Vladimir, in the 1990s, you were engaged in ferrous and nonferrous metallurgy in the Trans World Group. But why, when the company began to break, you've been paying attention not to the more promising nonferrous metal, and the output of steel? - You had to concentrate on one thing. I took up with what is best understood. And the package NLMK at that time was the largest. How do you control the company, having only 13% of the shares - the fourth largest share? - Then it does not depend on the value of shares, many managers control the flow of funds, generally with no shares. In addition, at the beginning of the privatization of 13% was sufficient to establish control. It was more difficult to change the mentality - not a "Mercedes" to buy a stock. Even banks in our proposal to buy the shares do not always respond adequately - speculation on the currency have been better and faster. Periodically, talk about the illegitimacy of privatization of the 1990s, "which resulted in valuable businesses left in the hands of random people." What do you think about this? - Discuss the privatization of the 1990s is as interesting as the topic of restructuring and the revolution. All this is history. The answer to your question can give is time. Although we can evaluate today. Random people can appear in any case. In business - the same thing. After all, many "heroes" of the 1990s, we really do not remember. In this sense, crises are very useful. They purify the business, putting everything in its place. And how do you feel about the proposals for the legitimization of privatization? Part of society believes that the state property passed into private hands too low, you could count all the extra payment and enter to return to the state debt. - Your parents have privatized housing? Now, imagine what will come to them and say you have privatized apartment, when prices were low on it. Now, please, pay the difference. You have to state. How do you treat such proposals? All this talk is good until such time as not affect you personally. You once had long wanted to combine the assets of other real metallurgist - Victor Rashnikov. Why this has not happened? - During his marriage involves two (smiles). And to ask such questions need to be both. I think the time has not come yet. Consolidation leads to an increase in the capitalization of companies, but also may reduce handling, performance. With Viktor Filippovich we know from the beginning of the 1980s. He is my old friend, and I'm sure we'd always find a common language. You will often offer a lot of money for the shares of NLMK, but every time you refused. What made the same way? - When someone suggested? What I do not remember. Money - not all of our lives, the experience of today's Russia, it shows. Many examples where people were selling quite well the business, and then what? Invested in another business that is currently creating a new sphere of activity. To buy something unnecessary, need to sell something unnecessary. What time are you currently pay to NLMK and business in general? How does this level of involvement in the affairs of change, for example, over the past three years? - Now integrated into the ongoing process moved to the objectives and strategic planning and human capital. Relatively speaking, I am working on a solution of "how to make NLMK eternal value." For a country. You people have mentioned several times as an asset. What is your relationship with management? - Good. Always wanted to and I want them to be the best. How do they survive your rhythm? I was told that you sleep for four hours a day. - Well, it depends also on the desire to do something - and of physiology. Managers I sleep not interfere with (laughs). In the 2000s among Russian steelmakers have been popular idea of overseas expansion, increasing the volume of production, access to the adjacent sub-sector. NLMK did not go away, but why do you act so cautiously? - Action should always be cautious. Uncontrolled risk pays off sometimes, but it is more the exception than the rule. If a lot is on the sale of assets, and they are not in the best economic and technical conditions, not the fact that they have to be absorbed. In any textbook on M & A can find the definition: more value from the absorption gets weaker object and suffers strong. The issue is not quantity, but in efficiency. And the most striking proof of that - NLMK. We produce only 11.5 million tons of steel (for the year 2010. - "F."). This is less than many companies in the world, and even less than some Russian. And yet, NLMK is the third highest in the world by market capitalization among the companies of the sector. But there will be a new bubble and a new crisis. Steel prices are rising again. - Human greed can be limitless. The world must make a determination, to establish rules of the game. Globalization has occurred at positive things, led to an increase depending on the countries from each other. And then what happens? The same as in 2008. What will happen to the price of steel? - Any analyst will tell you that the curve of steel prices in the long trend of oil prices follow the contour. Well, more or less with little delay. Take a period of 25 years, and you will see it. In 2006, you discussed the "export" the deal with NLMK, then it was on sale / merger with Arcelor. Or were they idle fiction? - Negotiations have been. NLMK's position was to purchase a controlling interest. Moreover, we offer not only our own actions, but also monetary compensation, which would satisfy dissatisfied with this transaction. But Arcelor management decided to go for more "exciting" way. As a result, the company absorbed by Mittal Steel, which was predictable. Thanks to conservative politics in M & A NLMK entered the crisis with low debt levels. Why do not you have used this situation to buy attractive assets at low prices? For example, to reduce dependence on foreign supplies NLMK raw materials. - Firstly, it is impossible to be completely independent of the supply chain. Secondly, we have a strategy of vertical integration, and sooner or later it will be realized. NLMK shares close getting to the maximum levels of 2008, while quotations remain at a fairly low level. In your opinion, what investors like to NLMK? - The question most to investors. Shortly before the crisis took place on the acquisition of "Maxi-group". Nikolai Maksimov said that NLMK has breached its obligations under the transaction of sale. How do you assess the situation? - Maximov was not only shareholders but also the president of "Maxi-groups." Top-manager with all the levers of control and cash flow in their hands. And the responsibility for what the company has reached the state of bankruptcy in 2007, when steel prices have reached historic highs, and lies entirely on him. Then he came to me terrified: the banks wrote off immediately all funds in repayment of loans, delays in salary from August to October, the workers stopped production, he wrote an open letter to the president with a request: "Help." The company already was financially unsound. NLMK management came to the company at the end of February 2008, 90 days after the conclusion of the agreement, loan repayment, "Maxi-group" of 10 billion plus 7.3 billion rubles in advance for the shares to Maximov. What hurt him most quickly to restructure the debt, to bring order to the enterprises, having behind such a shareholder, as NLMK, and tools? Think about it, what was cash gap. You look at people and think, 'This is his baby. " And will not even think that he might in a few days to withdraw money from a company in which he seemed to put the soul, to hang in her new debts, to bankrupt a second time, and the staff leave without pay. For our senior managers to delay salary per week - is nonsense. We still continue to pay debts to creditors. NLMK did not actually have a "Maxi-group" bought out, and the creditors. Maybe he thought that he get away with it. How do you comment on the arrest Maximova? - This is a matter of law enforcement. I am not advocating that someone planted, but the punishment should be. There has been a positive steal. Meddofu 150 years in prison given, Enron and Parmalat, but how many more examples ... In the normal operation of the company between shareholders and top management, the principle of honesty and trust. If the founder and top management brought the company to bankruptcy, enters into force on the principle of presumption of guilt: you have to answer for their actions, an infringer can not enjoy the benefits obtained as a result. Maksimov bled the company "Maxi-group", mainly in the Sverdlovsk region. Let return the money back. What are the strategic plans for your second important asset - vehicle UCL Holding? - Completion of the consolidation of assets, the creation of large-effective, technology-and investment-Zion but attractive companies in each of the segments of the transport business (stevedoring, shipping, rail) to the modernization of production facilities and advanced technologies. Experts agree that the synergy between the companies UCLH is small or even impossible. What can you answer them? - In fact, the synergy between different types of transport business and not the main motive for their acquisition. Each of the divisions has its own business value and growth potential. The strategy is to improve the business units and divisions of class leaders in their fields of activity. For optimum UCL Holding is the development of specific segments of the transportation business, when, in fact, each division is successful. But let's say, to optimize the movement of goods scheme, offering client transportation "from door to door", is much easier under a single holding company, than with the cooperation of institutions. For example, a coal company, which exports its products in Eastern Europe and Turkey, and the Far East, will be much more profitable to enter into a contract with us, getting more and volume discounts than running around the market. Therefore, the development of interaction between the various divisions of the transport group UCL Holding I find promising. And the result of all these activities should be out of the company to IPO? - The decision is pending. And not necessarily that we will place shares of UCL Holding, rather than individual divisions or even companies that will be of interest to the market and valued by investors. Roughly speaking, if a 1 +1 +1 +1 will be obtained 4, not 5, then what difference does it show how the stock market? How did you get into port business? There's also their fairly stringent laws and not too well known to you the business environment. - This is a cliche - a view of the rigidity of the laws of the port business. They are no different from laws in other areas of business activity. A transportation services company, I have studied at the institute. As you were among the shareholders of the bank "Zenith"? - I consider it an attractive target for investment. And why do you "United Media"? - Media business - an important component of any society, but for today's Russia is particularly important that he, too, could work under the laws of the market and compete successfully. The path to civil society, the modernization of our mentality - here, in the development of this sector. You are about to buy shares of the First Freight Company? - The decision will be made only after the official announcement of the terms on which the government privatizes ISC. Dividends from NLMK represent a sufficiently large amounts, at the same time know that you ordered afford expensive yachts, for example. What you spend the money? - In all that we discussed above. For the modernization of companies that are not yet able to develop independently, the same media business, transport holding, sports ... For life is not so much need money. But this is a purely personal sphere. The question of where to spend, do not always require public discussion. If someone has spent money on a yacht - a private matter. Speaking of sports. In January, you were the president of the All-Russian Association of Summer Olympic Sports (VALOVS). What are the steps on your part contributed to this? - The case where passion creates a form of employment. We can assume that interest in sports has resulted in another point of my functional. Do not go if it is assigned to the detriment of the business or UIT? How to plan to combine? - So far as a could. And you have already prepared a program of action? - Olympic federations - the basis of sports victories. Federations need to interact, the organization must actively cooperate with the Ministry of Sports and Olympic Committee, with the regions to benefit all members. If this happens, and the interaction will be, and it will be productive - my task is done. I also believe that patriotism in the best sense of manifest precisely when the pedestal rises Russian athletes and the entire country in an entirely different interpretation, and the Russian flag and national anthem. There is not any distinction - we all feel like citizens of a country.