A ndrey Melnichenko is a major Russian industrialist who founded two of the country's largest companies: the fertilizer producer EuroChem and the coal energy company SUEK. A physics student during the collapse of the Soviet Union, Melnichenko started his business career by opening a chain of currency exchange booths, which he then built into the successful MDM Bank.

He used the profits from banking to pivot into industry, acquiring and consolidating assets during the post-Soviet era to create his industrial giants. EuroChem has grown into one of the world's leading fertilizer producers, and SUEK is Russia's largest coal producer. Melnichenko is known for his hands-on management style and his focus on investing in modern technology and efficiency. He is also famous for his ownership of two of the world's most spectacular and expensive superyachts, Motor Yacht A and Sailing Yacht A. After being sanctioned by the EU in 2022, he formally withdrew as a beneficiary and stepped down from his board positions at both companies, with ownership reportedly passing to his wife.