Biography
Leonid Mikhelson & family is among the world's most closely watched billionaires from RUSSIA, with an estimated fortune of $28.3B. The bulk of Leonid Mikhelson & family's wealth comes from Gas, chemicals, closely tied to Gas. Leonid Mikhelson, a Russian-Israeli billionaire, is the Chairman and major shareholder of Novatek, Russia's largest independent natural gas producer. Born in 1955, Mikhelson earned an engineering degree and began his career in the construction of gas pipelines. His career led him to lead Novatek, a company he transformed into a global leader in the energy sector. Mikhelson's net worth is estimated at $28.3 billion, and his source of wealth is natural gas and chemicals. He is married and has two children. Beyond his business ventures, Mikhelson is known for his strong interest in contemporary art and has established the V-A-C Foundation to promote Russian art. Key career milestones include Graduated (1977); Managing Director (1991); General Director of Novafininvest (1994); Chairman of the Board and Chairman of the Management Board (2003). This profile documents verified holdings, career milestones, and multi-year net worth history drawn from Forbes rankings, company filings where available, and our editorial methodology. Readers use it to understand how public markets, private company stakes, and major business bets shape one of the largest personal fortunes on record. Wealth estimates move with stock prices, funding rounds, and disclosed transactions—figures on this page are research estimates, not cash balances. We publish year-by-year net worth history when verified data exists, link to primary sources, and update profiles when Forbes Real-Time Billionaires or major filings change the picture materially. For investors and researchers, the most useful reading pairs the headline number with ownership structure, geography, sector exposure, and the multi-year history chart on this page—especially during volatile markets when single-day moves can shift rankings without any operational change at the underlying companies.