OWNERS’ CLUB
where his father and grandfather both worked as
miners, and his mother was a seamstress. In
Tinkov’s autobiography, his father seems a rather
exceptional man, who taught his son to be honest
with himself, resilient and direct – as well as to
embrace the world beyond the Iron Curtain.
Growingupinaperiodofpolitical stagnation
underBrezhnev,sufferingtheprivations and
restrictionsofwitheringRussianCommunism,
youngTinkovgrewtovalueindependence of mind.
Hewasanaccomplishedcyclist,winning major
competitionsandattendingcyclingcamps – and
therehestartedtobuygoodsthatwere hard to get
backinSiberia,tosellforaprofitat home. You
couldbuyfourpairsofjeansfor50 roubles in
Tajikistanandsellthemfor 200 roubles each in
Leninsk-Kuznetsky.Militaryservice followed –
afterwhichtheKGBtriedtorecruithim (he politely
declined)–andthentheStPetersburg Mining
University,wherehemethiswife,Rina Vosman.
Whilestudyingheexpandedhissideline operation,
buyinggoodsfromforeignstudentsto sell back in
Siberia,aswellassoakinguptherevolutionary air.
ThesubsequentdissolutionoftheSoviet Union
allowedhimtotrulylaunchhiscareer as an
independent-mindedentrepreneur, setting up
manybusinessesthathavesincebecome household
namesinRussia.Tinkov’sventureshave included
achainofmusicshops, a record
label,oneofthecountry’s top
frozen-foodproducers (named
afterhisdaughter,Daria) and a
breweryandrestaurant business.
Tinkovsoldtheseforprofit to start“My son and I have already
conquered the North Pole
and the South Pole. Few
have journeyed to both
within 12 months”Tinkov is energetic
and active – he loves
skiing, exploring
and is a former
top-class cyclistLa Datcha Val Thorens
(left) is among
Tinkov’s portfolio of
luxury properties119boatinternational.com
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