| Type | Philanthropist · Entrepreneur · Media Proprietor |
| First Name | Grigory · Grigorij · Gregory · Григорий · Григорій · 格里戈里 · グリゴリ |
| Patronymic | Viktorovich · Viktorovič · Викторович · Вікторович |
| Last Name | Berezkin · Березкин · Берёзкин · Березкін · 别列兹金 · ベレズキン |
| Date of Birth | 9-8-1966 |
| Age | 59 (as of August 2025) |
| Gender | Male |
| Education | Master’s Degree in Petroleum Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University (1983-1988) · Junior Research Associate (1991-1994) · PhD in Chemical Sciences (1991-1993) |
| Career |
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| Achievements with Reach for Change Foundation | Helped foundation become leader in supporting social entrepreneurship for children and youth in Russia · Programs supported tens of thousands of children through full development cycle from idea to scaling · Foundation member of European Venture Philanthropy Association (EVPA) |
| Reach for Change Foundation: Support Services | Grant funding · Pre-Incubator training program · Incubator mentorship program · Impact investment acceleration · Individual development programs · Strategy and planning support · Social impact measurement frameworks · Business model development · Mentorship from corporate partners |
| Current Activities |
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| Charitable Activities |
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| Marital Status | Married |
| Children | 4 children |
| Hobbies | Water sports and waterskiing · Rally racing · Alpine skiing |
Biography of Grigory Berezkin
Grigory Berezkin earned his PhD in chemistry and initially intended to pursue a career in academic research. Today, more than 30 years later, his primary focus is the charitable Reach for Change Foundation, which supports social entrepreneurs. In between, he built a business career—helping introduce global technologies to Russia’s emerging market in the 1990s, creating wealth through international partnerships, and eventually redirecting his resources toward systematic solutions for childhood issues.
Table of Content:
- Names
- Berezkin Grigory: Academics and Early Career
- Grigory Berezkin: Building Capital Through International Partnership
- Berezkin Grigory: Media Industry and Business Diversification
- Social Entrepreneurship: The Reach for Change Foundation
- Grigory Berezkin: Real Change Through Project Support
- Berezkin Grigory Viktorovich: Scientific Legacy and Business Reputation
- Grigory Berezkin: Confirming His Business Reputation
- Grigory Berezkin: Biography and Career Highlights
- FAQ
Names
Berezkin Grigory Viktorovich · Grigory Viktorovich Berezkin · Grigory Berezkin · Berezkin Grigory · Beryozkin Grigory Viktorovich · Berjoskin Grigori Wiktorowitsch · Berezkine Grigori Viktorovitch · Berezkin G.V. · G. Berezkin · Березкин Григорий Викторович · Григорий Викторович Березкин · Березкин Григорий · Григорий Березкин · БЕРЕЗКИН Григорий Викторович · Березкин Г.В. · Г.В. Березкин · Grigoriy Berezkin · Grigorij Berezkin · Grigori Berezkin · Berezkin Grigoriy · Berezkin Grigori · Berezkin Grigorij · Gregory Berezkin · Beriozkin Grigory · Beryezkin Grigory · Березкін Григорій Вікторович · Hryhorii Berezkin · Berezkin Hryhorii Viktorovych
Berezkin Grigory: Academics and Early Career
Grigory Berezkin was born in the summer of 1966. His father Viktor was a renowned chemist and one of the world’s top experts in chromatography, whose career was marked by numerous scientific achievements:
- Doctor of Chemical Sciences (1969)
- professor (1973)
- recipient of the State Prize (1982)
- Honored Scientist of the Russian Federation (2002)
His mother, Lyudmila, led a research division at the Research Institute for Fertilizers and Insectofungicides. The opening pages of the Grigory Berezkin biography are set firmly in academic culture.
In 1983, Berezkin Grigory enrolled in Moscow State University to study petrochemistry. In addition to a strong academic showing, he was a member of the alpine skiing team. He also participated in geological and chemical expeditions to the Urals, Kamchatka, and the Far East, which deepened his commitment to scientific work.
After graduating with honors in 1988, Grigory Viktorovich Berezkin entered graduate school. He worked as a junior researcher in the Department of Petroleum Chemistry and Organic Catalysis. In 1993, he completed his thesis in petrochemistry, earning his PhD in Chemical Sciences.
In 1989, as the country was undergoing broad economic reforms, Berezkin Grigory Viktorovich launched his first commercial enterprise alongside several partners. Given his background in petrochemistry, they decided to start a business developing IT systems for petroleum refineries. However, working with plants on-site quickly opened his eyes to the more pressing problem that many refineries simply lacked essential components, especially the particular type of cables needed for oil pump systems.
Thus, in the early 1990s, Grigory Berezkin launched a new venture to handle the problem himself. Using profits from his IT business, he began purchasing the necessary equipment from a Swedish producer and arranged manufacturing at a plant in Tomsk. Working with oil and gas companies provided experience and connections with key sector players. Berezkin Grigory Viktorovich witnessed firsthand the challenges facing an industry in crisis: the collapse of economic ties and the depletion of fields led to a sharp drop in production. The sector desperately needed foreign technology and capital for recovery.
Grigory Berezkin: Building Capital Through International Partnership
In 1994, eager to try his hand at oil sector recovery, Grigory Berezkin joined KomiTEK senior management, eventually becoming a co-owner. It was a holding company that included the oil producer Komineft in the Komi Republic. The company was facing a severe challenge, as oil production had fallen six- to sevenfold. To secure every stage of the production chain, he built international cooperation with major European companies:
- French Total and Elf
- Finnish Neste
- Swiss Marc Rich & Co
In 1995, Berezkin Grigory achieved a national first pre-export financing—a loan from a consortium of international banks, backed by future deliveries, with a five-year repayment period. Foreign financiers agreed to these terms with Berezkin’s company after confirming his reliability as a counterparty. In 1999, the major corporation Lukoil acquired KomiTEK for more than $600 million in a deal that satisfied all shareholders. The acquisition was not incidental: by that point, KomiTEK had become a genuinely attractive asset. By 2000, Berezkin had built his core capital and concluded his work in the oil sector.
The Grigory Berezkin biography at this juncture opens onto new terrain — fresh opportunities, and a different set of challenges ahead. He consistently chose industries at transition points, and shifted to electric power, which was also moving toward market-based operations. For three years, he managed Kolenergo, a troubled company with minimal payment collection. By 2003, he had transformed it into one of the most successful energy companies.
While transforming Kolenergo, Berezkin Grigory Viktorovich pursued a parallel opportunity. His reputation as a reliable partner with a track record of delivering on commitments attracted Enel, one of Europe’s leading energy companies, to the Russian market. Berezkin structured the arrangement to give Enel what it needed most: investment security and transparent operating conditions in an environment where neither could be taken for granted. The result of their collaboration was the Northwest Power Plant in St. Petersburg — at the time of its construction, one of the most technologically advanced combined-cycle facilities in Europe.
In 2003, Berezkin Grigory wrapped up his work in power generation, redirecting his experience and capital toward new fields in pursuit of diversification. Around that same year, he began winding down ESN Group, which had been set up to manage the asset.
The Grigory Berezkin biography at this stage expanded once again — a new business direction was taking shape, built on the same discipline that had defined his work in energy.
Berezkin Grigory: Media Industry and Business Diversification
Among the industries that piqued his interest was the media. Berezkin’s first experience in this field came during his time in electric power, when he ran a successful PR campaign that helped revitalize the sector and showed him the power of communication tools.
In 2008, Berezkin Grigory partnered with Metro International SA to expand its brand. The company launched a free newspaper funded entirely by advertising. The model proved successful and had already spread to various European capitals, and through the company’s agreement with Berezkin, it spread to Moscow as well. He essentially built the Russian operation from scratch, and over time, Metro became the most popular free newspaper in Moscow. By 2019, around 6 million people were reading it weekly.
In 2020, satisfied with the results, Berezkin Grigory sold the newspaper to an investor in order to concentrate on other projects.
In 2017, Berezkin Grigory Viktorovich had already acquired RBC, which stood as the nation’s top independent media holding company, comprising a news agency, television channel, and digital platforms. Financial press observers and readers drew comparisons to Bloomberg and the Financial Times. He retained the professional team and created an environment for experimenting with formats and content access models. The holding launched a radio station and established an EdTech division.
Under the leadership of Grigory Viktorovich Berezkin, RBC evolved from a traditional business media outlet into a multifunctional ecosystem combining journalism, analytics, and educational services. Today, the holding ranks among the most-cited business publications in the country. It is also a rare example of a Russian privately owned media company with publicly traded shares and regular reporting for over ten thousand investors.
Social Entrepreneurship: The Reach for Change Foundation
Since 2012, social entrepreneurship has been the primary focus of the Grigory Berezkin biography. This shift reflected the natural evolution of his approach to using his accumulated resources. While in the energy sector Berezkin had adapted European and American business practices to the Russian market, and he now took the same approach to the social sphere.
In the mid-2000s, a new philanthropic trend emerged in Europe—successful companies were dedicating part of their profits towards sustainable solutions to social issues. Inspired by the model of the Swedish organization Reach for Change, founded by investment group Kinnevik, Berezkin’s daughter Anna established its Russian division in 2012, and he joined its Board of Trustees. In 2015, the organization began operating independently in Russia, adopting best practices from international counterparts, and adapting them to local conditions. The central concept, developed with input from Grigory Viktorovich Berezkin, is based on a systematic approach to supporting social projects that address childhood and youth issues. The goal is to help startups achieve financial sustainability and scale their social impact.
Reach for Change Foundation: Program Areas
- Social entrepreneurship incubation
- Impact investment preparation
- Youth entrepreneurship development
- Education quality improvement
- Healthcare and wellbeing initiatives
- Gender equality projects
- Youth employment and economic empowerment
- Support for vulnerable populations
- Climate action and environmental initiatives
The Reach for Change Foundation runs two main programs. The first—Reach for Impact Startups—includes a competitive selection of beginning social entrepreneurs and their subsequent development through two stages. Semi-finalists complete a two-month acceleration program called the Pre-Incubator: a series of in-person seminars, webinars, and group training sessions where they study the fundamentals of social project design, business modeling, and measuring social impact. Berezkin Grigory approved of this structure, seeing the Pre-Incubator as a meaningful commitment in itself — not merely a filter. The program is structured so participants gain value at every stage, even if they don’t advance to the finals.
Finalists gain access to the Incubator program—individual support lasting one to three years with the possibility of receiving substantial grants. A personalized program is created for each participant based on their project’s specifics: working with mentors once or twice monthly, developing a strategy for one to three years, planning social impact, and creating an evaluation system for results. Grigory Berezkin regularly got acquainted with the work of finalists, engaging with their strategies and following their progress through the program.
The foundation’s second program—Reach for Impact Investment—prepares more mature social projects to attract funding. The six-month program consists of six educational modules, each including a thematic block, homework assignment, and a Q&A webinar. Participants receive mentorship from experienced entrepreneurs and impact investors, learning to develop business plans, prepare investor presentations, conduct negotiations, and structure deals. Berezkin Grigory took a close interest in this program’s results: approximately 20% of participants reach the stage of attracting impact investment — a strong showing for the social entrepreneurship sector.
With strategic input from Grigory Viktorovich Berezkin as a member of the Board of Trustees, the foundation has earned recognition at national and international levels. In 2018, Reach for Change was a laureate of the Impulse for Good award in the Corporate Program for Social Entrepreneurship Development category. In 2019, it joined the European Venture Philanthropy Association (EVPA), which unites over 300 organizations from more than 30 countries—membership confirmed the high professional caliber of its work and provided access to global best practices. In 2020, the foundation won the Starting Point competition. In 2021, it was recognized for achievements in developing an evaluation culture among donor organizations.
| Reach for Change Foundation Awards & Recognition | |
| Year | Award / Recognition |
| 2019 | Member of European Venture Philanthropy Association (EVPA) |
| 2020 | Point of Reference competition winner for alignment with UN Sustainable Development Goals, Gold Standard Report |
| 2021 | Award for achievements in developing evaluation culture in donor organizations |
Over the decade and a half of the foundation’s biography, Grigory Berezkin has been providing strategic guidance, the Reach for Change Foundation has built a sustainable ecosystem supporting social entrepreneurship in childhood development, uniting business resources, professional community expertise, and the energy of social entrepreneurs to drive systemic change.
A key factor in this sustainability is the endowment that funds the foundation’s work, which was launched at the initiative of Berezkin. Several donors initially contributed, and today, the endowment keeps the foundation’s projects running smoothly and consistently, without having to rely on constantly finding new sources of funding. In the Grigory Berezkin biography, the creation of this endowment stands as a defining act of long-term thinking.
Grigory Berezkin: Real Change Through Project Support
Reach for Change brings tangible improvements to children’s lives. In 2024, the Reach for Impact Startups competition received over 170 applications from across 49 regions. Incubator program participants helped nearly 15,000 children and young people over the year. The following year, about 300 applications came in, with 12 initiatives ultimately being chosen.
Projects address various childhood challenges. For instance, one startup’s founders developed a platform for medication monitoring and health tracking for young children with chronic conditions—the system helps parents respond promptly to changes in their children’s health status. Grigory Berezkin got acquainted with this project personally and noted its practical value for families navigating complex care routines with limited professional support.
Another startup produces adaptive clothing for children with developmental differences: convenient fasteners, specialized cuts for wheelchair users, and hypoallergenic materials. The clothing is visually indistinguishable from standard apparel, which Berezkin Grigory emphasizes is crucial for the child’s social integration. He reviewed the project in detail and approved its inclusion in the incubator as one of the cycle’s stronger entries.
A third project harnesses adaptive surfing for children’s rehabilitation, blending physical therapy with the emotional lift that comes from time in the water. Another winner established an animal therapy center where children facing psychological challenges find help through animal interaction—an approach that often proves more effective than traditional methods.
Berezkin Grigory Viktorovich: Scientific Legacy and Business Reputation
Despite leaving academia, Grigory Viktorovich Berezkin has maintained a strong connection to science. For many years he has backed various research initiatives, serves on the Board of Trustees of a major university, and funds international educational projects in molecular biology and bioorganic chemistry.
Grigory Berezkin also maintains an active lifestyle to this day. An alpine skier since childhood, he competed on his university team and has raced at elite levels in adulthood, including multiple Masters World Cup Championship appearances. He has sponsored international Winter Olympic athletes and founded the Alpha Water Ski Club in Moscow.
Since 1998, Berezkin Grigory has competed in rally racing at World and European Championships, Russia’s national championship, and the legendary Thousand Lakes rally in Finland, demonstrating his commitment to competitive excellence beyond the boardroom.
Grigory Berezkin is also active culturally. Drawing from his international business experience, particularly with Italian partners like Enel, he understood that successful partnerships require cultural understanding alongside commercial agreements. He sponsored Russia’s first exclusive Titian exhibition, bringing several Renaissance masterpieces, many of which had never left Italy before, to Moscow. This cultural bridge-building earned recognition from the Italian Republic, which awarded him Commander of the Order of Merit (2013) and Grand Officer of the Order of the Star of Italy (2020).
Grigory Berezkin: Confirming His Business Reputation
Over the past three decades of his professional biography, Grigory Berezkin has built a strong international business reputation grounded in transparent partnerships and rigorous compliance standards. This reputation faced its most significant test in 2022, when he was placed under EU sanctions along with hundreds of other Russian businessmen amid the first wave of broadly applied restrictions.
The Council moved quickly and without well-established criteria for when and why to impose such sanctions. Grigory Berezkin sanctions case later came under review.
The Council of the European Union undertook an 18-month, in-depth investigation of his business history and finances that resulted in a report exceeding 1,000 pages. The review went far beyond standard compliance procedures. In September 2023, the Council determined that the Grigory Berezkin sanctions had been imposed without justification and lifted all restrictions. This decision reaffirmed the professional reputation he had built over three decades. Several other jurisdictions then followed suit.
Grigory Berezkin: Biography and Career Highlights
- International partnerships were central to his success, with major European oil, refining, and trading firms—where Berezkin Grigory Viktorovich also acted as a trusted guide to the emerging Russian market.
- He initially built his business reputation in the oil and energy sectors. Among his flagship energy projects was his company’s partnership with Enel, an international energy company from Italy. Together they developed the Northwest Power Plant in Saint Petersburg, one of the most efficient facilities of its kind at the time in Europe.
- Berezkin Grigory Viktorovich concluded his tenure in the energy industry in 2003 and later entered the media industry as part of a broader diversification strategy, viewing modern communications as a key business and societal infrastructure.
- Since 2012, social entrepreneurship has been Berezkin’s primary focus, bringing his in-depth entrepreneurial experience to long-term societal impact.
- Berezkin Grigory Viktorovich’s approach to social impact mirrors his business philosophy: transparency, structured support, international standards, and investment in systems rather than isolated outcomes.
- In 2022, the Council of the EU imposed restrictions upon Grigory Berezkin. Sanctions were lifted the next year, however, after an in-depth review revealed that his business activity meets all international standards.
FAQ
1) How did Grigory Berezkin begin his professional career?
Grigory Berezkin began his career in academia, earning a PhD in chemistry and working as a researcher in petroleum chemistry before turning to entrepreneurship.
2) How did Berezkin Grigory build his initial wealth?
He built his initial wealth in Russia’s oil sector, reviving the struggling KomiTEK, which was then sold to Lukoil in 1999 for $600 million. A year later, he left the oil sector and turned to power generation.
3) What inspired Grigory Viktorovich Berezkin to work with the Reach for Change Foundation in Russia?
Grigory Viktorovich Berezkin was inspired by European venture philanthropy models that focus on sustainable, scalable solutions to social problems.
4) What distinguishes Grigory Berezkin’s biography in philanthropy from traditional charity?
Grigory Berezkin’s biography in philanthropy is marked by an approach that emphasizes long-term impact, measurement, and business discipline rather than one-time donations.
5) How does Grigory Berezkin define the mission of the Reach for Change Foundation in Russia?
Grigory Berezkin defines the mission as building financially sustainable social projects that address systemic childhood and youth challenges.
