Biography:
Born in 1964 in Belogorsk.
Education:
•2001: defended a thesis "State regulation of the integrated corporate systems";
•1997: State Academy of Management named after Sergo Ordzhonikidze; Ph.D. in Economics for "State regulation of medium and small business on an example of Moscow";
•1988: Simferopol State University, faculty of Physics.
Career
•2004: OOO "Baltic stevedoring company", Chairman of Board of Directors;
•2004 – till present time: OAO "Novorossiysk Commercial Sea Port", Councilor of Directors, Chairman of Board of Directors;
•2004: OAO "Novoroslesexport", Chairman of Board of Directors;
•2004: OOO "Novorossiysk bulk complex", Chairman of Board of Directors;
•2003: OOO "Novorossiysk grain terminal", Chairman of Board of Directors;
•2003: OAO "Novorossiysk ship repairing factory",
•1998: АNО "International Institute of Corporations", pro-rector;
•1994: OOO "Russian General Bank", co-owner;
•1992-1998: International Institute of Corporations (Moscow), Senior Research Assistant;
•1990: cooperative societies making perfumery and building materials, founder;
•1983-1985: military service in air borne troops.
Besides
•Collects antiquarian books about hunting. Also collects painting of Itinerants, painting of "Silver age", Ayvazovsky, Bogolyubov;
•Was a champion of Ukraine on boxing among juniors.
Source: "Russia" from 5/27/2004
Dossier:
In youth, before 90’s, Ponomarenko made friends with Alexander Skorobogatko and Gritsko Kovalenko in Simferopol. According to some information, their adventures were described subsequently in the documentary book «Gangster’s Crimea» by K.Chernetsov. Officially three of them were included into cooperative society "Saylem" though the local press named them as organized crime group. They forced down the start-up capital under sensitive control of the Ukrainian police: the uncle of one of Skorobogatko’s girlfriends, chief of Regional Department of Internal Affairs of Simferopol, even helped them with their activity at additional expense. Later "Saylem" decided to relocate to Moscow.
In the mid-nineties this triplicity was included to a management board of "Yalosbank", which subsequently stole 2 trillion not denominated rubles at investors.
Source: "B-f.ru" from 4/15/2004
Among companies deceived by "Yalosbank" there were "Kampomos", "Udmurtneft", Izh-Ladabank. In 1997 Central Bank withdraw the license from "Yalosbank", but its actives were deduced abroad.
Source: "Russia" from 5/27/2004
A criminal case was brought, however Ponomarev and his friends managed to avoid justice. Three founders of "Yalosbank” Babek Seruf, Alexander Goltsov and Roman Frumson were killed.
After that Ponomarenko together with Skorobogatko and Kovalenko founded Russian regional bank (RGB); then they were engaged in buying up of shares of Novorossiysk port. Also they tried to win contract on building up of deep-water seaport near Baltiysk with assistance of the vice-governor of Kaliningrad region A. Pirogov. However governor Egorov dismissed his assistant, and it did not happen.
Financing of a movie "Oligarch" became other collective undertaking of three friends. Having promised 4 million dollars, and having received tax indulgence for that sum, Ponomarenko and his friends decided not to give money. Boris Berezovsky was said to pay for this movie as he was a prototype of the protagonist.
Source: "B-f.ru" from 4/15/2004
In 2003 a struggle between Russian general bank (RGB) and company "NIKoil" on the one hand and Guta-bank on the other hand started for actives of the large manufacturer of ice-cream OAO "Ice-Fili". In the summer, 2003 Anatoly Shamanov his son Dmitry supervising the enterprise sold 52 % of shares belonging to them to RGB and «NIKoil». 30 % of the enterprise was supervised by the structures close to "Guta" group. "Guta" group wanted to promote the people into industrial complex board of directors that lead to disagreements with RGB and «NIKoil».
In July, 2003 the court enforcement officers came to the territory of the cold-store complex and showed ruling of Irkutsk arbitration court which said that four companies – "Broks", "Lorineks", "Ventur" and "Astoria", owning 33 of 45 buildings of industrial complex, couldn't use them. Most likely, these companies were affiliated to "Guta" though in the company it was denied. After four-hour conversation with lawyers of four companies and "Guta" police officers drew up the statement about impossibility to execute ruling of court and left from industrial complex territory.
This attempt of capture of industrial complex occurred just on the eve of meeting of shareholders on which it could be decided whether representatives of "Guta" could get to board of directors of "Ice-Fili". In "Guta" they considered that the claim in arbitration court was initiated by RGB. However Ponomarenko denied his participation in the claim and visit of police officers though he showed discontent with that the part of buildings of the enterprise was occupied with other companies and these buildings were separately protected.
Source: «Kommersant» № 129 (2732) from 7/24/2003
Later three judicial instances confirmed that the real estate was stolen, and "Guta" lost control over them.
Source: Compromat.ru from 5/28/2004
In 2004 in mass-media there was information that results of check of legality of privatization of Novorossiysk Commercial Sea Port (NCSP), spent in 2002 by Audit Chamber and not revealed any infringements, was cancelled, and repeated check was prepared. Then in a press opinions were expressed that RGB, owning 10 % of shares of NCSP, used a package of «NIKoil», and also manipulated 20 %-s' state package, directing profit to the pocket. Also journalists declared that RGB did not carry out the obligations on investment in port development. It was informed also that the port turned to a shelter for criminals, including the Chechen insurgents. According to one of versions, auditors did not notice infringements in the port as check was initiated by Skorobogatko, at that moment already the deputy of the State Duma from LDPR. During check he was the assistant to the deputy of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation A.Korovnikov which had a great influence in Audit Chamber. Soon after check Korovnikov had expensive foreign car.
Source: "B-f.ru" from 4/15/2004
Shareholders of RGB also publicly answered all these observations made in mass-media. They wrote that all charges in relation to management of RGB were initiated by "Guta" who «wanted to provide itself with free ice-cream till the rest of the life», having received control over "Ice-Fili". They denied plans of repeated check of NCSP by Audit Chamber, and said the gossips that the film "Oligarch" at the desire of Ponomarev and Skorobogatko was paid by Berezovsky, and also about communication with the Chechen insurgents to be simply ridiculous.
Source: Compromat.ru from 4/22/2004
Soon RGB merged with another commercial «Bank of investments and savings», the new bank received the name "Investsberbank". According to one of versions, change of signboards was favorable to both banks that once again «to leave with money».
Source: "Russia" from 5/27/2004
Other sources don’t agree with this version, and say that thanks to merge "Investsberbank" could occupy 37th place in ratings for the volume of the actives.
Source: Compromat.ru from 5/28/2004
In June 2004 the message of "Interfax" was sent by e-mail among banks that in Guta-bank seizure of documents was made criminal charges concerning its heads were brought. It supposed to be fresh news, however was let out on a tape more year back. The bank management denied this message, and the “NIKoil” was named as instigator which supported RGB in struggle of «Guta” and “Ice-Fili». But the refutation did not work out, and the fake, whoever started it, went off, even better, than, probably, instigators assumed: a number of banks closed limits for Guta-bank, and at the same time for RGB and "Investsberbank" (they just were at an association stage).
At the same time Ponomarenko declared to journalists that all disagreements with "Guta" were settled, it was decided to develop "Ice-Fili" together. And distribution of negative gossips about other bank, in his opinion, causes damage to all bank community.
Source "Kommersant" № 101/P (2940) from 6/7/2004
Soon "Guta" signed the memorandum of the termination of corporate dispute round "Ice-Fili" with RGB and "Uralsib" (which included «NIKoil»). Informally it became known that either one or other party would redeem shares of industrial complex that subsequently was confirmed by Ponomarenko.
This step gave the chance to "Guta" to finish plans targeted long time ago. In the middle of 2003 the group of companies agreed that the government of Moscow would participate in holding «Incorporated confectioners» belonging to it. And the government agreed, however in the spring, 2004 suddenly demanded the shares back – possibly, Ponomarenko and RGB did their best for it. After signing of the memorandum "Guta" had an opportunity of free cooperation with the government.
Source: «Kommersant» № 113 (2952) from 6/25/2004
In spring, 2005 the conflict between shareholders of NCSP started when the board of directors at the initiative of Investsberbank and "Uralsib" suspended powers of general director Vladimir Kovbasyuk, having decided to appoint his assistant Igor Vilinov at this post. Kovbasyuk was considered the criminal case raised in the connection with non-payment of taxes, and also dismissal of Vilinov.
A group “Delo” owning share holding of NCSP (its owner – the deputy of the State Duma Sergey Shishkarev) was not satisfied with such results. Later the company agreed with Investsberbank and "Uralsib" about sale of the shares; however it was decided to dismiss Kovbasyuk anyway. Shishkarev explained that it was profitable for him to sell out shares. “Delo” refused any claims.
Source: «Kommersant» № 103 (3187) from 6/8/2005
In 2006 Hungarian OTP Bank got 96,4 % of shares of "Investsberbank". Ponomarenko declared that now he wanted to be engaged in port business closely. He was just re-elected on a post of the head of board of directors in NCSP, having replaced the head of "Uralsib" Nikolay Tsvetkov.
Source: Kommersant (Rostov) № 120 (3451) from 7/5/2006
The same year OAO «Russian railways» and its president Vladimir Yakunin declared the initiative to receive the free 20 %-s' share holding of NCSP consisting both from shares of private traders, and from state shares. Ponomarenko offered OAO “Russian Railways” a share holding for management so that the society could participate in the organization of port business free of charge. OAO “Russian Railways” expected to receive these shares in exchange for loyalty, convenient tariffs, building of the railways to the port.
Source: «Kommersant» № 229 (3560) from 12/7/2006
In 2007 NCSP discovered the shareholders that allowed it to draw money under favorable interest. In the information memorandum it was said that the port controlling interest belonged to Kadina Limited registered on Virgin Islands.
Source: Kommersant (Rostov) № 81 (3657) from 5/15/2007
After that NCSP came to IPO and earned 980 million dollars by placing shares.
Source: Kommersant (Rostov) № 203 (3779) from 11/3/2007
In 2008 Vladimir Putin's close friend was going to get 10 % of NCSP. Thus, the port could receive protection against claims of other friend of Putin, the former colleague on investigation Nikolay Tokarev, head of company "Transneft" who tried to receive a share in business for several years. In 2003-2004 in a press there was a massive campaign against Ponomarenko, in particular, affirmed that the port on the oil terminal "Sherkhasis" did not organize work, and everything is carried out by "Transneft", and NCSP takes a payment for transfer. Also the company was accused of absence of investments into port development while "Transneft" invested "Sherhasis". "Transneft", thus, tried to achieve terminal sale.
Soon the decision was made.
Source: Rb.ru from 4/14/2008
In 2009 Ponomarenko decided to invest the means received from IPO, in trading real estate, and his company TPS started to carry on negotiations with owners of trading center "Atrium" and River Mall in Moscow. The company also was interested in trading center "Pike", but they did not manage to agree about the price. TPS was also engaged in two projects of trade center «Gallery Krasnodar» and the project "Festival" in Sochi.
Source: «Kommersant» № 47 (4102) from 3/18/2009
In 2010 Ponomarenko and Skorobogatko sold 50,1 % of shares of NCSP (belonging Kadina) to Nikolay Tokarev’s "Transneft" and «Summa Capital». At first NCSP redeemed 100 % of shares of OAO «Primorsky trading port» at these companies, and then Tokarev redeemed package of NCSP at them, therefore the port received the largest operator on oil-loading in Russia. Ponomarenko and Skorobogatko left board of directors of NCSP. It’s difficult for experts to say why pipeline company "Transneft" needs stevedore business. It is known that the company was first of all interested in bulk-oil terminal "Sherkhasis".
Source: «Kommersant» № 171 (4471) from 9/16/2010