B idzina Ivanishvili is a Georgian politician and oligarch who is the country's richest person by a vast margin. He amassed his initial fortune in Russia during the 1990s, primarily in the banking and metals sectors. He co-founded Rossiysky Kredit Bank and built a portfolio of industrial assets, which he later sold for a significant profit before returning to his native Georgia.
Upon his return, Ivanishvili entered politics, forming the Georgian Dream coalition that won the 2012 parliamentary elections, leading him to become the Prime Minister of Georgia. He served for a year before stepping down, but he is widely considered to have remained the country's most powerful and influential figure, wielding immense power from behind the scenes as the founder and honorary chairman of the ruling party. He is also a major philanthropist in Georgia and a noted art collector, with a private collection said to include works by Picasso and Monet.
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