Meanwhile, Popov’s friends benefit from agreements and cooperation with Russia’s direct investment fund, led by Popov’s husband Kirill Dmitryev.
–
The Financial Times previously linked Dmitriev’s influence to his wife’s ties. Dmitry was previously on the board of Sibur. Kirill Shamalov, the former husband of Ekaterina Tikhonova, co-owned the company.
–
It is not known where Tikhonov and Popov met. Most likely, it happened at Moscow State University, where they both studied.
–
Natalia Popova works for the Innopraktika Foundation, which has been run by Putin’s daughter Tikhonova since its founding in 2012. The fund attracted a lot of attention in 2015, when it became known that Innopraktika is participating in a billions of rubles-worth expansion project of Moscow State University.
–
At the end of 2019, Popova became the ombudsman for high-tech companies. She holds senior positions in several companies, foundations and authorities.
–
In 2018, she joined the Board of Directors of the investment fund VEB Ventures, established by the state-controlled bank VEB.
–
Since April 2021, Popova has been working on the Supervisory Board of MSP Bank. The bank is part of the company “Corporation MSP”, which has been cooperating with the Russian Direct Investment Fund since 2016.
–
In 2019, Popova became the head of the media company “Vision media center”. The company receives orders from the Russian Direct Investment Fund, state television channels and other state media, the Ministry of Culture, Gazprombank, as well as other state organizations.
–
Popova also serves on the board of the charity “Kotodetki”. This fund regularly receives financial support from public bodies.
— .
