Moshael Kusnirovich

Moshael Kusnirovich

Russian businessman
Date of Birth: 03.10.1966
Country: Russia

Content:
  1. Biography of Mikhail Kusnirovich
  2. Early Life
  3. Education and Career
  4. Philanthropy and Achievements

Biography of Mikhail Kusnirovich

Mikhail Kusnirovich is a Russian businessman, oligarch, and entrepreneur. He is the founder and chairman of the supervisory board of Bosco di Ciliegi group of companies. As of 2012, Kusnirovich ranked 161st on the Forbes list of the 200 richest people in Russia, with an estimated fortune of $600 million. Under Kusnirovich's leadership, Bosco di Ciliegi manages over 200 mono-brand and multi-brand boutiques, as well as the GUM department store in Moscow. In addition to Bosco di Ciliegi, Kusnirovich established the "Cherry Forest" art festival and ice rinks on Palace Square in St. Petersburg and Red Square in Moscow. Since 2006, Mikhail Ernestovich has been a Commander of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic.

Early Life

Mikhail Kusnirovich was born on October 3, 1966, in Moscow. His mother, Edith, was a chemist, and his father, Ernest, was a civil engineer who survived the Siege of Leningrad. In his childhood, Kusnirovich aspired to become a film director.

Education and Career

In 1989, Kusnirovich graduated from the Moscow Institute of Chemical Technology with a degree in chemical engineering. While studying at the university, he actively participated in Komsomol activities. After graduation, he started working at the IMa-Press publishing house, a division of the APN.

In the early 1990s, Kusnirovich, along with his classmates Sergey Evteev, Evgeny Balakiny, and Mikhail Vlasov, founded the company "Moscow International House 'East and West.'" Their first partner was Italian businessman and owner of the amusement park "Mirabilandia," Giancarlo Casoli.

At one of the parties, Kusnirovich met Serilio Montanari, the president of SIMA, the largest Italian company producing men's clothing. In late 1991, Kusnirovich signed his first contract with Montanari. A few months later, in March 1992, Kusnirovich and his classmates opened their first store in Petrovsky Passage, offering customers three SIMA brands: Nani Bon, Guinco, and Fiume. After six months, they expanded their selection to include women's and children's clothing. In 1993, Kusnirovich acquired 50% of the newly opened Bosco di Ciliegi company, with the remaining 16% going to Evteev, Balakiny, and Vlasov. Bosco di Ciliegi's products soon appeared in Petrovsky Passage and today, the company's boutiques are located in many countries around the world, including Russia, Italy, and Ukraine.

Philanthropy and Achievements

In 2001, Mikhail Kusnirovich founded the annual "Cherry Forest" art festival. One of the first people he shared his idea with was actor Oleg Yankovsky, who later became the chairman of the board of trustees. In the same year, Bosco di Ciliegi began outfitting the Russian national team at the Olympic Games. This trend continued, and in 2014, Russian athletes wore Kusnirovich's clothing. Three years later, Kusnirovich acquired the GUM department store in Moscow. As a child, he used to visit the department store with his father, who worked nearby. The reason for purchasing GUM was cited as "family circumstances."

In 2006, Kusnirovich was awarded the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic by the Ambassador of Italy to Russia, Vittorio Claudio Surdo, for his promotion and distribution of Italian clothing in Russia. Mikhail Kusnirovich is married to entrepreneur Ekaterina Moiseeva, who currently serves on the board of directors of Bosco di Ciliegi. They have two sons. Their eldest son, Ilya, is a musician who plays in his own band. Their younger son, Mark, was born in 2010. The Kusnirovich family enjoys spending their vacations at their villa in Forte dei Marmi, Italy.

Kusnirovich's mother, Edith, serves as the executive director of the "Cherry Forest" festival, and his cousin, Olga Yudkis, is responsible for PR and advertising at Bosco di Ciliegi. It is worth noting that the name of Kusnirovich's company, which translates from Italian as "cherry forest," coincides with the name of the festival, which the businessman explains simply by his love for cherries.

In the journalist community, Kusnirovich is known as a private and reserved person. One of his colleagues once mentioned that it took a long time to arrange a meeting with him until they coincidentally ended up in the same restaurant. Kusnirovich has received several awards and honors throughout his career, including the "In Memory of the 850th Anniversary of Moscow" medal in 1997, the Presidential Certificate of Appreciation for participation in events commemorating the 60th anniversary of Victory in 2005, the Leonardo Award for significant contribution to strengthening and promoting the image of Italy worldwide in 2009, the Golden Bridge Award for contribution to the development of Italo-Russian relations in 2009, and the Theatre Star Award for "Patron of the Year" for supporting the performing arts and organizing the "Cherry Forest" festival in 2010.

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