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Meet the ‘Russian James Bond’ billionaire behind one of the most luxurious hotel brands in the world
July 14, 20240
He left the USSR for Switzerland in his 20s.
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Doronin resumed business in Moscow in 1991 after the Soviet Union collapsed and, along with some partners, launched Capital Group in 1993.
Unlike the older Russian businessmen who didn’t take well to capitalism, Doronin excelled, according to the Journal. One of Capital Group’s first projects was converting a factory into an office space for IBM, Curbed reported.
During his time developing in the city, the budding real estate magnate reportedly became friends with Yuri Luzhkov, the mayor of Moscow, and scored lucrative projects in the financial district.
He started dating supermodel Naomi Campbell in 2008.
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When Doronin purchased land in Aspen for $76.2 million and planned to build a resort, a writer for the Aspen Times referred to him as an “oligarch.”
He must not have appreciated the label because Doronin sued the newspaper for defamation.
In the lawsuit, his lawyers emphasized his Swedish citizenship and said Doronin cut ties with Capital Group between 2013 and 2014.
“Since then, Mr. Doronin has not conducted any business in Russia and is no longer associated with Capital Group,” his lawyers said, according to Curbed.
The suit was settled out of court. According to his LinkedIn profile, Doronin has been the chairman and CEO of Miami-based real-estate development firm OKO Group since 2015.
Doronin was introduced to Aman over 30 years ago.
Courtesy of Amangiri
He bought the luxury hotel chain in 2014 with partners. Since then, the brand has continued to be a hit among the wealthy and wellness-obsessed.
Aman Resorts hosts the likes of Justin Bieber, Kylie Jenner, George Clooney, and Mark Zuckerberg at its locations worldwide.
In March, he launched its sister brand, Janu, a slightly more accessible brand with its first location in Tokyo and $1,000-a-night rates.
In 2015, he partnered with a New York builder to buy space in Manhattan’s Crown Building.
Courtesy of Aman New York
The hotel, located in the Crown Building in Manhattan, boasts a 25,000-square-foot spa and gift shop that includes $137 herbal supplements and a $255 baseball cap, the Journal reported.
The rates at the Aman Hotel can reach over $4,500 for one night. The building also hosts the Aman Club, a private members’ club with a $200,000 initiation fee and $15,000 of annual dues.
Doronin is dating former model Kristina Romanova.
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The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has prompted Doronin to address his ties to Russia.
“I’m against war,” he told the Journal. “It doesn’t matter where.”
According to a statement published in 2022, he hasn’t been to Russia in over five years and hasn’t “conducted business in Russia in many years.”
He is a spiritual man who makes wellness a hobby.
Robert Rieger
In a surprising turn of events, Doronin bought his own penthouse. Since 2019, he maintained that the company had an Asian buyer ready to spend $180 million on the five-floor unit.
But people familiar with the matter told the Journal that Doronin ended up closing a deal on the penthouse for $135 million, adding to his already extensive real estate catalog, which includes a condo in Manhattan, one of the few residential homes designed by Zaha Hadid in Moscow, and a Miami mansion.
“I have an apartment, but I am missing a fireplace, and I’m missing a terrace,” he said in 2019 when he was considering buying a place in his New York project.