List of 50 most influential Russian businessmen in the second quarter of 2004

YUKOS executives are not on the list any more 
Extremely influential businessmen:
Aleksei Miller (Gazprom, on the photo) - 4.20 points
Roman Abramovich (governor of Chukotka region, investor) – 4.11
Anatoly Chubais (United Russian Power Lines) – 4.11
Sergey Pugachev (Union of Federation, Mezhprombank) – 4.08
Mikhail Fridman (Alpha-group consortium) – 4.01

65 experts measured the rating of Russian businessmen for Agenstvo Economicheskih Novostei and Nezavisimaya Gazeta. Despite the increase of the assets of the state-owned Sberbank, the influence of its head Andrei Kazmin fell down.  Probably, this resulted from Sberbank’s shareholders authorizing the Board with the right to dismiss the bank head. Some analysts believe this may be preparation for Andrei Kazmin’s forced resignation.

The rumors of coming resignation could reduce the rating of the head of Russian Railways public company Gennady Fadeev as well.

The rating of the general director of Aeroflot-Russian Airlines company Valery Okulov grew as he made the government to reconsider the results of contest for choosing management company for Sheremetievo airport. Initially, Alpha-Group won the contest, but then Minister of Transport announced that Alhpha would be operating in Sheremetievo jointly with Aeroflot. This could result in reducing rating of Alpha-group head Mikhail Fridman.

The “power” of steel industry “kings” (the head of  Magnitogorsk steel plant Victor Rashnikov and the head of UGM-Holding Iskander Makhmudov) reduced a little. Mr. Rashnikov failed in his negotiations with the government to set up a 10 billion roubles reserve fund at Magnitigorsk steel plant. Experts believe that the steel plant executives could purchase the state-owned lot of the plant shares on this money. Mr. Makhmudov lost some points of his rating because Ministry of Nature decided to conduct public auction to sell the right to exploit biggest in Russia Udokanskoe copper deposit. Meanwhile, UGMK would benefit more from a closed auction.

Chair of MDM-Bank Board Andrei Saveliev appeared on the list of the top-50 for the first time. MDM-Bank has been among the top 5 Russian banks and encountered no loss during the recent banking crisis in Russia. He succeeded Vladimir Rashevsky who became the head of SUEK – the biggest coal company in Russia having annual profit of $1 billion.

Russneft purchased some more assets in Khanti-Mansiiski district and Udmurtia, and the company oil drilling reached the mark of 7.5 million tons of oil per year. This resulted in Russneft becoming one of the top 10 Russian oil holdings, and its head Mikhail Gutseriev improved its rating significantly.

Semen Kukes who recently resigned from the post of YUKOS President, left the “Club-50”. Former YUKOS head, imprisoned Mikhail Khodorkovsky is not on the list either. Interestingly, no YUKOS representative is on the list now.

Average point of influence for the top 50 Russian businessmen reduced a little. 

Very influential businessmen:
Vladimir Potanin (Interros) – 3.95
Semen Vanshtok (Transneft) – 3.89
Vagit Alekperov (LUKOIL) – 3.89
Pet Aven (Alpha-bank) – 3.72
Andrei Kostin (Vneshtorgbank) – 3.70
Andrei Borodin (Bank of Moscow) – 3.67
Andrei Kazmin (Sberbank) – 3.60
Evgeny Shvidler (Sibneft) – 3.35
Boris Berezovsky (investor) – 3.33
Vladimir Bogdanov (Surgutneftegaz) – 3.23
Vladimir Evtushenkov (AFK Systema) – 3.21
Oleg Deripaska (Basis Element, Russian Aluminum) – 3.18
Mikhail Prokhorov (Norilsk Nickel) – 3.18
Vladimir Stolyarnko (AKB EuroFinance Mosnarbank) – 3.17
Victor Vekselberg (SUAL group) – 3.13
Herman Khan (TNK-BP) – 3.06
Roman Vardanyan (Troika-Dialog) – 3.03
Boris Kuzyk (Holding industrial company “New programs and concepts” – 3.03

Sergey Turanov