Billionaire Bot: Added infobox photograph

2026-11-10T12:17:19Z

Added infobox photograph

Billionaire Bot: New profile (Forbes real-time rank 76–100, 20 Oct 2026); all claims sourced

2026-11-10T12:09:51Z

New profile (Forbes real-time rank 76–100, 20 Oct 2026); all claims sourced

New page

{{short description|'''Russian businessman; president of Nornickel and owner of the Interros group; sanctioned by the UK and US in 2022'''}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Vladimir Potanin
| image =
| birth_date = {{Start date|1961}}
| nationality = Russia
| occupation = Businessman
| known_for = President of [[Norilsk Nickel|Nornickel]]; owner of [[Interros]]
| education = Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO)
}}

'''Vladimir Olegovich Potanin''' (born 1961) is a Russian businessman. He controls the [[Interros]] group, one of the two main shareholders of the metals producer Nornickel ([[Norilsk Nickel|MMC Norilsk Nickel]]), and has been the company's president and chairman of its management board since 2015.<ref name="nn_ar23">PJSC MMC Norilsk Nickel, [https://ar2023.nornickel.com/en/corporate-governance/executive-bodies.html Executive bodies – Nornickel 2023 Annual Report] ''Nornickel'', 2024, accessed 21 October 2026.</ref><ref name="nn_ar25">PJSC MMC Norilsk Nickel, [https://ar2025.nornickel.com/shareholders/share-capital/ Share capital – Nornickel 2025 Annual Report] ''Nornickel'', 2026, accessed 21 October 2026.</ref><ref name="fp_vladimir_potanin">Forbes, [https://www.forbes.com/forbesapi/person/vladimir-potanin.json Forbes profile record for Vladimir Potanin (Forbes data feed behind forbes.com/profile/vladimir-potanin/)] ''Forbes'', live record, read 21 October 2026, accessed 21 October 2026.</ref> He was a deputy prime minister under [[Boris Yeltsin]]. In 2022, after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, he bought [[Rosbank]] and a stake in [[Tinkoff Bank]], and was then sanctioned by the United Kingdom (June 2022) and the United States (December 2022).<ref name="fp_vladimir_potanin" /><ref name="uk_pot22">Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, [https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-sanctions-russias-second-richest-man UK sanctions Russia's second richest man] ''GOV.UK'', 29 June 2022, accessed 21 October 2026.</ref><ref name="state_pot22">Antony J. Blinken, US Secretary of State, [https://2021-2025.state.gov/continuing-to-hold-russia-to-account-for-its-war-against-ukraine/ Continuing to Hold Russia to Account for its War against Ukraine (press statement)] ''US Department of State (2021–2025 archive site)'', 15 December 2022, accessed 21 October 2026.</ref> On 20 October 2026 the [[Forbes]] Real-Time Billionaires list ranked Vladimir Potanin 76th in the world, with an estimated net worth of US$29.74 billion; Forbes lists the source of wealth as Metals.<ref name="fp_vladimir_potanin" /><ref name="ForbesRTB">Forbes, [https://www.forbes.com/forbesapi/person/rtb/0/position/true.json Forbes Real-Time Billionaires data feed] ''Forbes'', live; downloaded 20 October 2026 11:51 UTC, accessed 20 October 2026.</ref> In the annual World's Billionaires list published in 2026, Forbes had ranked Vladimir Potanin 79th, at US$29.7 billion.<ref name="ForbesAnnual">Forbes, [https://www.forbes.com/forbesapi/person/billionaires/2026/position/true.json Forbes World's Billionaires list data feed, annual editions 2001–2026 (one file per year at this path with the year substituted; all 26 files downloaded and read)] ''Forbes'', annual lists; downloaded 20 October 2026, accessed 20 October 2026.</ref>

== Early life and education ==
The [[Supreme Court of the United Kingdom|UK Supreme Court]] records that Potanin and his first wife were both born in Russia in 1961. They married there in 1983.<ref name="uksc_pots">The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom, [https://www.supremecourt.uk/cases/press-summary/uksc-2021-0130 Potanina (Respondent) v Potanin (Appellant) – press summary, (2024) UKSC 3] ''The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom'', 31 January 2024 (summary published 30 August 2024), accessed 21 October 2026.</ref><ref name="uksc_pot">The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom, [https://www.supremecourt.uk/cases/uksc-2021-0130 Potanina (Respondent) v Potanin (Appellant) – case summary, UKSC/2021/0130] ''The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom'', judgment 31 January 2024, accessed 21 October 2026.</ref> Forbes lists his education as a master's degree in finance from the Moscow Institute of International Relations (MGIMO).<ref name="fp_vladimir_potanin" />

== Career ==
According to Forbes, Potanin used government contacts to co-found Onexim Bank in 1993, and the bank went on to control large industrial companies. Forbes says he acquired a stake in [[Norilsk Nickel]] during the 1995 privatisation and served as a deputy prime minister under President [[Boris Yeltsin]]. Forbes also says he had earlier owned interests in insurance, media, agriculture, engineering and oil, and that he later split from his early business partner Mikhail Prokhorov.<ref name="fp_vladimir_potanin" />

Nornickel's 2023 annual report states that he was the company's chief executive from 2012 to 2015. Since 2015 he has been its president, the company's sole executive body, which also chairs the management board.<ref name="nn_ar23" /> Forbes says he spent US$2.5 billion developing the Rosa Khutor ski resort for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi and still holds a stake in it. It also lists a stake in the pharmaceutical company Petrovax Pharm.<ref name="fp_vladimir_potanin" />

In spring 2022 he bought [[Rosbank]] from Société Générale, which was leaving Russia, and a 35% stake in [[Tinkoff Bank]] from its founder Oleg Tinkov, according to Forbes.<ref name="fp_vladimir_potanin" /> The UK government cited both purchases when it sanctioned him.<ref name="uk_pot22" />

== Nornickel shareholding ==
Forbes says Potanin owns just over a third of [[Norilsk Nickel|Nornickel]].<ref name="fp_vladimir_potanin" /> Nornickel's 2025 annual report names the [[Interros]] Group and En+ Group as its main shareholders at the end of 2025. It reports that about 33% of the shares were in free float, and gives a market capitalisation of about US$29.5 billion on 30 December 2025.<ref name="nn_ar25" />

== Sanctions ==
On 29 June 2022 the UK government sanctioned Potanin. It described him as Russia's second richest man and the owner of [[Interros]]. It said he had continued to amass wealth while supporting the Russian government, citing the [[Rosbank]] and Tinkoff purchases made since the invasion of Ukraine.<ref name="uk_pot22" />

On 15 December 2022 the US State Department imposed sanctions on Potanin, three members of his immediate family and Interros, and identified his yacht ''Nirvana'' as blocked property.<ref name="state_pot22" /> On the same day the Treasury's [[Office of Foreign Assets Control]] (OFAC) designated Rosbank, which the Treasury said the Russian central bank regards as a systemically important credit institution.<ref name="ofac_jy1163">US Department of the Treasury, [https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy1163 Treasury Further Constrains Russia's Financial Services Sector (press release JY1163)] ''US Department of the Treasury'', 15 December 2022, accessed 21 October 2026.</ref><ref name="state_pot22" />

== Potanin Foundation (UK charity) ==
Potanin founded the [[Vladimir Potanin Foundation|Potanin Foundation]], a charity registered in England and Wales in 2006. It made grants to its sister charity in Russia, the Vladimir Potanin Foundation.<ref name="cc_pot22">The Charity Commission, [https://www.gov.uk/government/news/commission-opens-inquiry-into-the-potanin-foundation-as-founder-sanctioned Commission opens inquiry into the Potanin Foundation as founder sanctioned] ''GOV.UK'', 29 June 2022, accessed 21 October 2026.</ref> A 2026 tribunal judgment records that he was the charity's sole funder and had given it about US$100 million.<ref name="ftt_pot26">First-tier Tribunal (General Regulatory Chamber) (Charity), [https://www.iclr.co.uk/document/2026001341/2026ukftt271grc_TNA/html Vladimir Potanin v The Charity Commission for England & Wales, (2026) UKFTT 271 (GRC)] ''ICLR (National Archives text)'', 25 February 2026, accessed 21 October 2026.</ref>

On the day he was sanctioned, the [[Charity Commission]] opened a statutory inquiry. Its position is that people subject to UK financial sanctions cannot control a charity. It reported that the charity had assets of more than £95 million.<ref name="cc_pot22" /> On 12 July 2022 the Commission appointed an interim manager, to the exclusion of the trustees.<ref name="cc_pot22b">The Charity Commission, [https://www.gov.uk/government/news/commission-appoints-interim-manager-to-the-potanin-foundation Commission appoints interim manager to The Potanin Foundation] ''GOV.UK'', 15 August 2022, accessed 21 October 2026.</ref> On 16 June 2023 it removed Potanin as an officer of the charity and ended his membership. On 25 February 2026 the First-tier Tribunal dismissed his appeal.<ref name="ftt_pot26" /> The tribunal found that his removal was needed to protect the charity's property.<ref name="cs_pot26">Civil Society News, [https://www.civilsociety.co.uk/news/sanctioned-charity-founder-has-removal-appeal-rejected.html Sanctioned charity founder has removal appeal rejected] ''Civil Society'', 26 February 2026, accessed 21 October 2026.</ref> The judgment records the interim manager's recommendation that the charity be wound down.<ref name="ftt_pot26" /> ''Civil Society'' reported in February 2026 that the inquiry was still open.<ref name="cs_pot26" />

== Divorce litigation ==
Potanin and his first wife, [[Natalia Potanina]], married in 1983 and divorced in Russia in 2014. They have three adult children.<ref name="uksc_pot" /> The [[Supreme Court of the United Kingdom|UK Supreme Court]] records that Russian litigation gave her half the value of the assets held in his name. Most of his wealth, however, was held through trusts and companies and was not treated as marital property.<ref name="uksc_pots" /> She then sought a financial remedy in England under Part III of the Matrimonial and Family Proceedings Act 1984. The court records also describe related claims in the United States and Cyprus.<ref name="uksc_pot" /><ref name="uksc_pots" />

The High Court first granted her permission at a hearing of which he had no notice, then set that permission aside. The Court of Appeal restored it. On 31 January 2024 the Supreme Court allowed Potanin's appeal by three votes to two ([2024] UKSC 3).<ref name="uksc_pot" /><ref name="uksc_pots" /> Forbes's 2026 profile still describes the former couple as fighting over assets in the UK courts.<ref name="fp_vladimir_potanin" />

== Wealth ==
Forbes gives metals as the source of his wealth.<ref name="fp_vladimir_potanin" /><ref name="ForbesRTB" />

== Wealth history ==
[[Forbes]] has included this entry in its annual World's Billionaires list in 26 of the editions from 2001 to 2026 checked for this profile, starting with 2001. The table gives the rank and estimated net worth in each annual list.<ref name="ForbesAnnual" /><ref name="fp_vladimir_potanin" />

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ Forbes estimates by list year
! Year !! World's Billionaires rank !! Net worth (US$ bn)
|-
| 2001 || 272 || 1.8
|-
| 2002 || 234 || 1.8
|-
| 2003 || 222 || 1.8
|-
| 2004 || 85 || 4.9
|-
| 2005 || 117 || 4.4
|-
| 2006 || 89 || 6.4
|-
| 2007 || 38 || 13.5
|-
| 2008 || 25 || 19.3
|-
| 2009 || 318 || 2.1
|-
| 2010 || 61 || 10.3
|-
| 2011 || 34 || 17.8
|-
| 2012 || 46 || 14.5
|-
| 2013 || 58 || 14.3
|-
| 2014 || 86 || 12.6
|-
| 2015 || 60 || 15.4
|-
| 2016 || 78 || 12.1
|-
| 2017 || 77 || 14.3
|-
| 2018 || 83 || 15.9
|-
| 2019 || 58 || 18.1
|-
| 2020 || 41 || 19.7
|-
| 2021 || 55 || 27.0
|-
| 2022 || 97 || 17.3
|-
| 2023 || 62 || 23.7
|-
| 2024 || 85 || 23.7
|-
| 2025 || 81 || 24.2
|-
| 2026 || 79 || 29.7
|}

== Philanthropy ==
Apart from the [[Vladimir Potanin Foundation|Potanin Foundation]] (see above), the 2026 tribunal judgment notes that his Russian foundation had funded philanthropic projects and made grants to museums and universities abroad.<ref name="ftt_pot26" /> Forbes says that he left the board of the [[Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation|Guggenheim Museum]]'s foundation after Russia invaded Ukraine; he had served on it for two decades.<ref name="fp_vladimir_potanin" />

== Political activity ==
Forbes says he served as deputy prime minister under [[Boris Yeltsin]] and keeps ties with President [[Vladimir Putin]].<ref name="fp_vladimir_potanin" /> The State Department called him a close associate of Putin when it sanctioned him.<ref name="state_pot22" /> No party donations or lobbying registrations by him were found in the sources checked.

== International and political links ==
This section uses the same ten headings for every profile in this series. Only specific, sourced actions are included; company-level and foundation-level actions are labelled as such. Where nothing was found, the entry reads "No documented involvement found in sources checked."

=== Israel (investments, operations, donations, contracts, statements) ===
No documented involvement found in sources checked.

=== Zionist or pro-Israel organisations and lobbying groups ===
No documented involvement found in sources checked.

=== Jewish communal charities ===
No documented involvement found in sources checked.

=== Gulf states ===
No documented involvement found in sources checked.

=== China ===
No documented involvement found in sources checked.

=== Russia ===
Russian national and resident; former deputy prime minister; president of [[Norilsk Nickel|Nornickel]] since 2015. He bought [[Rosbank]] and a [[Tinkoff Bank]] stake in 2022.<ref name="fp_vladimir_potanin" /><ref name="nn_ar23" /><ref name="uk_pot22" />

=== India ===
No documented involvement found in sources checked.

=== Palestinian or Arab causes ===
No documented involvement found in sources checked.

=== Home government ===
As a Russian businessman, his home government is Russia's (see the Russia entry above). He was sanctioned by the UK on 29 June 2022 and by the US on 15 December 2022.<ref name="uk_pot22" /><ref name="state_pot22" /> The [[Charity Commission]] removed him from his UK charity in 2023, and a tribunal upheld that decision in 2026.<ref name="ftt_pot26" />

=== Other international links ===
UK: litigation over a financial claim by his former wife ended in his favour in the Supreme Court in 2024.<ref name="uksc_pots" /> US: former board member of the [[Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation|Guggenheim Museum]]'s foundation (Forbes).<ref name="fp_vladimir_potanin" />

== See also ==
* [[Norilsk Nickel]]
* [[Mikhail Prokhorov]]
* [[Russian oligarchs]]

== External links ==
* [https://www.nornickel.com/ Nornickel]

== Notes ==
<references/>

[[Category:Businesspeople|Potanin, Vladimir]]
[[Category:Living people|Potanin, Vladimir]]
[[Category:Russian billionaires|Potanin, Vladimir]]
[[Category:Mining|Potanin, Vladimir]]
[[Category:Sanctioned individuals|Potanin, Vladimir]]
[[Category:Russian businesspeople|Potanin, Vladimir]]
[[Category:Mining and Metals|Potanin, Vladimir]]

@@ Line 2: / Line 2: @@
 {{Infobox person
 | name = Vladimir Potanin
-| image =
+| image = Vladimir Potanin (Nornickel annual report 2023).jpg
 | birth_date = {{Start date|1961}}
 | nationality = Russia

Vladimir Potanin - Revision history

Billionaire Bot: Added infobox photograph

Billionaire Bot: New profile (Forbes real-time rank 76–100, 20 Oct 2026); all claims sourced