Boris Rotenberg (businessman)

Boris Rotenberg
Born	Boris Romanovich Rotenberg (1957-01-03) January 3, 1957
Occupation(s)	Entrepreneur, oligarch, businessman
Years active	1992–present
Known for	Co-owner of SGM (StroyGazMontazh), president of Russian Judo Federation, president of Russian Automobile Federation
Notable work	Founder of SMP Bank, involvement in construction projects for Sochi Winter Olympics, ownership of BR Engineering

Boris Romanovich Rotenberg (; born 3 January 1957) is a prominent Russian entrepreneur and oligarch. Together with his brother Arkady Rotenberg, he co-owns the SGM (StroyGazMontazh) group, which stands as Russia's leading construction company specializing in the installation of gas pipelines and electrical power transmission lines. In 2016, Forbes listed him as the 69th wealthiest person in Russia, estimating his net worth at $1.07 billion. He is widely recognized for his close ties to President Vladimir Putin.

Since the annexation of Crimea by Russia in 2014, Rotenberg has been subjected to sanctions imposed by the United States. Following Russia’s military actions in Ukraine in 2022, the United Kingdom also included him on its sanctions list.

Biography

Born in 1957 into a family of Jewish heritage, Rotenberg pursued martial arts from 1968 to 1978, with a particular focus on judo. During this period, he trained alongside Vladimir Putin and earned multiple accolades representing the Soviet Union. In 1992, he embarked on a career as a professional judo coach in Helsinki, returning to St. Petersburg six years later in 1998.

In 2001, together with his brother, Rotenberg established SMP Bank, which now operates more than 100 branches across approximately 40 cities in Russia, predominantly near Moscow, and controls over 900 ATMs. Capitalizing on his relationship with Vladimir Putin, Rotenberg’s enterprises developed strong connections with Gazprom. He is considered a key figure within the influential St. Petersburg energy lobby aligned with Putin’s administration.

Rotenberg played a significant role in delivering 20 construction projects for the Sochi Winter Olympics valued at around €5 billion, including the pivotal coastal highway leading to Adler, home to the Olympic Park. Between July 2013 and July 2015, he held the position of president at FC Dynamo Moscow. Additionally, he serves as president of the Russian Judo Federation. After departing from Dynamo Moscow, he acquired FC Dynamo Saint Petersburg, which was subsequently relocated to Sochi and rebranded as PFC Sochi, achieving promotion to the Russian Premier League for the 2019–20 campaign.

Following Russia's annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation, the Obama administration blacklisted Rotenberg and several associates close to President Putin. In July 2014, the European Union also sanctioned his company Giprotransmost due to its role in planning a bridge connecting Russia with Crimea.

On 27 March 2014, Visa and MasterCard briefly ceased operations with SMP Bank and other financial institutions but reversed their decisions after confirming these banks did not fall under U.S. Treasury sanction regulations.

Rotenberg was listed in the Panama Papers and holds citizenship in Finland. In January 2020, Finnish courts ruled against him in a dispute concerning denial of fundamental banking services on account of his non-residency within the European Economic Area; he was ordered to cover legal expenses exceeding €530,000.

Amid escalating tensions during the 2021–2022 Russo-Ukrainian crisis, both Rotenberg and his nephew Igor were added to UK sanctions on 22 February 2022. The United States followed suit on 3 March by sanctioning Rotenberg and his immediate family members, with the EU implementing similar measures in April 2022.

Motorsport

SMP Bank has supported motorsport teams under the banner of SMP Racing, which has included Russian competitors such as Mikhail Aleshin, Sergey Sirotkin, and Vitaly Petrov. These drivers have participated in prestigious series including Formula 1, Formula 2, the FIA World Endurance Championship, IndyCar Series, and the European Le Mans Series.

BR Engineering, a race car manufacturing company, is owned by Rotenberg. In 2024, he assumed the role of president of the Russian Automobile Federation.

Wealth

As of January 2022, Forbes valued Rotenberg's fortune at approximately $1.2 billion USD. Among his former assets was a Bombardier Challenger 300 aircraft (registration M-ARRH), which was confiscated by Credit Suisse in 2019 and subsequently sold following sanctions levied against him.

Personal life

Boris Rotenberg's older brother is Arkady Rotenberg. His two eldest sons are Roman Rotenberg, who serves as chief marketing officer for the ice hockey team SKA St. Petersburg, and Boris Rotenberg, a professional football player for FC Lokomotiv Moscow.

His nephew, Igor Rotenberg (born 1974), is also recognized as a Russian billionaire entrepreneur.

External links

• Oliver Bilger: Krim-Krise, Die Angst vor dem Wirtschaftskrieg wächst, Die Zeit, 21 March 2014.