Alexander Knaster

Alexander Knaster
Born	(1959-02-19) February 19, 1959 Moscow, Soviet Union
Occupation(s)	Entrepreneur, investor, philanthropist
Known for	Founder of Pamplona Capital Management; major supporter of the Conservative Party (UK)
Notable work	Founder of The Mark Foundation for Cancer Research; chairman of Genesis Philanthropy Group

Alexander Knaster (born 19 February 1959) is a billionaire entrepreneur based in the United States and the founder of Pamplona Capital Management. He is recognized for his substantial financial support to the Conservative Party in The United Kingdom.

Biography

Born in Moscow in 1959 into a Jewish academic family, Knaster’s father, Mark Knaster, was an inventor with patents related to metal coatings and solar technology and held positions at institutions including USC. His mother, Tatyana Knaster, was a civil engineer and educator affiliated with the Pennsylvania Institute of Technology.

Following his graduation from Physics and Mathematics School No. 444, Knaster emigrated to the United States at age 16. He obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering and mathematics from Carnegie Mellon University, supported by a scholarship. In 1980, he began working as an engineer for Schlumberger on oil platforms located in the Gulf of Mexico.

Knaster earned an MBA from Harvard Business School in 1985 and subsequently held roles at various investment banks. In 1995, he returned to Russia to serve as CEO of Credit Suisse First Boston’s Russian division. Additionally, he completed a PhD in Economics from the Russian Academy of Science. Invited by Mikhail Fridman, he took on the role of CEO at Alfa-Bank in 1998. Drawing on his investment banking experience, Knaster founded Pamplona Capital Management in 2004, initially capitalized with profits from Alfa Group. By 2021, the firm managed assets totaling $15 billion.

Knaster holds the position of Executive Fellow at London Business School and contributes to its Department of Strategy and Entrepreneurship.

In January 2021, he acquired a majority ownership—75% stake—in Italian Serie B football club Pisa. The team achieved second place in Serie B during the 2024-2025 season, earning promotion to Serie A.

Philanthropy

As a dedicated philanthropist, Knaster has made significant donations to educational institutions including Carnegie Mellon University and Harvard Business School, where he also volunteers as a regional Campaign Leadership member. In 1993, he founded the Alexander M. Knaster Scholarship Fund to support undergraduates studying Electrical and Computer Engineering at Carnegie Mellon. Together with alumnus Bruce McWilliams, he helped establish the Knaster-McWilliams scholarships in 2011, which provide enhanced access to faculty mentorship and early research opportunities beyond standard tuition assistance. The Alexander M. Knaster Professorship in Mathematical Sciences bears his name. He is also a member of the Board of Trustees at NYU.

Alongside Stan Polovets and fellow Russian Jewish businessmen Mikhail Fridman, Pyotr Aven, and German Khan, Knaster co-established the Genesis Philanthropy Group, an organization dedicated to reinforcing Jewish identity among Russian-speaking Jewish communities worldwide. He subsequently served as chairman of its board.

Knaster has contributed to institutions such as the Dana Farber Cancer Institute and the Dr. Maria I. New Children’s Hormone Foundation, which supports research and treatment for pediatric genetic hormonal disorders.

In 2014, he launched The Mark Foundation for Cancer Research, transferring the majority of his wealth to this foundation with the ambition of positioning it as a leading global contributor to early-stage cancer research funding.

Personal life

Knaster is married to Irina Knaster, and together they have four children. The family lives in New York City, New York.

External links

• Carnegie Mellon: "Leading Innovation - London Panel Discussion" February 14, 2013