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

May 22, 2022

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 russia — 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.
Govor made his money in mining and oil refining before getting into fast food.

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

russian mcdonalds — 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.

russia mcdonalds — 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.

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.

Source: Reuters

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

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.

Siberia coal mine — 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.

Siberia mining company — Christian Thiele/picture alliance via Getty Images

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.

Novokuznetsk Russia mine explosion — 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.

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is seen on the stand during the Barclays Premier League match between Chelsea and Sunderland at Stamford Bridge — 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.

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."

Source: Financial Times, NefteKhimService

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

A herd of brown and white cows look into the camera — 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.

View of the snow-covered street in the northern arctic city. Winter city landscape. — 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.

vintage cars — 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.

Source: 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.