You're reading: #13 Richest: Oleksandr Yaroslavsky, 51

$818 million Married with one son Interests: real estate development, fertilizer and chemical production, banking

After working as a police officer in Kharkiv in the early 1990s, Oleksandr Yaroslavsky is now the city’s most successful businessman.

He made the lion’s share of his wealth from selling a 51 percent stake in UkrSibbank for an estimated $700 million to the French BNP Paribas Group. He sold his final 18.57 percent stake in the bank to the group in December.

Yaroslavsky’s business interests are collected under the umbrella of DCH Group, a holding company involved in fertilizer and chemical production, real estate and hotel management.

Yaroslavsky was a parliamentary deputy from 2002 to 2006.

After leaving the legislature, he began investing in a number projects aimed at preparing Kharkiv to host matches during the 2012 European soccer championship, including a new stadium and airport.

In addition to owning the Kharkiv-based Metallist soccer team, Yaroslavsky is a well-known patron of the arts and a sponsor of Ukrainian sports.

He has also supported charity projects such as the Ridny Dim Charity Fund and the Hospital of the Future project, organized by Kateryna Chumachenko, the wife of former President Viktor Yushchenko.

According to his corporate website, Yaroslavsky “lives a healthy lifestyle,” practising yoga and playing tennis.