# Vladimir Potanin

_Russian billionaire_

Canonical: https://diginpl.com/people/vladimir-potanin
Last updated: 2026-10-31

> Vladimir Olegovich Potanin (Russian: Владимир Олегович Потанин; born 3 January 1961) is a Russian businessman, billionaire and statesman. He is the founder and president of Interros, which holds stakes in MMC Norilsk Nickel, Rosa Khutor, Rosbank, Yandex and TCS Group Holding. President of Norilsk Nickel, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the State Hermitage Museum, founder of the Vladimir Potanin Charitable Foundation.

## Quick facts

- **Born:** 3 January 1961 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q739315#P569))
- **Place of birth:** Moscow ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q739315#P19))
- **Citizenship:** Russia ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q739315#P27))
- **Occupation:** businessperson; banker; politician; Russian oligarch ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q739315#P106))
- **Education:** Moscow State Institute of International Relations ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q739315#P69))
- **Official website:** interros.ru/eng ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q739315#P856))
- **Positions held:** First Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation (14 August 1996 – 17 March 1997) ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q739315#P39))
- **Awards:** Officer of Arts and Letters; Medal "In Commemoration of the 300th Anniversary of Saint Petersburg"; Medal of the Order "For Merit to the Fatherland", 1st class; Order "For Merit to the Fatherland", 4th class; Medal "In Commemoration of the 850th Anniversary of Moscow"; Order of Alexander Nevsky; Order of St. Sergius of Radonezh 3rd class; Order of St. Sergius of Radonezh 2nd class; Medal of the Order "For Merit to the Fatherland", 2nd class without swords; Order of St. Prince Vladimir; Order of Holy Prince Daniel of Moscow 2nd class; Russian Federation Presidential Certificate of Honour; Order of St. Sergius of Radonezh; Order "For Merit to the Fatherland", 2nd class; Order "For Merit to the Fatherland", 3rd class ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q739315#P166))

## About

Forbes twice ranked him as the richest person in Russia — in 2015 and 2020. And across the 2021–2026 interval, Potanin consistently remained within the top five Russian billionaires.

In the 2026 Forbes ranking, Vladimir Potanin reasserted his position as the second-ranking Russian billionaire, a status he had not occupied since 2023. Globally, he was situated at rank 79. According to Bloomberg Billionaires Index—dated 24 August 2026—Potanin is positioned third among Russian billionaires and 113th globally, with a recalibrated net worth of US$23.0 billion. The index records a year-to-date contraction of US$3.41 billion.

Ukraine, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand have imposed sanctions on Potanin.

## Questions

**When was Vladimir Potanin born?**  
Vladimir Potanin was born on 3 January 1961 in Moscow.

**What positions has Vladimir Potanin held?**  
Positions held by Vladimir Potanin include: First Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation (1996–1997).

**Where did Vladimir Potanin study?**  
Vladimir Potanin was educated at Moscow State Institute of International Relations.

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## Sources

- [Wikipedia (English): Vladimir Potanin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vladimir_Potanin) — [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
- [Wikidata item Q739315](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q739315) — [CC0 1.0](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- [Image: 2021 Vladimir Potanin.jpg by council.gov.ru (CC BY 4.0)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2021_Vladimir_Potanin.jpg)

## Licence and attribution

Text from the Wikipedia article Vladimir Potanin, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page's text is shared under the same licence. Facts from Wikidata (CC0). Image: 2021 Vladimir Potanin.jpg — council.gov.ru, CC BY 4.0.

## Cite this page

"Vladimir Potanin". DigiNepal. Last updated 31 October 2026. https://diginpl.com/people/vladimir-potanin. Retrieved 6 November 2026.