Career
Anatoly started working as an Associate Professor at his alma mater, LEEI, in 1982.
The same year he collaborated with economists Grigory Glazkov and Yury Yarmagayev to write an article titled ‘Вопросы расширения хозяйственной самостоятельности предприятий в условиях научно-технического прогресса’ (‘Questions of Expanding the Autonomy of Business Enterprises under the conditions of Scientific and Technological Progress'). The article tried to prove the hypothesis that central planning cannot determine the final demand for products.
During that period, the young economist met Yegor Gaidar, who went on to become the Prime Minister of Russia. Gaidar soon became a regular to lectures delivered by Chubais.
The Russian economist was awarded his Ph.D. in Economics in 1983, for his thesis titled 'Исследование и разработка методов планирования совершенствования управления в отраслевых научно-технических организациях' ('Research and Development of Methods for the Planned Improvement of Management in Industrial Research and Development Organizations').
In 1984, Chubais started presiding over ‘The Young Economists’, a small group of Leningrad-based economists.
By 1987, he established a branch of the 'Perestroyka' club, in Leningrad, with the goal of debating issues related to democracy, based on a common intellectual platform.
A prominent member of this branch was Anatoly's brother, Igor (founder of the Moscow branch of the same club). Also included were prospective politicians and businessmen like Alexei Kudrin, Vladimir Kogan, Ilya Yuzhanov, Pyotr Mostovoy, Mikhail Manevich and Alexander Kazakov.
Chubais was appointed in 1990, as the Deputy to Anatoly Sobchak, the newly elected Chairman of the 'Leningrad City Council'. As the deputy, he aimed to execute Sobchak's vision of establishing a Free Economic Zone in the city.
In 1991, the economist-turned-politician ended his association with the 'Communist Party'. He refused the post of Chairman of the 'Leningrad City Council', and decided to become an advisor to Sobchak, who was now the Mayor of the city. The economist was also appointed as the President of the 'Wassily Leontief Center for Research in Economics'.
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He was elected to President Boris Yeltsin's cabinet in November, 1991, and was given the responsibility of looking after privatization in the nation. He was asked to handle the operations of 'Rosimushchestvo' (the 'Committee for the Management of State Property').
His initial model of quick privatization as a means of earning more revenue was not approved by the 'Congress of People's Deputies of Russia'. He then suggested privatization using vouchers, which had been proposed by economist Vitaly Nayshul almost eleven years back. Ironically, the same idea had then been snubbed by Chubais himself.
On August 19, 1991, the proposal was formally implemented by Russian President Yeltsin. The program was eventually highly condemned, since common citizens were drained of all their savings. The wealthy stratum that gained from this privatization came to be called 'kleptocrats' because they increased their own wealth and gave nothing back to their government.
On June 1, 1992, Anatoly became the first Deputy Prime Minister of 'Russian Federation for Economic and Financial Policy'. The following year, he helped form a political party 'Vybor Rossii' ('Russia’s Choice'), under the leadership of future Prime Minister Gaidar.
The distinguished politician became a member of the governing council of the political party 'Democratic Choice of Russia', which was a part of 'Vybor Rossii', in July 1994. The same year, he was appointed as the first Deputy Prime Minister of Russia, assisting Viktor Chernomyrdin.
From 1995-96, the economist acted as the Russian representative to global financial establishments like the 'Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency' ('MIGA') and the 'International Bank for Reconstruction and Development' ('IBRD').
After resigning from the post of Deputy Prime Minister in January, Anatoly established the 'Center for Protection of Private Property Foundation' in July 1996.
On 17th March 1997, he was once again chosen as the Deputy Prime Minister of Russia, as well as the Minister of Finance.
On March 23rd 1998 the Deputy Prime Minister retired from his post and was then appointed as the Chairman of 'RAO UES', a government-owned electrical power company. The same year, he presided over major global conferences like the 'Bilderberg Club session', in Scotland, and the 'Round Table of Industrialists of Russia and the European Union'.
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He became a member of the Board of Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs in 2000. The same year, he was made the President of the 'CIS Electric Power Council' in Russia, and the co-chairman of the 'Coordinating Council' of the 'Union of Right Forces', a Russian political party.
An attempt to assassinate this politician was carried out in 2005, and Vladimir Kvachkov, a former Russian army officer, was arrested in connection with the case; the accused was however released by the jury.
In May 2010, Chubais was appointed as the Chairman of the 'Board of Trustees' of the 'Gaidar Foundation', formed by the 'Gaidar Institute for Economic Policy' in collaboration with Maria Strugatsky.
Presently, he leads the operations of the 'Russian Nanotechnology Corporation' ('RUSNANO'). He is a member of the advisory boards of distinguished establishments like 'JPMorgan Chase' and the 'Council on Foreign Relations'.
Awards & Achievements
Chubais was awarded three presidential commendations during 1995-98, for his invaluable contribution towards the improvement of the Russian economy.
The famous politician received an honorary diploma from the 'International Union of Economists' in recognition of his efforts to modernize Russia's fiscal policies, and bring about economic development, in 2001.
In 2007, the Russian economist was named the 'Professional of the Year', by national newspaper 'Vedomosti' for his contribution to the privatization of the country's economy.
The following year, he received another presidential commendation for assisting with the writing of the Russian constitution.
In 2010, he was awarded the state decoration of 'IV degree Order for Merit to the Fatherland', by the Russian Federation for his contribution to nanotechnology in the country.
