Andrei Vladimirovich Skoch: biography, career, and political activity
Andrei Vladimirovich Skoch is a Russian politician, a member of the “United Russia” party, a deputy of the State Duma from the Belgorod region, and the founder of a charitable Foundation Pokolenie (Generation).
Andrei Vladimirovich Skoch is a former businessman – until 1999, he was a co-owner of the company “Interfin”. Today, Skoch owns 30% of the USM holding. The fortune of Andrei Skoch’s family in 2021 is estimated at $8.8 billion.
Education and the beginning of Andrei Skoch’s career
The future deputy of the State Duma of the Russian Federation of five convocations was born in the Moscow region in the village of Nikolskoye in 1966. The head of the family, Vladimir Nikitovich Skoch, went from a simple worker to a trade union leader in the course of his professional development. His son would later follow his path of advancement as a citizen. After school, Andrei Skoch served in the Soviet Army and then received higher education at the Moscow State University named after M.A. Sholokhov, and became a certified psychologist. Then, in 2000, already serving as a deputy, he became a candidate of pedagogical sciences, successfully defending his dissertation.
The last decade of the twentieth century in Russia was associated with the flourishing of entrepreneurship. Andrei Skoch became one of the new class of Russian businessmen that emerged at this time. At the beginning of his career, he opened a bakery cooperative with his friends. Later, Andrei Vladimirovich Skoch founded a company selling computers and components. Then, together with his colleague Lev Kvetnoi, he invested in the Interfin Company, which was transformed into Metalloinvest holding after he had left the business. Interfin was at the time engaged in investing money in securities, and in its operations, acquired several large metallurgical plants. Skoch held leadership positions in some of them.
Subsequently, Andrei Vladimirovich Skoch stopped taking part in the development of the organization and its metallurgical enterprises, passing the business into his father’s hands. Instead, he decided to become a lawmaker, running for deputy of the Russian State Duma.
Political and legislative initiatives
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Andrei Skoch has been engaged in politics since 1999, and his career took a new turn after he won the elections to the State Duma of the Russian Federation in Belgorod. Andrei Skoch, who was still in business at that time, managed to get the support of 54% of voters. Since then, lawmaking and charity have become his main areas of business interest.
In 2007, he joined the list of candidates for deputies from the United Russia party, and won the elections;
In September 2016, he became a deputy of the State Duma of the seventh convocation, thereby taking office for the fifth time in a row.
Skoch Andrei Vladimirovich has been working in the State Duma of the Russian Federation for 20 years. Over these years, he has been a member of various committees and has authored and co-authored many legislative initiatives and amendments to more than 150 draft federal laws, including the famous law “On Dacha Amnesty”. Among other things, Andrei Vladimirovich participated in the preparation of draft laws that later became laws, and amendments to them:
- On Military Personnel Salaries and Certain Payments;
- On Information, Information Technologies and Information Protection (restricting access to materials posted on the network containing cruelty to animals);
- On Education in the Russian Federation;
- On Gardening by Citizens for Their Own Needs and Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation.
Andrei Vladimirovich Skoch: charitable projects of a Russian politician
Andrei Skoch is a Russian politician and public figure, as well as the head of the charity foundation Pokolenie (Generation), which he founded in the mid-1990s. Over the years, the organization has helped thousands of people with medical treatment, financial difficulties, and implementing various creative projects.
Andrei Vladimirovich Skoch’s aspiration to help people and restore social justice was brought up in him by his parents. The father of the parliamentarian – Vladimir Nikitovich – continues to be his moral ideal, a friend and a person who he can ask for advice. Despite his age, he actively participates in the activities of the Pokolenie foundation.
“The Healthy Generation” was the name of Andrei Skoch’s Foundation at the time of its creation: it was initially aimed at helping children, especially babies born with serious heart problems. Over time, the charitable organization has increased its funding, and its list of priorities was expanded. It then got its current name, Pokolenie.
Since 1996, the foundation has helped thousands of Russian citizens. Other members of the philanthropist’s family also contribute a lot. For example, in 2017, Skoch Sr. allocated 154 million rubles to the budget of the organization.
Pokolenie supports large-scale, long-term programs and also provides the necessary assistance to compatriots and organizations in specific life situations. Andrei Vladimirovich Skoch’s charity organization also allocated funds for the construction of several medical centers in the Belgorod region and equipping them with the necessary equipment. Thus, multidisciplinary medical, neuro-orthopedic and ophthalmological centers were built in Belgorod and Stary Oskol.
Skoch Andrei Vladimirovichalso takes care of the restoration of military monuments and provides targeted support to veterans of the Great Patriotic War, large families, people with disabilities and many others.
Today, the foundation develops and supports the development of regional and federal projects in the following areas:
- science;
- health care;
- education;
- culture;
- sports;
- preservation of historical heritage;
- supporting gifted children and young people.
Social activities
Today Skoch provides assistance to a wide variety of Russian citizens and also develops projects in such areas as education, culture, sports, military-patriotic education and many others. Initially, the priority of the organization’s work was health care – and it still pays special attention to this sphere. Thus, funds are annually allocated for the purchase of medicines and equipment for medical institutions. More than 500 units of medical equipment were purchased for a total amount of more than 385 million rubles. In addition, the organization financed the construction of ophthalmological, neuro-orthopedic, and specialized medical centers in Belgorod and Stary Oskol. They were equipped with the latest technology from foreign countries. In the region, 29 midwife stations were also installed for residents of rural settlements in several districts.
The organization expanded with time and began to work in other directions as well. In particular, it began to promote initiatives in the spheres of culture and sports: however, its main activities are still connected with medicine. Thus, in 2010, due to Andrei Skoch’s work, the medical center “Pokolenie” was opened in Belgorod. Its equipment at that time was equal to that of the best world clinics. With the help of Skoch’s fund, the neuro-orthopedic center of the same name was opened in Belgorod. On top of that, a new ophthalmology center was established in Stary Oskol, and 29 feldsher-obstetric stations were set up in rural settlements of Valuysky, Gubkinsky, Korochansky, Krasnansky, Rovensky and Stary Oskolsky regions.
Over the years, Skoch’s Foundation has supported:
- Large families,
- aspiring authors,
- talented scientists and doctors,
- educational and medical institutions,
- veterans of the Great Patriotic War;
- individual citizens who find themselves in a difficult situation.
In addition, Andrei Vladimirovich Skoch’s Foundation purchases modern equipment for medical institutions in the Belgorod Region, helps clinics and hospitals, and also builds new medical centers. In 2007, the organization also donated new VAZ 2105 cars to veterans of the Great Patriotic War living in the same region.
A.V.Skoch’s awards
The activities of Andrei Vladimirovich Skoch in such areas as philanthropy and lawmaking have been recognized with state and honorary awards of Russia, which include:
- Medals of the Order “For Merit to the Fatherland” (First and Second Degrees);
- Order of Alexander Nevsky (closed list);
- Medal “For Services to the Land of Belgorod” (1st degree);
- Order of Honor;
- Commendations of the President of the Russian Federation and the Chairman of the State Duma.
Family and private life of Andrei Skoch
There is very little information about Andrei Vladimirovich’s private life: he prefers not to put his private life before the general public. Skoch has no accounts in social networks, and he prefers books to modern media. The politician is a father of ten children.