Russia's billionaire boys club

Alexei Mordashov, 42, Severstal

The controlling shareholder of Russia's largest steel company, Severstal, Mordashov first made international headlines in 2006 during the ultimately failed bid to merge Severstal with Arcelor. But since then, this son of steel mill workers who himself rose through the same plant's ranks - eventually buying up shares from workers to consolidate control of Severstal - has been on a tear, fueled in part by China's demand for steel. The company most recently announced plans to acquire Vancouver-based PBS Coals for $1.3 billion, following, among others, the $810 million purchase of an ArcelorMittal plant near Baltimore. But in true oligarch style, Mordashov hasn't stopped at steel; he's moved the company into gold mining and is a major shareholder of German tourism and shipping company TUI.

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