V ladimir Bogdanov is a powerful and reclusive Russian oligarch who is the longtime director general of Surgutneftegas, one of Russia's largest and most secretive oil and gas companies. A classic Soviet-era oilman, he has worked at the company for his entire career, starting as a regular oil driller and working his way up to the top leadership position, which he has held for decades. During the tumultuous privatization of state assets in the post-Soviet 1990s, he gained control of the massive Siberian oil and gas producer.

Surgutneftegas is known for its operational efficiency, its conservative financial management, and its extreme secrecy regarding its ultimate ownership structure. The company is also famous for holding a massive cash pile, reported to be tens of billions of dollars, which has been a source of much speculation. Bogdanov is known for his close ties to the Kremlin and for his low-profile, work-focused lifestyle. He has been sanctioned by the United States and other Western countries following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.