Born on September 26, 1966, in Stavropol. 

1983-1990: student at the Mechanics and Mathematics Department, and then at the Department of Political Economy at Urals State University, Sverdlovsk.

1990-1992: student at the Department of Economics at Marburg University, Germany.

2004: graduated from the Higher Academic Courses of the Military Academy of the Russian General Staff, specialising in Defence and Homeland Security of the Russian Federation.

1985-1988: served in the nuclear submarine corps with the Northern Fleet.

1992: auditor at BDO Binder, Frankfurt am Main.

1994: Director of RFI GmbH, Council on Consulting on Investing in Russia, and was the official representative of the Russian Foundation for Basic Research in the EU.

1995-1997: researcher at the Institute for Investment Issues, Head of the External Relations Department at the All-Russia Bank for Regional Development.

1997-1999: Head of the Analytic Centre for Economic Strategy at Rosenergoatom.

1999-2001: Advisor on economic strategy to the Director General of the Russian Research Institute on the Operation of Nuclear Power Plants.

2002-2005: Chairman of the State Military Conversion Foundation.

February - June 2005: Advisor to Gazprombank Chairman of the Board, Vice President of Atomstroiexport.

June 2005: President of Atomstroiexport.

2008: appointed Deputy Director of Atomenergoprom while remaining Head of Atomstroiexport.

May 12, 2008: appointed Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation.

Married, with a son and daughter.