| Birth Day | August 11, 1955 |
| Birth Place | Moscow, Russia, Russia |
| Leonid Mikhelson age | 68 YEARS OLD |
| Birth Sign | Virgo |
| Residence | Moscow, Russia |
| Alma mater | Kuibyshev Civil Engineering Institute |
| Occupation | CEO, chairman and major shareholder of the Russian gas company Novatek |
Leonid Mikhelson, a prominent figure in the energy sector in Russia, is projected to have a staggering net worth of $21.6 billion by 2024. Revered for his significant contributions to the industry, Mikhelson has become synonymous with excellence and expertise in the energy field. As the head of Novatek, Russia's largest independent natural gas producer, Mikhelson has played a pivotal role in transforming the nation's energy landscape. His visionary leadership and strategic investments have propelled him to the pinnacle of success, establishing him as one of the wealthiest individuals in Russia and a prominent global business magnate.
Born to a Jewish family, Mikhelson began his career as an Engineer after graduating with a degree in Industrial Civil Engineering from the Samara Institute of Civil Engineering in 1977. He started working as a foreman at a construction and assembling company in the Tyumen area of Siberia. One of his initial projects was work on the Urengoi-Chelyabinsk gas pipeline. In 1985, he was appointed as Chief Engineer of Ryazantruboprovodstroy. In 1987, he became General Director of Kuibishevtruboprovodstroy. In 1991, Kuibishevtruboprovodstroy was one of the first companies to undergo privatization after the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
Mikhelson continued as Managing Director at the company, which has been renamed NOVA, until October 1994. He then became General Director of its holding company, Novafinivest, which later became known as NOVATEK. From 2008 until 2010 Mikhelson was Chairman of the Board of Directors for OAO Stroytransgas and OOO Art Finance. He currently holds the position of Chairman of the Board of Directors of ZAO SIBUR and serves on the Supervisory Board of OAO Russian Regional Development Bank.
Mikhelson often partners with Russian Billionaire Gennady Timchenko on Business and investment projects. They are partners and majority shareholders in Novatek and Sibur. In 2013, Mikhelson and Timchenko sold 12% of Sibur to management partners. Both Mikhelson and Timchenko appear on the Forbes list of billionaires. In 2012, Mikhelson was listed as the second-richest Russian in a number of articles including Bloomberg. Mikhelson and Novatek are the main sponsors of the Russian Football Union.
According to Forbes, his personal fortune was estimated at US$18.2 billion as of 2017.
Mikhelson is the recipient of the Russian Federation’s Order of the Badge of Honor.
