Said Gutseriev
Said Gutseriev | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 18, 1988 Moscow, Russia |
| Nationality | Russian, British |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Years active | 2012–present |
| Known for | Billionaire entrepreneur, son of Mikhail Gutseriev |
Said Mikhailovich Gutseriev (born 18 April 1988 in Moscow) is a businessman of Russian-British nationality with Ingush heritage, and he is the son of the Russian oligarch Mikhail Gutseriev. Since 2018, Forbes has consistently recognized him among the globe’s richest entrepreneurs, estimating his wealth at $1.7 billion as of 2021.
In 2016, he hosted a wedding that was reported to have cost approximately $1 billion. The Pandora Papers disclosed that Gutseriev possesses a London office building valued at £40 million through an offshore entity.
Early life and education
Gutseriev was born in Moscow and moved to the United Kingdom at age eight for his education. He obtained a Master’s degree in Geology from the University of Oxford and later completed an MA in Oil and Gas Business Management at the University of Plymouth. He holds British citizenship and currently lives in London.
Career
Following his graduation from Plymouth University, Said Gutseriev worked at Glencore in London between 2012 and 2014. He began as an analyst within the Structured Financing division for Oil Projects and subsequently transitioned to the company’s financial department.
From 2014 onward, he has taken leadership roles and board memberships across significant industrial companies involved in oil extraction, refining, and coal mining. His investment portfolio includes shares in PJSC M.video and SFI Investment Holding, which controls Europlan leasing, holds 49% of VSK insurance, operates the cloud gaming platform GFN.RU, and maintains minority stakes in various other ventures. Additionally, Gutseriev established Larnabel Ventures and invested in the CIS’s first licensed cryptocurrency exchange before divesting shares in three crypto trading platforms.
Forbes ranked him among the world’s wealthiest businessmen in 2019 with a net worth estimated at $1.3 billion, placing him 1717th globally. By 2021, his fortune had risen to approximately $1.7 billion.
Sanctions
On 28 June 2022, the United Kingdom imposed sanctions on Said Gutseriev. According to an HM Treasury statement, he "is and has been involved in obtaining a benefit from or supporting the Government of Russia" due to his position as director and owner of PJSC SFI, which is a significant player within Russia’s financial services industry.
Personal life
In March 2016, Said Gutseriev married Khadizha Uzhakhova, who was then a student at the Moscow State University of Medicine and Dentistry. Their Moscow wedding celebration attracted over 600 attendees and featured performances by artists including Jennifer Lopez, Sting, Enrique Iglesias, Alla Pugacheva, and Patricia Kaas. The bride wore a gown weighing roughly 25 kg with a multimillion-dollar price tag. A subsequent family reception took place in London. The total cost of the wedding was reported to be around $1 billion.
The London ceremony was held at The Dorchester hotel with approximately 250 guests present. Entertainment included performances by Lionel Richie, Kylie Minogue, Robbie Williams, Pink, alongside the Georgian national ballet "Sukhishvili" and the Irish dance troupe "Spirit of the Dance."
The couple has four children: their son Safarbek was born in 2018, followed by daughters Deicy (February 2021), Salma (June 2022), and Dayana (January 2024).
Investigations stemming from the Pandora Papers revealed that Gutseriev owns a £40 million office property in London through an offshore company. A 2022 inquiry conducted by the Belarusian Investigative Center, Transparency International, and The Guardian uncovered multiple London real estate holdings linked to Said Gutseriev, some previously identified by the Pandora Papers. Representatives of the family have asserted that Said does not engage in business activities with his father Mikhail Gutseriev, noting that many properties were purchased prior to Said’s entry into business.