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What is Alexander Smolensky famous for?
On October 13, entrepreneur Alexander Smolensky passed away at the age of 71. More details about the biographies of the founders of Stolichny Bank and the participants of the Seven Bankers are in the Kommersant reference.
Alexander Pavlovich Smolensky was born in Moscow on July 6, 1954, to a family of Austrian emigrants. He studied economics at the Dzhambul Geological and Technological Institute. He entered the journalism department at the Polygraphic Institute, but was not accepted, according to his own words, because of his nationality.
From 1974, he worked as a typesetter, store manager, and chief foreman in several printing houses. In 1980, he worked as a trader in the Moscow trading company Vesna. A year later, he was arrested on charges of embezzlement of state property and private entrepreneurship and sentenced to two years in prison. From 1983 to 1984, he worked as an engineer at the Moscow Olympic Sports Complex.
In 1984, he became deputy director of the repair and construction department of the Pervomaisky district of Moscow. In 1987, he organized one of the first construction cooperatives in Moscow, which, according to the entrepreneur, was engaged in the sale of timber. In 1988, he registered his first bank, Credit-Moscow.
In 1989, he founded and headed the commercial bank Stolichny with an initial authorized capital of 20 million rubles. Aleksandr Smolensky said in an interview with Kommersant that the bank's name was invented by employees of the State Bank. "We came up with something like "real blah-blah", and they told us at the State Bank. "Where will you work? - And what about the moon? Such an aunt, a typical civil servant of the Federal Central Bank... "If you work in Moscow, it will be Stolichny, that's it."
In 1992, he founded the Moscow Regional Fund for Support of the First President of the Russian Federation. That same year, among the 15 largest banks, Stolichny became a co-founder of the Interbank Financial House (IFD), and Mr. Smolensky became co-chairman of the IFD board of directors.
At the end of 1992, Stolichny reformed its accounting system and introduced a multi-currency debit card with a magnetic strip (STB-Card).
In May 1994, Alexander Smolensky received the Israel Institute for Public Opinion Research award "for best management and contribution to the development of Russian-Israeli financial relations." That same year, Stolichny Bank was renamed Stolichny Savings Bank (SBS).
From 1995 to 1998, the businessman was a member of the Board of Directors of Russian Public Television CJSC, and from 1996, he was a member of the Advisory Council of Banks under the Government of the Russian Federation, and in the same year he joined the Board of Directors. Director of Sibneft Oil Company OJSC.
According to Kommersant, in 1996 Smolensky hoped to privatize Sberbank, but the plan was not realized. Later, the entrepreneur acquired a controlling stake in Agroprombank and a number of other assets, creating the financial group SBS-Agro.
In March 1996, Alexander Smolensky attended a secret meeting between Russian President Boris Yeltsin and leading Russian businessmen. This banker was mentioned among the businessmen who financed Boris Yeltsin's election campaign, and their circle was given the code name "Seven Bankers".
On the eve of the 1998 financial crisis, SBS-Agro of Smolensky was second in Russia after Sberbank in terms of the number of depositors (2 million). This default effectively led SBS-Agro to bankruptcy. Alexander Smolensky formed the OVK Banking Group on the basis of the subsidiary banks of the SBS-Agro group.
In April 1999, the Investigative Committee of the Ministry of Internal Affairs issued an order for the arrest of Alexander Smolensky on charges of embezzling 32 million dollars using forged bank documents. Mr. Smolensky was in Austria at the time. In June of that year, the criminal case was closed, after which the businessman returned to Russia.
In 2004, Smolensky finally left the banking sector and handed over his last bank, Stolichnoe Kreditnoye Tovarishchestvo, to his nephew, Alexei Grigoriev. That same year, he opened a silverware store in central Moscow.
In 2012, the businessman began selling real estate in Moscow. In particular, the Alexander House business center on Bolshaya Yakimanka, where the headquarters of presidential candidate Vladimir Putin's election campaign was located in 2000, is up for sale. The former banker's last commercial property is a 22,000-square-meter office complex located in the center of Moscow. m. — was sold to Avangard Bank in 2019.
In collaboration with journalist Eduard Krasnyansky, Mr. Smolensky wrote a series of books, including “Hostage” (2006), “Rublyovka Zone” (2007), “Error of Conscience” (2008), and “Keeper of the Kremlin” (2010).
In 1987, Alexander Smolensky organized one of the first Moscow construction cooperatives for the sale of timber. Two years later, he founded and headed the commercial bank Stolichny. After that, Alexander Smolensky said that the bank's name was invented by employees of the State Bank. "We came up with something like "real blah-blah", and they told us at the State Bank. Are you going to work on the Moon or somewhere else?" Such a woman, a typical civil servant, the Central Bank... "If you work in Moscow, Stolichny will be there, that's all." The Interbank Financial House (MFD) and Alexander Smolensky became co-chairmen of the MFD. At the end of 1992, Stolichny reformed its accounting system and introduced a debit multicurrency magnetic card (STB-Card). In the 1990s, Alexander Smolensky was a member of the presidium of the Association of Russian Banks (ARB), the board of directors of Russian Public Television, and the Advisory Committee of Banks under the Government of the Russian Federation. Moscow Exchange Exchange Council
In the photo, from left to right: First Deputy Chairman of the Board of Directors of Bank Menatyev Leonid Nevchlin, Chairman of Most-Bank Vladimir Gusinsky, Chairman of ARB Sergey Egorov, Deputy Chairman of ARB Garegin Tosunyan and President of SBS Alexander Smolensky. In 1994, the ARB Presidium decided to rename Stolichny Bank to Capital Savings Bank (SBS). According to Kommersant, in 1996, Mr. Smolensky hoped to privatize Sberbank, but the plan was not implemented. Later, the entrepreneur acquired a controlling stake in Agroprombank and a number of other assets, creating the SBS-Agro financial group in 1995. Reform of the institution's structure began with the creation of regional branches. In September of the same year, the Moscow branch of SBS opened, which the media called the largest branch of the bank in Korea. The ribbon at the opening ceremony was cut by Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov, Alexander Smolensky was mentioned among the businessmen who financed Boris Yeltsin's election campaign in 1996, and his entourage was called the "Seven Bankers". In July 1996, Mr. Smolensky received gratitude from the President of the Russian Federation for his active participation in organizing and conducting the election campaign.
In the photo from the left: businessman Mikhail Khodorkovsky (recognized by the Ministry of Justice as a foreign agent), Vladimir Gusinsky, Alexander Smolensky, Vladimir Potanin, Vladimir Vinogradov, Mikhail Fridman, representative of the Presidential Administration Valentin Yumashev, Russian President Boris Yeltsin at a meeting in the Kremlin in 1997. , 1998. On the eve of the financial crisis, SBS-Agro ranked second in Russia after Sberbank in terms of the number of depositors (2 million). This default effectively led SBS-Agro to bankruptcy. Alexander Smolensky formed the OVK Banking Group on the basis of the subsidiary banks of the SBS-Agro group. Mr. Smolensky told SmartMoney that he did not return to big business after the collapse of the bank. "There are two ways to become a billionaire, and how they are implemented." In July 2003, the OVK banking group, the STB-Card processing company, and the Inkahran collection company were sold to Vladimir Potanin's Interros group. In 2004, Mr. Smolensky finally left the banking business and transferred his last bank, Stolichnoe Kreditnoye Tovarishchestvo, to his nephew, Alexei Grigoriev. That same year, he opened a silverware store in central Moscow. In 2006, Bagrius Publishing House released the political thriller Hostages, written by Alexander Smolensky and his former publicist, journalist Eduard Krasnyansky. Other books by Smolensky and Krasnyansky include “The Rublyovka Zone” (2007), “The Revolt of the Vassal” (2008), “The Error of Conscience” (2008), “The Guardian of the Kremlin” (2010), “According to the Data of 210, etc. Mendeleev” (2011)
In the photo: Alexander Smolensky at a meeting with the creative team of the Kommersant publishing house, dedicated to the book "Hostage". Since 2012, the businessman began selling real estate in Moscow, in particular in the Alexander House business center. The building, located in 2000, was built to house the election headquarters of presidential candidate Vladimir Putin. Alexander Smolensky lived in Austria in the last years of his life. In 1987, Alexander Smolensky organized one of the first construction cooperatives in Moscow for the sale of timber. Two years later, he founded and headed the commercial bank Stolichny. After that, Alexander Smolensky said that the name of the bank was invented by employees of the State Bank. "We came up with something like "real blah-blah", and they told us at the State Bank. Are you going to work on the Moon or somewhere else?" Such women, typical civil servants, central banks ... "You work in Moscow, Stolichny will be there, that's all." The Interbank Financial House (MFD) and Alexander Smolensky became co-chairmen of the MFD. At the end of 1992, Stolichny reformed the accounting system and introduced a debit multicurrency magnetic card (STB-Card). In the 1990s, Alexander Smolensky was a member of the presidium of the Association of Russian Banks (ARB), the board of directors of JSC Russian Public Television and the Advisory Committee of Banks under the Government of the Russian Federation. Moscow Exchange Exchange Council
In the photo, from left to right: First Deputy Chairman of the Board of Directors of Bank Menatyev Leonid Nevchlin, Chairman of Most-Bank Vladimir Gusinsky, Chairman of ARB Sergey Egorov, Deputy Chairman of ARB Garegin Tosunyan and President of SBS Alexander Smolensky. In 1994, the ARB Presidium decided to rename Stolichny Bank to Capital Savings Bank (SBS). According to Kommersant, in 1996, Mr. Smolensky hoped to privatize Sberbank, but the plan was not implemented. Later, the entrepreneur acquired a controlling stake in Agroprombank and a number of other assets, creating the SBS-Agro financial group in 1995. Reform of the institution's structure began with the creation of regional branches. In September of the same year, the Moscow branch of SBS opened, which the media called the largest branch of the bank in Korea. The ribbon at the opening ceremony was cut by Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov, Alexander Smolensky was mentioned among the businessmen who financed Boris Yeltsin's election campaign in 1996, and his entourage was called the "Seven Bankers". In July 1996, Mr. Smolensky received gratitude from the President of the Russian Federation for his active participation in organizing and conducting the election campaign.
In the photo from the left: businessman Mikhail Khodorkovsky (recognized by the Ministry of Justice as a foreign agent), Vladimir Gusinsky, Alexander Smolensky, Vladimir Potanin, Vladimir Vinogradov, Mikhail Fridman, representative of the Presidential Administration Valentin Yumashev, Russian President Boris Yeltsin at a meeting in the Kremlin in 1997. , 1998. On the eve of the financial crisis, SBS-Agro ranked second in Russia after Sberbank in terms of the number of depositors (2 million). This default effectively led SBS-Agro to bankruptcy. Alexander Smolensky formed the OVK Banking Group on the basis of the subsidiary banks of the SBS-Agro group. Mr. Smolensky told SmartMoney that he did not return to big business after the collapse of the bank. "There are two ways to become a billionaire, and how they are implemented." In July 2003, the OVK banking group, the STB-Card processing company, and the Inkahran collection company were sold to Vladimir Potanin's Interros group. In 2004, Mr. Smolensky finally left the banking business and transferred his last bank, Stolichnoe Kreditnoye Tovarishchestvo, to his nephew, Alexei Grigoriev. That same year, he opened a silverware store in central Moscow. In 2006, Bagrius Publishing House released the political thriller Hostages, written by Alexander Smolensky and his former publicist, journalist Eduard Krasnyansky. Other books by Smolensky and Krasnyansky include “The Rublyovka Zone” (2007), “The Revolt of the Vassal” (2008), “The Error of Conscience” (2008), “The Guardian of the Kremlin” (2010), “According to the Data of 210, etc. Mendeleev” (2011)
In the photo: Alexander Smolensky at a meeting with the creative team of the Kommersant publishing house, dedicated to the book "Hostage". Since 2012, the businessman began selling real estate in Moscow, in particular in the Alexander House business center. The building, located in 2000, was built to house the election headquarters of presidential candidate Vladimir Putin. Alexander Smolensky lived the last years of his life in Austria.