Mirilashvili Family

The Mirilashvili family is a Georgian-born Russian-Israeli business family led by Mikhael (Michael) Mirilashvili, whom Forbes valued at $2.2 billion in August 2020, and his son Yitzchak (Slava) Mirilashvili, a co-founder of VK, Russia's largest social network. Their core holding today is Watergen, an Israeli atmospheric water-generation company deployed in roughly 85 countries.

Who Is Mikhael Mirilashvili?

Mikhael Mirilashvili was born in Kulashi, Georgia, in May 1960 and moved to St. Petersburg (then Leningrad) in 1977, according to Wikipedia's sourced biography. He trained as a physician and qualified as a pediatrician before joining his father Moshe Mikhael's family business in the early 1980s, pivoting toward real estate, petroleum, media and gambling as Soviet-era markets opened.

What Russian Business Holdings Does the Family Control?

Mirilashvili's Russian-facing enterprises include Petromir, where he serves as president, and a director's seat at Lukoil Northwest Petroleum, per Wikipedia. He has also owned a St. Petersburg television channel, a portfolio of shopping malls and commercial centers, and CONTI, described by Wikipedia as St. Petersburg's largest gambling corporation, running six casinos and the Jackpot slot-machine network.

How Did Yitzchak Mirilashvili Make His Fortune?

Yitzchak Mirilashvili, born in Leningrad in 1984 and educated at Tufts University, co-founded VK (then Vkontakte.ru) in 2006 with Lev Leviev and Pavel Durov, Wikipedia reports. The trio raised capital from Digital Sky Technologies, the fund run by Yuri Milner, and grew VK into Russia's largest social network with more than 500 million active users. In 2013, at age 29, Mirilashvili sold his remaining VK shares at a valuation exceeding $1 billion, a deal Haaretz says made him one of Israel's wealthiest citizens. He is now the controlling shareholder of Israel's Channel 14.

What Is Watergen and Who Controls It?

Watergen was founded in 2009 by former Israeli military commander Arye Kohavi and a team of engineers to supply drinking water to troops in the field, according to Wikipedia. Its systems extract potable water from air humidity at roughly 250 Wh per liter. Following the Mirilashvili family's acquisition, Yitzchak Mirilashvili became a Watergen co-founder credited with an 82% ownership stake, per Israel Hayom's 2023 reporting, while Mikhael Mirilashvili serves as president and co-CEO. Watergen units have been deployed for disaster relief, military forward operating bases and remote community water supply in roughly 85 countries, including humanitarian units donated to the Gaza Strip and units operating in Ukraine.

What Is the Family's Combined Net Worth?

Forbes valued Mikhael Mirilashvili at $2.2 billion in August 2020, per Israel Hayom's reporting. Haaretz, citing a 2013 Haaretz wealth survey, had placed the combined father-and-son fortune at between $2.5 billion and $3 billion, ranking them Israel's sixth-richest family at the time. The bulk of the family's VK-era liquidity came from Yitzchak's 2013 share sale, while Mikhael's holdings remain split between Russian real estate and petroleum interests and the family's Israeli technology and water ventures.

What Communal and Diaspora Roles Does Mikhael Mirilashvili Hold?

Mikhael Mirilashvili has held the presidency of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress, the vice presidency of the World Jewish Congress, and the presidency of the St. Petersburg Jewish Congress, according to Wikipedia. He has also funded Migdal Ohr, an Israeli educational and welfare network that, per the Jew of the Week profile, has supported more than 17,000 disadvantaged Israeli children and teenagers.

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See also: Watergen · Ofer Family · Federmann Family · Conference of Presidents