Viktor Vekselberg

Viktor Vekselberg is one of five Russian oligarchs who control the AAR consortium – alongside Mikhail Fridman, Leonard Blavatnik, German Khan and Alexey Kuzmichev.

Following a deal in October 2012, when AAR sold its 50% stake in oil company TNK-BP to Rosneft for US$28bn (£17.5bn), his personal wealth was valued at US$18bn, making him the richest Russian and the 40th richest person in the world [Bloomberg Billionaires, cited in The Guardian 23 October 2012].

The deal also added $1.2bn to Fridman's fortune, moving him past the Russian billionaires Roman Abramovich (See: http://moneytometal.org/index.php/Millhouse_Capital]; and the steel and mining billionaire Alisher Mordashov (See: Metalloinvest ) - with Fridman now the country's fifth-richest person.

Born in western Ukraine, Vekselberg trained as an engineer and went into business in 1990. Six years later, he had risen to become chairman of Tyumen Oil (TNK) and negotiated the 50-50 partnership between TNK and BP.

He also co-founded his own aluminium group, which subsequently became part of Rusal (See: Oleg Deripaska, and his business interests are now managed by his Renova Group.

Despite his residency in Russia (unlike Roman Abramovich and Alisher Mordashov who both prefer living in London, and owning large chunks of two football teams), Vekselberg once described himself as "half-American".

His wife and two children are US citizens, and he has advocated "open communication" between Russian business and the West in his role as chair of the international affairs committee of the Union of Russian Industrialists and Entrepreneurs.

Comments The Guardian: "His pragmatic attitude towards the US is at odds with the ferocious anti-western rhetoric frequently emanating from the Kremlin.

"Nevertheless, Vekselberg – who is 56 – understands perfectly the rules of the game in Russia: that rich businessmen should stay out of politics...

"In 2004 Vekselberg bought nine Fabergé eggs from the Forbes family in New York. It was a patriotic gesture likely to endear him to those at the top of Russian power. The eggs were later shown off in the Kremlin" [Guardian 23 October 2012].