Russian Oligarchs

Yuri Milner Oligarch And Bold Visionary Tech Investor 2022

Yuri Milner Oligarch And Bold Visionary Tech Investor

Yuri Milner Oligarch And Bold Visionary Tech Investor 2022

Yuri Milner ( Oligarch ) was born on November 11, 1961, in Moscow, Russia, to Bentsion Zakharovitch Milner (chief deputy director at the Institute of Economics of the Russian Academy of Sciences) and Betty Iosifovna Milner (worked at the capital’s state-run virological laboratory for disease control).

Milner’s parents were both Jewish. His father was a university professor who wrote or edited some 50 books on American business management practices. His mother was a physician.

Milner moved to Israel in 2005, and his two daughters were born there. He was a dual citizen of Russia and Israel.

Early life and Education Of Yuri Milner

Yuri Milner was born on November 11, 1961, in Moscow, Russia, to Bentsion Zakharovitch Milner (chief deputy director at the Institute of Economics of the Russian Academy of Sciences) and Betty Iosifovna Milner (worked at the capital’s state-run virological laboratory for disease control). Yuri Milner was the 2nd child of them. Yuri Milner real name is Yuri Borisovich Milner.

Milner’s parents were both Jewish. His father was a university professor who wrote or edited some 50 books on American business management practices. His mother was a physician.

Bentsion Zakharovitch Milner was born on 10 Nov, 1929 and he died at an age of 83 on 22 July 2013.

Career Of Yuri Milner Oligarch

Yuri Milner (Russian: Ю́рий Бори́сович (Бенцио́нович) Ми́льнер is a Russian-born Israeli tech investor and entrepreneur. He is the founder and chairman of DST Global, a venture capital firm that has invested in some of the most successful technology companies in the world, including Facebook, Twitter, Spotify, and Alibaba.

Milner began his business career selling grey market DOS computers in the Soviet Union, which his father disapproved of. When the Soviet government collapsed, he stopped selling computers and enrolled in the Wharton School to earn an MBA.

Milner earned a degree in theoretical physics from Moscow State University in 1985. He then worked at the Lebedev Physical Institute, where he was a colleague of Nobel laureate Vitaly Ginzburg. As a doctoral student in particle physics, Milner became friends with the Soviet nuclear physicist and human rights activist Andrei Sakharov. Sakharov’s visionary thinking would later influence Milner’s venture investment strategy.

In 1990, he moved to the United States to pursue a career in business.

After graduating from Moscow State University, Milner worked as a Russian banking specialist at the World Bank in Washington, D.C. in the early 1990s. He has described this period as his “lost years” because he was unable to participate in the privatization of government assets in Russia during the presidency of Boris Yeltsin.

In 1995, Milner was appointed CEO of Alliance-Menatep, an investment brokerage company owned by Russian oligarch Mikhail Khodorkovsky. In 1996, he became Vice President and Head of Investment Management of Menatep Bank. From 1997 to 2000, he was the deputy chairman and the head of the investment division of Menatep Bank.

At the time, Milner was seen as a highly skilled professional with experience in international financial institutions and transactions in the Russian investment market. However, due to risky investments and an excessive share of GKO-OFZ obligations in the bank’s portfolio, Menatep went bankrupt in 2000. Depositors lost some of their money, and the bank’s management transferred assets to a similar bank and enriched themselves for further investments.

In other words, Milner worked in the banking industry in Russia during the early 1990s, a time of great economic turmoil. He was involved in the privatization of government assets and the management of Menatep Bank, which went bankrupt in 2000. Some people have accused Milner of wrongdoing in his dealings at Menatep, but he has denied these allegations.

Milner started his first business, NetBridge, in 1995. NetBridge was an internet service provider that provided dial-up internet access to businesses and consumers in Russia. The company was acquired by Mail.Ru Group in 2000.

In 2005, Milner founded DST Global. DST Global is a venture capital firm that invests in early-stage technology companies. The firm has invested in over 150 companies, including Facebook, Twitter, Spotify, and Alibaba.

Milner is known for his early investments in social media companies. He was one of the first investors in Facebook, and he has also invested in Twitter, LinkedIn, and Snapchat. Milner’s investments have made him one of the wealthiest people in Russia.

In addition to his investments in technology companies, Milner is also a philanthropist. He is the founder of the Breakthrough Prize Foundation, which awards prizes to scientists for their outstanding achievements in fundamental physics, life sciences, and mathematics.

Milner is a controversial figure. He has been criticized for his close ties to the Russian government, and he has been accused of using his investments to promote Russian interests. However, Milner has denied these allegations.

Milner is a visionary investor who has helped to shape the technology industry. His investments have made him one of the most successful venture capitalists in the world. He is also a philanthropist who is committed to supporting scientific research.

Here are some of the key milestones in Yuri Milner’s career:

  • 1990: Moves to the United States to pursue a career in business.
  • 1995: Founds NetBridge, an internet service provider in Russia.
  • 2000: NetBridge is acquired by Mail.Ru Group.
  • 2005: Founds DST Global, a venture capital firm.
  • 2006: Invests in Facebook.
  • 2007: Invests in Twitter.
  • 2008: Invests in LinkedIn.
  • 2011: Invests in Spotify.
  • 2015: Founds the Breakthrough Prize Foundation.

In 2015, during his visit to Bengaluru , India, Yuri Milner said that he has taken a stake in Practo, a rapidly expanding start-up based here that helps patients and doctors digitize their engagements.

In India, he has invested in both his personal capacity and through his venture firm, DST Global. His investments include the online marketplace Flipkart, the cab aggregator Ola, the real estate discovery platform Housing.com, and the food delivery app Swiggy. During his visit he met 25-30 start-ups and venture capital firms in Bengaluru.

Milner is a complex and controversial figure, but there is no doubt that he is one of the most influential people in the technology industry. His investments have helped to shape the world we live in, and his philanthropy is making a difference in the lives of scientists and researchers around the world.

Personal life of Yuri Milner

Yuri Milner was the 2nd child of Bentsion Zakharovitch Milner and Betty Milne, who were Jewish couple. His father Bentsion Zakharovitch Milner was Russian Academy of Sciences Institute of Economics Chief Deputy Director. His mother Betty Milner worked in disease control at Capital’s state run laboratory.

Yuri Milner got married to Julia Milner in the year 2004. She is a contemporary artist and a fashion designer. She is also a very good photographer. The couple has two children. Daughters was born in 2005 and 2007.

Yuri Milner got married to Julia Milner
Yuri Milner is Married to Julia Milner

Awards and Honors


Yuri Milner has received numerous awards and honors for his work as a technology investor and philanthropist. These include:

  • 2017: Breakthrough Prize Foundation Visionary Award
  • 2017: Time magazine 100 most influential people in the world
  • 2016: Fortune magazine’s Smartest People in Tech
  • 2015: Forbes magazine’s Midas List of top venture capitalists
  • 2013: Foreign Policy magazine’s Power List
  • 2012: Bloomberg Markets’ 50 Most Influential List

Milner has also been awarded honorary doctorates from several universities, including the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Tel Aviv University, and Moscow State University.

In addition to his individual awards, Milner has also been recognized for his work with the Breakthrough Prize Foundation. The foundation has awarded over $250 million in prizes to scientists for their groundbreaking research in fundamental physics, life sciences, and mathematics.

Milner’s awards and honors reflect his significant contributions to the technology industry and to science. He is a highly respected figure in the global community, and his work is making a positive impact on the world.

Controversies

Yuri Milner has been involved in a number of controversies over the years, including:

  • His ties to the Russian government. Milner has been criticized for his close ties to the Russian government. He has invested in companies that are closely associated with the government, and he has met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on several occasions. Some people have accused Milner of using his investments to promote Russian interests.
  • His investments in controversial companies. Milner has invested in a number of companies that have been criticized for their ethical practices. For example, he invested in Facebook, which has been accused of spreading misinformation and hate speech. He also invested in Uber, which has been accused of sexual harassment and discrimination.
  • His personal wealth. Milner is one of the wealthiest people in the world. Some people have criticized him for his wealth, arguing that it is a sign of inequality and unfairness.

Milner has denied all of these allegations. He has said that he is an independent investor and that he does not promote the interests of any government. He has also said that he is committed to investing in companies that are making a positive impact on the world.

In Oct 2022 ,Yuri Milner announced that he’s renounced his Russian citizenship.

“My family and I left Russia for good in 2014, after the Russian annexation of Crimea,” tweeted Milner, who became an Israeli citizen in 1999. “And this summer, we officially completed the process of renouncing our Russian citizenship.”

Milner made the announcement hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered scores of missile strikes in Kyiv and other key Ukrainian cities.

Despite the controversies, Milner remains one of the most influential investors in the world. He has a deep understanding of the technology industry, and he has a proven track record of success. His investments have helped to shape the world we live in, and his philanthropy is making a difference in the lives of scientists and researchers around the world.

It is important to note that the controversies surrounding Milner are complex and there is no easy answer to the question of whether or not they are justified. Some people believe that Milner is a shrewd businessman who is simply trying to make money, while others believe that he is a dangerous figure who is using his wealth to promote his own agenda. Ultimately, it is up to each individual to decide what they believe about Yuri Milner and his work.

FAQs on Yuri Milner

Who is Yuri Milner?

Yuri Milner is a Russian-born Israeli tech investor and philanthropist. He is the founder and chairman of DST Global, a venture capital firm that has invested in some of the most successful technology companies in the world, including Facebook, Twitter, Spotify, and Alibaba.

What are his contributions to the technology industry?

Milner is one of the most influential investors in the world. His investments have helped to shape the way we live and work. He is also a philanthropist who supports scientific research and education.

What are some of his investments?

Milner has invested in a wide range of technology companies, including:
Facebook
Twitter
Spotify
Alibaba
Airbnb
Flipkart
Practo
Ola
Housing.com
Swiggy
Breakthrough Prize Foundation

Who are Yuri Milner’s parents ?

Yuri Milner was born on November 11, 1961, in Moscow, Russia, to Bentsion Zakharovitch Milner and Betty Iosifovna Milner . Yuri Milner was the 2nd child of them. Yuri Milner real name is Yuri Borisovich Milner.

Whom did Yuri Milner Marry?

Yuri Milner got married to Julia Milner in the year 2004. She is a contemporary artist and a fashion designer. She is also a very good photographer. The couple has two children. Daughters was born in 2005 and 2007.

What are the controversies surrounding him?

Milner has been criticized for his ties to the Russian government, his investments in controversial companies, stashing illegal funds of Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov and his personal wealth. However, he has denied all of these allegations and said that he is committed to using his wealth to make a positive impact on the world.

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