition of the Danish steel rolling company DanSteel.

The former “steel kings” and partners of Vladimir Lisin in the “Trans World Group”, the Cherny brothers and their companions, the Ruben brothers, in 2005 made another attempt at judicial procedure challenge the rights of Vladimir Lisin to own the plant. The owner of NLMK was reminded of some unpaid debts and the fact that NTO allegedly took possession of the company's shares illegally. But the accusations turned out to be unsubstantiated and Lisin decided the issue of paying debts out of court, once again demonstrating to everyone his peaceful intentions. However, the peace-loving nature of the oligarch's current activities is based on exceptional power and a sense of self-confidence.

Vladimir Lisin leads the life of a quiet oligarch who prefers skeet shooting to business wars in his own shooting club.

By the way, the plates that Lisin shoots with a gun in his free time are also products. own enterprise... In order not to import them from abroad and not to feed someone else's manufacturer, Lisin set up the production of plates for firing from metal waste. It turned out that coke and slags are great for making this sports equipment. Considering Lisin's passion for shooting, as well as the fact that the entire Russian shooting team trains on the basis of his club, the savings turned out to be significant. For the needs of Vladimir Lisin and Russian athletes, the plant annually produces more than one and a half million shooting plates. Lisin himself, by the way, fulfilled the standard of the master of sports in sports shooting.

Unlike many Russian oligarchs, Vladimir Lisin does not collect yachts, does not compete in buying real estate in London, and does not even wear expensive watches. His subjects of passion are the collection of Kasli castings, which he has been collecting for many years, books and the already mentioned shooting. The only really expensive acquisition of Vladimir Lisin is an estate in Scotland, surrounded by virgin nature. In order to enjoy the silence there, to fish or to hunt, it is enough to go beyond the threshold.

However, Vladimir Lisin believes that all these joys are available to both the rich and the poor.

Big money provides big opportunities, he argues. - And everything else ... I don't know ... The sun, air, sky, sea are the same for everyone, regardless of the amount of money ...

V Ladimir Sergeevich Lisin was born on May 7, 1956 in the city of Ivanovo. In 1973 he graduated from secondary school number 41 in Novokuznetsk. As a child, he was reserved and laconic, did not like to stick out his "I", trying to keep in the shadow of his classmates. I was not a bully and a bully. But was not deprived positive qualities: his concentration and attentiveness helped him get fours and fives in subjects. There were twos and threes too, but there weren't many of them. From a young age, his parents instilled in him such qualities as perseverance and determination. That is why in the future he could bring to the end all the things he started.

After school he went to work as an electrical fitter at a mine. However, I quickly realized that without higher education career will develop slowly, and entered the Siberian Metallurgical Institute, specializing in Foundry of ferrous and non-ferrous metals. After defending his diploma in 1979, Vladimir Sergeevich was sent to NPO Tulachermet, where he worked his way up from an assistant steelmaker to the deputy head of a workshop.

V.S. Lisin prepared his Ph.D. thesis on the basis of the postgraduate study at the Ukrainian Research Institute of Metallurgy and successfully defended it in 1984.

Since 1986, Vladimir Sergeevich worked in Kazakhstan: he was the deputy chief engineer, and since 1989 - the deputy general director of the Karaganda metallurgical plant, one of the four largest plants in the country.

In 1990 he graduated from the Higher Commercial School at the Academy of Foreign Trade, in 1994 - from the Plekhanov Russian Economic Academy (REA) with a degree in Economics and Management. In 1994 he entered the doctoral program at MISiS, from which he graduated in 1996, having defended his doctoral dissertation.

Since 1993 V.S. Lisin served on the boards of directors of a number of leading Russian metallurgical enterprises: the Sayanogorsk aluminum plant, the Novokuznetsk and Bratsk aluminum plants, the Magnitogorsk and Novolipetsk metallurgical plants. Since 1998 Vladimir Sergeevich has been the Chairman of the Board of Directors of OJSC NLMK. In 2011, he was elected as the head of the board of directors of OJSC United Shipbuilding Corporation.
In 1998, Vladimir Sergeevich could head the administration of the Lipetsk region, but later refused to participate in the elections in favor of Mikhail Neyrolin.

Vladimir Sergeevich Lisin - Professor of the Department of Market Problems and the Economic Mechanism of the Academy of National Economy under the Government of the Russian Federation. Is an author of 17 monographs and more than 160 scientific works.

V.S. Lisin - laureate of the Prize of the Council of Ministers of the USSR in the field of science and technology in 1990, honorary metallurgist of the Russian Federation, holder of the Order of Honor, master of sports, honorary citizen of Lipetsk (2009), laureate of the national award of business reputation "Darin" of the Russian Academy of Business and entrepreneurship (2001).

Vladimir Sergeevich is considered to be the owner of one of the most complete private collections of pre-revolutionary Kasli casting (there are more than 200 exhibits, despite the fact that the entire pre-revolutionary assortment of the plant was a little more than 300 types of products). These are small sculptures, household items, interior furniture.

From the age of 12 he has been engaged in sports shooting. Today he owns the Lisya Nora sports and shooting complex near Moscow. VS Lisin is the president of the Russian Shooting Union. Since July 2009, he has been President of the European Shooting Confederation (ESC). Since December 2014 - Vice President of the International Shooting Sports Federation (ISSF).

VS Lisin's main asset is a controlling stake in Novolipetsk Metallurgical Plant. The entrepreneur also owns a 14.5% stake in Bank Zenit, the transport holding Universal Cargo Logistics, which includes such assets as Volzhskoe Shipping Company, St. Petersburg Sea Port, Nevsky Shipbuilding and Ship Repair Plant, Okskaya Shipyard, OJSC Freight One (the largest rail freight operator in Russia). Lisin's media assets include the Business FM radio station.

In 2011, Vladimir Sergeevich Lisin took the first line in the list of 200 richest businessmen in Russia (according to the Forbes magazine), in 2012 - the second line in the same list.
At the end of 2017, Vladimir Lisin was in 57th place in the list of the richest people in the world (according to the Forbes magazine), while taking first place in the list of the richest people in Russia.
Fluent in English.

V. Lisin is happily married, he has three children. Vladimir Lisin's wife is his classmate. She owns the Seasons chamber gallery, which displays paintings by private artists. Lyudmila (this is the name of her spouse) collects works of masters who worked in the 19th and 20th centuries. The pride of her collection is a painting by Petrov-Vodkin, which her husband gave her.

He does not compete with the rich in buying luxury villas, luxury yachts, he does not even have the habit of wearing expensive watch... His passion is the Kasli cast iron collection. He loves to read scientific and fictional literature, loves to smoke a quality cigar. The businessman is sure that rich people do not have much more joy than poor people. “Financial independence can provide more opportunities, and nothing more, but things like the sky, sun, sea are available to everyone,” he emphasizes.

Is engaged in charity: repaired the Novokuznetsk school number 41 (2008), donated to the department foundry SibGIU melting installation (2010).
At the end of January 2018, Vladimir Lisin, as a private investor, signed an agreement with the Head of Novokuznetsk, S.N. It will contain everything necessary equipment for full-fledged physical education and sports for students of this educational institution... There will also be a modern shooting range, fully equipped places for theoretical training of athletes, ”- said Grigory Anatolyevich Verzhitsky about the advantages of the future sports complex.

On December 14, 2018, Vladimir Lisin opened a new gym in Novokuznetsk at school number 41. The gift to his native school cost more than 160 million, its construction took 9 months. The structure of the complex includes a game gym with spacious dressing rooms, showers, hygiene rooms, toilets, including for people with limited mobility. On the second floor there is a gym, a fitness room designed for choreography, gymnastics and physiotherapy exercises. There is also a shooting range where you can seriously learn bullet shooting. The structure also includes an office of basic military training. On the territory of the school, there are grounds for volleyball, football and workout, jogging and bike paths, covered with special material for safe sports in any weather.
The head of the city Sergey Kuznetsov handed over to Vladimir Lisin honorary gold badge "Novokuznetsk".

Vladimir Lisin is considered one of several "real" metallurgists among the industry magnates. The main shareholder of NLMK in the 80s was the deputy general director at the Karaganda metallurgical plant, where he entered as a young specialist.

Vladimir Lisin - biography

The tycoon was born on May 7, 1956 in Ivanovo. Quiet, withdrawn, serious - this was how Vladimir Sergeevich Lisin was in childhood. The billionaire's parents are rarely mentioned in sources, so practically nothing is known about them.

He studied well, but, like everyone else, received bad grades, was short, unprepossessing - such was Vladimir Lisin in his youth. His nationality is Russian.

Once the family moved from Ivanovo to Novokuznetsk. After leaving school, Vladimir entered the Siberian Metallurgical University. The training to become a metallurgical engineer went smoothly. Simultaneously with his studies, the future billionaire managed to earn extra money. For example, in 1975 he went to the BAM, where he and a construction team were engaged in cleaning the flooded area near the Zeyskaya hydroelectric power station.

Start of labor activity

Lisin's career began in 1975 as an electrical fitter at YuzhKuzbassUgl. In 1979-1985 he was a steelmaker, operator of a continuous casting plant, deputy head of a workshop at TulaChermet. In 1985-1989 he worked in Kazakhstan as a deputy chief engineer of the Karaganda metallurgical plant.

The beginning of a commercial experience

By the beginning of the domination of private capital, the Karaganda plant was headed by Oleg Soskovets, who became a patron for the tycoon in business. Under his leadership, Vladimir Sergeevich Lisin gained his first experience in commercial business. The Karaganda combine with Swiss partners created the TSK-Steel company. Her director general Lisin became.

Then Lisin started a joint business with an American businessman. They were the first to use the practice of tolling - they exchanged raw materials from factories for finished products and sent for export. No fees were paid under this scheme.

But Lisin was still an employee. Apart from Kislin, only one person had the status of a partner - businessman Mikhail Chernoy.

At the end of 1992, Vladimir Lisin and his colleagues found another decent money bag. The new foreign investor was David Ruben. They created the Trans World Group. Lisin became an employee of the corporation.

Things went uphill

In 1992, the tycoon joined the board of directors of Sayan Aluminum Smelter JSC.

In 1993, Vladimir Sergeevich Lisin became a partner in TWG. Soon the largest metallurgical plants of the state were under the control of the group. The tolling scheme made it possible to control enterprises without buying their shares.

In 1995, there were more than one contract killings in the industry. Made an attempt on commercial director Sayan aluminum plant - Lisin was then a member of the board of directors. After these events, TWG's image became demonic.

But the rapid rise of the group was followed by an equally rapid decline. In 1996, TWG began to disband.

Lisin did not miss his own during the partition. When the group existed, he carefully looked at the controlled plant - NLMK. The tycoon was gradually buying up shares. By the time TWG collapsed, he had accumulated 13% of the securities.

The plant was unprofitable. The owners, closing the TWG business groups, decided to bankrupt the plant. They offered compensation to Vladimir Lisin.

If Lisin had agreed, he would have become a multimillionaire. But he went against them and began to implement his plan, deciding to intercept leadership over NLMK. The plant had modern equipment.

Everything led Lisin to part with partners - with litigation and lawyers. To win this fight, Lisin entered into an alliance with Vladimir Potanin, with whom he reached an agreement on how he would buy out the remaining shares.

In 1998, the tycoon was elected chairman of the management of the Novolipetsk Metallurgical Plant. According to Forbes magazine, it was this year that Lisin reached an agreement with foreign companies that own NLMK shares. After purchasing the securities, Vladimir's stake grew to 63%.

Confrontation between Lisin and Potanin

Vladimir Lisin wanted to take the next step in 2000. The meeting of shareholders was presented with a restructuring program for $ 1.1 billion. Cash the plant was to be provided to Lisin's company for an additional issue of shares. As a result, TWG's share would be halved.

Before the meeting of shareholders held before the closure of the register, the billionaire was in trouble: 34% of the shares that belonged to the TWG group changed ownership. The new owner was the firm of Vladimir Potanin "Interros".

For the first time, Lisin's partner himself broke off relations with him, and also began hostile actions. Potanin's representatives were against the issue of shares. After the meeting, Interros began to strike.

Real estate

In 2005, it became known about the largest transaction on the Moscow real estate market - the sale of 38% of City's shares. The contract price is $ 130 million. The seller was the Guta group, and the buyer was associations close to businessman Vladimir Lisin.

This is not the first time the tycoon has shown interest in real estate investment. In October 2000, he gained control over the Moscow "Rubin" and the Palace of Culture. Gorbunov.

Logistics

Novolipetsk combine acquired two seaports to "protect its export channels." This deal ensured the smooth transportation of the manufactured goods to Asia and Africa.

In June 2004, Lisin's structures came to the port of St. Petersburg. This acquisition guaranteed exports to Europe and the Americas.

In July 2006, NLMK completed the purchase of a 30% stake in Nezavisimaya transport company". It has become a key logistic asset of the plant, ensuring the supply of raw materials for production.

Gains and losses

Without losing control of the main asset, Lisin received more than $ 600 million. Part of the funds went to the construction of 5 container terminals in the St. Petersburg port.

In 2006, Lisin acquired 90% of the securities of two coal assets, which could increase the mobility of NLMK. Then NLMK acquired the VIZ-Stal company.

In November 2006, the Lisin and Swiss company Duferco announced a partnership. Documents were signed confirming the creation of a joint venture registered in Luxembourg. The parties received 50% each. The plant paid $ 805 million for its half. In addition, the parties signed an agreement on the expansion and technical development of the enterprises included in the merger. NLMK started raising funds. Thus, the plant entered the markets of Europe and the USA. Analysts believe that Lisin managed to get Western assets at a certain discount.

In March 2008, the fortune of a businessman was estimated by Forbes magazine at $ 20 billion, but the global financial crisis, which began in the fall of 2008, dealt a serious blow. Already in 2009, the magazine estimated his funds at $ 5 billion, in February 2010, "Finance" named Vladimir the richest man in Russia. In April, Lisin topped the list of the richest businessmen in Russia with a fortune of $ 15 billion.

Life outside of business

Vladimir Lisin is a doctor of technical and economic sciences, laureate of the prize of the Council of Ministers of the USSR, vice-president of the International Union of Metallurgists, holder of the Order of Honor.

In 2001, the tycoon became vice president of the National Sporting Federation, in 2002 - president of the Russian Shooting Union. Already in his youth, he became interested in shooting, now he maintains the Russian national team. Lisin built a rifle complex near Moscow.

Personal life

Vladimir Sergeevich Lisin is well known in sports circles. His personal life is usually hidden from the media.

It is difficult to find a more permanent person. The wife of Vladimir Lisin, Lyudmila, is his first and only love. The couple have three lovely children, all boys. They are now considered to be wealthy heirs. Once it was the children of Vladimir Lisin who gave him an impetus to development. Seeing the appetite with which his beloved sons pounce on food, the businessman vowed that he would never allow them to live in poverty and would do the impossible for this! The family of Vladimir Lisin lives in peace, tranquility and harmony.

Lisin's statements

“I definitely understand that I was right when I didn’t take this path - take, take, take”.
"I am constantly surprised when a person who has appeared out of nowhere begins to talk about professional problems."
"Only professionals should work in the main positions, and not people who know a little about everything. It is important to have experience and education, as well as to take additional education courses."
"Strategy is not a list of rules. It all depends on the specific situation."
"We follow our own words. In companies there is a principle: it is better not to speak, but if you have said, then you have to do it. Many colleagues here will ring, then they will rattle, and then nothing."
"For example, I decide to cut staff and raise the salaries of my remaining employees. Where will the rest go? I think they will wait behind the fence in order to take away from the more successful employees what they have earned."
"The economic strength of a firm does not depend only on its size."
"The purchase should pursue a specific pragmatic goal. Either it will be pumping up assets, therefore, a speculative factor, or - market development. The choice is not always easy."
"I think supermonsters are bad."
"One of my business partners joked:" You will polish indefinitely own assets"He said it with irony, of course, but as it turned out, it is precisely the polishing of assets that gives a positive effect."
"The depth of optimization is endless. The market never stops. If you stop pedaling, your path rolls into a losing zone."
"It is necessary to understand that the world has changed, information cannot be hidden, not hidden. However, I am not a guru to predict what will happen next."
"Many mistakes in the business sphere arise from unwillingness to give up their ambitions. Regardless of the situation, it is difficult to change the decision. But for any leader, his own ambitions should not override ultimate goal Affairs".
"Economic laws do not change, any manager should know them."
"My work is aimed at improving the performance of the company."

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