Home: Switzerland. Age: 60. Birthplace: Zaporozhye, Ukraine. Profession: Businessman. Organization: ISL. Title: PhD in Theoretical Physics. Pronouns: He/’Him/His. Significant other: My wife, Natalya. Alma mater: Landau Institute for Theoretical Physics. Languages spoken: Russian, Ukrainian, English.
Current project: Working on revolutionising and commercialising professional swimming and sport in general through the International Swimming League. Recent recognition: I don’t really care about any kind of recognition aside from my internal self-recognition and self-inquisition. Recently, I’ve been very happy with how I’ve deepened my understanding of the world that I live in. Hobbies: Swimming, hiking. Recent travel or adventure: A summer trip to Peru with my family, where I got to experience a culture vastly different to my own. Last book read: Consciousness and Quantum Mechanics, by Shan Gao.
What one word would your closest friend use to describe you? Curious. Moral compass: The main principle I follow when making difficult ethical decisions is empathy. How do you define an ideal business relationship? The best type of business relationships is those in which partners complement each other (complementary principles is important in any kind of relationship). What is your greatest joy? My greatest joy is when I understand things that previously puzzled me. Being able to explain my understanding to others is also gratifying, even though people usually don’t desire my explanation. What is your guilty pleasure? Listening to pointless podcasts before bed. What natural talent have you neglected? I have a talent in explaining complicated things in simple terms. What occupation, other than your own, do you most admire? Medical professionals. How do you relieve stress? I’m never stressed. What is your go-to workout? A mobility routine combined with strength and conditioning exercise. What ingredient is essential to your perfect vacation? Learning about the culture of wherever I vacation.
What was your first paying job? Construction work. What book have you repeatedly read? The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams. What movie have you repeatedly watched? Avatar (James Cameron). What’s the best advice you received growing up? My father advised me to never join the Communist Party and never cooperate with the KGB. What’s the best advice you received in your career? To always search for scaling opportunities in businesses and to realize when scaling is not possible. What modern technology innovation do you most appreciate? The internet, because it allows quick and easy access to knowledge. What is your go-to source of creative inspiration? An emotion. What company or organization do you most admire? Google DeepMind. What world event has had the greatest influence on your life? 1991 fall of the Soviet Union.
What is your big idea?
Transforming global sports through creativity, amended reality and interactivity.
What change would you like to see in the world? Decentralization and reduction of the bureaucratic burden on the World. Implementation of meritocracy principle. Abolishment of the mediaeval practice of government ownership and passports. What widely held belief do you reject? I believe that governments in their current state are outdated and need to be replaced with more efficient ways of leading the society, especially in areas of distribution of commons wealth (budget) and justice. I believe AI would be a good replacement, as it would eliminate the human factor. What mega-trend most excites you? Postmodernism excites me, at it is a new paradigm. What mega-trend most concerns you? The paradigm shift between Modernism and Postmodernism, as this shift will undoubtedly be accompanied by significant turmoil and conflict.
What title would you choose for the movie about your life? The Matrix. What actor would you choose to play you in the movie about your life? Keanu Reeves. Who would you like to spend an evening with, in heaven? Immanuel Kant, Evariste Galois, Socrates. As a kid, what did you first want to be when you grew up? First, an astronaut. Later, a theoretical physicist. What advice would you give your younger self? Be wiser.
Personal mission: To maximize my contribution to the collective subconsciousness understanding of the world. Personal motto: "For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow" (Ecclesiastes 1:18). Favorite quote: "God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference" (Reinhold Niebuhr).
