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Biography
 Alexander Lebedev was born in a family of the Moscow intelligentsia. His father, Evgeny Nikolaevich Lebedev was a Professor of optical engineering at Bauman Moscow Technical University and a retired athlete, a former member of the Soviet national water polo team. Alexander's mother, Maria Sergeyevna, after graduating from Moscow Pedagogic Institute worked in a rural Sakhalin school, then taught history and English in a Moscow tertiary school.
In 1977, Alexander Lebedev entered the Department of Economics at Moscow State Institute of International Relations. After his graduation from this high school in 1982, Lebedev started to work for the Institute of Economics of the World Socialist System doing research for his Kandidat (equal to Ph.D.) dissertation “The problems of foreign debt and the challenges of globalization”. However he soon transferred to the First Chief Directorate (Foreign Intelligence) of KGB. He worked there and at its successor Foreign Intelligence Service until 1992.
After retirement as Lieutenant Colonel Lebedev created his first company: the Russian Investment-Finance Company. In 1995, the company bought a small and troubled bank named National Reserve Bank (NRB) that soon grew to become one of the largest Russian banks. The National Reserve Bank and Alfa Bank were the only two out of the ten largest Russian banks that survived the 1998 Russian financial crisis. Now it is in the top thirty of Russian banks, a steady and reliable Russian bank with 40 percent tier 1 capital ratio, enjoying confidence of domestic and foreign investors.
NRB is part of the holding National reserve corporation (NRC) — prominent Russian financial and industrial group with interests to hi-tech manufactures and socially-oriented business rather than the simple exploitation of the country's natural resources. In its investment policy the corporation aspires to support those industries which development favorably affects not only national economy, but also on social sphere.
Among NRC’s assets are second-largest after the state a share of airline “Aeroflot” (28%), the aircraft leasing company “Ilyushin Finans Ko.” (26%), significant shares of “Gazprom” and other leaders of the Russian economy. Alongside with the NRB bank, the holding includes the National housing corporation — the leading company in individual housing construction, and the National land company, which is occupying leading positions in cultivation of a potato. NRK’s air company Red Wings is the largest company using new domestic civil aircrafts — the planes TU-204 which are released by the Ulyanovsk plant “Aviastar-SP”. Affiliated structures are created in energetics, telecommunications, construction, mortgage and ensurance.
NRC actively develops business not only in Russia, but also abroad. Its assests — “Energobank” and “The European insurance alliance” in Ukraine, “Alpstream” in Switzerland. In Crimea NRC has constructed the largest resort complex.
In 2003 Alexander Lebedev has taken part in elections of mayor of Moscow and in elections of deputies of the State Duma (parliament) of Russia. The first showdown at elections of the chief executive of capital was rather successful — A.Lebedev 13% of moscovites voted for him.
On results of parliamentary elections of A.Lebedev has been elected by the deputy of the State Duma. In the parliament he became one of the most active legislators, who offered tens of the bills directed on increase of an information openness and the responsibility of authorities, formation of the market of accessible habitation and development of the Russian aviation industry, reforming of judicial system and system of law enforcement bodies (regarding liquidation of an accusatory bias, reduction in administrative and financial pressure upon the Russian courts and law enforcement bodies of all levels, perfection of institute of cooperation with investigation, etc.), reduction of privileges of officials of various levels, interdiction of sale of tobacco and alcoholic drinks for teenagers. A.Lebedev is the author of the bill expelling gambling business from the Russian cities.
In 2008 Alexander Lebedev returned to business. Thus he gives a significant part of time for public activities, being the president of National Investment Council, the International Institute of Global Development and the Center of Problems of Integration of the Institute of economy of the Russian Academy of Science. As the shareholder of the “Novaya Gazeta” newspaper A.Lebedev supports the edition becoming a symbol of the independent journalism in Russia. Together with the journalists of the newspaper and a society “Memorial” he began realization of the project of construction of the monument and museum complex in memory of the victims of Stalin’s GULAG by Ernst Neizvestny. In autumn of 2008 together with the former president of the USSR Michail Gorbachev he had initiated the creation of the Independent Democratic Party of Russia and became one of the founders of the Sivic anti-crisis initiative, launched in search of bette program to overcome the economic collapse.
Alexander Lebedev conducts active charities, being the president of Charitable reserve foundation (CRF) and the founder of the international Raisa Gorbachev foundation. Funds allocated by Lebedev financed the construction of the largest in Russia children's oncological clinic in Saint Petersburg, held treatment of children in the Russian oncological scientific centre in Moscow, purchases the medical equipment and carring out training of the Russian doctors in the leading world clinics.
Alexander Lebedev cooperates with Russian orthodox church and supports of its vicarial and missionary activity. The CRF helps Svyato-Trotskaya Laurel, Sretensky Stavropigialny man's monastery, Svyato-Troitsky Serafimo-Diveevsky monastery, finances restoration Spaso-Yakovlevsky and Uspensky cathedrals of Rostov. In settlement Malorechenskoe near Alushta NRK financed construction of the 65-meter temple-beacon of St. Nikolay Mirlikijsky — one of the best known sights of Crimea.
Due to Alexander Lebedev's support have been restored the Theatre and House-museum of Chekhov's in Yalta, he helps Theatre of Peter Fomenko and the Center of opera singing of Galina Vishnevskaya. The charitable reserve fund together with magazine “New world” hands over the literary premium named by Jury Kazakov. With support of foundation in Voronezh was constructed monument to famous poet Osip Mandelshtam. CRF realizes the international projects directed on support and distribution of Russian language and culture outside Russia. Within the framework of this activity in Paris was opened the center of Russian culture Cha^teau des Forgets which in the future becomes a part of a network of “Russian houses in Europe”. NRB financed restoration of the monument to Alexander Suvorov in Swiss Alps and the monument Sorrow in London by sculptor Andrey Scherbakov commemorating Soviet soldiers who died during World War II.
For social and charity activities Alexander Lebedev is awarded with a medal of an award “For merits before Fatherland” II degrees, an award St. Innokenty of the Russian orthodox church, an award of St. Vladimir of the Ukrainian orthodox church and a medal of UNESCO “Dialogue of cultures”.
A.Lebedev — Doctor of Economics, a theme of his dissertation — “Financial Globalization in the context of the Global, Regional and National (Russian) development”.
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