Mikhail Prokhorov
Mikhail Prokhorov's voice Sorry, your browser either has JavaScript disabled or does not have any supported player. You can download the clip or download a player to play the clip in your browser. recorded September 2013 Problems playing this file? See media help. Mikhail Dmitrievitch Prokhorov (Russian: Михаи л Дми триевич Про хоров; IPA: [mʲɪxɐˈil ˈdmʲitrʲɪjɪvʲɪtɕ ˈproxərəf]; born 3 May 1965) is a Russian billionaire, politician, and owner of the American basketball team the Brooklyn Nets. After graduating from the Moscow Finance Institute, he worked in the financial sector and subsequently went on to become one of Russia's leading industrialists, owning major stakes in multinational corporations in the precious metals sector. While he was running Norilsk Nickel, the company became the world's largest producer of nickel and palladium. He is the former chairman of Polyus Gold, Russia's largest gold producer, and the former President of ONEXIM Group. He resigned both positions to enter politics in June 2011. In December 2011, Prokhorov capped a year of higher-profile political activity in Russia with the December declaration that he would run as an independent candidate in the 2012 Russian presidential election. He was third in the voting, amassing 7.94% of the total vote. In June 2012 he declared the establishment of the new Russian political party called the “Party of Civic Platform”. As of 2014, Forbes estimates his wealth at $10.9 billion.