Meet Alexander Govor, the Russian businessman who just bought hundreds of McDonald's restaurants after the fast-food chain's exit from the country

Mary MeisenzahlMay 22, 2022, 17:37 IST

Alexander Nemenov/Getty Images

McDonald's is selling its Russian restaurants to Alexander Govor for an undisclosed sum.
Govor agreed to keep current employees on payroll for at least two years.

McDonald's is leaving Russia and selling its restaurants in the country two months after closing the locations in March amid conflict with Ukraine.

McDonald's in Tver, Russia.FotograFFF/Shutterstock

Source: Insider, Insider

The global burger giant, which had over 800 locations in Russia, announced that it would sell its restaurants to Russian businessman Alexander Govor.

AP Photo/Misha Japaridze

Source: Insider

Gorov will rebrand the restaurants under a new name. Neither McDonald's or Govor disclosed the price of the deal.

Bernard Bisson/Sygma via Getty Images

Govor has been a McDonald's franchisee since 2015, when he agreed to open 20 restaurants through his business GiD LLC.

Source: Reuters

Govor became only the second Russian McDonald's franchisee, because the chain focused on opening its own restaurants and operated about 500 at the time of the deal.

Photo by Konstantin Zavrazhin/Getty Images

Source: Reuters

Govor is from Novokuznetsk, an industrial city in southwestern Siberia.

Reuters

Source: Financial Times

Govor grew his wealth in the coal business as co-owner of the coal mining company Yuzhkuzbassugol, located in his hometown of Novokuznetsk.

Christian Thiele/picture alliance via Getty Images

Source: Bloomberg

The Russian businessman bought the mine together with multinational manufacturing and mining company Evraz during liberalization in the 1990s under President Boris Yeltsin.

Christian Thiele/picture alliance via Getty Images

Source: Bloomberg, New York Times

The Russian businessman bought the mine together with multinational manufacturing and mining company Evraz during liberalization in the 1990s under President Boris Yeltsin.

Source: Bloomberg, New York Times

A Russian oversight committee temporarily shut down the mining company in 2007 after explosions at Yuzhkuzbassugol's mines led to over 100 worker deaths.

Dima Korotayev/Epsilon/Getty Images

Source: New York Times

Then Evraz, which is owned in part by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, bought out Govor from the company.

Former Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich.Clive Mason/Getty Images

Govor got into the oil business next, investing money from the sale of the mines into the Yaisky Oil Refinery in 2013.

Reuters

Source: Bloomberg

He still partially owns the refinery through his company NefteKhimService, which is described on its website as a "construction investor and business owner."

Reuters

Source: Financial Times, NefteKhimService

Govor is also reportedly the founder of Sibirskaya Milyona, a company that owns cattle farms and produces milk and sausages.

John P Kelly/Getty Images

Source: Financial Times

Govor is a "local businessman, patron of the arts, and enthusiastic collector," according to a press release from a concrete company from 2018.

Cold frosty February weather in Siberia in the North-East of Russia. Anadyr, Chukotka Autonomous region, Russia.Andrei Stepanov / Getty Images

Source: Penetron

The release credits Govor with donating his collection of 40 vintage vehicles to a museum in Novokuznetsk.

Ben Pruchnie/Getty Images

In 2021, Govor participated in a car race put on by the museum, and came in second, according to a press release from NefteKhimService.

Business Insider

Source: NefteKhimService

Govor agreed to employ and continue paying the roughly 60,000 Russian McDonald's employees for two years.

Photo by Semen Vasileyev/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

The new owner also agreed to keep corporate employees on the payroll and continue paying suppliers and landlords, according to a statement from McDonald's.

Photo by Semen Vasileyev/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

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Meet Alexander Govor, the Russian businessman who just bought hundreds of McDonald's restaurants after the fast-food chain's exit from the country

McDonald's is leaving Russia and selling its restaurants in the country two months after closing the locations in March amid conflict with Ukraine.

The global burger giant, which had over 800 locations in Russia, announced that it would sell its restaurants to Russian businessman Alexander Govor.

Gorov will rebrand the restaurants under a new name. Neither McDonald's or Govor disclosed the price of the deal.

Govor has been a McDonald's franchisee since 2015, when he agreed to open 20 restaurants through his business GiD LLC.

Govor became only the second Russian McDonald's franchisee, because the chain focused on opening its own restaurants and operated about 500 at the time of the deal.

Govor is from Novokuznetsk, an industrial city in southwestern Siberia.

Govor grew his wealth in the coal business as co-owner of the coal mining company Yuzhkuzbassugol, located in his hometown of Novokuznetsk.

The Russian businessman bought the mine together with multinational manufacturing and mining company Evraz during liberalization in the 1990s under President Boris Yeltsin.

A Russian oversight committee temporarily shut down the mining company in 2007 after explosions at Yuzhkuzbassugol's mines led to over 100 worker deaths.

Then Evraz, which is owned in part by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, bought out Govor from the company.

Govor got into the oil business next, investing money from the sale of the mines into the Yaisky Oil Refinery in 2013.

He still partially owns the refinery through his company NefteKhimService, which is described on its website as a "construction investor and business owner."

Govor is also reportedly the founder of Sibirskaya Milyona, a company that owns cattle farms and produces milk and sausages.

Govor is a "local businessman, patron of the arts, and enthusiastic collector," according to a press release from a concrete company from 2018.

The release credits Govor with donating his collection of 40 vintage vehicles to a museum in Novokuznetsk.

In 2021, Govor participated in a car race put on by the museum, and came in second, according to a press release from NefteKhimService.

Govor agreed to employ and continue paying the roughly 60,000 Russian McDonald's employees for two years.

The new owner also agreed to keep corporate employees on the payroll and continue paying suppliers and landlords, according to a statement from McDonald's.