Russian tycoon Vladimir Potanin, one of core owners of metals giant Norilsk Nickel, has become the richest man in the Russian section of the Forbes Real-Time Billionaires list, which tracks wealth of tycoons in real time, with the wealth of $25.1 billion, Forbes said.
Potanin overcame two other tycoons on his way to the top – CEO of oil major Lukoil Vagit Alekperov and CEO of independent gas producer Novatek Leonid Mikhelson. Alekperov trails behind Potanin by $100 million, and Mikhelson’s wealth amounts to $24.9 billion, according to the rating.
"It happened due to continuous growth in shares of Norilsk Nickel, the major asset of Potanin (who owns 34.6% in the company now). The shares of the metals giant have gained about 60% since the beginning of 2019," Forbes said in a statement.
They traded at the level of 13,500 rubles apiece on the Moscow Exchange a year ago, while today they grew to 21,426 rubles per share.
