Oleg Burlakov, Leading Russian Entrepreneur, Self-Made Billionaire & Eco-Sailing Pioneer Dies At 72

Oleg Burlakov Obituary:

Oleg Leonidovich Burlakov, a prominent Russian entrepreneur and leader in the industrial goods sector passed away on 21st June 2021 in Moscow aged 72 after a short battle with Covid-19.

Born in 1949 in St. Petersburg, Oleg was a Russian patriot, who in addition to business roles in the aerospace, chemicals and energy industries, is best known as the owner and visionary behind the Black Pearl, a trailblazing eco-sailing yacht which he commissioned in 2010.

Oleg is survived by his wife Lyudmila Burlakova and by his two daughters Veronica and Elena. The Burlakovs were married for 48 years, during which time the couple together built a considerable fortune.

Oleg had a series of very successful investments in Russia in the 80s and 90s across various sectors.

During his early career, Oleg was a member of the USSR air force who took immense pride in his military duties. In October 1988 he founded Integral, a co-operative active in the development of patents and scientific research for innovative chemical products that extended engine and battery life. His wife Lyudmila was among the list of members of the co-operative at its inception and helped to co-found the business alongside her husband. After initial successes with Integral, Oleg incorporated Sovinterfrance, a natural resources and mining company.

From 1992, Oleg invested in the oil industry and in the production of cement, by first taking control of one of the most important Russian national companies, Novoroscement, then subsequently the oil exploration company Burneftegaz. The takeovers commenced through Oleg’s Sovinterfrance. Through the sale of his cement business Novoroscement in 2007 for almost 1.5bn dollars and his gas business Burneftegaz in 2014 for around 1bn dollars, Oleg became a billionaire.

Beyond his enterprises in Russia, Oleg’s passion for sailing and the engineering and technology underpinning modern yachting has helped to cement his legacy. He was the visionary owner of the world’s second largest sailing yacht, the renowned 106.7-metre Oceanco eco-sailing yacht Black Pearl. The most defining feature of which is its three DynaRig carbon masts supporting a sail area of 2,900 square meters. By harnessing sail power, solar and a hybrid propulsion system that Oleg helped to bring to life, the Black Pearl is able to cross the Atlantic burning just 20 litres of fuel. Oleg is celebrated for his role in shaping the design and specifications of the Black Pearl and paving the way for yachts with sustainability and reduced carbon footprints in mind. The Black Pearl remains an enduring inspiration to the next generation of sailing yachts and is a testament to Oleg’s forward-looking engineering expertise.

Oleg and Lyudmila met when they were young students and had not yet made their fortune: Oleg reading aerospace engineering and Lyudmila pursuing a degree in aeronautical engineering. The couple’s ambition and business acumen enabled them to achieve success and build the family fortune.

They resided in Ukraine until 1993 before deciding to move together to the United States and then to Canada in 1995, where Oleg was laid to rest by his family on 16 July 2021 in the North York district.

The Burlakov family, Oleg’s wife, daughters and six grandchildren, welcome Mr. Burlakov’s friends and associates to join them in commemorating him and invite them to make contact should they wish to celebrate his life.

The Press Office of the Burlakov family and Lyudmila Burlakova

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Contact information

Media enquiries for the Burlakov family
Tancredi Intelligent Communication
burlakov1@tancredigroup.com
+44 7957 549 906 | +44 7449226720
Konstantin Dobrynin