Evgeny Alexandrovich Lebedev (born 8 May 1980) is the chairman of both Evening Standard Ltd,[1] which owns the Evening Standard and also Independent Print Ltd which owns the Independent newspapers, which he bought in January 2009[2] (Evening Standard) and March 2010[3] (Independent and Independent on Sunday). He is the son of Russian tycoon, Alexander Lebedev.
Under his tenure the Evening Standard has become the first quality newspaper to go free, its circulation tripling to 600,000 copies.[4]
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Other business interests include: Japanese Restaurant in St James's’ Sake no Hana, noted for its exceptional architecture, designed by Kengo Kuma; and a boutique luxury hotel in Umbria, Palazzo Terranova. He is also credited as designer and co-owner of Hush restaurant in Mayfair, and co-owner with Ian McKellen and Sean Mathias of The Grapes[5] pub in London.
Lededev is an avid supporter of the arts and chairs the Evening Standard Theatre Awards.[6]
He has a special interest in the Moscow Art Theatre and the Chekhov Theatre in Yalta[7] which has been restored by the Lebedev family.
He is the founder and chairman[8] of the Raisa Gorbachev Foundation which was established in 2006 with President Mikhail Gorbachev, to raise money to help children with cancer. So far it has raised many millions of pounds.[9]
Initially the Foundation furnished two Russian paediatric cancer clinics and has in recent years broadened the scope of activities to have an international reach.[10] 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.
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.[11] He went to school in London and has chosen to base himself in the capital, recently receiving British citizenship.[12]