Profile: Alisher Usmanov, Arsenal's new oligarch
Alisher Usmanov has a reputation as a hard man of business even
among Russias oligarchs and once acknowledged that shares were his
favourite possession.
Rated Russias 18th richest man and worth an estimated $5.5
billion, the metals and mining mogul has shown no previous interest
in football. His only prominent involvement in sport until now has
been as president of the Russian and European fencing
associations.
But Mr Usmanov has been building up a media empire in Russia, with
Kremlin approval, and may see a stake in Arsenal as a way to boost
audiences by screening matches to football-crazy fans.
Like other billionaire businessman in Moscow, nervous of a sudden
turn against them by the Kremlin, he may also have concluded from
Roman Abramovichs ownership of Chelsea that a stake in a
high-profile foreign club helps to protect other assets at home
from official prying.
Mr Usmanov, who is married and has two children, was born in
Uzbekistan but is a Russian citizen. He is linked to the Kremlin as
general director of Gazprominvestholding, the subsidiary that
manages the debts of the state-controlled gas monopoly
Gazprom.
He has enjoyed a privileged position during Mr Putins presidency
to the extent that he was forced to deny speculation that he had
bought Kommersant, one of Russias most influential papers, at the
Kremlins request.
With Mr Putin due to stand down as President in March, Mr Usmanovs
involvement with Arsenal may be an insurance policy against any
unexpected downturn in relations with his successor as
president.
