Leonid Nevzlin
Encyclopedia
Leonid Borisovich Nevzlin ' onMouseout='HidePop("26241")' href="/topics/Moscow">Moscow
) is a Russian
-Israeli
businessman. Nevzlin was a high ranking executive at Yukos
, once a Russian oil firm before it was extinguished by the Russian government. That government is requesting his extradition due to hotly disputed criminal allegations against him and other former executives in Yukos. In 2008 he was tried in absentia and found guilty of several counts of conspiracy to murder and sentenced to life imprisonment. Nevzlin called the court case a show trial orchestrated by Vladimir Putin
in 1981.
and became a Deputy Director in Center for Scientific and Engineering Creativity of Youths at Frunzensky Raion Committee of VLKSM (Центр научно-технического творчества молодежи "МЕНАТЕП" при Фрунзенском РК ВЛКСМ)
In 1989-1991 he worked as the President of Menatep Bank. In parallel he took Management and Marketing courses at the Plekhanov Institute. In 1991 to 1996 he occupied various high ranking positions at the Menatep Bank and Group Menatep. In April 1996 he became Vice President of Yukos at the time owned by Menatep.
Nevzlin participated in the Russian presidential election, 1996
helping to reelect Boris Yeltsin
and was awarded Order of Friendship
for his efforts. In September 1997-October 1998 Nevzlin served as first deputy general director of the Russian news agency ITAR TASS (keeping his Yukos positions). In April 1998 Nevzlin became the First Vice Chairman of Menatep board and in 1999 after the Bank Menatep's bankruptcy amidst the 1998 Russian financial crisis he became the First Vice Chairman of Yukos board.
From March to December 2001 Nevzlin served as president of the Russian Jewish Congress. He was a key player in Jewish historical and heritage research projects, including the establishment of the Moscow Jewish Cultural Center and the International Center for Russian and Eastern European Jewish Studies in Moscow. Moreover, Nevzlin contributed to numerous other Jewish educational programs developed in collaboration with World ORT
, the Jewish Agency for Israel
, where he serves on the Board of Governors, and the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee
.
In November 2001 - March 2003 Nevzlin represented Mordovia
as a senator in the Federation Council of Russia
. From June to November 2003 he served as the Rector
of the Russian State University for the Humanities
.
In 2003 and 2004 Nezlin was in Forbes
List of the 100 wealthiest people. His wealth was estimated at US$2 billion.
, Vilnius
and Kiev
. Nevzlin has also established the NADAV Fund in partnership with Keren Hayesod
– United Israel Appeal http://www.kh-uia.org.il/, which supports projects in Jewish studies and education, Israel-Diaspora relations and Jewish peoplehood
.
In collaboration with the Israeli government, Nevzlin created a relief fund in 2004 to help preserve Beth Hatefutsoth, the Nahum Goldmann Museum of the Jewish Diaspora http://bh.org.il/index.html in Tel Aviv
, and was elected as chairman of its International Board of Governors. He also supports the Nevzlin Program for the Study of Jewish Civilization at Tel Aviv University. In addition, the NADAV Fund played a critical role in opening the International School for Jewish Peoplehood Studies at Beth Hatefutsoth.
On June 12, 2011, it was announced that Nevzlin had purchased a 20% stake in the Israeli newspaper Haaretz
, for NIS 140m. Nevzlin's acquisition leaves the Schocken family with a 60 percent stake in the company.
Nevzlin is the author of books "Человек с рублем" ("Man with rouble"; coauthored with Khodorkovsky) and "Public Relations - кому это надо?" (Public Relations - who needs them).
Nevzlin has married twice and has two daughters.
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
) is a Russian
Russians
The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
-Israeli
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
businessman. Nevzlin was a high ranking executive at Yukos
YUKOS
OJSC "Yukos Oil Company" was a petroleum company in Russia which, until 2003, was controlled by Russian oligarch Mikhail Khodorkovsky and a number of other prominent Russian businessmen. After Yukos was bankrupted, Khodorkovsky was convicted and sent to prison.Yukos headquarters was located in...
, once a Russian oil firm before it was extinguished by the Russian government. That government is requesting his extradition due to hotly disputed criminal allegations against him and other former executives in Yukos. In 2008 he was tried in absentia and found guilty of several counts of conspiracy to murder and sentenced to life imprisonment. Nevzlin called the court case a show trial orchestrated by Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin served as the second President of the Russian Federation and is the current Prime Minister of Russia, as well as chairman of United Russia and Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Union of Russia and Belarus. He became acting President on 31 December 1999, when...
Early life and career
Nevzlin graduated from the Gubkin Institute of Oil and GasGubkin Russian State University of Oil and Gas
The Gubkin Russian State University of Oil and Gas is a university in Moscow. The university was founded on 17 April 1930 and is named after the geologist Ivan Gubkin. The university is affectionally known as Kerosinka , meaning "kerosene stove"...
in 1981.
Business career
He worked for the Soviet Ministry of Geology. In 1981-1987 he was a software engineer in ZarubezhGeologia, an external trade organization of the then-Soviet Ministry of Geology. In 1987 he met Mikhail KhodorkovskyMikhail Khodorkovsky
Mikhail Borisovich Khodorkovsky is a Russian prisoner, considered by some - such as Amnesty International - to have been imprisoned for political reasons, jailed until 2016 and a former Russian oligarch and businessman...
and became a Deputy Director in Center for Scientific and Engineering Creativity of Youths at Frunzensky Raion Committee of VLKSM (Центр научно-технического творчества молодежи "МЕНАТЕП" при Фрунзенском РК ВЛКСМ)
In 1989-1991 he worked as the President of Menatep Bank. In parallel he took Management and Marketing courses at the Plekhanov Institute. In 1991 to 1996 he occupied various high ranking positions at the Menatep Bank and Group Menatep. In April 1996 he became Vice President of Yukos at the time owned by Menatep.
Nevzlin participated in the Russian presidential election, 1996
Russian presidential election, 1996
Presidential elections were held in Russia in 1996. Incumbent Russian President Boris Yeltsin was seeking a four-year term after officially winning the 1991 presidential election. The first round was held on 16 June 1996...
helping to reelect Boris Yeltsin
Boris Yeltsin
Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin was the first President of the Russian Federation, serving from 1991 to 1999.Originally a supporter of Mikhail Gorbachev, Yeltsin emerged under the perestroika reforms as one of Gorbachev's most powerful political opponents. On 29 May 1990 he was elected the chairman of...
and was awarded Order of Friendship
Order of Friendship
The Order of Friendship is a state decoration of Russia established by decree # 442 of March 2, 1994 of the President of the Russian Federation....
for his efforts. In September 1997-October 1998 Nevzlin served as first deputy general director of the Russian news agency ITAR TASS (keeping his Yukos positions). In April 1998 Nevzlin became the First Vice Chairman of Menatep board and in 1999 after the Bank Menatep's bankruptcy amidst the 1998 Russian financial crisis he became the First Vice Chairman of Yukos board.
From March to December 2001 Nevzlin served as president of the Russian Jewish Congress. He was a key player in Jewish historical and heritage research projects, including the establishment of the Moscow Jewish Cultural Center and the International Center for Russian and Eastern European Jewish Studies in Moscow. Moreover, Nevzlin contributed to numerous other Jewish educational programs developed in collaboration with World ORT
World ORT
World ORT is a non-profit non-governmental organization whose mission is the advancement of Jewish and other people through training and education, with past and present activities in over 100 countries....
, the Jewish Agency for Israel
Jewish Agency for Israel
The Jewish Agency for Israel , also known as the Sochnut or JAFI, served as the organization in charge of immigration and absorption of Jews from the Diaspora into the state of Israel.-History:...
, where he serves on the Board of Governors, and the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee
American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee
The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee is a worldwide Jewish relief organization headquartered in New York. It was established in 1914 and is active in more than 70 countries....
.
In November 2001 - March 2003 Nevzlin represented Mordovia
Mordovia
The Republic of Mordovia , also known as Mordvinia, is a federal subject of Russia . Its capital is the city of Saransk. Population: -Geography:The republic is located in the eastern part of the East European Plain of Russia...
as a senator in the Federation Council of Russia
Federation Council of Russia
Federation Council of Russia ) is the upper house of the Federal Assembly of Russia , according to the 1993 Constitution of the Russian Federation...
. From June to November 2003 he served as the Rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
of the Russian State University for the Humanities
Russian State University for the Humanities
The Russian State University for the Humanities , is a university in Moscow, Russia with over 5500 students. It was created in 1991 as the result of the merger of the Moscow Public University and the Moscow State Institute for History and Archives The Russian State University for the Humanities...
.
In 2003 and 2004 Nezlin was in Forbes
Forbes
Forbes is an American publishing and media company. Its flagship publication, the Forbes magazine, is published biweekly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune, which is also published biweekly, and Business Week...
List of the 100 wealthiest people. His wealth was estimated at US$2 billion.
Activities in Israel
Since moving to Israel, Nevzlin has expanded his philanthropic work. His first project in Israel was the creation of The Leonid Nevzlin Research Center for Russian and Eastern European Jewry located at Jerusalem's Hebrew University; similar centers also exist in MoscowMoscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, Vilnius
Vilnius
Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania, and its largest city, with a population of 560,190 as of 2010. It is the seat of the Vilnius city municipality and of the Vilnius district municipality. It is also the capital of Vilnius County...
and Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
. Nevzlin has also established the NADAV Fund in partnership with Keren Hayesod
Keren Hayesod
Keren Hayesod – United Israel Appeal is the central fundraising organization for Israel, with operations in 45 countries. The work of Keren Hayesod is carried out in accordance with the Keren Hayesod Law, 5716-1956, passed by the Knesset in January 1956...
– United Israel Appeal http://www.kh-uia.org.il/, which supports projects in Jewish studies and education, Israel-Diaspora relations and Jewish peoplehood
Jewish peoplehood
Jewish peoplehood is the awareness of the underlying unity that makes an individual Jew a part of the Jewish people....
.
In collaboration with the Israeli government, Nevzlin created a relief fund in 2004 to help preserve Beth Hatefutsoth, the Nahum Goldmann Museum of the Jewish Diaspora http://bh.org.il/index.html in Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
, and was elected as chairman of its International Board of Governors. He also supports the Nevzlin Program for the Study of Jewish Civilization at Tel Aviv University. In addition, the NADAV Fund played a critical role in opening the International School for Jewish Peoplehood Studies at Beth Hatefutsoth.
On June 12, 2011, it was announced that Nevzlin had purchased a 20% stake in the Israeli newspaper Haaretz
Haaretz
Haaretz is Israel's oldest daily newspaper. It was founded in 1918 and is now published in both Hebrew and English in Berliner format. The English edition is published and sold together with the International Herald Tribune. Both Hebrew and English editions can be read on the Internet...
, for NIS 140m. Nevzlin's acquisition leaves the Schocken family with a 60 percent stake in the company.
Nevzlin is the author of books "Человек с рублем" ("Man with rouble"; coauthored with Khodorkovsky) and "Public Relations - кому это надо?" (Public Relations - who needs them).
Nevzlin has married twice and has two daughters.