General Director of UC Rusal

"Biography"

Vladislav Aleksandrovich Solovyov was born in 1973.

Education

In 1995, he graduated with honors from the Higher School of Management of the State Academy of Management, in 1996 - from the Moscow State Technical University "Stankin", in 2004 - from the Financial Academy under the Government of the Russian Federation, and also received an MBA diploma from the University of Antwerp (Belgium).

Activity

From 1994 to 1998, he worked in various management positions at UNICON/MS Consulting, where he was also responsible for auditing oil and gas producing companies.

"Ratings"

"News"

Forbes journalists suspected the owner of interfering in editorial policy

The top ten highest paid Russian top managers also included Chairman of the Board of Sberbank German Gref, General Director of the ONEXIM Group Dmitry Razumov, Member of the Board of Directors of USM Holdings Ivan Streshinsky, General Director of UC RusAl Vladislav Solovyov, President and Chairman of the Board of AFK Sistema Mikhail Shamolin , Chairman of the Board of VTB24 Mikhail Zadornov, Chairman of the Board of Gazprombank Andrey Akimov and Chairman of the Board and General Director of Otkritie Holding Ruben Aganbegyan.

While you were sleeping

Following Gref are the General Director of the Onexim Group, Dmitry Razumov, and the General Director of USM Advisors, Ivan Streshinsky - the magazine estimated the remuneration of each of them at $10 million. The top 10 also included: General Director of UC Rusal Vladislav Solovyov (remuneration - $7.4 million), President and Chairman of the Board of AFK Sistema Mikhail Shamolin ($7.4 million), Chairman of the Board of VTB24 Mikhail Zadornov (6, $5 million), Chairman of the Board of Gazprombank Andrey Akimov ($6.3 million), Chairman of the Board and General Director of Otkritie Holding OJSC Ruben Aganbegyan ($6 million).

Rusal's net profit under IFRS in January-September fell by 35% to $534 million

“Based on the results of the third quarter, Rusal showed good financial results due to its operational efficiency and cost control, as well as as a result of the increase in the price of aluminum on the London Metal Exchange,” said Rusal CEO Vladislav Soloviev. He noted that the cost of aluminum production has dropped to a multi-year low - $1,330 per ton.

Changes in the board of directors

As follows from Rusal's announcement on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, Leonard Blavatnik resigned from the board of directors of the company and resigned as a non-executive director of Rusal. It is explained that Blavatnik has no disagreements with the main executive body of the company, and his resignation from the board of directors is related to the fulfillment of “other business obligations.”

Thus, now the board of directors of the aluminum company includes the president and majority shareholder of Rusal Oleg Deripaska, the general director of the company Vladislav Solovyov, the director of business development of Rusal Global Management BV Siegfried Wolf, the general director of En+ Maxim Sokov, Dmitry Afanasyev from the Egorov law firm Puginsky, Afanasiev and Partners", Glencore CEO Ivan Glasenberg, Director of strategic projects"Renovy" Maxim Goldman, General Director of "Basel" Gulzhan Moldazhanova, Executive Director of "Onexim" Daniel Wolf, Deputy general director"Basel" Olga Mashkovskaya, director of personnel relations at En+ Ekaterina Nikitina.

I. Sechin wants to extend anti-corruption measures in the energy sector to other sectors.

05/04/2012, Novo-Ogarevo 13:48:07 Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Igor Sechin considers it possible to extend anti-corruption measures applied in the energy sector to other industries. “This work can be applied to any field. This is the right thing to do, and no one said that this work will not be continued,” he told reporters.

The government has targeted the offshore income of Russian businesses

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is going to impose a tax on the profits of foreign structures controlled from Russia. Officials advise extending this measure only to offshore companies

Officials overdid it in the fight against fly-by-nights and the “offshore economy”

Officials, fighting against fly-by-nights and the “offshore economy,” proposed measures that would clearly negatively affect the business climate in Russia. Both the current President Medvedev and the elected President, Putin, advocate for climate improvement

Irregularities and dubious connections of state-owned energy companies

Cashing out, withdrawal of funds abroad, hidden material rewards and affiliation of top managers with counterparties

Rosfinmonitoring has identified a whole bunch of violations in state energy companies in the field of corporate governance. These are not only suppliers and contractors associated with top managers, but also cashing out, withdrawing funds abroad, as well as hidden material rewards.

By January 18, Rosfinmonitoring had managed to check almost 900 top managers of energy companies and found signs of affiliation with 292 organizations in 147 of them, according to the service’s report on the results of the audit (Vedomosti has a copy). The economic relations of energy companies and their officials seemed to the department to be “insufficiently clear, precise and transparent”, and in some cases “dubious” and containing signs of a conflict of interest.

The Prosecutor General's Office will fight fly-by-night companies operating in the housing and communal services sector

General Prosecutor's Office Russian Federation together with the state corporation “Fund for Assistance to the Reform of Housing and Communal Services” created an interdepartmental working group. The group was created in order to combat crime in the use of financial resources allocated for the development of housing and communal services, ensuring their safety and intended use. The corresponding order was signed by the First Deputy Prosecutor General of the Russian Federation Alexander Buksman.

After accusations from Putin, the heads of a number of energy companies resigned

Several Russian energy company executives have resigned following criticism from Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. Energy Minister Sergei Shmatko told reporters about this. He did not name their names, but promised that all of them would be removed from work or sent on leave, and that an investigation would be carried out against them. an official investigation. “The power industry has demonstrated a certain will to clean itself and restore order,” he commented.

Putin accused two top managers of RusAl of illegally demanding payments

On December 19, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, at a meeting of the commission for the development of the electric power industry, criticized the actions of the first deputy general director of UC Rusal, Vladislav Solovyov, and the company’s director of strategy, Maxim Sokov. In his opinion, meeting their demands for bonus payments will lead to an increase in electricity tariffs.

In his speech, the transcript of which is posted on the Prime Minister’s website, Vladimir Putin recalled that Messrs. Soloviev and Sokov were members of the board of directors of OGK-3 and then left it. “Now the two of them are demanding payments in total: for them personally - 324 million rubles. taking into account the change in the capitalization of OGK-3. What have they done to increase capitalization?” said the head of government. According to him, the increase in capitalization was a consequence of reforms in the electric power industry and investments attracted by the state. “What amounts! RUB 324 million for two people, for them personally! For what? Well, they’ve gone completely crazy already!” said Mr. Putin, adding that these amounts are ultimately included in electricity tariffs.

Rusal commented on the prime minister’s words as follows: “We are talking about paying them remuneration as members of the board of directors of OGK-3 within the framework of the option plan approved general meeting shareholders of OGK-3 in February 2009, which was recorded in the relevant agreements between OGK-3 and members of the board of directors. The amount of the remuneration was due to the multiple increase in the capitalization of OGK-3 after February 2009. To date, neither Soloviev nor Sokov have made any claims against OGK-3 in this regard.”

Vladislav Solovyov appointed Deripaska's first deputy

Vladislav Solovyov, the former CEO of En+ Group, became the first deputy CEO of the United Company Rusal - Oleg Deripaska.

It is noted that in new position Soloviev will be responsible for the operational management of the company, focusing on issues of increasing business efficiency, improving production and financial indicators, growth in labor productivity and product quality.

En+ Group CEO Vladislav Solovyov gave an interview to Vedomosti newspaper

Ladislav Solovyov excitedly discusses Albert Einstein’s experiments on the movement of matter in time and space, and the mystery of the disappearance of the destroyer Eldridge. But when it comes to En+ Group’s business, Soloviev becomes serious and careful in his wording. Oleg Deripaska created the group in 2005, transferred to it the main pearl of his empire - UC Rusal, as well as Siberian energy assets and set a difficult task - to become a global energy and metallurgical company. Soloviev

Vladislav Soloviev: RUSAL’s goal is to become the most efficient aluminum company

Khakassia, June 08, 2010, 11:12 - Experts never tire of blaming domestic metallurgical companies for continuing to operate a system created back in Soviet times - obsolete equipment and even more outdated work schemes. If RUSAL had acted according to the same principle, it would have long ago remained on the outskirts of the world market or become integral part some transcontinental company with Indian “roots”. In the race for leadership, success comes together piece by piece - from new technologies, maximum use of internal resources, cost control, motivation of each individual employee. Vladislav Soloviev, First Deputy General Director of UC RUSAL, spoke about what RUSAL is betting on, having gone through a very difficult and eventful year.

Potanin withdraws Norilsk Nickel assets

The management of Norilsk Nickel has decided to sell the Thunderbox and Waterloo plants in Australia. For this purpose, Norilsk Nickel hired Morgan Stanley. According to preliminary information, MMC assets are being sold so that Vladimir Potanin can buy out a 25% stake in Norilsk Nickel from Oleg Deripaska. Moreover, some of these shares may in the future go to the American banks Morgan Stanley and Bank of New York.

Fraudulent redistribution of Norilsk Nickel

The former chairman of the board of directors of Norilsk Nickel, Alexander Voloshin, refuses to sign the minutes of the meeting of MMC shareholders, as a result of which he lost his membership in the board. Mr. Voloshin believes that during the voting the shareholders were provided with false information about the quorum. Unsigned minutes cannot become the basis for convening a new meeting, but it deprives shareholders of the opportunity to receive dividends.

FSK and Rusal will allocate $150 million for the development of new wires for power lines

St. PETERSBURG, June 18 – RIA Novosti. JSC "Federal network company UES (FGC UES), which owns the main power transmission lines, and the united company Rusal, the world's largest aluminum producer, plan to allocate $100-150 million to a project to create new types of wires for overhead power lines, the first deputy general director said "Rusala" Vladislav Solovyov to journalists on Friday.

General Director of RUSAL. Born May 14, 1973. Higher School of Management of the State Academy of Management, 1995; Moscow State University of Technology"Stankin", 1996; graduated from the Financial Academy under the Government of the Russian Federation and has an MBA degree awarded to him by the University of Antwerp, 2004 From 1994 to 1998, he worked in various management positions at UNICON/MS Consulting, where he was also responsible for the audit of oil and gas companies. 1998-2000 - served as deputy head of the department of tax policy and improvement tax legislation, being an adviser to the Minister of Taxes and Duties. from February 2001 to January 2008, he headed the financial directorate of RUSAL, and in 2000-2001 - the department accounting companies. In 2008-2010, Vladislav Solovyov headed the En+ company. Since April 2010, he served as First Deputy General Director of RUSAL and was responsible for the operational management of the company, increasing the efficiency of its business and improving financial and production performance. in November 2014 - appointed to the position of General Director of RUSAL. He is responsible for the long-term dynamic development of RUSAL by increasing the efficiency of the company's plants, increasing the share of products with high added value, entering new strategic markets and forming alliances with partners to expand the scope of aluminum applications. Member of the board of directors of En+ Group. Since 2013, Vladislav Solovyov has also been a member of the board of directors of OJSC MMC Norilsk Nickel. For three years, he was the Chairman of the Board of Directors of RussNeft. En+ Group was created in 2005 as the energy sector of the Basic Element company. Aluminum production is the company's key business: En+ Group is the main shareholder (56.76%) of United Company RUSAL, the world leader in the production of aluminum and alumina. In addition, En+ Group owns the Central European Aluminum Company, which operates a bauxite mine and aluminum smelter in Montenegro. En+ Group's assets also include EuroSibEnergo, the largest Russian independent energy company, which manages the Volgaenergo group of companies, large stakes in Krasnoyarsk HPP OJSC and Irkutskenergo OJSC, engineering and energy sales companies; EuroSibEnergo also manages coal mines that provide fuel to the company's thermal power plants. The En+ Group structure includes the United Oil Group, which is engaged in oil production and refining in the Southern Federal District of Russia. En+ Group's activities are based on environmentally friendly methods of generating energy, and above all, hydropower. Environmental protection is one of the company's key priorities. An important area of ​​work for En+ Group is the analysis of efficiency and implementation of investments in innovative projects in all areas of its activities, including coal mining, oil refining, nuclear energy, production of non-ferrous metals in Russia and abroad. En+ Group enterprises employ more than 130,000 employees. The company's revenue in 2007 was US$16.2 billion.

15.05.2013

Reference

Vladislav Solovyov, First Deputy General Director of RUSAL, was born in 1973 in Moscow. In 1995, he graduated with honors from the Higher School of Management of the State Academy of Management with a degree in financial management", as well as Moscow State Technological University "Stankin" with a degree in design engineer. In addition, he graduated from the Financial Academy under the Government of the Russian Federation and has an MBA degree from the University of Antwerp.

At the beginning of his career, being responsible for auditing oil and gas producing companies, Soloviev traveled half the country in connection with his work, and spent a lot of time in the Krasnoyarsk Territory. In 1998-2000 served as head of the department of tax policy and improvement of tax legislation, being an adviser to the Minister of Taxes and Duties. In 2000, he began his career ascent in structures owned by Oleg Deripaska. From February 2001 to January 2008, he headed the financial directorate of RUSAL. In 2008-2010 Solovyov headed the En+ company. Today, Solovyov is called the right hand of one of the main owners of RUSAL, Oleg Deripaska.

The world's largest aluminum producer, RUSAL, sells its key projects. The Boguchansky aluminum smelter and the Boguchanskaya hydroelectric power station in the Lower Angara region alone will provide the region with 10 thousand jobs.
First Deputy General Director of UC RUSAL Vladislav Solovyov spoke about what goals RUSAL sets for itself in the near future, what is the business philosophy and prospects for production development, how the company understands its environmental and social responsibility.

Vladislav Alexandrovich, why is RUSAL a company in which it is profitable to invest?

RUSAL is the best aluminum company in the world. The fact that RUSAL produces the most aluminum, about 4 million tons per year, is a well-known fact. But RUSAL is also the most efficient and dynamically developing aluminum company. We have the best technologies, our own resource base, our own research, design and construction departments. RUSAL has access to environmentally friendly and renewable energy resources in Siberia.

In addition, we have excellent opportunities for development: aluminum consumption is increasing, new areas of application of our metal are opening up, so the demand for products will only grow in the coming years. The company is ready to meet this demand - we are building two environmentally advanced aluminum smelters in Eastern Siberia: Boguchansky and Taishetsky. They are advantageously located next to China, the world's largest consumer.

Once upon a time, aluminum was considered a precious metal, but over the course of a century and a half it has become one of the first places in terms of widespread use in all spheres of life. Does it have prospects in the 21st century?

Aluminum is, without exaggeration, the metal of the future. It has been in production for over a hundred years, but 80 to 90% of all aluminum that was produced during that time continues to be used today. Thus, from the point of view of environmental friendliness and the ability to be melted an unlimited number of times, this is an absolutely unique material. It is used the first, second, third time - and ad infinitum, because it is easy to melt down. Unlike, for example, iron, which, of course, can also be melted down, but this creates great amount waste that is not disposed of in any way.

In addition, aluminum is a metal that will be even more in demand due to the active development of modern technologies and an increase in living standards in different countries. For example, Western Europe Due to its developed industry, it is a leader in aluminum consumption. There this figure per capita is 20-25 kg, in China - about 12 kg. And the world's second largest country by population, India, now consumes less than two kilograms. If we believe that India follows China at least partially in terms of industrializing the economy and moving rural people to cities, then we will see a sharp increase in demand there.

Aluminum consumption continues to grow in mechanical engineering and construction, as well as in new areas - for example, many cable manufacturers are switching from copper to aluminum, given that copper is three times more expensive than aluminum with almost the same conductivity.

RUSAL is the world's largest aluminum producer and one of the largest alumina producers. What are the company's assets and key production indicators?

Today, RUSAL’s capacity allows us to produce 4.7 million tons of aluminum, 11.5 million tons of alumina, 80 thousand tons of foil per year, but already in 2013 we plan to commission the first stages of the Taishet and Boguchansky aluminum smelters, which upon completion construction will add 1.35 million tons of aluminum to RUSAL's total production. Also, by 2014, RUSAL is going to increase the production of foil and packaging materials on its basis by 25% - from 80 to 100 thousand tons per year.

RUSAL's assets are 16 aluminum and 12 alumina plants, 8 bauxite mining enterprises, 3 powder production plants, 3 silicon production plants, 3 secondary aluminum production plants, 4 foil rolling plants, 2 cryolite and 2 cathode plants, they are located in 19 countries on five continents.

RUSAL also owns more than 25% of the shares of MMC Norilsk Nickel and an enterprise for the development of the Ekibastuz coal deposit together with the Kazakh holding Samruk. Our companies employ approximately 72,000 people.

Our main sales markets are: Europe, Russia and the CIS countries, North America, Southeast Asia, Japan and Korea.

- With more than 40 RUSAL assets in 19 countries, which of them play the main role?

Of course, the basis of RUSAL is Siberian enterprises. Our largest million-plus plants KrAZ and BrAZ are located here.

The history of RUSAL begins in Sayanogorsk - with SAZ, and it was here, in Khakassia, that we built the most modern Russian aluminum smelter - KHAZ. At the same time, in Siberia, the development of the aluminum industry was initially very clearly thought out as a single energy and metallurgical complex: Krasnoyarsk HPP - AGK, KrAZ, KraMZ, Sayano-Shushenskaya HPP - SAZ, KHAZ and SAYANAL. We consider this model to be very effective and, continuing traditions, we are building a new energy and metallurgical complex in Siberia - the Boguchanskaya hydroelectric power station and the plant of the same name, as well as the Taishet aluminum smelter.

For a long time, one of the key disadvantages of the aluminum industry was the remoteness of production from the main markets, but now, when Asia is becoming a key consumer, the territorial location of the region is its huge competitive advantage. In general, Siberia has enormous potential for industrial growth, but everything must be carried out comprehensively, along with expanding infrastructure and improving the quality of life of the population.

About the Asian direction. How is the relationship between RUSAL and China, the largest consumer of aluminum?

China is truly the fastest growing country in the world. China is undergoing global urbanization. If in 2010 the share of the urban population in China was 47%, by 2020 this figure will reach 65% - about 200 million people will become urban residents. This means the construction of ten cities the size of Moscow, increasing demand for housing, cars and other everyday goods. Already, China consumes more than 40% of the world's aluminum, and this figure will only grow.

Accordingly, RUSAL is now striving to meet this demand. The share of Asia in our sales is steadily increasing, now it is about 20%. We are actively moving into the Chinese market - we recently became the second non-Chinese company to list its aluminum on the Shanghai Metal Exchange. We have formed a partnership with a Chinese sales company to market our products. Last year we were the first Russian companies conducted an IPO in Hong Kong.

You know, in fact, RUSAL became an ambassador Russian business in Hong Kong - one of the largest financial centers world, the gateway to Asia. We hold various cultural events there, introducing the country’s residents to Russia, its history, geography, and prospects. Therefore, we can say that RUSAL is no longer a stranger in China.

What is the role of the Krasnoyarsk Aluminum Smelter in the company’s activities? As you know, KrAZ is one of the longest operating enterprises in the industry. In this regard, is it not inferior to the advanced aluminum smelters of the country and the world?

I’ll immediately name two main features of KrAZ - firstly, it is one of the two largest aluminum smelters in the world, which produces a quarter of RUSAL’s aluminum, and secondly, the plant was built about 50 years ago, respectively, using technologies of the time when environmental issues in general no one took it into account.

As for the specifics, today KrAZ is focused on the production of high-tech products. He is one of the leading players in the market of aluminum and aluminum-based alloys, both in Russia and abroad.

Among the buyers of Krazovsky alloys are such well-known global concerns as Toyota, Mitsubishi, Novelis, Alkoa, Hydro. They need products High Quality, therefore, KrAZ cannot in any way be inferior to world factories, and not only in terms of quality, but also in terms of its environmental performance.

In the near future, KrAZ's neighbor, KrAMZ, plans to launch a new rolling mill to produce products for the needs of the automobile and aircraft industries, including for supplies to foreign manufacturers such as Boeing, Airbus, and Volkswagen. KrAZ will produce alloys for rolling. To this end, the company intends to significantly increase the production of high added value products next year.

IN Lately There has been increased interest in KrAZ products from Japanese manufacturers as well. This is absolutely new trend, because just recently, Australia and Indonesia were Japan’s main suppliers. And the most important thing is that the main reason for the Japanese choosing KrAZ products, in addition to quality and range, is the environmental friendliness of production.

Let me explain - if we take the total emissions per ton of aluminum, starting from electricity production and ending with production finished products, then our factories have significantly lower emissions than Australian ones. And now we, together with the largest Japanese companies - Toyota, Sumitomo, Mitsubishi, Mitsui, Furukawa - are working to actively increase the supply of high-quality products, including KrAZ, to the Japanese market. All this suggests that in terms of quality, the plant corresponds to the world level.

There are, of course, points in which KrAZ still lags behind the world's leading aluminum producers. This concerns the level of mechanization and automation in the enterprise. The plant was launched almost 50 years ago. We solve these problems comprehensively.

In 2005-2009 We carried out a large-scale environmental modernization at the plant to bring the plant's performance in line with modern requirements, spending more than $350 million on the program. This allowed us to reduce emissions by almost a third. Those who were at the enterprise five years ago and now see that from an environmental perspective, even to the eye, these are two big differences. The workshops are equipped with dry gas purification systems and have an automatic alumina supply system. Now KrAZ is implementing the second stage of modernization.

In addition, the plant has become a pilot site for the creation of electrolysers with inert anodes and is testing energy-saving electrolysers together with the RUSAL engineering and technology center, which also operates in Krasnoyarsk.

In order to mechanize production as much as possible, we cooperate with Russian enterprises. In 2011, an agreement was concluded with the GAZ group, which is now developing specialized equipment for the company’s factories. As part of this cooperation, KrAZ specialists were testing new machines. In 2012, the plant will renew its fleet of specialized equipment.

What, in your opinion, can be done in general to reduce the impact of aluminum production on environment?

Construction of large industrial enterprises- is indeed a very serious and difficult task from an environmental point of view. But it is important to understand that the development of civilization is always accompanied by interference in nature - this is an indispensable accompanying process. If you don’t want to block rivers, don’t demand light for every home and developed infrastructure. But if there is still a desire for every city to have the necessary social, cultural and everyday infrastructure, so that young people do not run away to large industrial centers, and the regions develop dynamically, then we cannot do without developing resources and finding a compromise with nature.

A striking example is Detroit, once a thriving industrial center. Look on Google what a slum it turned into after the removal of production from there: hundreds, thousands of impoverished people leave the city every month in search of work. Empty buildings are deteriorating. A depressing sight. Another question is whether the minimization of environmental risks is taken into account when implementing a particular industrial project. And here modern technologies come to our aid.

The first and main issue in the aluminum business is energy. The average aluminum smelter consumes as much electricity as a small city, if not more. Therefore, the origin of energy is of great importance. According to this indicator, RUSAL is one of the most environmentally friendly aluminum companies. 80% of the energy consumed by our factories is produced by hydroelectric power plants, while many of our competitors use coal-fired thermal power plants, which cause incomparably greater damage to the environment. We are immediately building the Boguchansky aluminum smelter together with a hydroelectric power station, forming a single BEMO energy and metallurgical complex.

The second issue is technology. In production using the classical Soderberg technology, up to half a ton of carbon anodes are consumed per ton of aluminum. Their use results in the release of carbon dioxide and other substances into the atmosphere. A new modification of this technology created by RUSAL - “Ecological Soderberg” - can significantly reduce the impact of production on the environment thanks to the use of colloidal anode mass instead of coal. New technology has already been successfully implemented at the largest enterprises of RUSAL, at KrAZ.

Main innovative project, which our researchers are currently working on, is the creation of an electrolyzer operating using inert anode technology. It will eliminate harmful emissions completely. An electrolyzer based on an inert anode will produce a by-product - pure oxygen. Moreover, just one electrolyzer will produce the same amount of oxygen as 70 hectares of forest. The first industrial samples of this, without exaggeration, revolutionary technology will appear in 2015.

By developing new technologies and using resources rationally, we strive to reduce our impact on the environment to a minimum.

- Does the company RUSAL share social responsibility business?

Our priority in social policy is to improve the standard of living in the regions where the company operates. Since the establishment of the company, the scale social activities RUSAL has grown significantly - individual sponsorship and charity projects have grown into a large-scale and effectively managed system of social investment.

For example, for the second year we are implementing a large-scale social project“Territory of RUSAL”, investing hundreds of millions of rubles annually in the regions where the company operates. As part of this area, RUSAL promotes the development of social infrastructure for children and youth. In cooperation with municipal and regional organizations The company is engaged in the construction, reconstruction, repair and equipment of social facilities.

In 2011, we launched, in my opinion, a unique housing program for employees. RUSAL provides employees working at our enterprises in Russian regions with assistance in purchasing housing.

An agreement has been concluded between RUSAL and Sberbank that allows the company's employees to receive a mortgage loan on preferential terms. After an employee purchases housing, RUSAL pays the first installment on the loan, and subsequently undertakes to repay part of the loan: the amount of the monthly installment paid by the company employee is no more than 50%, the rest is paid by RUSAL. In 2011, about 700 contracts for the purchase of apartments in 6 cities were concluded under this program. RUSAL's investments in 2011 amounted to about $6.8 million.

Vladislav Alexandrovich, you are called “Oleg Deripaska’s right hand.” What do you think this definition entails? What are your responsibilities and, from your point of view, your best professional qualities?

Oleg Vladimirovich Deripaska determines the company's strategy, and I am responsible for the operational management of RUSAL. I deal with issues related to production, commerce and finance. As for my professional qualities, then it’s difficult to talk about yourself. I will name two qualities that I value in colleagues and can note in myself: consistency and the ability to work with people.

How would you characterize Oleg Deripaska from the point of view of doing business and leadership style? What is it like in informal communication?

Oleg Vladimirovich, first of all, knows how to hear people, and this is the main quality for a leader of this magnitude. You can discuss with him difficult questions and, even if his opinion is formed, there is a chance to change it by bringing reasonable arguments. For his part, he is also able to find convincing arguments to change someone’s position, pointing out those aspects of the issue that others do not see. It's interesting to work with such people. Besides this, he is a very pleasant person to talk to.

There is information on the Internet that you are interested in “alpine skiing, physics, psychology, history, astronomy and much more.” Please tell us more about this.

Yes, it's true, I have a fairly wide range of interests, but now I spend most of my free time reading books on economics. The current topic is the global financial crisis, and I want to deeply understand its causes. That's why I'm rereading economic works basic economists, which I once studied at the institute, as well as comments from modern economists.

As for sports, it is an integral part of my whole life. True, over the past couple of years, due to large amounts of work, there has been less time for sports, but I plan to restore it. I'm good at skiing. During the holidays, I take the opportunity to go to the mountains.

I am interested in astronomy and physics, first of all, in the context of the formation of the universe. I am interested in this question, and I read literature on this topic and follow scientific achievements.

-What did you dream of becoming when you were young?

Ice cream maker! (Laughs.) But this was in childhood, of course. As for my school years, I wanted to succeed, to become a hero. We were brought up in a different era with different values. I wasn't thinking about any specific profession, but I definitely wanted to be a hero. And now we don’t need the heroism that was cultivated in Soviet times, and this, by the way, is a big problem for our country. Back then, it was not the one who had more money or the richer who was valued, but the one who was stronger and more holistic as a person.

Great and necessary were talented physicists, chemists, astronauts, military men, those who committed heroic deeds in life. It was honorable, such people were respected, rewarded and appreciated. Therefore, it is important for me to recognize and respect for that act when you have to break yourself and do something that another person in such a situation would be afraid to do. You need to be able to overcome your fear. I believe that a person as an individual must do two things in his life: learn and fight his fear. Sport helps a lot in achieving this goal. And so I studied a lot. By the way, studying is also, to a certain extent, overcoming oneself.

In the mid-90s, these values ​​disappeared from society. And to be honest, I feel a little sorry for today’s youth because they now have different goals: to become rich, famous, and so on. They lack spiritual guidelines, they did not arise, but we had them. We dreamed of being astronauts, military men, directors of large construction projects.

- Did your family help you make your choice?

My parents are engineers, they worked with me a lot. They insisted on playing sports. Even during the summer holidays I was forced to run 3 kilometers every morning. My parents always told me that I had to be strong. Not to suppress, but simply to not be afraid of anything. Since the 3rd grade I have been involved in judo for seven years, I have achieved ranks and won competitions. When the first karate salons opened in the 80s, we tried our hand there too. Men need to play sports, it really builds character.

My parents taught me to be honest, not to steal, to protect the weak - in general, to keep the commandments, despite the fact that then “there was no God.” Naturally, I read a lot of literature, this was the norm. In addition, literature was taught by the school director, so I always took part in literary clubs and theater productions. In high school, I went to a construction brigade and played the guitar.

- Do you believe in God, in fate?

There is a good quote: “Those who believe in predetermined fate nevertheless look both ways when crossing the road.” I believe that a person can change anything he wants. Unfortunately, this applies to both good and bad. A person has no limits to his capabilities. And since I believe that a person has no boundaries, it follows that he can completely change his destiny. In any situation there is always a choice.

There is only one limitation to human capabilities - physical. But even such people are capable of achieving a lot. A striking example of this is one of the most influential theoretical physicists of our time, Professor Stephen Hawking, a famous popularizer of science, who is profoundly disabled, unable to move and speak. Not to mention the records of Paralympic Games participants, unattainable for average healthy people, which just confirm the strength of the human spirit.

Thinking that someone controls your destiny is the attitude of a loser. Of course, God exists, but I believe in him as a kind of higher intelligence and higher power that controls processes and sets the rules of behavior, including in human society. From this point of view, there is, as I call it, a certain external environment, but within the framework of their destiny, everyone is their own master.

- Do you like to travel and where do you like to go most?

I love traveling because I love seeing new things. But, I’ll tell you honestly, I have never met a more beautiful, unpredictable and diverse country than Russia anywhere in the world. Only Southeast Asia can compete in the color and diversity of flora and fauna and, perhaps, South America. I love St. Petersburg and have a calm attitude towards Moscow, I was born and raised here, this is my home. Of the Russian cities, I really like Krasnoyarsk, perhaps because my working career began here.

The first city where I went on a business trip was Achinsk, and I historically love both Achinsk and Krasnoyarsk, I really like the people who live here and the nature. This is not a nod to the Krasnoyarsk people, it just happened that way. I really like Nizhnevartovsk and Noyabrsk, these are also cities where fate brought me during the period of my previous work.

Noyabrsk and Nizhnevartovsk are my special loves; the best thing there is the people. This is an example when the city is nothing special, there is nothing to see there, 50 degrees below zero and no oxygen, but the people are what makes it worth coming, living, and communicating. I have never met more sincere, pleasant, kind, sincere people in any other city in the world.

If you see that the types described by Saltykov-Shchedrin or Chekhov have changed, this may mean that life has become good, but so far this has not been observed.

- Do you like cars? What car do you have now?

You can love a woman, children... A car is a thing. Convenient thing. I have a working BMW. But this does not mean that I really like BMW, I also like Mercedes and Japanese cars. I believe that Japanese cars are the most reliable, and if you buy a car for yourself, then the price-quality ratio is the best for Japanese cars, for example, Toyota, Nissan. For personal use I would prefer these brands.

- Are you a movie buff, what films do you prefer? Do you have time for books?

Yes, I love movies. Of the latter, I really liked the film “Elena”. I believe that Zvyagintsev is one of the best among modern directors. His "Return" also made a strong impression on me.

I fly a lot, so I have the opportunity to read. Now, as I already said, these are mainly books on economics, fiction I read less often. True, I recently re-read Chekhov. Among the Russian classics, I love Kuprin, Nabokov and Bulgakov, I read them in full. In general, I advise young people who want to join the classics to start with Kuprin. I advise you to move on to Dostoevsky later.

In my opinion, now there is not enough modern literature that would describe at the level of Russian classics modern problems. The speed of time has changed, and literature, unfortunately, cannot keep up with it.

- Where did you spend your best vacation?

On Baikal and Kamchatka.

- Hunting Fishing…

Yes. But without fanaticism. I’m not a fan by nature and I don’t understand people who become fanatics about something. I can not do that. I can understand something deeply, and after that the strong interest in the topic usually goes away, because new discoveries lie ahead.

- A meeting that was particularly memorable?

With my wife. And what I can tell you about in a little more detail is with Mstislav Rostropovich on the plane. He was bringing Shostakovich's manuscripts from his personal collection as a gift to the St. Petersburg museum. I flew by regular plane from Paris. I just came up, said hello, and we started talking. We talked about different things: about life, art, music. He was a very pleasant and deep person. This happened a year before his death.

-Can you just come up and meet a stranger?

This doesn't pose much of a problem for me, but that's for the most part famous people, and they are used to communication.

-Has any mystical, mysterious or simply interesting incident happened to you?

I've never seen flying saucers. But since I am interested in theories of the creation of the Universe, theories of time, relativity and field, I know for sure that there are things in the world that are inexplicable to us. They happen every day, but we cannot yet explain and understand them, and often even see them, due to the fact that our knowledge about the Universe and the world where we live is still very limited. And the range of perception capabilities is limited, human senses are quite primitive, they need to be developed.

- A simple human dream...

So that it always exists, a dream... (Laughs.) So that you always want something. But seriously, I would really like my children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren to live in this country and be proud of it. So that they do not have to leave Russia for one reason or another. Not necessarily because of some serious circumstances, but because somewhere they can find a better life than here. I want this country to be the most comfortable and pleasant place to live, so that everyone would come here. And this is my sincere human desire.

- Your life credo.

Never give up.

- Do you have a favorite aphorism?

- Tomorrow will be better than yesterday.

US sanctions against Oleg Deripaska and his assets have led to further personnel changes in businessman's companies. The most important of them is the actual return to the operational management of Rusal by Vladislav Solovyov, who now holds the position of president of the aluminum company and leaves the En+ Group, which owns 48.13% of Rusal and Eurosibenergo.

On April 30, Vladislav Solovyov will resign from his posts as CEO and executive director of En+ Group, controlled by Oleg Deripaska, which owns 48.13% of Rusal and Eurosibenergo, En+ reported. His place will be taken by the ex-CEO of Eurosibenergo and Chief Operating Officer En+ since October 2017 Vyacheslav Solomin. He will focus on operational management company and updating its strategy due to US Treasury sanctions imposed on April 6. Mr. Solomin, in fact, will have to bear responsibility for difficult decisions in the current situation, Kommersant’s source in the industry warns.

Will change and financial director En+: instead of Andrey Yashchenko, from May 1, he will be the financial director of Eurosibenergo, Mikhail Khardikov. Maxim Sokov, according to Kommersant, remains the president of En+ for now.

Let us recall that Oleg Deripaska and a number of companies owned by him, including Basel, En+, Rusal (controlled by En+ by shareholder agreement), the GAZ group and others, were included in the SDN list, prohibiting US citizens and companies from any transactions with those on the list without special permission from the US Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control. Being included in this list also makes it impossible for those involved in any non-cash payments in dollars.

Mr. Solovyov headed En+ in 2008–2010, from 2010 he served as first deputy general director of Rusal, and from 2014 to March 2018, he served as general director of the aluminum company. After Mr. Deripaska left the posts of president of En+ and Rusal in March, these positions were taken by Maxim Sokov and Vladislav Solovyov, respectively. A Kommersant source close to En+ says that now Mr. Solovyov should concentrate on Rusal. This is confirmed by a source close to Rusal, adding that the top manager will have to “ensure the stable operation of the company’s enterprises.”

Rusal, which produced 3.7 million tons of aluminum in 2017, accounts for about 13% of global production outside China and exports three quarters of volumes, so the inclusion of the company in the SDN list caused a sharp increase in prices for aluminum and alumina, panic in the industry and temporary easing of sanctions. At the same time, the US Treasury Department clarified on April 23 that it could lift sanctions against Rusal if Oleg Deripaska retains control over the company. The head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade Denis Manturov said today that the transfer of the businessman’s share to the state “is not excluded, but there have not been any substantive discussions on this matter yet.”

Today, Vladimir Putin’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov called the actions of the US Treasury “comparable to economic raiding” and noted that “no one said that sanctions would be lifted if such and such happened.” “No one uses this wording. It says that sanctions may or may not be lifted,” Mr. Peskov clarified.

Anatoly Dzhumailo, Vladimir Dzaguto

The world's largest aluminum producer, RUSAL, is implementing its key projects in the Krasnoyarsk Territory. The Boguchansky aluminum smelter and the Boguchanskaya hydroelectric power station in the Lower Angara region alone will provide the region with 10 thousand jobs.
First Deputy General Director of UC RUSAL Vladislav Solovyov spoke about what goals RUSAL sets for itself in the near future, what is the business philosophy and prospects for production development, how the company understands its environmental and social responsibility.

Vladislav Soloviev, First Deputy General Director of UC RUSAL

—— Vladislav Alexandrovich, why is RUSAL a company in which it is profitable to invest?

— RUSAL is the best aluminum company in the world. The fact that RUSAL produces the most aluminum, about 4 million tons per year, is a well-known fact. But RUSAL is also the most efficient and dynamically developing aluminum company. We have the best technologies, our own resource base, our own research, design and construction departments. RUSAL has access to environmentally friendly and renewable energy resources in Siberia.

In addition, we have excellent opportunities for development: aluminum consumption is increasing, new areas of application of our metal are opening up, so the demand for products will only grow in the coming years. The company is ready to meet this demand - we are building two environmentally advanced aluminum smelters in Eastern Siberia: Boguchansky and Taishetsky. They are advantageously located next to China, the world's largest consumer.

— Aluminum was once considered a precious metal, but over the course of a century and a half it has become one of the first places in terms of widespread use in all spheres of life. Does it have prospects in the 21st century?

— Aluminum is, without exaggeration, the metal of the future. It has been in production for over a hundred years, but 80 to 90% of all aluminum that was produced during this time continues to be used today. Thus, from the point of view of environmental friendliness and the ability to be melted an unlimited number of times, this is an absolutely unique material. It is used the first, second, third time - and ad infinitum, because it is easy to melt down. Unlike, for example, iron, which, of course, can also be melted down, but this creates a huge amount of waste that is not disposed of in any way.

In addition, aluminum is a metal that will be even more in demand due to the active development of modern technologies and rising living standards in different countries. For example, Western Europe, due to its developed industry, is a leader in aluminum consumption. There this figure per capita is 20-25 kg, in China - about 12 kg. And the world's second largest country by population, India, now consumes less than two kilograms. If we believe that India follows China at least partially in terms of industrializing the economy and moving rural people to cities, then we will see a sharp increase in demand there.

Aluminum consumption continues to grow in mechanical engineering and construction, as well as in new areas - for example, many cable manufacturers are switching from copper to aluminum, given that copper is three times more expensive than aluminum with almost the same conductivity.

— RUSAL is the world's largest aluminum producer and one of the largest alumina producers. What are the company's assets and key production indicators?

— Today, RUSAL’s capacity allows us to produce 4.7 million tons of aluminum, 11.5 million tons of alumina, 80 thousand tons of foil per year, but already in 2013 we plan to commission the first stages of the Taishet and Boguchansky aluminum smelters, which Upon completion of construction, 1.35 million tons of aluminum will be added to RUSAL's total production. Also, by 2014, RUSAL is going to increase the production of foil and packaging materials based on it by 25% - from 80 to 100 thousand tons per year.

RUSAL's assets include 16 aluminum and 12 alumina plants, 8 bauxite mining enterprises, 3 powder production plants, 3 silicon production plants, 3 secondary aluminum production plants, 4 foil rolling plants, 2 cryolite and 2 cathode plants, they are located in 19 countries on five continents.

RUSAL also owns more than 25% of the shares of MMC Norilsk Nickel and an enterprise for the development of the Ekibastuz coal deposit together with the Kazakh holding Samruk. Our companies employ approximately 72,000 people.

Our main sales markets are: Europe, Russia and the CIS countries, North America, Southeast Asia, Japan and Korea.

— With more than 40 RUSAL assets in 19 countries, which of them play the main role?

— Of course, the basis of RUSAL is Siberian enterprises. Our largest million-plus plants KrAZ and BrAZ are located here.

The history of RUSAL begins in Sayanogorsk - with SAZ, and it was here, in Khakassia, that we built the most modern Russian aluminum smelter - KHAZ. At the same time, in Siberia, the development of the aluminum industry was initially very clearly thought out as a single energy and metallurgical complex: Krasnoyarsk HPP - AGK, KrAZ, KraMZ, Sayano-Shushenskaya HPP - SAZ, KHAZ and SAYANAL. We consider this model to be very effective and, continuing traditions, we are building a new energy and metallurgical complex in Siberia - the Boguchanskaya hydroelectric power station and the plant of the same name, as well as the Taishet aluminum smelter.

For a long time, one of the key disadvantages of the aluminum industry was the remoteness of production from the main markets, but now, when Asia is becoming a key consumer, the territorial location of the region is its huge competitive advantage. In general, Siberia has enormous potential for industrial growth, but everything must be carried out comprehensively, along with expanding infrastructure and improving the quality of life of the population.

— About the Asian direction. How is the relationship between RUSAL and China, the largest consumer of aluminum?

— China is truly the fastest growing country in the world. China is undergoing global urbanization. If in 2010 the share of the urban population in China was 47%, by 2020 this figure will reach 65% - about 200 million people will become urban residents. This means the construction of ten cities the size of Moscow, increasing demand for housing, cars and other everyday goods. Already, China consumes more than 40% of the world's aluminum, and this figure will only grow.

Accordingly, RUSAL is now striving to meet this demand. The share of Asia in our sales is steadily increasing, now it is about 20%. We are actively moving into the Chinese market - we recently became the second non-Chinese company to list its aluminum on the Shanghai Metal Exchange. We have formed a partnership with a Chinese sales company to market our products. Last year, we were the first Russian company to conduct an IPO in Hong Kong.

You know, in fact, RUSAL has become the ambassador of Russian business in Hong Kong - one of the largest financial centers in the world, the gateway to Asia. We hold various cultural events there, introducing the country’s residents to Russia, its history, geography, and prospects. Therefore, we can say that RUSAL is no longer a stranger in China.

— What is the role of the Krasnoyarsk Aluminum Smelter in the company’s activities? As you know, KrAZ is one of the longest operating enterprises in the industry. In this regard, is it not inferior to the advanced aluminum smelters of the country and the world?

— I’ll immediately name two main features of KrAZ - firstly, it is one of the two largest aluminum smelters in the world, which produces a quarter of RUSAL’s aluminum, and secondly, the plant was built about 50 years ago, accordingly, using the technologies of that time No one took environmental issues into account at all.

As for the specifics, today KrAZ is focused on the production of high-tech products. He is one of the leading players in the market of aluminum and aluminum-based alloys, both in Russia and abroad.

Among the buyers of Krazovsky alloys are such well-known global concerns as Toyota, Mitsubishi, Novelis, Alkoa, Hydro. They need high-quality products, so KrAZ cannot in any way be inferior to global factories, and not only in terms of quality, but also in terms of its environmental performance.

In the near future, KrAZ’s neighbor, KrAMZ, plans to launch a new rolling mill to produce products for the needs of the automobile and aircraft industries, including for supplies to foreign manufacturers such as Boeing, Airbus, and Volkswagen. KrAZ will produce alloys for rolling. To this end, the company intends to significantly increase the production of high added value products next year.

Recently, there has been increased interest in KrAZ products from Japanese manufacturers. This is a completely new trend, because until recently, Australia and Indonesia were Japan’s main suppliers. And the most important thing is that the main reason for the Japanese choosing KrAZ products, in addition to quality and assortment, is the environmental friendliness of production.

Let me explain - if you take the total emissions per ton of aluminum, starting from electricity production and ending with the production of finished products, then our plants have significantly lower emissions than Australian ones. And now we, together with the largest Japanese companies - Toyota, Sumitomo, Mitsubishi, Mitsui, Furukawa - are working to actively increase the supply of high-quality products, including KrAZ, to the Japanese market. All this suggests that in terms of quality, the plant corresponds to the world level.

There are, of course, points in which KrAZ still lags behind the world's leading aluminum producers. This concerns the level of mechanization and automation in the enterprise. The plant was launched almost 50 years ago. We solve these problems comprehensively.

In 2005-2009 We carried out a large-scale environmental modernization at the plant to bring the plant's performance in line with modern requirements, spending more than $350 million on the program. This allowed us to reduce emissions by almost a third. Those who were at the enterprise five years ago and now see that from an environmental perspective, even to the eye, these are two big differences. The workshops are equipped with dry gas purification systems and have an automatic alumina supply system. Now KrAZ is implementing the second stage of modernization.

In addition, the plant has become a pilot site for the creation of electrolysers with inert anodes and is testing energy-saving electrolysers together with the RUSAL engineering and technology center, which also operates in Krasnoyarsk.

In order to mechanize production as much as possible, we interact with Russian enterprises. In 2011, an agreement was concluded with the GAZ group, which is now developing specialized equipment for the company’s factories. As part of this cooperation, KrAZ specialists were testing new machines. In 2012, the plant will renew its fleet of specialized equipment.

— What, in your opinion, can be done in general to reduce the impact of aluminum production on the environment?

— The construction of large industrial enterprises is indeed a very serious and difficult task from an environmental point of view. But it is important to understand that the development of civilization is always accompanied by interference in nature - this is an indispensable accompanying process. If you don’t want to block rivers, don’t demand light for every home and developed infrastructure. But if there is still a desire for every city to have the necessary social, cultural and everyday infrastructure, so that young people do not run away to large industrial centers, and the regions develop dynamically, then we cannot do without developing resources and finding a compromise with nature.

A striking example is Detroit, once a thriving industrial center. Look on Google what a slum it turned into after the removal of production from there: hundreds, thousands of impoverished people leave the city every month in search of work. Empty buildings are deteriorating. A depressing sight. Another question is whether the minimization of environmental risks is taken into account when implementing a particular industrial project. And here modern technologies come to our aid.

The first and main issue in the aluminum business is energy. The average aluminum smelter consumes as much electricity as a small city, if not more. Therefore, the origin of energy is of great importance. According to this indicator, RUSAL is one of the most environmentally friendly aluminum companies. 80% of the energy consumed by our factories is produced by hydroelectric power plants, while many of our competitors use coal-fired thermal power plants, which cause incomparably greater damage to the environment. We are immediately building the Boguchansky aluminum smelter together with a hydroelectric power station, forming a single BEMO energy and metallurgical complex.

The second issue is technology. In production using the classical Soderberg technology, up to half a ton of carbon anodes are consumed per ton of aluminum. Their use results in the release of carbon dioxide and other substances into the atmosphere. A new modification of this technology created by RUSAL - “Ecological Soderberg” - can significantly reduce the impact of production on the environment thanks to the use of colloidal anode mass instead of coal. The new technology is already being successfully implemented at the largest enterprises of RUSAL, at KrAZ.

The main innovative project that our researchers are currently working on is the creation of an electrolyzer using inert anode technology. It will eliminate harmful emissions completely. An electrolyzer based on an inert anode will produce a by-product - pure oxygen. Moreover, just one electrolyzer will produce the same amount of oxygen as 70 hectares of forest. The first industrial samples of this, without exaggeration, revolutionary technology will appear in 2015.

By developing new technologies and using resources rationally, we strive to reduce our impact on the environment to a minimum.

— Does RUSAL share the social responsibility of business?

— Our priority in social policy is to improve the standard of living in the regions where the company operates. Since the creation of the company, the scale of RUSAL’s social activities has grown significantly - individual sponsorship and charity projects have grown into a large-scale and effectively managed system of social investment.

For example, for the second year we are implementing a large-scale social project “RUSAL Territory”, investing hundreds of millions of rubles annually in the regions where the company operates. As part of this area, RUSAL promotes the development of social infrastructure for children and youth. In cooperation with municipal and regional organizations, the company is engaged in the construction, reconstruction, repair and equipment of social facilities.

In 2011, we launched, in my opinion, a unique housing program for employees. RUSAL provides employees working at our enterprises in Russian regions with assistance in purchasing housing.

An agreement has been concluded between RUSAL and Sberbank that allows the company's employees to receive a mortgage loan on preferential terms. After an employee purchases housing, RUSAL pays the first installment on the loan, and subsequently undertakes to repay part of the loan: the amount of the monthly installment paid by the company employee is no more than 50%, the rest is paid by RUSAL. In 2011, about 700 contracts for the purchase of apartments in 6 cities were concluded under this program. RUSAL's investments in 2011 amounted to about $6.8 million.

— Vladislav Alexandrovich, you are called “Oleg Deripaska’s right hand.” What do you think this definition entails? What are your responsibilities and, from your point of view, your best professional qualities?

— Oleg Vladimirovich Deripaska determines the company’s strategy, and I am responsible for the operational management of RUSAL. I deal with issues related to production, commerce and finance. As for my professional qualities, it’s difficult to talk about myself. I will name two qualities that I value in colleagues and can note in myself: consistency and the ability to work with people.

— How would you characterize Oleg Deripaska from the point of view of doing business and leadership style? What is it like in informal communication?

— Oleg Vladimirovich, first of all, knows how to hear people, and this is the main quality for a leader of this magnitude. You can discuss complex issues with him and, even if his opinion is formed, there is a chance to change it by bringing reasonable arguments. For his part, he is also able to find convincing arguments to change someone’s position, pointing out those aspects of the issue that others do not see. It's interesting to work with such people. Besides this, he is a very pleasant person to talk to.

— There is information on the Internet that you are interested in “alpine skiing, physics, psychology, history, astronomy and much more.” Please tell us more about this.

— Yes, it’s true, I have a fairly wide range of interests, but now I devote most of my free time to reading books on economics. The current topic is the global financial crisis, and I want to deeply understand its causes. Therefore, I re-read the economic works of basic economists, which I once studied at the institute, as well as the comments of modern economists.

As for sports, it is an integral part of my whole life. True, over the past couple of years, due to large amounts of work, there has been less time for sports, but I plan to restore it. I'm good at skiing. During the holidays, I take the opportunity to go to the mountains.

I am interested in astronomy and physics, first of all, in the context of the formation of the universe. I am interested in this question, and I read literature on this topic and follow scientific achievements.

—What did you dream of becoming when you were young?

- Ice cream maker! (Laughs.) But this was in childhood, of course. As for my school years, I wanted to succeed, to become a hero. We were brought up in a different era with different values. I didn't think about any specific profession, but I definitely wanted to be a hero. And now we don’t need the heroism that was cultivated in Soviet times, and this, by the way, is a big problem for our country. Back then, it was not the one who had more money or the richer who was valued, but the one who was stronger and more holistic as a person.

Great and necessary were talented physicists, chemists, astronauts, military men, those who committed heroic deeds in life. It was honorable, such people were respected, rewarded and appreciated. Therefore, it is important for me to recognize and respect for that act when you have to break yourself and do something that another person in such a situation would be afraid to do. You need to be able to overcome your fear. I believe that a person as an individual must do two things in his life: learn and fight his fear. Sport helps a lot in achieving this goal. And so I studied a lot. By the way, studying is also, to a certain extent, overcoming oneself.

In the mid-90s, these values ​​disappeared from society. And to be honest, I feel a little sorry for today’s youth because they now have different goals: to become rich, famous, and so on. They lack spiritual guidelines, they did not arise, but we had them. We dreamed of being astronauts, military men, directors of large construction projects.

— Did your family help you make your choice?

— My parents are engineers, they worked with me a lot. They insisted on playing sports. Even during the summer holidays I was forced to run 3 kilometers every morning. My parents always told me that I had to be strong. Not to suppress, but simply to not be afraid of anything. Since the 3rd grade I have been involved in judo for seven years, I have achieved ranks and won competitions. When the first karate salons opened in the 80s, we tried our hand there too. Men need to play sports, it really builds character.

My parents taught me to be honest, not to steal, to protect the weak - in general, to keep the commandments, despite the fact that then “there was no God.” Naturally, I read a lot of literature, this was the norm. In addition, literature was taught by the school director, so I always took part in literary clubs and theater productions. In high school, I went to a construction brigade and played the guitar.

— Do you believe in God, in fate?

— There is a good quote: “Those who believe in predetermined fate, nevertheless, look both ways when crossing the road.” I believe that a person can change anything he wants. Unfortunately, this applies to both good and bad. A person has no limits to his capabilities. And since I believe that a person has no boundaries, it follows that he can completely change his destiny. In any situation there is always a choice.

There is only one limitation to human capabilities - physical. But even such people are capable of achieving a lot. A striking example of this is one of the most influential theoretical physicists of our time, Professor Stephen Hawking, a famous popularizer of science, who is profoundly disabled, deprived of the ability to move and speak. Not to mention the records of Paralympic Games participants, unattainable for average healthy people, which just confirm the strength of the human spirit.

Thinking that someone controls your destiny is the attitude of a loser. Of course, God exists, but I believe in him as a kind of higher intelligence and higher power that controls processes and sets the rules of behavior, including in human society. From this point of view, there is, as I call it, a certain external environment, but within the framework of their destiny, everyone is their own master.

— Do you like to travel and where do you like to go most?

— I love traveling because I like to see everything new. But, I’ll tell you honestly, I have never met a more beautiful, unpredictable and diverse country than Russia anywhere in the world. Only Southeast Asia can compete in the color and diversity of flora and fauna and, perhaps, South America. I love St. Petersburg and have a calm attitude towards Moscow, I was born and raised here, this is my home. Of the Russian cities, I really like Krasnoyarsk, perhaps because my working career began here.

The first city where I went on a business trip was Achinsk, and I historically love both Achinsk and Krasnoyarsk, I really like the people who live here and the nature. This is not a nod to the Krasnoyarsk people, it just happened that way. I really like Nizhne-Vartovsk and Noyabrsk, these are also cities where fate brought me during the period of my previous work.

Noyabrsk and Nizhnevartovsk are my special loves; the best thing there is the people. This is an example when the city is nothing special, there is nothing to see there, 50 degrees below zero and no oxygen, but the people are what makes it worth coming, living, and communicating. I have never met more sincere, pleasant, kind, sincere people in any other city in the world.

— If you see that the types described by Saltykov-Shchedrin or Chekhov have changed, this may mean that life has become good, but so far this has not been observed.

— Do you like cars? What car do you have now?

- You can love a woman, children... A car is a thing. Convenient thing. I have a working BMW. But this does not mean that I really like BMW, I also like Mercedes and Japanese cars. I believe that Japanese cars are the most reliable, and if you buy a car for yourself, then the price-quality ratio is the best for Japanese cars, for example, Toyota, Nissan. For personal use I would prefer these brands.

— Are you a movie buff, what films do you prefer? Do you have time for books?

- Yes, I love movies. Of the latter, I really liked the film “Elena”. I believe that Zvyagintsev is one of the best among modern directors. His "Return" also made a strong impression on me.

I fly a lot, so I have the opportunity to read. Now, as I already said, these are mainly books on economics; I read fiction less often. True, I recently re-read Chekhov. Among the Russian classics, I love Kuprin, Nabokov and Bulgakov, I read them in full. In general, I advise young people who want to join the classics to start with Kuprin. I advise you to move on to Dostoevsky later.

In my opinion, there is now a lack of modern literature that would describe modern problems at the level of Russian classics. The speed of time has changed, and literature, unfortunately, cannot keep up with it.

— Where did you spend your best vacation?

— On Baikal and Kamchatka.

- Hunting Fishing…

- Yes. But without fanaticism. I’m not a fan by nature and I don’t understand people who become fanatics about something. I can not do that. I can understand something deeply, and after that the strong interest in the topic usually goes away, because new discoveries lie ahead.

— A meeting that was particularly memorable?

- With my wife. And what I can tell you about in a little more detail is with Mstislav Rostropovich on the plane. He was bringing Shostakovich's manuscripts from his personal collection as a gift to the St. Petersburg museum. I flew by regular plane from Paris. I just came up, said hello, and we started talking. We talked about different things: about life, art, music. He was a very pleasant and deep person. This happened a year before his death.

-Can you just come up and meet a stranger?

- This does not pose any particular problems for me, but these are mostly famous people, and they are used to communication.

—Has any mystical, mysterious or simply interesting incident happened to you?

— I’ve never seen flying saucers. But since I am interested in theories of the creation of the Universe, theories of time, relativity and field, I know for sure that there are things in the world that are inexplicable to us. They happen every day, but we cannot yet explain and understand them, and often even see them, due to the fact that our knowledge about the Universe and the world where we live is still very limited. And the range of perception capabilities is limited, human senses are quite primitive, they need to be developed.

- A simple human dream...

- So that it always exists, a dream... (Laughs.) So that you always want something. But seriously, I would really like my children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren to live in this country and be proud of it. So that they do not have to leave Russia for one reason or another. Not necessarily because of some serious circumstances, but because somewhere they can find a better life than here. I want this country to be the most comfortable and pleasant place to live, so that everyone would come here. And this is my sincere human desire.

- Your life credo.

- Never give up.

— Do you have a favorite aphorism?

Tomorrow will be better than yesterday.

Igor Rudik

Vladislav Soloviev, First Deputy General Director of RUSAL, born in 1973 in Moscow. In 1995, he graduated with honors from the Higher School of Management of the State Academy of Management with a degree in financial management, as well as the Moscow State Technological University "Stankin" with a degree in design engineer. In addition, he graduated from the Financial Academy under the Government of the Russian Federation and has an MBA degree from the University of Antwerp.

At the beginning of his career, being responsible for auditing oil and gas producing companies, Soloviev traveled half the country in connection with his work, and spent a lot of time in the Krasnoyarsk Territory. In 1998-2000 served as head of the department of tax policy and improvement of tax legislation, being an adviser to the Minister of Taxes and Duties. In 2000, he began his career ascent in structures owned by Oleg Deripaska. From February 2001 to January 2008, he headed the financial directorate of RUSAL. In 2008-2010 Solovyov headed the En+ company. Today, Solovyov is called the right hand of one of the main owners of RUSAL, Oleg Deripaska.