Telman Ismailov
{{Short description|Azerbaijani businessman (born 1956)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Telman Ismailov
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| birth_name = Telman Mardanovich Ismailov
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1956|10|26}}
| birth_place = Baku, Azerbaijan SSR
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| nationality = Azerbaijani, Russian, Turkish (naturalised)
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| known_for = AST Group
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| occupation = Businessman and entrepreneur
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| children = Sarkhan and Alekper (sons)
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| website = [http://www.ast-group.ru/ AST Group Website]
| footnotes = Peak net worth: 2008 - $12 Billion
}}
Telman Mardanovich Ismailov ({{langx|az|Telman Mərdan oğlu İsmayılov}}, {{langx|ru|link=no| Те́льман Марда́нович Исмаи́лов}}; born 26 October 1956) is an Azerbaijani-born businessman and entrepreneur of Mountain Jewish origin.[http://www.gzt.ru/people/teljman-ismailov/243349.html На взятие Исмаилова] {{in lang|ru}} Since Azerbaijan does not allow dual citizenship, he holds Russian-Turkish citizenship. He is the chairman of the Russian AST Group of companies, which is active in many countries.{{Cite web|url=http://gorskie.ru/personalii/person36.htm|title=РЕЗИДЕНТ ГРУППЫ АСТ ТЕЛЬМАН ИСМАИЛОВ: У НАС РУБЛЬ СЪЕШЬ – ТРИ ОТДАШЬ}} {{in lang|ru}} Until 2009, Ismailov owned the Europe's then-largest marketplace, Cherkizovsky Market, located in Moscow, Russia.
Early life and family
Telman Ismailov was born in Baku, USSR in 1956, to a business family from Baku. He is the tenth of 12 children.{{Cite web|url=https://www.peoples.ru/undertake/founder/telman_ismailov/index.html|title=Биография Тельман Исмаилов|website=www.peoples.ru}} {{in lang|ru}} Both his father's and mother's side were Mountain Jews.{{cite web |url=http://www9.gazetevatan.com/haberdetay.asp?Categoryid=1&Newsid=244668 |title=Türkiye bana iyi bakıyor | GAZETE VATAN |website=www9.gazetevatan.com |access-date=3 February 2022 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130123223250/http://www9.gazetevatan.com/haberdetay.asp?Categoryid=1&Newsid=244668 |archive-date=23 January 2013 |url-status=dead}}
Business career
In 1989, he registered the brand "AST" (initials of his two sons (Alekper, Sarkhan) and himself).{{Cite web|url=http://pragent.ru/prostopr/ismailov|title=PR-кампания Тельмана Исмаилова}} {{in lang|ru}}
After the lavish opening of a hotel resort, the Mardan Palace, in Antalya, Russia's prime minister Vladimir Putin was reportedly enraged that Ismailov invested so much abroad and flaunted his riches while Russia was being hit by a credit crunch.{{Cite web|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/oligarch-pays-for-party-that-enraged-putin-1748289.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220526/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/oligarch-pays-for-party-that-enraged-putin-1748289.html |archive-date=26 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Oligarch pays for party that enraged Putin|date=16 July 2009|website=The Independent}} In retaliation, the angry Putin ordered the closing of Cherkizovsky Market in 2009, causing 100,000 traders at the famous bazaar to lose their jobs.{{citation needed|date=March 2022}}
Lifestyle
Known for his extravagant lifestyle, Ismailov is famous for spending millions of dollars on singers like Jennifer Lopez, Mariah Carey, Tom Jones, and others. Ismailov paid Lopez $1.4 million for her to sing 10 minutes' worth of songs.{{citation needed|date=March 2017}} The video of her singing "Happy Birthday" song to him is available on YouTube. Ismailov befriended plenty of other celebrities such as Sharon Stone, Richard Gere, Monica Bellucci, Paris Hilton, and numerous other performers just to appear at his lavish parties.{{Cite web|url=https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/whats-on/shopping/glitz-glamour-turkey-3451342|title=Glitz and glamour for all in Turkey|first=Liverpool|last=Echo|date=2 June 2009|website=liverpoolecho}}
References
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External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20090605002437/http://www.ast-group.ru/ AST Group – Official Site] {{in lang|ru}}
- [https://www.intelligenceonline.com/corporate-intelligence/2023/09/14/exiled-oligarch-ismailov-s-hidden-assets-rekindle-russia-montenegro-tensions%2C110043161-gra Exiled oligarch Ismailov's hidden assets rekindle Russia-Montenegro tensions], Intelligence Online, September 14, 2023 (requires free registration)
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Category:Azerbaijani billionaires
Category:Azerbaijani businesspeople
Category:Russian football chairmen and investors
Category:Russian people of Azerbaijani descent
Category:Russian people of Jewish descent
Category:Turkish people of Azerbaijani descent
Category:Turkish people of Jewish descent