Leonid Viktorovich Mikhelson is a Russian businessman, the self-made billionaire Co-owner and Chairman of the Management Board of Novatek (MCX: NVTK), Russia's largest independent natural gas producer, and a major shareholder in Sibur Holding (petrochemicals). Born in Kaspiysk, Dagestan ASSR, in 1955, his career is rooted in construction and energy.

Mikhelson graduated from the Samara Institute of Civil Engineering in 1977 with a degree in Industrial Civil Engineering. His career began with hands-on construction, managing a pipeline construction trust in the Tyumen region before entering the gas and petrochemical sector. His philosophy centers on vertical integration, long-term resource control, and mastering the logistics of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG).

• Novatek (Co-owner & Chairman): The core publicly traded asset, Russia's largest independent natural gas producer and a global leader in LNG production (e.g., Yamal LNG and Arctic LNG 2 projects).
• Sibur Holding (Major Shareholder): A massive petrochemical and gas processing giant (formed through a merger with his private holding, Sibmetchem).
• Art Patronage: He founded the V-A-C Foundation (Victoria, the name of his daughter, and Art, Contemporary), a major non-profit contemporary art organization.
• Academic Background: He holds a degree in Industrial Civil Engineering.

Leonid Mikhelson's strategic genius was his early consolidation of privatized gas assets. He founded Novatek in 1994, positioning it to be the main private competitor to state-owned Gazprom. His structural contribution is immense: pioneering Russia's massive Arctic LNG projects (Yamal LNG and Arctic LNG 2), which require billions in international investment and complex infrastructure.

His diversification into petrochemicals with Sibur Holding (in partnership with Gennady Timchenko) created a massive, vertically integrated gas-to-chemicals empire. His wealth is secured by the colossal, long-term, stable profitability of natural gas and petrochemical production. His daughter, Victoria Mikhelson, runs the V-A-C Foundation.

Leonid Mikhelson's social impact is structural, stemming from Novatek's role in providing essential natural gas and LNG for global energy security and Sibur's role in petrochemical manufacturing. His V-A-C Foundation provides a massive structural contribution to contemporary art and culture (opening a major art center in Venice in 2021). His commitment to the Arctic LNG projects is a key component of Russia's global energy strategy.

His structural contribution is tied to the successful privatization and vertical integration of Russia's energy and chemical sectors.

Leonid Mikhelson maintains the professional, composed style of an industrial executive. His attire is consistently formal and high-quality, favoring tailored suits. His aesthetic reflects serious authority and stability, typical of a leader in the high-capital energy sector.

Residing in Moscow, Russia, his luxury is the immense security and financial reward derived from his multi-billion dollar fortune. His life is dedicated to energy infrastructure, petrochemical production, and cultural philanthropy.