E lena Baturina is a self-made Russian billionaire businesswoman and the widow of Yury Luzhkov, who was the powerful and long-serving mayor of Moscow. She founded her construction and real estate development company, Inteco, in 1991. During her husband's tenure as mayor, Inteco grew at a phenomenal rate, becoming one of Moscow's largest and most successful developers and winning numerous lucrative city contracts.

This rapid success led to persistent allegations of cronyism and corruption, which she has always denied. After her husband was dismissed as mayor in 2010, she sold Inteco and other major Russian assets and moved her business operations abroad. She now manages a diversified global portfolio of investments, with significant interests in real estate in the U.S. and Europe, renewable energy, and hospitality. She remains Russia's wealthiest woman.