39 Facts About Len Blavatnik

In 2017, Blavatnik received a knighthood for services to philanthropy.

Len Blavatnik made his initial fortune, alongside other Russian oligarchs, in the privatization of state-owned aluminum and oil assets after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Len Blavatnik owns most of Warner Music Group and has stakes in several publicly traded assets via his privately held Access Industries.

Len Blavatnik was born in Odesa in 1957, then in the Ukrainian SSR and part of the Soviet Union, to a Jewish family.

Len Blavatnik's parents moved to Yaroslavl, a Russian city north of Moscow, when he was a child.

Len Blavatnik attended Moscow State University of Railway Engineering but did not complete his coursework due to the family's request for emigration visas.

Len Blavatnik's family emigrated from the Soviet Union to the United States of America in 1978 and, in 1981, he received a master's degree in computer science from the School of Engineering and Applied Science at Columbia University, and an MBA from Harvard Business School in 1989.

Len Blavatnik began his business career by accumulating shares in aluminum smelters.

Len Blavatnik did this via his holding company, Access Industries.

Len Blavatnik has been described as a victor in Russia's "aluminum wars".

Len Blavatnik made his wealth through the acquisition of these commodities.

Len Blavatnik was a board member of Rusal from 2007 to 2016.

Len Blavatnik invested in regional electricity generating stations, which it used to supply power to its energy-intensive aluminium businesses.

In 2022, Len Blavatnik sold his stake in Russian aluminum producer United Co.

Len Blavatnik listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange in June 2020.

In 2017, Len Blavatnik was named as possible purchaser of the publisher Time Inc.

Len Blavatnik prepared the bid with Edgar "Ed" Bronfman Jr, the former chief executive of Warner Music.

In March 2017, Bronfman and Len Blavatnik walked away from the deal, citing valuation issues.

Len Blavatnik owns AI Film, the independent film and production company that backed Lee Daniels' film The Butler and the summer 2015 release Mr Holmes.

Len Blavatnik was an early investor in Rocket Internet and Beats Music, helped finance fashion designer Tory Burch, and, in 2013, paid $115 million for wireless spectrum in Norway.

Len Blavatnik is part of Perform Group, a UK based sports media company owned by Len Blavatnik's Access Industries.

In February 2022, Len Blavatnik agreed a $4.3 billion recapitalisation of DAZN.

Len Blavatnik is a member of the Board of Trustees at Carnegie Hall, a member of the Board of Directors at 92NY and a member of the Board of Directors at the Center for Jewish History.

Len Blavatnik is a member of the Harvard Medical School Board of Fellows, a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and a member of the Board of Governors at Tel Aviv University.

Some outlets have suggested Len Blavatnik has been involved in reputation laundering through his philanthropic projects, and that he maintains close connections to Viktor Vekselberg, an oligarch sanctioned by the US government.

Len Blavatnik denies connections to Putin, and has attempted to avoid the label of oligarch.

Len Blavatnik founded the Len Blavatnik Archive in 2005 to support primary source-based scholarship and education by preserving and disseminating materials that contribute to the study of 20th century Jewish and world history.

In 2011, Len Blavatnik donated to both US President Barack Obama and his Republican Party rival, former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney.

In February 2016, Len Blavatnik donated over $1 million to an anti-Donald Trump GOP group.

Len Blavatnik donated $1 million to the committee for the 2017 inauguration of Donald Trump.

Since April 2016, Len Blavatnik has contributed $383,000 to the Republican National Committee and $1 million to Trump's inauguration fund.

Between 2015 and 2017, Len Blavatnik contributed $3.5 million to Republican Senate Leader Mitch McConnell's super PAC.

Len Blavatnik donated $5,200 to the Pete Buttigieg 2020 presidential campaign and $5,600 to the Joe Biden 2020 presidential campaign.

Len Blavatnik was a member of a WhatsApp group chat that existed from November 2023 until early May 2024 involving some of the United States' most powerful business leaders with the stated goals of "chang[ing] the narrative" in favor of Israel and "help[ing] win the war" on US public opinion following Hamas's October 7th attack on Israel.

Len Blavatnik's spokesperson told the Washington Post that he donated $2,100 to Adams's campaign in April 2024.

Len Blavatnik has a residence in Manhattan valued at more than $250 million.

Len Blavatnik was a longtime friend and former business partner of Ukrainian-born Russian oligarch Viktor Vekselberg.

In 2013, Len Blavatnik was made chevalier of the French Legion d'Honneur.

Len Blavatnik was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in the 2017 Birthday Honours for services to philanthropy.