Kostyantyn Valentynovych Zhevago ( uk, Костянтин Валентинович Жеваго, russian: Константин Валентинович Жеваго; born 7 January 1974) is a Ukrainian billionaire and politician. He was the first Eastern European to present one of his companies —

Ferrexpo Ferrexpo plc is a Swiss-based commodity trading and mining company which is the third largest exporter of iron ore pellets in the world. Ferrexpo's operating base is in central Ukraine, where it operates three iron-ore mines and an iron ore pelle ...

to the

London Stock Exchange London Stock Exchange (LSE) is a stock exchange in the City of London, England, United Kingdom. , the total market value of all companies trading on LSE was £3.9 trillion. Its current premises are situated in Paternoster Square close to St Pau ...

. Zhevago controls the "Finances and Credit" group — one of largest conglomerates of Ukraine; holds a post of

FC Vorskla FC Vorskla Poltava ( uk, ФК «Во́рскла» Полта́ва ) is a Ukrainian professional football club based in Poltava that competes in the Ukrainian Premier League, the top flight of Ukrainian football. History Kolos Poltava The club ...

honorary president. He was a member of the

Verkhovna Rada The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine ( uk, Верхо́вна Ра́да Украї́ни, translit=, Verkhovna Rada Ukrainy, translation=Supreme Council of Ukraine, Ukrainian abbreviation ''ВРУ''), often simply Verkhovna Rada or just Rada, is the ...

(parliament of Ukraine) from 1998 until 2019.

Early life and career

Kostyantyn Valentynovych Zhevago was born on 7 January 1974 in the village of

Iultin Iul'tin (russian: Иультин; Chukchi: ) was an urban-type settlement in Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, part of the Far Eastern Federal District of Russia. As of 2010 the area is uninhabited, but only thirty years ago it had a population of The ...

, in Russia's far eastern

Magadan Oblast Magadan Oblast ( rus, Магаданская область, r=Magadanskaya oblast, p=məgɐˈdanskəjə ˈobləsʲtʲ) is a federal subject (an oblast) of Russia. It is geographically located in the Far East region of the country, and is adminis ...

, into the family of a mining engineer. In 1991, Zhevago entered the

Kyiv National Economic University The Kyiv National Economic University ( uk, Київський національний економічний університет імені Вадима Гетьмана, lit=Vadym Hetman Kyiv National Economic University) is a self-govern ...

, specialising in accounting and analysis of external economic activity. In 1996, he graduated with a master's degree in economics, and in 2003 he defended his candidate's dissertation on "International investments and effective economic development" at the Kyiv National Economic University.

Business

While studying, Zhevago began a career in the position of " Finance and Credit" chief financial officer ( uk, ЗАТ "Фінанси та Кредит", russian: ЗАО "Финансы и Кредит"), holding this post from 1993 to 1996. From 1996 to 1998 he holds posts of " Finances and Credit" president, public corporation "Poltava ore-dressing and processing enterprise" ( uk, ВАТ «Полтавський ГЗК», russian: ОАО «Полтавский ГОК») council deputy and is member of public corporation "Ukrnafta" ( uk, ВАТ «Укрна́фта», russian: ОАО «Укрна́фта») supervisory board. Kostyantin Zhevago, 35-year-old investor, was the first of the Ukrainian multimillionaires to present one of his companies — Ferrexpo to the London Stock Exchange. In autumn 2007 Ferrexpo was added to the

FTSE 250 Index The FTSE 250 Index ( "Footsie") is a capitalisation-weighted index consisting of the 101st to the 350th largest companies listed on the London Stock Exchange. Promotions and demotions to and from the index occur quarterly in March, June, Septemb ...

Forbes magazine ''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine owned by Integrated Whale Media Investments and the Forbes family. Published eight times a year, it features articles on finance, industry, investing, and marketing topics. ''Forbes'' also repo ...

named Kostyantin Zhevago the youngest billionaire in Europe, who made his fortune by himself. His bank " Finances and Credit" was one of the TOP-10 largest Ukrainian banks with hundreds of branches across Ukraine. He controls developed and successful enterprises in mining and metallurgical, shipbuilding, engineering, heavy car production, pharmacology and food industries in Ukraine and countries of Western Europe and Middle East. Owns the football team of

Ukrainian Premier League The Ukrainian Premier League ( uk, "Українська Прем'єр-ліга", ''Ukrayinska Premier Liha'') or UPL is the highest division of Ukrainian annual football championship. As the Vyshcha Liha ( uk, Вища ліга, ''Top League'') ...

FC Vorskla Poltava FC Vorskla Poltava ( uk, ФК «Во́рскла» Полта́ва ) is a Ukrainian professional football club based in Poltava that competes in the Ukrainian Premier League, the top flight of Ukrainian football. History Kolos Poltava The clu ...

Political activity

In Ukraine, Zhevago conducts active political activity. In March 1998, he was first elected as a

People's Deputy of Ukraine People's, branded as ''People's Viennaline'' until May 2018, and legally ''Altenrhein Luftfahrt Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung, GmbH'', is an Austrian airline headquartered in Vienna. It operates scheduled and charter passenger flights ma ...

from Ukraine's 149th electoral district, located in

Poltava Oblast Poltava Oblast ( uk, Полта́вська о́бласть, translit=Poltavska oblast; also referred to as Poltavshchyna – uk, Полта́вщина, literally 'Poltava Country') is an oblast (province) of central Ukraine. The administrative ...

. June 1998 — Zhevago Kostyantin is a member of parliament committee of questions of economic policy, state economy management, property and investments. In April 2002, he was re-elected, this time in Ukraine's 150th electoral district (also in Poltava Oblast. From June 2002, he was a member of the Verkhovna Rada Legal Committee and a member of the

(parliament of Ukraine)'s permanent delegation in Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, PACE. From May 2006 to April 2007, Zhevago was a People's Deputy of Ukraine from the

Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc The Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc ( uk, Блок Юлії Тимошенко, БЮТ; Blok Yuliyi Tymoshenko, BYuT) was the name of the bloc of political parties in Ukraine led by Yulia Tymoshenko since 2001. In November 2011, the participation of blocs ...

. In 2007, Zhevago was re-elected as a People's Deputy of Ukraine from the Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc. Leader of deputy group of inter-parliamentary connections with Japan. He missed all 51 parliament sessions in 2010. Zhevago returned to the Verkhovna Rada once again after the

2012 Ukrainian parliamentary election The Ukrainian parliamentary election of 2012 took place on 28 October 2012.Batkivshchyna The All-Ukrainian Union "Fatherland" ( uk, Всеукраїнське об'єднання "Батьківщина", translit=Vseukrains'ke obiednannia "Bat'kivshchyna") referred to as Batkivshchyna (), is a political party in Ukraine led by Peo ...

, did not have its own candidate in this district. Zhevago did not join a faction in the Verkhovna Rada.National deputies of Ukraine:Kostyantin Zhevago

In the

2014 Ukrainian parliamentary election Snap elections to the Verkhovna Rada took place on 26 October 2014. Petro Poroshenko, the President of Ukraine, had pressed for early parliamentary elections since his victory in the presidential election in May.2019 Ukrainian parliamentary election Snap elections to the Ukrainian parliament were held on 21 July 2019. Originally scheduled to be held at the end of October, these elections were brought forward after newly inaugurated President of Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dissolv ...

, Zhevago failed to regain his seat, concluding his twenty-one year career as a People's Deputy. He lost the election in the 150th district with 24.9% of the vote. The winning candidate was Oleksiy Movchan from the

Servant of the People party Servant of the People (SN; uk, Слуга народу, Sluha narodu, ) is a liberal, centrist, pro-European political party in Ukraine. It was formed in late 2017 and was officially registered on 31 March 2018 on the basis of the previously ...

, who won with 41% of the vote.

Controlled assets

"Finances and Credit" group is to one of the largest Ukrainian conglomerates. It includes enterprises in the fields of metallurgy, ferrous deposits and ferromagnetic ore, engineering, transport, pharmaceutics, shipbuilding, energetics. " Finances and Credit" bank was founded in 1990 and by the size of assets it was considered one of the largest banks of Ukraine according to classification of

National Bank of Ukraine National Bank of Ukraine ( uk, Національний банк України) or NBU ( uk, НБУ) is the central bank of Ukraine – a government body responsible for unified state policy in the field of country's monetary circulation, includ ...

. By 1 April 2009 the authorized capital stock of the bank made ₴2 billion, net wealth made ₴18,316 billion, bank liabilities — ₴15,840 billion. The loan portfolio made ₴15,880 billion, loan portfolio of natural person — bank clients — ₴5,983 billion. By 1 April 2009 the bank system included 16 branches and 326 departments in all areas of Ukraine. The basic shareholders of "Finances and Credit" bank on 01.04.2009 were the close corporation "F&C Realty" (46.67%), LTD "Askaniya" (48.88%) and the state-run

Naftogaz Naftogaz of Ukraine ( uk, НАК "Нафтогаз України", ''Naftogaz Ukrayiny''; literally "Petro-Gas of Ukraine") is the largest national oil and gas company of Ukraine. It is a state-owned company

(0.63%). According to th
Ukrainian Bank Association
data, by 1 April 2009 the bank occupied the 13th place among 162 operating in the country. On 17 December 2016 the National Bank of Ukraine withdrew the banking license of Finance and Credit and liquidated the bank.

"Finances and Credit" group companies

* Insurance and finances «Omega» insurance company * Real estate Joint-stock company «F&C Realty», Hotel «Salute» Kyiv, Terminal in the seaport "Southern" (Odessa), Institute «Kyivsoyuzdorproekt» * Energetics Joint-stock company “Biloterkovna teploelektrotsentral”, Ukrenerhosbyt, Odessaoblenerho, Ukrainian-German «Mega-motors», Luhanskoblenerho * Chemistry Joint-stock company «Rosava», joint-stock company “Kremenchug factory of technical carbon”, Stakhanov factory of technical carbon, LTD. “Ukrtekhuglerod”, Zatisnyansk chemical factory * Engineering Avto

KrAZ KrAZ ( uk, Кременчуцький автомобільний завод, ''Kremenchutskyi Avtomobilnyi Zavod'', Kremenchuk Automobile Plant, АвтоКрА́З or AvtoKrAZ) is a Ukrainian factory that produces trucks and other special-purpos ...

, Uzhgorod «Turbogaz», Kharkov instrumental factory, Stakhanov carriage works, Berdychiv machine-shop «Progress», Poltava machine unit factory * Shipbuilding Zaliv Shipbuilding yard, “Kyiv shipbuilding and reconstruction factory” * Metallurgy and Resources Poltava GOK (iron-stone, pellet), Skopski Legury (ferro-alloys), Ferreekspo (Switzerland), Electrometallurgical plant «Vorskla Steel» (in the process of building), Electrometallurgical factory «Vorskla steel Denmark» * Pharmacology Joint-stock companies “Kyivmedpreparat”, “Gemoplast”, “Halychfarm”. * Food industry Private Joint-stock Company

Kremenchukmyaso OJSC Kremenchukmyaso ( uk, ПрАТ Кременчукм’ясо) is a Ukraine, Ukrainian Joint-stock_company#Ukraine, Private Joint-stock Company that belongs to a Finances and Credit Group. Sponsorship Kremenchukmyaso currently sponsor Associat ...

Wealth

According to

Forbes ''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine owned by Integrated Whale Media Investments and the Forbes family. Published eight times a year, it features articles on finance, industry, investing, and marketing topics. ''Forbes'' also re ...

, he is

Ukraine Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inv ...

's youngest

billionaire A billionaire is a person with a net worth of at least one billion (1,000,000,000, i.e., a thousand million) units of a given currency, usually of a major currency such as the United States dollar, euro, or pound sterling. The American busin ...

. In March 2012 Forbes placed him on the

Forbes list of billionaires ''The World's Billionaires'' is an annual ranking by documented net worth of the wealthiest billionaires in the world, compiled and published in March annually by the American business magazine ''Forbes''. The list was first published in March ...

at the 719th place with $1.8 billion.

Investigation

On 28 December 2022, Zhevago was arrested in

Courchevel Courchevel () is a French Alps ski resort. It is a part of Les Trois Vallées, the largest linked ski areas in the world. Courchevel also refers to the towns of Courchevel 1300 (Le Praz), Courchevel 1550, Courchevel 1650 (Moriond), and Courc ...

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

at the request of Ukraine's

State Bureau of Investigation A state bureau of investigation (SBI) is a state-level detective agency in the United States. They are plainclothes agencies which usually investigate both criminal and civil cases involving the state and/or multiple jurisdictions. They also typ ...

. Assets belonging to Zhevago have also been seized, including assets of

. The investigation relates to JSC Finance and Credit Bank.

References

External links

Official website of Finance and Credit Bank

Kyiv National Economic University

* ttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/6c1d04e8-53c4-11de-be08-00144feabdc0.html?nclick_check=1 Tycoon rejects 'oligarch' tag, Financial Times, June 8 2009
Dossier on Konstyantin Zhevago — Liga dossier

Kostiantyn Zhevago, exclusive interview - Focus Magazine. January, 2010 (original article)

Kostiantyn Zhevago, exclusive interview - Focus Magazine. January, 2010 (translation)

* ttps://web.archive.org/web/20090410074304/http://focus.in.ua/article/64562.html Konstantin Zhevago (dossier) is Focus magazine. April, 02.2009
Konstantin Zhevago (dossier) is Correspondent magazine. September, 8.2008

Interview with Konstantinom Zhevago. Correspondent magazine. November, 3.2007

Konstantin Zhevago: it is necessary to keep promises which we gave the market

* * ttps://web.archive.org/web/20081123214005/http://www.ukraine-intelligence.fr/a2076-Profile_Konstantin_Zhevago_Finance_and_Credit_Group_.html Profile : Konstantin Zhevago (Finance and Credit Group)
IPO Ferrexpo

{{DEFAULTSORT:Zhevago, Kostyantin 1974 births Living people People from Chukotka Autonomous Okrug Russian emigrants to Ukraine Kyiv National Economic University alumni 21st-century Ukrainian economists Ukrainian billionaires Ukrainian football chairmen and investors Third convocation members of the Verkhovna Rada Fourth convocation members of the Verkhovna Rada Fifth convocation members of the Verkhovna Rada Sixth convocation members of the Verkhovna Rada Seventh convocation members of the Verkhovna Rada Eighth convocation members of the Verkhovna Rada Independent politicians in Ukraine FC Vorskla Poltava 20th-century Ukrainian businesspeople 21st-century Ukrainian businesspeople Fugitives wanted by Ukraine Ukrainian oligarchs