Gref German Oskarovich is known for his political activities not only in Russia but also abroad. His conceptual ideas are very popular. In 2007, Gref becomes the head of Sberbank, which he is to this day. According to Forbes magazine, the banker was on the list of nine Russian businessmen who are considered cranks and eccentrics. Who is Herman Gref? His biography is very rich in events, and in this article we will examine in more detail the life of a politician.
Place of birth and family
Gref German Oskarovich was born on February 8, 1964 in the Kazakh SSR, in the village of Panfilovo, Pavlograd Region. His parents are ethnic Germans who were exiled from Donbass to Kazakhstan in 1941. It was necessary to live then under the harsh conditions of the curfew regime. It was in such an environment that German Gref grew up.
His family was simple: his father worked as an engineer, and his mother worked as a bookkeeper. The future famous politician was the third child, he had a brother and sister. German Gref, whose nationality predetermined that from childhood he would carry two cultures, grew up calm and orderly. Parents spoke with their children in two languages: German and Russian.
Herman Gref: biography
German married early, on his former classmate, and went with her to Omsk in order to go to university, but this attempt was unsuccessful. Soon he was drafted into the army, where he served two years in the special forces of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. After serving in the army, he made a second attempt to enter the university. And this time, his long-awaited dream comes true - he becomes an applicant to the law faculty of OmSU.
By the way, upon graduation, he was awarded a red diploma, and besides, he established himself over the years of study at the university as an active participant in public life. German Gref, whose nationality to some extent interfered with his development in Soviet times, in spite of everything, achieved success.
Later, he became a graduate student at Leningrad State University (1990-1993). True, after graduating from graduate school, Herman could not defend his dissertation. In order to provide for his family, while still a student, he went to work teams to earn money.
In 1990, Gref is a lecturer at the Faculty of Law of OSU. In 2011, at the RANEPA, he managed, after many years, to again attempt to defend his dissertation, which he succeeded with.
He is fluent in German and loves to read Goethe.
Relocation to St. Petersburg
In 1991, the family moved to the Northern capital and got a job in the administration of the Petrodvorets district. German Gref, whose biography is presented to your attention, has since then been receiving high-ranking posts over and over again. Here he first worked for a year as a lawyer, and then for two years he headed the KUGI and was deputy head of the city of Petrodvorets.
During his work, he proved himself to be an intelligent pedant who has professional acumen. Thus, for three years he oversaw the property of the museum town in various positions, and later he was engaged in the same activity, only at the St. Petersburg level.
In the early 90s, Mayor Sobchak was Gref’s scientific adviser at Leningrad State University, so the latter has had good relations with political figures since then, which could not but affect the development of his future career. In addition, he was familiar with Vladimir Putin. Sobchak and Putin are often even called the "godfathers" of German Gref.
1994 is marked by a new round in the political career of German Gref - he becomes deputy chairman of the KugI City Hall of St. Petersburg. Later, namely in 1997-1998, he served as chairman and vice-governor.
In 1997, German Oskarovich became a member of the Board of Directors of JSC Lenenergo and became vice-governor. And in 1998, he became a member of the board of the Ministry of State Property of the Russian Federation and first deputy minister. A year later, he turns out to be a member of the board of the Federal Commission for the Securities Market and, in addition, he heads the Center for Strategic Research Foundation.
Moscow career
In 2000, after Gref moved to live in the capital, he was appointed Deputy Minister of State Property of the Russian Federation, and later - Minister of Economic Development and Trade.
From 2000 to 2007 He is the Minister of Economic Development and Trade of the Russian Federation in the government of Mikhail Fradkov and Mikhail Kasyanov. At that time, he actively supported Russia in its entry into the WTO (World Trade Organization). In July 2000, he was appointed manager of the Russian Federation at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and in the same year, somewhat later, he becomes deputy manager of the Russian Federation at the IBRD. From 2011 to the present, Genrikh Oskarovich is a Member of the Board of Trustees of the RS for International Affairs. And since 2007 - the head of Sberbank.
Attitude to sports
German Gref has a positive attitude to sports and from childhood he was fascinated by its various types, such as athletics, hockey and basketball. He later showed interest in tennis.
He assures that he trains at least 4 times a week, but due to employment, this is not always possible to do. In addition, the head of Sberbank insists that all his top managers attend the gym at least 3 times a week.
Herman Gref: personal life
The first time Gref got engaged very early, and soon after the wedding he and his wife Elena Velikanova had a son. Herman Gref’s wife is currently designer Ian Golovin, with whom he married in the throne room of Peterhof Nature Reserve. In 2006, they had a daughter. And son Oleg, from his first marriage, currently graduated from Moscow State University and became vice president of NEO Center.
Banker
Since 2007, German Oskarovich has been President and Chairman of the Board of the Savings Bank of the Russian Federation.
According to German Gref, Sberbank requires that competitiveness be the key to its business. Therefore, from the moment he began his activities at the main bank of Russia, he began a course towards creating a flexible and reliable structure that is sensitive to market signals and friendly to depositors. Under his leadership, Sberbank was updated not only externally - the team of top managers was also updated.
Harsh but fair
German Gref’s statements about the people and what is happening in the country are sometimes somewhat harsh and carry the harsh truth about reality. In the recent past, a situation arose when German Gref in his speech called Russia a downshifter. This statement did not like the vice speaker of the State Duma Nikolai Levichev, who in response to these words suggested that the politician resign voluntarily.
German Gref once spoke of the people as follows: "As soon as all people understand the basis of their" I ", they will identify themselves, manage, that is, it will be extremely difficult to manipulate them," meaning that it will be difficult and difficult to live in such a society manage it. Regarding the current state of our country in the world economy, he states the following: "Russia is losing the competition, and the oil age has come to an end. From now on, the country's only chance is to develop the following three components - science, education and business." It was then that a scandalous statement was made that some did not like that Russia is a downshifter country - that is, it is losing.
To change this situation, Gref proposed joining the technological revolution and changing the model of education that has remained since Soviet times. It is from this, in his opinion, that it is necessary to begin in order for any shifts for the better to occur.
Here are some more of his quotes:
- "We are creating an absolutely unthinkable number of universities that train accountants, and soon the whole country will become accountants!"
- "The media should be allowed into all the secret processes of civil servants."
- "The most difficult choice - no one can be thrown out" (on the creation of special economic zones).
Scandals
Four criminal cases were connected with Gref’s name while he served as vice-governor and chairman of the KUGI of St. Petersburg. One of them is related to the privatization of the palace of Prince Gorchakov. The politician decided to privatize him, but the status of a monument of federal significance contradicted these actions on his part.
The next time he was suspected of receiving a bribe. This happened due to the situation when German Gref handed over the Haymarket without competitive bidding to the director of a commercial center. After that, one businessman who wanted to get the named object was informed that Gref was helped in making this decision by a bribe - but he was never questioned in the case.
The third case was related to JSC “Color Printing Plant”. German Gref issued a decree according to which the position of general director was to be taken by a person from the close circle of the politician. The prosecutor’s office saw in this the interference of the authorities in the organization’s activities. This time, the case was not given a move either.
And finally, the last criminal case was related to the redistribution of real estate business in St. Petersburg. Then four large firms could not divide the spheres of influence, and Alexander Moshkalov, who at that time was trying to subordinate large real estate agencies to his influence, made an appointment in the office of Gref to the president of the city Association of Realtors.
Conclusion
German Oskarovich achieved great success in politics, but not only. For a long time, he has been at the helm of the board of the largest bank in Russia. His personality is partly controversial and, of course, bright. German Gref, whose biography is presented in the article, is known for his hard work, perseverance and great goals. This is an ambitious and versatile person.
