Person of day   -  1 JUNE 2023

ALEXANDER ZHUKOV

ALEXANDER ZHUKOV

AlexanderDmitrievichZhukovwasbornon1stJune1956 inMoscow. Alexander graduated from school No 444 with a specialisation in mathematics and applied mathematics before graduating from Moscow State University in 1978 with a degree in economics and a focus on economics-mathematics. After this, he studied economics on courses organised by the Soviet Gosplan. In 1991, he received a diploma from Harvard. He is a specialist in currency, tax and customs laws.  

From 1978, Alexander worked in a Scientific Research Institute of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR. Later on, he worked in the Finance Ministry’s foremost department for currency and economics: he became an economist, a senior expert, a principal expert, a deputy leader and then leader of the department for financing external economies ties. From 1986-1989, he was a deputy of the Baumanskiy district council and at the beginning of perestroika, he became a vice-president of Avtotraktoroeksport.

In 1994, Zhukov was elected to the State Duma, where he was instantly called to head the committee on budgeting, tax, banks and finances and a sub-committee on the state debt. He went on to be elected to the Duma three more times from 1996-2004. 

From 2004 to 2011, Alexander Zhukov was a Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation. Since April 2004, he has been chairman of the Cabinet’s commission on law-making and the Cabinet’s commission on humanitarian and technical assistance. From May 2004, he coordinated Russia’s commission on regulating social and labour relations. After July 2008, he was chairman of the board of governors for the Federal Fund of housing construction. 

After finishing his work in the Cabinet, Zhukov was elected to the Duma for the fifth time as the first deputy chairman of the Duma. He is a member of the Senior Council of the United Russia Party. Alexander Zhukov headed Russia’s Olympic Committee between 2010 and 2018. During his time on the job, the Olympic Committee prepared and carried out the Olympic Games in Sochi. 

Alexander Zhukov has played chess since he was seven. He became a candidate for master, then fulfilled the criteria for master twice. He also played for Moscow State University in student competitions, but chess was relegated to favourite hobby after he started work. Nonetheless, Zhukov retains considerable playing strength, often holding his own against grand names in handicap tournaments held in the Dvorkovich Parlour.  

AlexanderZhukovsupportedtheRussianChessFederationatadifficulttime. In 2000, the men’s team was one step away from failing to compete at the Olympiad- there was no money for travelling and the team owed its players their prize salaries for the 1998 Olympiad in Elista. Time passed and the situation became critical; only Zhukov’s timely intervention solved the problems. In Istanbul, the Russians came first once again.  

In 2003, Alexander Zhukov headed the RCF. Thanks to his personal efforts, the institution of the national team was restored, the team and children’s Russian championship moved to the spectacular Dagomys complex, the Russian U20 championships received impressive prize funds and the system of adult Russian championships was reformed, whereby the Premier League and the Superfinal were initiated, which brought together the country’s strongest players. Alexander Zhukov’s constructive relationship with Yugra’s governor Natalia Komarova helped to turn Yugra into a new chess Mecca.  

During Alexander Zhukov’s presidency, RCF returned the positions it lost in the 1990s and a new generation of Russian grandmasters was generated. After his departure from the post of president, Alexander became RCF Vice-President. 

He has been awarded Medals for Services to the Motherland of III and IV category, Medals of Friendship, Honour and Alexander Nevsky. Alexander Zhukov is married and has one adult son.