Ekaterina Rybolovleva

Ekaterina Dmitrievna Rybolovleva (born 1989, Perm, Russia) is a businesswoman, equestrian and socialite. She is the daughter of Russian entrepreneur and owner of the AS Monaco football club, Dmitry Rybolovlev. A keen competitor in equestrian competitions around the world,[1][2][3] she is also the owner of several businesses and properties, including those on the islands of Skorpios and Sparti.

Equestrian career

After many years of instruction, on 17 March 2007 Rybolovleva took part in the Officiel d’Evordes showjumping competition, where she placed in the first round R2/L2. In August 2007, she participated in a show jumping competition in Verbier, where she took the third position R3/M. In 2008, she placed in the first round E3/M1 in the Officiel d’Evordes, riding her mare, Eole Perruques.

She first participated in the Gucci Masters[4] in 2009, and became a winner in December 2010, with Malin Baryard-Johnsson after performing to the music of Boney M's. Rasputin. In 2011, she participated in the new Gucci Masters with Kevin Staut, with the choreography to Moulin Rouge.[5]

Acquisitions and properties

Ekaterina Rybolovleva relaxes on the island of Skorpios in front of the famous Pink House

In 2011, a trust acting in the interest of Rybolovleva acquired a 627 square meter (6,700 square feet) apartment in New York for $88 million.[6][7] The price for the penthouse apartment at 15 Central Park West was, at the time of the transaction, a record for the city.[8] The 15 Central Park West development was designed by renowned American architect Robert A.M. Stern. Other celebrity residents include or have included Sting, Norman Lear, Denzel Washington, Bob Costas, Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein, businessman Min Kao, NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon, and professional baseball player Alex Rodriguez.

The apartment has served as Rybolovleva's home in the US whenever she attended classes at Harvard University.[9]

In 2013, a company belonging to a trust acting in the interest of Rybolovleva completed the purchase of a group of companies formerly owned by Athina Onassis, the granddaughter of shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis. Amongst the assets of this group of companies were the islands of Skorpios and Sparti.[10] The island of Skorpios was made famous by Aristotle Onassis’s wedding to Jackie Kennedy there in 1968. Rybolovleva has said that she views the acquisition of the islands as a “long-term financial investment” which she plans to develop using “environmentally friendly technology”[11] Sparti is an uninhabited island 2 km north of Skorpios.

The Mayor of neighboring Lefkada, Costas Aravanis told French TV station TF1 in June 2014 that Rybolovleva's investment, not only in Skorpios but in the wider region, was "good news for the local economy." He has welcomed the family to the island and believes they will have a positive impact on the welfare of local inhabitants.[12]

Onassis stated in his will that the island would remain in the family as long as they could afford to cover its maintenance expenses. According to the will, if his descendants could not cover the expenses, the island would be donated either to Olympic Airways or to the state.[13] Therefore the island is now leased to the heiress for 99 years time, still under the ownership of Athina Onassis Rousel.

Rybolovleva's ownership of some assets, including the New York apartment and Skorpios, has been challenged by her mother, Elena, as part of an ongoing divorce case involving her parents. However, in a major ruling in May 2014 a Geneva court confirmed the validity of the trust structures through which Rybolovleva owns these assets, meaning they are immune from legal challenge in the case.[14]

Rybolovleva told Paris Match in May 2014 that she planned to hold a gathering on Skorpios of around one hundred friends to celebrate her 25th birthday.[15]

Philanthropy

Rybolovleva revealed in an interview with Paris Match in the same May 2014 interview that she has established a foundation dedicated to the welfare of children, particularly those with disabilities.[15] In June 2014, she held an event on the island of Skorpios to celebrate her 25th birthday. The event was attended by a number of famous people across the world of sport, politics, and entertainment, and also included some members of Monaco's Royal Family. Instead of accepting gifts for her birthday, Rybolovleva requested that her guests make a donation to a number of children's charities in Lefkada, through her foundation.[16]

Personal life

In 2015, El País reported Rybolovleva married Uruguayan businessman Juan Sartori.[17]

References

  1. ↑ Greco, Patti. "Photos of Famous Equestrians - Photos of Celebrity Children in Horseback Riding". Townandcountrymag.com. Retrieved 2015-10-23.
  2. ↑ "Petra Ecclestone and Ekaterina Rybolovleva both have homes in US worth over $80m". Dailymail.co.uk. 2011-12-22. Retrieved 2015-10-23.
  3. ↑ "Gallery of Ekaterina Rybolovleva - LONGINES GLOBAL CHAMPIONS TOUR". Globalchampionstour.com. Retrieved 2015-10-23.
  4. ↑ "The Billionaires and Blue-Bloods Behind The London Olympic Equestrian Team - In Photos: The Billionaires and Blue-Bloods Behind The London Olympic Equestrian Team". Forbes. 1970-01-01. Retrieved 2015-10-23.
  5. ↑ "Show Jumping News - Gucci Masters - The Style and Competition Challenge for AMADE". Equestrianprofessional.com. 2011-12-03. Retrieved 2015-10-23.
  6. ↑ Longbottom, Wil (2012-02-16). "Ekaterina Rybolovleva, 22, buys $88m New York apartment | Daily Mail Online". Dailymail.co.uk. Retrieved 2015-10-23.
  7. ↑ "Ekaterina Rybolovleva, Russia's Latest Mini-Oligarch In America". Mag.newsweek.com. Retrieved 2015-10-23.
  8. ↑ Laura Matthews (21 December 2011). "Who is Ekaterina Rybolovleva? 5 Things to Know About Billionaire Russian Heiress". International Business Times. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
  9. ↑ "Divorce, Oligarch Style". The New York Times. Retrieved 2015-10-23.
  10. ↑ "Ekaterina Rybolovleva Bought Skorpios". Business Insider. 19 April 2013. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
  11. ↑ Retrieved June 2013
  12. ↑
  13. ↑ "The Greek state is investigating the sale of Skorpios". Grreporter.info. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
  14. ↑ Luisa Kroll (19 May 2014). "Billionaire's Ex-Wife Awarded Record-Breaking $4.5 Billion But Battle For The Money Is Far From Over". Forbes. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
  15. 1 2 Par Virginie Coupérie-Eiffel (21 May 2014). "L'héritière Rybolovlev - La nouvelle muse de Skorpios". ParisMatch.com. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
  16. ↑
  17. ↑ ESTOLARI, JUAN. "Uruguayo se casó en la isla de Skorpios con millonaria rusa". El País. El País. Retrieved 23 October 2015.
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