Andrey Portnov
UkraineBiography of Andriy Portnov
Andriy Volodymyrovych Portnov was born on October 27, 1973, in a modest family in the city of Luhansk, the regional center in eastern Ukrainian SSR. He served in the army in Bila Tserkva from 1991 to 1992 and later worked as a legal consultant for various companies.
In 1996, Portnov founded and led a law firm called "Ukrinformpravo" in Luhansk while studying at the Eastern Ukrainian State University. He joined the State Commission on Securities and Stock Market (GKCBFR) in January 1997 and held several positions within the organization until 2005.
Portnov completed his law degree in 1999, but it was noted in the media that he held high-ranking positions in GKCBFR without a higher education. During his time at GKCBFR, he was allegedly involved in controversial cases, including the registration of securities and an assassination attempt on the wife of a tax administration official.
In 2002, Portnov became the director of a legal firm called "Portnov and Partners" in Kyiv, specializing in investment business, corporate governance, privatization, and securities market. He was also associated with prominent businessman Igor Kolomoisky's group "Privat." Portnov denied being a raider or having any affiliation with Kolomoisky.
Portnov entered politics in 2006 as a member of the electoral list of Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc (BYuT) and became a member of the Verkhovna Rada, the Ukrainian parliament. He served as the head of the legal department of BYuT and was re-elected in 2007.
Throughout his political career, Portnov was involved in various controversies, including allegations of threats and involvement in illegal privatization. He supported the dismissal of the "Orange" Minister of Internal Affairs Yuriy Lutsenko and criticized President Viktor Yushchenko.
In 2008, Portnov was appointed as the first deputy and acting head of the State Property Fund of Ukraine (FGI) by Tymoshenko. This decision was met with criticism and accusations of raiding. President Yushchenko initiated an investigation into the legality of Portnov's appointment.
Portnov is a member of Tymoshenko's party "Fatherland" and holds the rank of third-class state official. He leads the public organization "Investment Ukraine" and the Association of Lawyers of the Stock Market of Ukraine. He is married to Tatiana, a private notary, and they have two children.
Despite the controversies surrounding him, Portnov has claimed to have many lawyer friends from Western Ukraine who have taught him to appreciate Ukrainian language and culture. He enjoys hunting, sauna, sports, and reading memoirs of politicians.
