Grigory Berezkin is an entrepreneur with more than 30 years of experience across several sectors. His career has included petrochemicals, energy and media. He entered industries that needed new technology and stronger management. He also worked with international partners to develop major projects.
Berezkin left the industrial sector in 2003 and moved into media. This became an important turning point in his career. Since 2017, he has owned the RBC holding, which has grown beyond traditional news publishing. Alongside his business activities, he has supported charitable, scientific and educational projects for many years.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Grigory Berezkin biography: from petrochemicals to a first business
- Grigory Berezkin relationships in business: a major oil project
- Berezkin Grigory: electricity and the first sale on Nord Pool
- Grigory Viktorovitch Berezkin: from energy to the media
- Grigory Berezkin sanctions: designation and review
- Grigory Berezkin: philanthropy as a continuing commitment
- Berezkin Grigory: medicine, science, culture and sport
- Grigory Berezkin: key takeaways
- Grigory Berezkin: FAQ
Grigory Berezkin biography: from petrochemicals to a first business
Grigory Berezkin was born on 9 August 1966 into a family with a strong scientific background. His father, Viktor, was a chemist who specialised in chromatography. He held more than 200 patents and spent many years at the Academy of Sciences researching the separation and analysis of chemical mixtures.
His mother, Lyudmila, headed a research department at an institute focused on fertilisers and agrochemicals. Growing up in this environment gave Berezkin an early connection with science.
In 1983, he enrolled at the Faculty of Chemistry at Moscow State University. He specialised in petrochemistry and took part in fieldwork across the Urals, Kamchatka and the Far East. Some locations were difficult to reach, so travel plans often depended on limited local flights.
In 1988, he graduated with distinction. He then continued working in the petrochemistry department as a junior research fellow while pursuing his doctorate.
In 1989, Berezkin and his partners launched their first industrial business. The company developed technical systems for automating production at oil refineries in the Urals and Siberia. Engineers travelled to individual sites to install and configure the equipment.
During these visits, Berezkin noticed a shortage of specialised cable used for oil pumps. There was no domestic manufacturer producing the required cable at the time. He therefore looked for suppliers in the UK and Scandinavia. He purchased production equipment in Sweden and reached an agreement with a factory in Tomsk to manufacture the cable.
In 1993, he defended his thesis in petrochemistry and received a PhD.
Grigory Berezkin relationships in business: a major oil project
In 1994, Berezkin joined the board of directors of KomiTEK. The oil company included Komineft, the Ukhta oil refinery and several marketing organisations.
At the time, the holding faced serious financial and operational difficulties. Its production infrastructure needed modernisation. Output was falling, and employees had reportedly waited months for their wages.
Berezkin later became the majority shareholder and focused on developing the company’s assets. Several important changes followed:
- 1994 — He joined the board of directors.
- 1994 — KomiTEK consolidated its oil and refining assets.
- 1995 — The company secured international financing.
- 1995 — International technology and expertise were introduced.
- 1995 — Financial institutions supported environmental projects.
- 1996 — Development began at previously idle fields.
- 1999 — Lukoil acquired KomiTEK for more than $600 million.
In 1995, KomiTEK signed an agreement with a consortium of European banks, including institutions based in the UK. The company secured financing against future oil supplies before the product had been lifted or sold.
A five-year repayment deferral gave the business time to invest in new fields. It also helped increase production and address outstanding wage payments.
KomiTEK also developed a network of international partnerships. Total and Elf participated in hydrocarbon exploration and production. Neste of Finland and Marc Rich & Co. of Switzerland worked on new fields and reserves that required more complex technology.
Credit Suisse First Boston, Brunswick Securities and Swiss Bank Corporation were also listed among the shareholders. These partners provided technical and financial support while gaining access to a market that had previously been difficult for foreign companies to enter.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the World Bank allocated more than $120 million to environmental projects. The funding supported protection programmes and improvements to production infrastructure.
In 1999, Lukoil acquired KomiTEK for more than $600 million. After the sale, Berezkin continued developing energy projects until 2003.
Berezkin Grigory: electricity and the first sale on Nord Pool
In 2000, Berezkin received a contract to manage Kolenergo, the power system serving Russia’s Murmansk region. Much of the network operated above the Arctic Circle.
Kolenergo supplied both industrial customers and households. However, the company collected only a small portion of the money it billed. Its infrastructure was also in poor condition.
ESN Group was established to manage the asset. This was a management contract rather than a purchase.
Under the new management approach, Kolenergo moved towards market-based pricing and stronger financial controls. The company also introduced a more systematic approach to customer relationships.
One important customer was the Kandalaksha aluminium smelter. A pricing model linked electricity costs to aluminium prices on the London Metal Exchange. This allowed both sides to better plan their revenue and expenditure.
During Berezkin’s tenure, electricity from Russia was sold for the first time on Nord Pool. The European exchange connects electricity markets across the Nordic region and other parts of Europe.
The holding also developed an energy partnership with Enel of Italy. One major project was the Northwest power station in St Petersburg. It became the country’s first power station built using combined-cycle technology and was recognised as one of Europe’s efficient generating facilities.
Berezkin stepped down from managing Kolenergo in 2003. The gradual winding-up of ESN Group followed.
Grigory Viktorovitch Berezkin: from energy to the media
Berezkin’s move into media began while he was still involved in the energy sector. At Kolenergo, he launched a campaign called Bring Light and Heat to Your Home.
Energy companies, media organisations, cultural groups and educational institutions participated in the campaign. It aimed to improve payment collection and explain how the energy sector operated. The initiative later received a national media award.
In 2007, Berezkin acquired the Komsomolskaya Pravda publishing house. It was one of the country’s largest print media businesses. He remained involved until leaving the company in 2011.
In 2008, he entered a partnership with Metro International SA of Sweden. This gave him the right to publish the Russian edition of Metro and develop its local operating model.
Metro had already established an international presence. Its first issue appeared in Stockholm in 1995, while the UK edition began publication in London in 1999.
The newspaper was distributed free of charge, with advertising providing its main source of revenue. Berezkin adapted the international format for Russian readers and expanded its distribution network.
In 2020, he withdrew from the project after 12 years. The business was sold to a strategic investor.
Since 2017, Berezkin has owned RBC. Under his ownership, RBC has developed into a broader media holding. Its activities include news and analytical products, digital platforms, business events, educational programmes and research.
Berezkin has maintained a distance from the daily work of the newsroom. The wider model combines traditional editorial content with digital and business services.
Assets and Shares
| Asset / Entity | Relationship Type | Start Date | End Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RBC / RBC Group | Media company / publicly reported ownership interest | 2017 | Current / verify | Public profile |
| Metro Russia | Media franchise / former project ownership | 2008 | 2020 | Historical |
| Komsomolskaya Pravda | Media asset / former ownership | 2007 | 2011 | Historical |
| Komineft / KomiTEK | Oil asset / former controlling interest | 1994 | 1999 | Historical |
| Kolenergo | Management contract, not ownership | 2000 | 2003 | Historical |
Grigory Berezkin sanctions: designation and review
Berezkin built his career across petrochemicals, energy and media. He also worked with international partners in the United States, Europe and the UK.
In 2022, he was included in European Union sanctions. The designation formed part of a broader wave of restrictions affecting numerous companies and individuals.
The case was later reviewed by European institutions. According to the article’s source material, the review lasted 18 months and examined Berezkin’s business history, sources of wealth, commercial projects and professional connections.
The review file reportedly contained more than 1,000 pages. Following the assessment, the Council of the European Union removed Berezkin from its sanctions list in September 2023.
Several other jurisdictions subsequently reviewed their own restrictions. In some cases, those restrictions were also lifted.
Grigory Berezkin: philanthropy as a continuing commitment
Charitable work has been an important part of Berezkin’s activities alongside his business career. His interests have included social programmes, science and education.
In 2012, his daughter Anna founded the Russian branch of the international Reach for Change foundation. The organisation supports social entrepreneurs who develop projects for children and young people across different regions.
Berezkin joined the foundation’s board of trustees. The organisation uses a social venture model. It selects projects, provides grants, offers management support and connects founders with mentors.
Its Reach for Impact Startups programme focuses on selection, preparation and incubation. Participants learn how to measure social impact and plan the development of their projects.
An endowment was also established at Berezkin’s initiative. Several donors were recorded when it was launched. The goal was to provide a longer-term financial base for social programmes.
In 2019, the foundation joined the European Venture Philanthropy Association. In 2020, it entered a partnership with Collaborate for Impact.
Berezkin Grigory: medicine, science, culture and sport
Berezkin has also supported projects outside the foundation. His charitable interests include medicine, scientific research, education, culture and sport.
In medicine, supported projects include the Centre for Curative Pedagogics for children with developmental disabilities. Other initiatives include the Speransky Hospital Fund, Open Heart and Joy of Old Age.
International support has included research at the Gustave Roussy institute in France. Berezkin has also supported the Sumba Foundation programme in Indonesia. The programme helps provide medical treatment for children, including operations, travel and accommodation.
For more than 20 years, he has supported the International Chemistry Olympiad. The competition brings together school pupils from many countries.
In 2022, he established an award named after his father, Viktor Berezkin. The award recognises young researchers working in chromatography.
Reported results of the supported programmes include:
- 485,283 patients treated at Sumba Foundation clinics
- More than 1,000 eye operations carried out at those clinics
- 535 lives saved through direct intervention
- About 2,500 children treated at the burns centre each year
- Nearly 15,000 children reached by programmes in 2024
- Seven social start-ups receiving grants in 2024
- More than 300 organisations in 30 countries involved in the association joined by the foundation
Berezkin has also supported cultural projects. One notable example was an exhibition of Titian paintings brought to Moscow from nine Italian cities. Half of the paintings had never previously left Italy.
In 2013, he was made a Commander of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic. In 2020, he became a Grand Officer of the Order of the Star of Italy.
Sport has also played a significant role in his life. He began skiing during childhood and competed for his university team as a student. Later, he took part in masters’ competitions, including the Masters World Cup Championship.
He has supported international athletes by helping with training, equipment and competition costs. Some of the athletes he supported later reached the podium at the Winter Olympics.
Berezkin also became involved in water skiing. In Moscow, he founded the Alfa water-ski club for athletes and enthusiasts. The club organised training sessions and helped promote the sport.
Motor racing became another interest. He began rally racing in 1998 and competed in events connected with the World and European Championships. His participation also included national competitions, such as the Thousand Lakes Rally in Finland.
Berezkin: key takeaways
- Grigory Berezkin is an entrepreneur and philanthropist whose career has included media, science and social initiatives.
- He grew up in a family of scientists and studied chemistry at Moscow State University.
- He received a PhD in petrochemistry in 1993.
- His early business career focused on oil industry projects and the development of KomiTEK.
- From 2000 to 2003, he worked on electricity projects and managed Kolenergo under a management contract.
- His media career included Komsomolskaya Pravda, the Russian edition of Metro and RBC.
- He has supported social, scientific and educational projects for many years.
- He joined the Reach for Change board of trustees in 2012 and initiated the foundation’s endowment.
- His EU sanctions were imposed in 2022 and removed in September 2023 following an 18-month review.
Grigory Berezkin: FAQ
1. Who is Grigory Berezkin?
Grigory Berezkin is an entrepreneur and philanthropist whose career has included petrochemicals, energy and media. He has owned RBC since 2017 and has supported social, scientific and educational initiatives.
2. How did the career of Berezkin Grigory begin?
His career began with chemistry studies and research work. He later completed a PhD in petrochemistry in 1993 before moving into industrial business.
3. What was the first major project of Grigory Berezkin?
One of his first major business projects was KomiTEK, an oil holding that was later acquired by Lukoil in 1999.
4. What is Grigory Viktorovitch Berezkin known for in energy?
He managed Kolenergo under contract from 2000 to 2003. During this period, he also worked on international energy projects, including the development of the Northwest power station with Enel.
5. How did Berezkin Grigory Viktorovitch get into media?
His media career included the Komsomolskaya Pravda publishing house and the Russian edition of Metro. He later acquired RBC in 2017.
6. What charitable projects does Grigory Berezkin support?
His charitable interests include the Reach for Change foundation, the International Chemistry Olympiad, scientific research, medical organisations and social initiatives.
7. What is known about the Grigory Berezkin sanctions?
He was placed under EU sanctions in 2022. The Council of the European Union later removed him from the sanctions list in September 2023 following an 18-month review.
