Born on September 15, 1941, in the village of Arbat, Kuvshinsky District, Sverdlovsk Region. 

1965: graduated from the Economics Department of Leningrad Agricultural Institute.

Was on the management of several agribusinesses and agribusiness departments in the Leningrad Region's bodies of authority.

1992: appointed deputy head of the Foreign Relations Committee of the St Petersburg City Hall.

1993: deputy head of Russia's Federal Tax Service - head of the State Tax Inspectorate for St Petersburg.

From 1999: Deputy Minister for Taxes and Duties - head of the Ministry's department for St Petersburg.

2001: appointed First Deputy Minister for Taxes and Duties, head of Russia's Financial Monitoring Committee.

March 2004: appointed Head of the Federal Service for Financial Monitoring.

September 14, 2007: appointed Prime Minister of Russia by a presidential decree.

May 12, 2008: First Deputy Prime Minister of Russia.

PhD in Economics.

Married, with a daughter.