Petr Aven, businessman and publicist
Petr Aven is better known to the general public as a businessman and a man who once headed Alfa Bank and also worked in the government of the Russian Federation during the presidency of Boris Yeltsin. Many people know about Aven's unique collections. But there is another field that deserves attention and in which Aven has proven to be quite successful - book publishing.
Aven's first experience with journalism dates back to 2008, when he wrote a negative review of Zakhar Prilepin's book "Sanyaka" in the Russian Pioneer magazine. In it, Petr Aven crushed the writer, who in the pages of his work called for rebellion and revolution. After the publication of the article, a heated discussion broke out in society.
In 2013, Aven, together with A. Koch, published the collection "Gaidar's Revolution. The Inside Account of the Economic Transformation of Russia". The book consists of interviews with prominent Russian politicians. The book received mixed reviews from critics, some of whom noted that it was difficult to agree with the conclusions and some of the descriptions of events presented by the authors. And John Lloyd of the Financial Times called the book an instructive study of the Russian reformers who sought to rebuild the Russian economy in the post-Soviet period.
But it was Aven's book, published in 2017, that received the most attention. "The Age of Berezovsky" is a fascinating study of the biography and influence of one of the most prominent business and political figures of the 1990s, Boris Berezovsky. At that time, the country was undergoing great changes, and Berezovsky's role in these processes was quite significant.
In "The Age of Berezovsky", Petr Aven provides his perspective on those years, analyzing the events in depth and looking through the prism of Berezovsky's activities and his influence on the ongoing processes. The book evaluates the actions of Berezovsky and his associates, and explores the implications of these events for Russia and international business.
The author provides readers with a series of interviews with people who knew Berezovsky intimately, from young reformers of the political system to high-ranking officials, prominent businessmen, and journalists such as Chubais, Yumashev, Voloshin, Fridman, Shefler, and many others. Aven knew Berezovsky personally, and their friendship lasted until the mid-1990s.
Through the memoirs of Berezovsky's friends, colleagues, and supporters, readers will learn how a small group of privileged insiders used the new system of governance and privatization of state enterprises to create a huge business from scratch, shaping the future political landscape and laying the groundwork for the Russia we see today.
In general, Petr Aven's writings are characterized by in-depth analysis of events, wit, and a clear style of presentation. They offer readers new perspectives on complex issues and help them better understand the modern world and its trends.
