A natoly Skurov is a Russian businessman who has built his fortune in the country's vast coal mining industry. A mining engineer by profession, Skurov has spent his entire career in the sector, working his way up through various positions at coal enterprises in the Kemerovo region of Siberia, Russia's coal heartland. His deep operational experience gave him a significant advantage when the industry was privatized.

He is a co-founder and a major shareholder of Sibuglemet, which grew into one of Russia's largest producers of coking coal, a key ingredient for steel manufacturing. In 2013, he and his partners sold a stake in Sibuglemet. Skurov then went on to invest in other mining assets. His primary holding today is his stake in UGC (Ural Mining Company), another significant player in the Russian coal market. His career is a story of a technical expert who successfully transitioned into an owner and magnate within his field of expertise.