Born in 1960, Andrei Grigoryevich Guryev is a Russian billionaire who built his fortune in the fertilizer industry. His early life was rooted in the Soviet system, an experience that provided him with crucial networking and a deep understanding of state-controlled industry. Guryev graduated from the Russian State University of Physical Education, Sport, Youth and Tourism in 1992, an unusual academic background for a future industrial tycoon.

However, his career quickly shifted to finance. In 1990, he began working for the Menatep Group, a banking and financial services group founded by the controversial oligarch Mikhail Khodorkovsky. Guryev rose quickly through the ranks, demonstrating an acute business sense. This apprenticeship in finance and raw materials under Khodorkovsky became the foundational training for acquiring and running one of Russia's largest, most strategic industrial assets.

Andrei Guryev’s career is defined by the strategic acquisition and subsequent professionalization of PhosAgro, a leading global producer of phosphate-based fertilizers. In 2000, Guryev was appointed chairman of Apatit, a key Menatep subsidiary and the main mining arm of what would become PhosAgro.

The critical consolidation of his wealth occurred after 2003. Following the arrest and imprisonment of his former partner, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, Guryev successfully acquired Khodorkovsky's half of PhosAgro at a highly discounted price. This high-stakes move secured his control over a massive, essential global commodity producer. Under Guryev’s stewardship as CEO, PhosAgro modernized its facilities, specialized in low-cadmium, environmentally friendly fertilizers, and executed a successful public offering. His son, Andrey Guryev Jr., now serves as the CEO, ensuring the generational continuity of the family's control over a company that is one of the world’s 'big four' in the fertilizer market.

Andrei Guryev’s social impact is channeled through both the environmental standards of his massive company and targeted educational and community support. PhosAgro has gained international recognition for developing and marketing low-cadmium fertilizers, which are vital for meeting strict European environmental and food safety standards. This focus on 'eco-friendly' products is a strategic business decision that doubles as a massive, positive environmental contribution to global food chains.

The family's giving often supports educational and social programs in the industrial regions where PhosAgro operates its mining and production facilities. On a personal level, Guryev received the Medal of Honour from the Russian Orthodox Church for his charitable activities and contributions toward building churches, reflecting a commitment to religious and cultural patronage in Russia.

The Guryev family embodies the high-net-worth Russian lifestyle, characterized by understated opulence and vast real estate holdings. Andrei Guryev's personal style is professional and conservative—tailored European business suits and clothing suitable for high-level corporate governance and international finance. There is a sense of reserved power in his presentation, reflective of his control over a strategic global commodity.

His lifestyle is perhaps most publicly symbolized by Witanhurst in London's Highgate, a majestic 90,000-square-foot residence that is London's second-largest private house. This estate and other private holdings, combined with his family’s active involvement in the business (his son is CEO, his daughter is married to a hedge fund manager who lives next door to Witanhurst), define a multi-generational dynasty whose luxury is built on privacy, tradition, and the immense stability of the global fertilizer market.