A London businessman and entrepreneur with numerous interests, Evgeny Lebedev is the chairman of Evening Standard Ltd, which owns the London Evening Standard and also chairman of Independent Print Ltd which owns the Independent newspapers, which he bought in January 2009 (Evening Standard) and March 2010 (Independent and Independent on Sunday). Under his tenure the Evening Standard has undergone a radical modernisation becoming the first quality newspaper to go free, its circulation tripling to 600,00 copies.
Other business interests include: Japanese Restaurant Sake no Hana, noted for its exceptional architecture, remarkably using a Japanese architect in Mayfair; a boutique luxury hotel in Umbria, Palazzo Terranova, and until recently, he was also the major shareholder in Wintle, the acclaimed men's couture fashion company.
He is the founder and chairman of the Raisa Gorbachev Foundation, which was established with President Mikhail Gorbachev, to raise money help children with cancer. (see link)So far it has raised many millions of pounds for the charity. The Raisa Gorbachev Foundation helps children suffering from cancer. Established in 2006 by Evgeny Lebedev with Michael Gorbachev as Patron, the Foundation has raised over £7.7million to provide direct help in the provision of life-saving treatment for children suffering from cancer. Initially the Foundation furnished two Russian paediatric cancer clinics and has in recent years broadened the scope of activities to have an international reach. The Foundation commissions research into the fight against childhood cancer, provides training for those involved in the diagnosis, treatment, control and care of those who treat and support children diagnosed with cancer. Since 2008, the Foundation has worked closely with Marie Curie Cancer Care, one of the UK's largest charities and the foremost provider of high quality care to those suffering from terminal cancer in the UK.
Outside work, his passions include paintings, sculpture, film and theatre. He has a special interest in the Moscow Art Theatre and the Chekhov Theatre in Yalta which has been restored by the Lebedev family. He is an avid supporter of the arts and chairs the Evening Standard Theatre Awards.
Unlike most of his fellow Russian tycoons who base themselves in London, Lebedev has spent most of his life in Britain. He was eight when his father, Alexander, took a job at the Soviet embassy in London and went to school in London and has chosen to base himself in the capital.
