Entrepreneur Vitaly Antonov, whose biography is related to the fuel business, was included in the Russian sanctions list in November 2018. It became interesting, but what does this person do? In his biography there are many white spots. Let's talk about the life and business of Vitaliy Antonov, his hobbies and family.
Beginning of life
The future businessman Antonov Vitaliy Borisovich was born on December 12, 1962 in the city of Stry, Lviv region in Ukraine. Nothing is known about the entrepreneur’s childhood and his parents, Antonov himself does not like to spread about the topics of his private life. With accuracy, we can only say that he lived in his native city until graduation.
From 1970 to 1978, he studied at secondary school number 4 of the city of Stry. Since childhood, Vitaliy was fond of sports, he was seriously involved in mountaineering, and this tempered his character. After graduating from the 8th grade, Antonov enters the vocational school of the city of Stryi. And at the end of it, in 1981 he got a job in the repair shop as an electric gas welder.
Education
In 1983, Vitaliy Antonov entered the Ternopol Financial and Economic Institute with a degree in Finance and Credit. He studies well, continues to play sports. And in 1988 he received a diploma with honors.
Later, in 2011, Antonov decided to improve his qualifications and defended his thesis in economics. The theme of the work “Enhancing the attraction of foreign direct investment in the Ukrainian economy in the context of global competition” is related to his professional activity.
Work biography
Upon graduation, Antonov decided to follow the path associated with his passion for mountaineering and climbing. In 1988, he became director of the Karpaty climbing and tourist club in his hometown. And two years later, the young man already becomes the head of the rescue service of the Red Cross Society of the city of Stry, Lviv Region. At this time, a wave of private enterprise begins to rise in the country. And active Vitaly decides to try himself in this area. To this he was prompted also by the death of a climber friend. Antonov says that for a while it frightened him away from hiking in the mountains.
Business
In 1992, Antonov, along with friends, opened a private company, Karat, for the wholesale trade of various groups of goods. According to the businessman, they traded everything they could: from oranges to truck cranes. The company was looking for its niche in the market. For several years of work, they have identified the most profitable segment, and the main activity is the sale of petroleum products.
In 1995, Antonov created the open joint-stock company Galnaftogaz and became its president. The company is rapidly gaining weight in the country, occupying an increasingly large part of the market. In 2001, a concern was established on the basis of the joint-stock company, and Antonov became its president.
In the same year, the capacities of three large fuel companies are combined: Ivanofrankivsknaftoprodukt OJSC, Zakarpatnaftoprodukt-Uzhgorod OJSC and Zakarpatnaftoprodukt-Khust OJSC. They create a network of gas stations, the concern “Galnaftogaz” is appointed as their owner, and Vitaly Antonov is at the head of the network.
“OKKO” - that was the name of Antonov’s first gas station, it was a complex with a cafe, a car wash and a shop. This enterprise has become a model for all network stations. And the name for the network was also taken from this first refueling. So, in a few years, Vitaly Borisovich reached a whole new level, becoming one of the largest businessmen in the country.
In 2004, Antonov became president of the Universal Investment Group. Two years later, he is a member of the Supervisory Board of the Khlebprom concern. Two years later, he heads the Supervisory Board of Universalna Insurance Company. All these years, Antonov continues to lead the Supervisory Board of Galnaftogaz.
In 2009, the businessman decides to sell a 20% stake in the fuel concern to the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. He invests the profit of $ 50 million in the development of the OKKO network. At the same time, Antonov continues to develop other branches of his business. He combines his construction and development companies and creates a large holding UDC. Vitaliy Borisovich strengthens the food companies of the Khlebprom concern through the purchase of the Yavir-Mlyn company.
Since 2010, Antonov has been a member of the Supervisory Board of Lviv Invest Investment Promotion Company. Later in the Antonov Empire appeared restaurant chains, grocery retail stores. Now the businessman is thinking about building a ski resort in his homeland. Despite the difficult situation in the country, Antonov's companies for the third year in a row show a steady increase in net profit.
condition
The successful entrepreneurial activity of Vitaliy Antonov allowed him to earn very serious capital. According to 2018, his fortune is estimated at more than half a billion dollars. He is only 18 million behind the president of Ukraine A. Poroshenko. Over the past three years, the businessman was able to advance from 21 places in the list of “100 richest people of Ukraine” to the thirteenth position.
Social work
An active and successful entrepreneur Vitaly Antonov, whose business is developing well, finds the strength and time for different social activities. At the end of the 20th century, he headed the commission on the work of the fuel and energy complex of the Ukrainian Council of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs. Since 1999, the businessman has been the Permanent Honorary Consul of Lithuania in Lviv, and since 2007 - the General Honorary Consul of this country. Since 2001, he heads the Lithuanian-Ukrainian Council named after the poet Taras Shevchenko.
In 2002, Antonov, for the first time, was trying to go into politics, he participated in the elections for deputies from the bloc “For United Ukraine” and suffered a failure. From now on, he prefers to cooperate with politicians, but not to do this business himself.
In 2008, the entrepreneur became one of the founders of the Business School at the Catholic University in Lviv.
In 2009, he works in the Investors Council under the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. Antonov is constantly looking for opportunities to protect and lobby his business, therefore he is actively cooperating with the government. In 2013, he is a member of the Investment Council under the Ministry of Revenue of Ukraine.
In 2016, Antonov is a member of the Supervisory Board of Lviv University.
Awards and titles
During his successful career, Vitaliy Antonov, whose photo can be found in secular chronicles of Ukraine, often received high ranks. He systematically falls into the lists of the richest and most influential people in Ukraine. More than once he received the title of Best Manager in the Oil and Gas Industry. In 2011, Antonov was included in the top three top managers of the whole country. In 2012, he won the nomination "Seller and Marketer", and in 2014, Vitaliy Borisovich became the first in the ranking of the best top managers of Ukraine according to the magazine "Companion". Since 2013, he is annually included in the list of “100 Most Influential People of Ukraine”.
Antonov’s account has several government awards: the Ukrainian Order of Merit, the Lithuanian Order of the Millennium Star of Lithuania, several awards from the Ukrainian Catholic and Orthodox churches.
Hobbies
From his youth, Vitaliy Antonov has a passion for mountains. He has the title of candidate for master of sports in climbing and mountaineering. Leaving the idea to engage in this sport professionally, the businessman continues to go to the mountains, although he no longer makes extreme ascents. He is also interested in skiing, freeriding, heli-skiing, diving, motto sports, travel. A businessman regularly practices in the gym, even manages to hold meetings from there. Antonov skillfully distributes his time between business and hobbies, which helps him to do many things at the same time.
Personal life
Vitaly Antonov, whose family is of great interest to the public and journalists, often try to attribute various novels. But the businessman does not pay attention to these rumors. Antonov has been divorced for several years, and this does not give rest to gossipers. Previously, the businessman was married, has three children from this marriage. Daughter Julia (b. 1985) is a member of the Glanaftogaz TV Council, has an MBA degree. Antonov also has another daughter (born in 1993) and a son (born in 2003). After the divorce, the children remained with their mother, but Antonov helps them financially, there was no scandal in connection with the divorce.
Interesting Facts
Vitaly Antonov received from the press the nickname "billion with a smile." So he was nicknamed for the habit of always smiling at everyone, he demands the same from all his employees.
The businessman does not hide his sympathy for the views of Karl Marx. He believes that money is the main measure of relations.
In 2018, Antonov and his company were charged with operating gas stations in the Crimea, as well as financing and inciting separatism in eastern Ukraine.
Quotes
Vitaly Antonov is an entrepreneur with a reputation as a very cautious person. It is not typical for him to give harsh comments or to make ambiguous statements. Among the notable quotes from his speeches, the following are best known:
- “For me, money is not a goal at all, but a way to measure relationships. If relations with the outside world are of high quality, then there is more money, if of poor quality, then there is less money, respectively. ”
- “In the mountains you can lose everything, including life. The situation is the same in business. ”
- “Business is a means of self-realization.”
- “The company's main asset is its reputation.”