The most influential people in Russia 2018, Forbes rating

"Chickens are counted in the fall," decided the experts of the Russian magazine Forbes and in early September presented the Russians with a list the most influential people in Russia in 2018.

In separating impostors from titans, the magazine used the following technique:

• First, the experts chose the very best, the whole color of the Russian influential elite. That is, everyone who in Russian society has a lot of money and power, holds a high administrative position, and also takes part in governing the country. As a result, there were 1,500 people.
• Since their spheres of activity were different, they had to divide the participants into several categories and already organize competitions within this very category. For example, the governor was assessed from the point of view of the efficiency of management of the region entrusted to him, namely, how much GRP it produces. And some financier was judged by how much money he had.
• Although the degree of influence of the participants in the list is difficult to assess in solid terms, however, it was taken into account as well.
• Also, Forbes experts, who are well aware of how things are done in Russia, have introduced another important category - the degree of proximity to the top in general and the president in particular.
• Measuring proximity is easier than it sounds. If a businessman is invited to the Kremlin, where is he handles with Putin himself, which means he gets extra points. If a government official belongs to you-know-which party, then his chances of getting into the top 100 most influential people in the country look much more optimistic.

The top ten leaders of the country look quite predictable, especially considering that, according to the American version of the magazine, Vladimir Vladimirovich is the second most influential person in the world. True, national pride is hurt by the fact that after five years of unconditional leadership, the GDP ceded the palm to the head of China, Xi Jinping. We will assume that this was done by Vladimir Vladimirovich because of natural modesty and as a favor to a neighbor.

The rest of the seats were distributed predictably - mainly representatives of state-owned companies, especially their oil and gas part, are in the top ten. For instance:

• Alexey Miller (the head of Gazprom and a fan of the Zenit football club, of which Gazprom is the main sponsor);
• Igor Sechin (Director of Rosneft; we hope that the divorce and the loss of his beloved Bentley did not cripple him too much);
• Oleg Belozerov (responsible for Russian Railways).

Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev occupies an honorable fifth place. Private capital is also represented in the top ten. As you may have guessed, these are the heads of large oil and gas companies, Surgutneftegaz and Lukoil. Surprisingly, despite the overwhelming majority of men in the list, one woman made her way to the top 10. This is Elvira Nabiullina, the Governor of the Bank of Russia, which regularly publishes bank reliability rating.

Rating of the most influential people in Russia, a complete list of Forbes

Naturally, the Kremlin administration did not approve of the Forbes initiative. Peskov called the list "strange", of course, with the exception of its first line. Apparently, the Kremlin has a different view of influence, according to some of its own special criteria.