Viatcheslav Moshe Kantor (russian: link=no, Вячеслав Моше Кантор, born on September 8, 1953 in Moscow) is a Russian businessman and philanthropist who has close ties to the
Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin; (born 7 October 1952) is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer who holds the office of president of Russia. Putin has served continuously as president or prime minister since 1999: as prime min ...
regime in Russia.
Kantor heads the Acron Group, one of the leading mineral fertilizer producers and distributors in the world.
In 2021, ''
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 r ...
'' estimated Kantor's net worth at US$7.6 billion
and the 630th richest person in the world.
The ''
Sunday Times Rich List'' estimated his wealth at £3.488 billion in 2020.
Kantor was sanctioned by the British government in March 2022 the wake of the
Russian invasion of Ukraine
On 24 February 2022, in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, which began in 2014. The invasion has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths on both sides. It has caused Europe's largest refugee crisis since World War II. An ...
.
Consequently
University College School
("Slowly but surely")
, established =
, closed =
, type = Public schoolIndependent day school
, religion =
, president =
, head_label = Headmaster
, head = Mark Beard
, r_head_label =
, r_he ...
has decided to review the name of its sports pavilion which is named after Kantor.
Kantor was President of the
European Jewish Congress
The European Jewish Congress, (EJC), was founded in 1986. It is based in Brussels, with offices in Paris, Strasbourg, Berlin and Budapest. It is a representative body of democratically elected European Jewish communities throughout Europe.
Overv ...
, President of the
World Holocaust Forum The World Holocaust Forum is a series of events aimed at preserving the memory of the Holocaust. It is also known as the "Let My People Live!" Forum.
The World Holocaust Forum Foundation was established in 2005 under the chairmanship of Viatcheslav ...
Foundation (WHF), Chairman of the
European Jewish Fund The European Jewish Fund (''EJF'') is an international non-governmental organisation that coordinates and supports programmes and events aimed at improving interreligious and interethnic relations, reinforcing Jewish identity, counteracting assimil ...
(EJF), and Chairman of the
World Jewish Congress
The World Jewish Congress (WJC) was founded in Geneva, Switzerland in August 1936 as an international federation of Jewish communities and organizations. According to its mission statement, the World Jewish Congress' main purpose is to act as ...
(WJC) Policy Council.
Early life and education
Kantor was born and spent his early years in Moscow, and obtained a degree from the
Moscow Aviation Institute
Moscow Aviation Institute (National Research University) (MAI; russian: Московский авиационный институт, МАИ) is one of the major engineering institutes in Moscow, Russia. Since its inception MAI has been spearhe ...
(MAI) in 1976 and did research for MAI and NPO Spektr. In 1981, he completed his PhD in
Spacecraft Automatic Control Systems. He worked as a scientist and headed one of MAI research laboratories.
Career
In 1989–1993, Kantor was Director General of Intelmas, a telecoms company. In 1996–2000 he was an economic adviser to the Chairman of the
Federation Council
The Federation Council (russian: Сове́т Федера́ции – ''Soviet Federatsii'', common abbreviation: Совфед – ''Sovfed''), or Senate (officially, starting from July 1, 2020) ( ru , Сенат , translit = Senat), is th ...
of the Russian Federal Assembly.
Kantor heads the
Acron Group, one of the leading mineral fertilizer producers and distributors in the world. He has close ties to the
Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin; (born 7 October 1952) is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer who holds the office of president of Russia. Putin has served continuously as president or prime minister since 1999: as prime min ...
regime in Russia.
Civic activities
Kantor was President of the
European Jewish Congress
The European Jewish Congress, (EJC), was founded in 1986. It is based in Brussels, with offices in Paris, Strasbourg, Berlin and Budapest. It is a representative body of democratically elected European Jewish communities throughout Europe.
Overv ...
. The EJC, the largest secular organization representing the interests of European Jewry, is an influential, international public association representing 2.5 million Jews across the European continent in 42 national Jewish communities.
In 2021, he was reelected Chairman of the Policy Council of the
World Jewish Congress
The World Jewish Congress (WJC) was founded in Geneva, Switzerland in August 1936 as an international federation of Jewish communities and organizations. According to its mission statement, the World Jewish Congress' main purpose is to act as ...
for the third time Kantor is a Vice President of the
Jewish Leadership Council
The Jewish Leadership Council (previously known as the Jewish Community Leadership Council) is an organisation in the United Kingdom, founded in 2003, whose declared aim is to forward the interests of the organised Jewish community in Britain. ...
. In 2010, he established the Kantor Center for the Study of Contemporary European Jewry at Tel Aviv University. In 2019,
Yad Vashem
Yad Vashem ( he, יָד וַשֵׁם; literally, "a memorial and a name") is Israel's official memorial to the victims of the Holocaust. It is dedicated to preserving the memory of the Jews who were murdered; honoring Jews who fought against th ...
nominated Moshe Kantor as Chancellor of the Council, and before it he served as its Member of Directorate since 2010. Kantor was President of the Russian Jewish Congress (RJC) in 2005–2009. He founded and headed the
World Holocaust Forum The World Holocaust Forum is a series of events aimed at preserving the memory of the Holocaust. It is also known as the "Let My People Live!" Forum.
The World Holocaust Forum Foundation was established in 2005 under the chairmanship of Viatcheslav ...
(WHF) in 2005 and the
European Jewish Fund The European Jewish Fund (''EJF'') is an international non-governmental organisation that coordinates and supports programmes and events aimed at improving interreligious and interethnic relations, reinforcing Jewish identity, counteracting assimil ...
in 2006. Kantor is a founder and chairman of the
European Jewish Fund The European Jewish Fund (''EJF'') is an international non-governmental organisation that coordinates and supports programmes and events aimed at improving interreligious and interethnic relations, reinforcing Jewish identity, counteracting assimil ...
(EJF).
He has chaired the
World Holocaust Forum The World Holocaust Forum is a series of events aimed at preserving the memory of the Holocaust. It is also known as the "Let My People Live!" Forum.
The World Holocaust Forum Foundation was established in 2005 under the chairmanship of Viatcheslav ...
Foundation. In 2020, the World Holocaust Forum organized by Kantor came under controversy after Vladimir Putin was allowed to give a speech that distorted the history of the Soviet Union in World War II.
The forum refused to allow Polish President
Andrzej Duda
Andrzej Sebastian Duda (; born 16 May 1972) is a Polish lawyer and politician who has served as president of Poland since 6 August 2015. Before becoming president, Andrzej Duda was a member of Polish Lower House (Sejm) from 2011 to 2014 and th ...
to have a speaking slot.
He is the founder and president of President of the
European Council on Tolerance and Reconciliation
The European Council on Tolerance and Reconciliation (also ''ECTR'') is a non-governmental organization that was established in Paris, France on 7 October 2008 to monitor tolerance in Europe. The Chairman of the council is former British Prime M ...
(ECTR).
In 2007, Kantor founded and was elected president of the
, an international non-governmental organisation uniting leading world-renowned experts on
nuclear non-proliferation, materials and delivery vehicles. The Forum was established pursuant to a decision of the International Conference held in
Luxembourg
Luxembourg ( ; lb, Lëtzebuerg ; french: link=no, Luxembourg; german: link=no, Luxemburg), officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, ; french: link=no, Grand-Duché de Luxembourg ; german: link=no, Großherzogtum Luxemburg is a small lan ...
on May 24–25, 2007. The conference was attended by over 50 renowned experts from 14 countries, including
Sergey Kirienko, Director General of the
Rosatom
Rosatom, ( rus, Росатом, p=rɐsˈatəm}) also known as Rosatom State Nuclear Energy Corporation, the State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom or Rosatom State Corporation, is a Russian state corporation headquartered in Moscow that speciali ...
State Atomic Energy Corporation,
Mohamed ElBaradei
Mohamed Mustafa ElBaradei ( ar, محمد مصطفى البرادعي, Muḥammad Muṣṭafá al-Barādaʿī, ; born 17 June 1942) is an Egyptian law scholar and diplomat who served as the vice president of Egypt on an interim basis from 14 July ...
, Director General of the
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Nikolay Laverov, Academician and Vice President of the
Russian Academy of Sciences
The Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS; russian: Росси́йская акаде́мия нау́к (РАН) ''Rossíyskaya akadémiya naúk'') consists of the national academy of Russia; a network of scientific research institutes from across ...
(RAS),
William Perry, former Secretary of the U.S. Department of Defense, and
Hans Blix
Hans Martin Blix (; born 28 June 1928) is a Swedish diplomat and politician for the Liberal People's Party. He was Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs (1978–1979) and later became the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency. As suc ...
, Chairman of the Weapons of Mass Destruction Commission and former Director General of the IAEA.
Personal life
Kantor is married to Anna Kantor and has four sons and a daughter.
Kantor bought a violin made by the Italian violin maker
Riccardo Antoniazzi in 1912. The violin has been given as a First Prize of the 2nd International Violinists
Vladimir Spivakov
Vladimir Teodorovich Spivakov (Russian: Влади́мир Теодо́рович Спивако́в; born 12 September 1944) is a Soviet and Russian conductor and violinist best known for his work with the Moscow Virtuosi chamber orchestra.
Spi ...
Contest. Its price was $140,000.
Kantor is a trustee and Life President of the
Anna Freud Centre
The Anna Freud Centre (now renamed the Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families) is a child mental health research, training and treatment centre located in London, United Kingdom. The Centre aims to transform current mental health ...
(London, UK). Kantor was previously a patron of
King Solomon High School
King Solomon High School is a Modern Orthodox Judaism comprehensive school located in Barkingside, Greater London, England. It was opened in 1993 by its first headmaster, Mr Alastair Falk.
In March 2007, it was announced that Spencer Lewis wo ...
(London, UK). Kantor supported the development of the school which is a Jewish Comprehensive school based in Redbridge.
Kantor has been a benefactor of the Royal Opera House Covent Garden Foundation since 2013, in which capacity he has facilitated various projects.
Kantor was appointed Life Governor and Trustee of the
King Edward VII's Hospital
King Edward VII's Hospital (formal name: King Edward VII's Hospital Sister Agnes) is a private hospital located on Beaumont Street in the Marylebone district of central London.
Agnes Keyser, later known as Sister Agnes, established the hospi ...
in London after his charitable foundation funded the redevelopment of the site adjacent to the hospital, Macintosh House, which was subsequently renamed the Kantor Medical Centre.
Kantor is president of the
Museum of Avant-Garde Mastery (MAGMA), founded in 2001 in Moscow on Kantor's initiative.
In 2018, President of the
Russian Academy of Arts
Russian Academy of Arts (RAKh / rus. РАХ, Росси́йская акаде́мия худо́жеств) is the State scientific Institution of Russian Federation, eligible heir to the USSR Academy of Arts. RAKh is the public cultural Instit ...
and People's Artist of the URSS
Zurab Tsereteli
Zurab Konstantinovich Tsereteli ( ka, ზურაბ კონსტანტინეს ძე წერეთელი, russian: Зураб Константинович Церетели; born 4 January 1934) is a Georgian-Russian painter, sc ...
officially awarded Kantor as the President of
MAGMA Museum with the robe and diploma of Honorary Member of the
Russian Academy of Arts
Russian Academy of Arts (RAKh / rus. РАХ, Росси́йская акаде́мия худо́жеств) is the State scientific Institution of Russian Federation, eligible heir to the USSR Academy of Arts. RAKh is the public cultural Instit ...
.
Honors and awards
Kantor received the following government awards:
Order of Friendship
The Order of Friendship (russian: Орден Дружбы, ') is a state decoration of the Russian Federation established by Boris Yeltsin by presidential decree 442 of 2 March 1994 to reward Russian and foreign nationals whose work, deeds ...
(Russia, 1998), Officer's Cross of the
Order of Merit (Poland, 2005),
Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise
The Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise ( uk, Орден князя Ярослава Мудрого) is an award of Ukraine. It is awarded for distinguished services to the state and people of the Ukrainian nation in the field of state building, ...
(Ukraine, 2006),
Order of Leopold (Belgium, 2009), Chevalier of the
National Order of the Legion of Honour
The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon B ...
(France, 2012), Knight’s Grand Cross of the
Order of Merit of the Italian Republic
The Order of Merit of the Italian Republic ( it, Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana) is the senior Italian order of merit. It was established in 1951 by the second President of the Italian Republic, Luigi Einaudi.
The highest-ranking ...
(Italy, 2013), Grand Cross with honours of the
National Order of Merit (Romania, 2014), Officer of the
National Order of the Legion of Honour
The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon B ...
(France, 2014, presented in 2015), The
Order of Honour (Russia, 2016), Officer of the
Order of the Crown (Belgium, 2020) and
Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold for Services to the Republic of Austria (Austria, 2021).
He is an honorary citizen of Veliky Novgorod (1997) and Honorary Member of the
Russian Academy of Arts
Russian Academy of Arts (RAKh / rus. РАХ, Росси́йская акаде́мия худо́жеств) is the State scientific Institution of Russian Federation, eligible heir to the USSR Academy of Arts. RAKh is the public cultural Instit ...
.
In addition, he received an honorary doctorate from
Tel-Aviv University
Tel Aviv University (TAU) ( he, אוּנִיבֶרְסִיטַת תֵּל אָבִיב, ''Universitat Tel Aviv'') is a public research university in Tel Aviv, Israel. With over 30,000 students, it is the largest university in the country. Loc ...
(2004) and the Medal of Merit "Deserved for Tolerance" by the Ecumenical Foundation Tolerance (2011).
Kantor has been recognized for seven consecutive years as one of the '50 Most Influential Jews in the World'.
In 1997, Viatcheslav Kantor was named Honorary Citizen of
Veliky Novgorod
Veliky Novgorod ( rus, links=no, Великий Новгород, t=Great Newtown, p=vʲɪˈlʲikʲɪj ˈnovɡərət), also known as just Novgorod (), is the largest city and administrative centre of Novgorod Oblast, Russia. It is one of the ...
.
See also
*
European Jewish Congress
The European Jewish Congress, (EJC), was founded in 1986. It is based in Brussels, with offices in Paris, Strasbourg, Berlin and Budapest. It is a representative body of democratically elected European Jewish communities throughout Europe.
Overv ...
*
World Jewish Congress
The World Jewish Congress (WJC) was founded in Geneva, Switzerland in August 1936 as an international federation of Jewish communities and organizations. According to its mission statement, the World Jewish Congress' main purpose is to act as ...
*
European Council on Tolerance and Reconciliation
The European Council on Tolerance and Reconciliation (also ''ECTR'') is a non-governmental organization that was established in Paris, France on 7 October 2008 to monitor tolerance in Europe. The Chairman of the council is former British Prime M ...
*
*
European Jewish Fund The European Jewish Fund (''EJF'') is an international non-governmental organisation that coordinates and supports programmes and events aimed at improving interreligious and interethnic relations, reinforcing Jewish identity, counteracting assimil ...
*
World Holocaust Forum The World Holocaust Forum is a series of events aimed at preserving the memory of the Holocaust. It is also known as the "Let My People Live!" Forum.
The World Holocaust Forum Foundation was established in 2005 under the chairmanship of Viatcheslav ...
*
Museum of Avant-Garde Mastery
References
External links
Viatcheslav Moshe Kantor (website)European Jewish CongressEuropean Jewish FundKantor Center on the Study of Contemporary European Jewry*
National Institute of Corporate Reform
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kantor, Viatcheslav Moshe
1953 births
Living people
Museum founders
Jewish anti-racism activists
Russian Jews
Russian billionaires
Officiers of the Légion d'honneur
Chevaliers of the Légion d'honneur
Knights Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic
Recipients of the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise
Officers of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland
Recipients of the Order of Honour (Russia)
Recipients of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic
Grand Crosses of the Order of the Star of Romania
Russian businesspeople in the United Kingdom
Russian oligarchs
Russian individuals subject to the European Union sanctions
Russian individuals subject to United Kingdom sanctions