Mikhail Balakin Net Worth, Relationships, Age/Birthdate & Birthday Facts
Explore Mikhail Balakin net worth, relationships, age/birthdate and birthday in this comprehensive profile of the Russian construction magnate’s personal life and fortune.
Mikhail Balakin Net Worth, Relationships, Age/Birthdate & Birthday
Mikhail Balakin is a Russian construction tycoon and former politician best known for building the SU-155 empire and once ranking among Russia’s richest businessmen.
Introduction
Mikhail Dmitrievich Balakin was born on April 20, 1961. He made his mark as the chairman and main shareholder of the Russian construction and development group SU‑155, and later served in Moscow politics. His estimated net worth has been reported at around $1.7 billion–$1.9 billion. Married, with a daughter, Balakin’s personal life remains discreet though publicly acknowledged.
Quick Facts
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Mikhail Dmitrievich Balakin |
| Age/Birthdate | April 20, 1961 |
| Birthday | April 20 |
| Nationality | Russian |
| Profession | Entrepreneur, Construction Magnate, Former Politician |
| Estimated Net Worth | ~$1.7 billion to ~$1.9 billion (various years) |
| Relationship Status | Married (wife: Marina Balakina) with one daughter |
| Known For | Leading SU-155, large Russian construction projects, involvement in Moscow politics |
From Early Foundations to Building a Business Empire
Mikhail Balakin’s story begins in Serpukhov, Moscow Region, born into a family of builders. With formal training in civil engineering from the institute now known as the Moscow State University of Civil Engineering, he began as a handy-man, worked up through chief engineer at trust № 204, then in 1990 was appointed director of Construction Management № 155.
That organizational unit later became the foundation of SU-155 when the enterprise was privatized. By the early 2000s Balakin had become general director and majority shareholder, steering the firm into large residential and infrastructure projects in Moscow and surrounding regions.
Defining moments in Mikhail Balakin’s journey include:
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Taking control of Construction Management № 155 in 1990.
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Transforming that entity into SU-155 and expanding it across Russia’s construction sector.
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Managing large urban renewal projects in Moscow in the early 2000s during his time in the mayor’s office.
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Entering politics as a deputy in the Moscow City Duma and running for mayor in 2018.
Through grit and leveraging his engineering background, Balakin moved from the building site to boardroom and political podium—a narrative of ambition rooted in the very field he was born into.
Main Sources of Wealth
The core pillars of Mikhail Balakin’s wealth include:
| Pillar | Description |
|---|---|
| Construction & Development | Through SU-155 he developed housing, infrastructure and commercial property, generating large revenues. |
| Industrial Holdings | SU-155 became a vertically integrated group with dozens of subsidiaries in construction and materials. |
| Banking and Other Investments | Balakin also once held a stake in NS Bank which he later sold. |
Though market conditions, regulatory changes and internal challenges in the construction business later weighed heavily, these pillars underpin the net-worth estimates.
Relationships & Family Life
Balakin keeps his personal affairs fairly private but public records disclose the following:
He is married to Marina Balakina. Together they have one daughter.
Key insights into Mikhail Balakin’s relationships and personal life:
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He maintains a stable family unit and is described in Russian sources as a devoted husband and father.
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His wife’s income is publicly declared in his political filings: for example, in 2014 her income was about 5.38 million rubles.
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Though his business and political life have been high-profile, his private family life has few deeply personal details in open sources—suggesting he values privacy.
His home life forms a quieter counterpart to the public world of boardrooms and city politics.
Lifestyle, Assets & Interests
Beyond career success, Mikhail Balakin leads a lifestyle that reflects both passion and purpose, including:
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Ownership of residential real estate: his declaration as a deputy mentions a 754.9 m² home and a 147 m² four-room apartment.
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Vehicles listed in his filings include a BMW 645, three motorboats, a trailer and a quad-bike.
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Hobbies and interests: Russian sources note his fondness for skiing, chess, winemaking and aviation.
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Philanthropy and cultural restoration: Balakin’s companies have been involved in restoring historic Orthodox churches and Russian monuments.
In sum, his lifestyle blends the trappings of high-net-worth entrepreneurship with personal pursuits grounded in tradition, family and leisure.
Net Worth Breakdown & Analysis
Estimates of Mikhail Balakin’s net worth vary, depending on source and year. Here's a breakdown drawn from available public data:
| Category | Estimated Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Business Ventures (SU-155, subsidiaries) | ~$1.6 – 1.9 billion | Forbes, Wikipedia |
| Brand/Partnership Contracts | (No verified public figure) | — |
| Investments & Other Assets | (Included in above totals) | CelebrityNetWorth lists ~$1.9 billion |
Analysis:
Balakin’s core wealth has historically come from his controlling interest in SU-155. The company’s revenues once soared (for example ~114.2 billion roubles in 2013) under his leadership. However, structural challenges in Russia’s construction sector, regulatory pressures, and the bankruptcy of SU-155 in 2016 (and subsequent issues) have likely impacted the valuation of his assets. While older estimates placed his fortune around $4 billion (in 2008) the more consistent reported range is around ~$1.7 – 1.9 billion in recent years.
Public Image, Legacy & Influence
Publicly, Mikhail Balakin is viewed as a quintessential self-made builder in post-Soviet Russia: from engineer to billionaire entrepreneur to political figure. His influence in urban development and Moscow’s housing sector marked him as a key player in the 2000-2010 decade.
On the other hand, his legacy is tethered to the fortunes of SU-155 and how its downfall affected stakeholders—introducing complexity into how history will remember his business accomplishments. Politically, his tenure as a deputy in the Moscow City Duma added a civic dimension to his profile, but did not propel him to the mayoralty.
In industry circles he is respected for scaling up a construction group, yet his later years serve as a cautionary tale about overexpansion, regulatory risk and infrastructure finance. His philanthropic and cultural restoration efforts—especially regarding Russian Orthodox heritage—round out his public image with a socially-oriented side.
Conclusion
Mikhail Dmitrievich Balakin has built a remarkable narrative: born April 20, 1961, into a builders’ family in Serpukhov, he climbed the ladders of Soviet-era engineering, transformed a construction trust into SU-155, and emerged among Russia’s wealthiest individuals. With an estimated net worth around $1.7 billion to $1.9 billion, he leveraged his engineering background, business acumen and political engagement. Married to Marina Balakina and a father, his personal life remains discreet yet stable—his birthday, April 20, quietly marks the start of each year. His journey—from local construction sites to boardroom influence and political office—offers a study in ambition, risk and legacy. In that arc lies an inspiring insight: real success is often rooted in the everyday work of building—brick by brick, relationship by relationship, vision by vision.
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