Crisis halves number of billionaires

The financial crisis has halved the number of Russian billionaires from 101 to 49, says an annual ranking by Russian magazine ‘Finans’. Some in the list, however, have emerged relatively unscathed from the crunch.

Mikhail Prokhorov, the president of Onexim Group, has been ranked as the richest of the Russian super-rich with an estimated wealth of $US 14.1 billion in 2008. Prokhorov was seventh last year, the survey says, but his withdrawal from Norilsk Nickel before the crisis was well timed.

Last year’s top spot – mining mogul Oleg Deripaska – barely made it into the top 10. His fortune shrank eightfold to $US 5 billion.

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich remains in second place with $US 13.9 billion. The bronze went to Vladimir Lisin of the Novolipetsk Metals Company.

The top 10 list in the magazine is as follows:

1. Mikhail Prokhorov (Onexim Group, Rusal) – $US 14.1 billion
2. Roman Abramovich (Evraz Group) – $US 13.9 billion
3. Vladimir Lisin (Novolipetsk Metals Company) – $US 7.7 billion
4. Vagit Alekperov (Lukoil) – $US 7.6 billion
5. Suleyman Kerimov (Nafta-Moskva, Gazprom, Sberbank) – $US 7.5 billion
6. Mikhail Fridman (Alfa Group) – $US 6.1 billion
7. Vladimir Potanin (Nornikel) – $US 5 billion
8. Oleg Deripaska (Rusal) – $US 5 billion
9. Dmitry Rybolovlev (Uralkalium, Silvinit) – $US 4.6 billion
10. Alisher Usmanov (Metalloinvest) – $US 4.5 billion

All in all the estimated wealth of Russia’s top 10 richest has decreased from $US 221 billion to just $US 76 billion.