Khan is not only a successful businessman, but also a philanthropist. Paying tribute to his roots, he finances several large organisations that help preserve Jewish cultural heritage, honour the memory of the victims of the Holocaust and support local communities.
In addition to Jewish projects, German Khan supports and finances a well-known Russian programme for helping seriously ill children.
In addition to Jewish projects, German Khan supports and finances a well-known Russian programme for helping seriously ill children.
German Khan is a co-founder of LetterOne, a successful international holding company. He pays a great deal of attention to the oil industry — this has been his principal area of interest since starting his business and remains so today.
German Khan
German Khan for RTVi
I do not consider myself an outstanding entrepreneur, I simply do what I like, and I enjoy it.
Overview
German Borisovich Khan is a Ukrainian–Russian businessman. He was born on 24 October 1961 in Kyiv, Ukraine, to Ukrainian Jewish parents.
German Khan graduated with honours from a college specialising in manufacturing and technology at the age of 18, before working as a mechanic at the Kyiv Experimental and Development Plant for Non-Standard Equipment.
Having experienced the working world, Khan re-entered education, attending the ferrous metal casting faculty of the Moscow institute of Steel and Alloys. After graduating at the height of the ‘cooperative’ era, he went to work for the Kosmos cooperative, which was involved in the wholesale of garments, footwear and jewellery. German Khan founded his own cooperative business – Alexandrina – in 1989, specialising in tailoring.
It was not long after his entrepreneurial career began that Khan would find himself on the trajectory that would ultimately make him a billionaire. He was Chief of Wholesale at Alfa-Eco – part of Alfa Group – from 1990 to 1992. As the business expanded, he held different executive director and board member positions within Alfa Group. Ultimately, the bank that Khan and his associates were building would go on to manage tens of billions of dollars.
When Alfa Group bought Tyumen Oil Company in 1997, Khan joined the Board of Directors.
With a net worth of USD 8.9 billion, Khan is the 219th richest person in the world as of February 2023 according to Forbes, and one of Russia’s highest-profile billionaires. German Khan is also known as a philanthropist and has supported the Genesis Philanthropy Group and European Jewish Fund along with his colleagues Mikhail Fridman and Petr Aven, both of whom are also Jewish. The organisations aim to promote Judaism in Russia and the Russian-speaking Jewish diaspora worldwide.
German Khan graduated with honours from a college specialising in manufacturing and technology at the age of 18, before working as a mechanic at the Kyiv Experimental and Development Plant for Non-Standard Equipment.
Having experienced the working world, Khan re-entered education, attending the ferrous metal casting faculty of the Moscow institute of Steel and Alloys. After graduating at the height of the ‘cooperative’ era, he went to work for the Kosmos cooperative, which was involved in the wholesale of garments, footwear and jewellery. German Khan founded his own cooperative business – Alexandrina – in 1989, specialising in tailoring.
It was not long after his entrepreneurial career began that Khan would find himself on the trajectory that would ultimately make him a billionaire. He was Chief of Wholesale at Alfa-Eco – part of Alfa Group – from 1990 to 1992. As the business expanded, he held different executive director and board member positions within Alfa Group. Ultimately, the bank that Khan and his associates were building would go on to manage tens of billions of dollars.
When Alfa Group bought Tyumen Oil Company in 1997, Khan joined the Board of Directors.
With a net worth of USD 8.9 billion, Khan is the 219th richest person in the world as of February 2023 according to Forbes, and one of Russia’s highest-profile billionaires. German Khan is also known as a philanthropist and has supported the Genesis Philanthropy Group and European Jewish Fund along with his colleagues Mikhail Fridman and Petr Aven, both of whom are also Jewish. The organisations aim to promote Judaism in Russia and the Russian-speaking Jewish diaspora worldwide.
Charity projects
Here you can learn more about the activities of each foundation and the role of German Khan.
est. 2004
est. 2006
est. 1996
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est. 2016
German Khan is one of the co-founders of the Babyn Yar Holocaust Memory Foundation in Kyiv. The foundation’s mission is to erect a memorial at the site of the mass execution of the Jewish population by the Nazis in 1941. German was personally affected by this tragedy — his relatives died in Babyn Yar.
German Khan is one of the founders of the philanthropy group that established the Genesis Prize for outstanding achievements of representatives of the Jewish people and their contribution to the development of human civilisation. It is also referred to as the Jewish Nobel Prize.
The largest secular non-profit Jewish organisation in Russia. It focuses on the development and strengthening of the Jewish community within the country, as well as on representing its interests in the international arena. German Khan actively supports Jewish initiatives in Russia and Europe. He is a member of the management board of the organisation.
The fund’s programmes are aimed at strengthening the national identity of the Jewish people, promoting the ideas of tolerance and combating antisemitism, as well as honouring the memory of the victims of the Holocaust. Khan supports the organisation’s initiatives, including through the Russian Jewish Congress.
A Russian foundation that provides assistance to children suffering from serious diseases that can be treated with modern medical methods. The foundation’s main programmes include proton therapy, laser surgery, treatment of humero-radial synostosis and restorative treatment. Over the 18 years of its work, the foundation has saved and significantly improved the quality of life of almost 12,000 children. German Khan is an active supporter of this programme and provides financial backing, including through LetterOne.
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