Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Love Him Or Hate Him: Mikhail Prokhorov


It’s hard not to miss Mikhail Prokhorov; he is a literal standout at 6 feet and 8 inches. Any one at that height will immediately think he should try his luck at basketball. He is involved in basketball and at the highest level-the NBA but as an owner. Which means he must have lots of money; he does being a bona fide billionaire. He’s tall, single, a noted playboy, and rich; someone to be envied.

The personal life of Prokhorov is not all that happy. He lost both of his parents within a year of each other due to heart related problems when Prokhorov was in his early twenties.  At that time he lived with his older sister who was divorced with one child. Prokhorov became the family bread winner.

He happened to be at the right place and at the right time. A graduate of the Moscow Finance Institute, he worked in a well connected bank which was given good favors by the government.  During Boris Yeltsin’s time Russia was undergoing change, privatization, and uncertainty. The bank he worked for became a government depository bank and auctioned government debt earning substantial profits.

Another bank he partnered with was able to acquire a former government own mineral company called Norilsk Nickel which was huge, producing 25% of the world’s nickel. From there he parlayed his wealth into other businesses earning more billions.

He has gained some sort of international acceptance by being allowed to buy the New Jersey Nets basketball teams. He has also voiced out his intention to run for Russian presidency most likely against Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

Love him or hate him, his intelligence, ambition, and cunning makes him who he is.

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