Posted:
Russian 'Apprentice' Host Thrice as Rich as Trump
Friday, April 21, 2006
MOSCOW - If contestants on the hit U.S. television show The Apprentice were unnerved by Donald Trump's billions, their Russian counterparts have more to worry about, as the host of the Russian version is three times as rich.
Vladimir Potanin, a name as well known to Russians as Trump is to Americans, will deliver the punchline "You're fired" to corporate wannabes on The Candidate, to be shown on Russia's TNT channel, Kommersant newspaper reported on Friday.
The winner of the game show, Potanin's chosen "employee," will get an annual salary of 3 million roubles ($109,100), around 30 times the average annual wage but still some way off Potanin's own pay packet.
According to Forbes magazine, which last month published a list of the world's richest people, Potanin's empire of nickel mining, banking and property was worth $6.4 billion compared to the $2.6 billion of Trump.
However, in a new survey of the richest Russians published this week, Forbes bumped Potanin's wealth up to $7.6 billion, making him Russia's ninth richest person.
A former Soviet foreign trade official, Potanin served as deputy prime minister in the 1990s while building a portfolio, which ranges from media to metals.
Critics say he was a driving force behind the murky and speedy privatization of much of Russia's wealth under President Boris Yeltsin, in which a few well-placed "oligarchs" snapped up huge oil and mineral assets at a fraction of their true value.
Potanin and his partners paid a few hundred million dollars for control of the world's biggest nickel producer, Norilsk Nickel, which is now worth close to $22 billion.
Under President Vladimir Putin, he has stayed clear of politics, but adopts a high profile in the arts and philanthropy.
The winner of the game show, Potanin's chosen "employee," will get an annual salary of 3 million roubles ($109,100), around 30 times the average annual wage but still some way off Potanin's own pay packet.
According to Forbes magazine, which last month published a list of the world's richest people, Potanin's empire of nickel mining, banking and property was worth $6.4 billion compared to the $2.6 billion of Trump.
However, in a new survey of the richest Russians published this week, Forbes bumped Potanin's wealth up to $7.6 billion, making him Russia's ninth richest person.
A former Soviet foreign trade official, Potanin served as deputy prime minister in the 1990s while building a portfolio, which ranges from media to metals.
Critics say he was a driving force behind the murky and speedy privatization of much of Russia's wealth under President Boris Yeltsin, in which a few well-placed "oligarchs" snapped up huge oil and mineral assets at a fraction of their true value.
Potanin and his partners paid a few hundred million dollars for control of the world's biggest nickel producer, Norilsk Nickel, which is now worth close to $22 billion.
Under President Vladimir Putin, he has stayed clear of politics, but adopts a high profile in the arts and philanthropy.
Source: Hollywood
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