Billionaire Profile
Alexander Ponomarenko
Global Rank
#1846

Image: Public domain | via Wikimedia Commons

Alexander Ponomarenko

CEO, Sheremetyevo International Airport
RU
Real-Time Net Worth
$2.1B
As of December 2025
Age
61
Source
Real estate, airport
Industry
logistics
Citizenship
RU

Biography

Alexander Anatolyevich Ponomarenko is a Russian-Cypriot billionaire businessman, born on October 27, 1964, in Belogorsk, Crimea. His career spans banking, seaports, commercial real estate, and airport construction. Ponomarenko's source of wealth stems from his strategic investments in real estate and the aviation sector, most notably his role as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Sheremetyevo International Airport, the largest airport in Russia. He began his career in the late 1980s, eventually amassing a substantial net worth through savvy business ventures. Despite facing sanctions, Ponomarenko has remained a significant figure in Russian business. Key achievements include founding the Russian General Bank and acquiring shares in the Novorossiysk Commercial Sea Port.

Wealth Over Time

In-Depth Profile

Early Life

Alexander Anatolyevich Ponomarenko was born on October 27, 1964, in Belogorsk, Crimea, then part of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic. He served in the Soviet army from 1983 to 1985 and was a junior boxing champion of Ukraine in the late 1980s. Ponomarenko earned a bachelor's degree from Simferopol State University and a master's from the Russian State Academy of Management.

Rise to Success

Ponomarenko's entrepreneurial journey began in the late 1980s with ventures in perfume products and building materials. He co-founded the Russian General Bank in 1996. His career then shifted towards infrastructure, with significant investments in the Novorossiysk Commercial Sea Port (NCSP), becoming its chairman in 2004. NCSP went public on the London Stock Exchange in 2007.

Key Business Strategies

Ponomarenko is known for his strategic investments in key sectors. He played a crucial role in developing Sheremetyevo International Airport. He also established TPS Real Estate and TPS Avia Holding for real estate and aviation infrastructure.

Philanthropy

While specific philanthropy amounts are not readily available, Ponomarenko established a scholarship fund to support international students facing financial barriers to attending Cornell University.

Career Milestones

1983-1985

Military Service

Served in the Soviet army.

1988

Graduated from Simferopol State University

Earned a degree in Physics.

1996

Co-founded Russian General Bank

Established a banking institution in Moscow.

2004

Chairman of NCSP

Appointed Chairman of Novorossiysk Commercial Sea Port.

2016

Chairman of Sheremetyevo International Airport

Elected Chairman of Sheremetyevo International Airport.

Philanthropy & Social Impact

Education

Scholarship Fund

Undisclosed

Established a scholarship fund to support international students at Cornell University.

Controversies & Challenges

2022

Sanctions

Sanctioned by the UK, EU, and US due to the Russo-Ukrainian War.