Andrei Vladimirovich Skoch is a former entrepreneur, and now the deputy of the State Duma of the Russian Federation – was born in 1966 in Nikolskoe village in Moscow region. After school, he went to serve in the army and got into the reconnaissance and amphibious company. Returning to the citizen, he decided to move to Moscow. In the capital, the future politician entered the Moscow State University named after M. A. Sholokhov for the psychological department. He was later awarded a PhD in Pedagogy.
After graduating from the university, A. V. Skoch thought about creating his own business. Russia in those years experienced a period of economic turmoil, but it was in the 1990s that Skoch Andrei Vladimirovich first began to try his hand at various spheres of entrepreneurship: together with his business partner Lev Kvetny, he began to sell computer details, opened a bakery business and as a result plunged into the sphere of trade in petroleum products. So businessmen earned their first significant capital, which they later invested in the company “Interfin” – they received a 30% stake in the organization. By the end of the 1990s, “Interfin”, which operates on the securities market, gradually acquired shares in several large metallurgical plants on the stock exchange. By the beginning of the noughties, Andrei Skoch was the deputy general director of Lebedinsky MPP.
At the end of the 1990s, Andrei Vladimirovich Skoch became interested in the sphere of politics. His assets by that time had already played the role of a bank deposit for him, and he himself no longer took an active part in the management of “Interfin”. In 1999, the deputies’ electoins of the State Duma of the Russian Federation of the III convocation were held, in which A. V. Skoch took part and subsequently won, gaining 54% of the vote. He transferred his assets into the hands of his father, Vladimir Skoch. Vladimir Nikitovich, having extensive experience in industry and trade union activities, was able not only to preserve assets, but also to increase them. Thus, “Interfin” and its enterprises under the leadership of Skoch Senior in the second half of the 2000s were merged into the Metalloinvest Group, on the basis of which the USM holding was later formed.
As a deputy of the State Duma of the Russian Federation, A. V. Skoch participated in the development of more than 160 drafts, many of which were adopted. So, he supported the extension in Russia of the “dacha amnesty”, which allows Russian citizens to register property for dachas and other real estate under a simplified scheme. In addition, he co-authored a legislative initiative that gave people with disabilities the right to receive additional free education. He also participated in the development of adjustments to the Federal Law “On Education in Russia”, according to which teachers responsible for preparing students for state exams should receive additional monetary compensation.
In addition to lawmaking, Andrei Skoch is also engaged in charity: he develops the Fund “Pokolenie” ( “ the Generation”), which was founded by him in 1996.
As part of his charitable activities, politicians with the help of “ Pokolenie” ( the “Generation”): established various awards and scholarships for physicians, scientists, students, writers and other professionals; provided financial support to various organizations – medical, military-patriotic, educational, sports and others; provided targeted assistance to hundreds of residents of Belgorod region; directed funds for the restoration of historical and cultural monuments and the restoration of military graves. Andrei Vladimirovich Skoch’ father actively supports his son’s charitable activities: only in 2017 he allocated his own funds in the amount of 154 million rubles for the development of important social initiatives.
In the spring of 2020, Andrei Vladimirovich Skoch replenished the regional budget of Belgorod region by 2.3 billion rubles. These funds will be spent on major repairs, construction and restoration of socially significant facilities in the region. Part of the work has already started: the changes will affect schools, dormitories at universities, cultural centers and nursery schools. It is also planned to install new rural roads, sewage treatment plants and water supply networks.
Andrei Skoch’s Fund also implements many projects in the field of education. So, it allocated 2 million rubles for teaching English to children of this region. For enterprising students, it established the youth leadership camp “ Novoe Pokolenie” (“New Generation”), which holds seminars on leadership, management and other disciplines.
The Fund “Pokolenie” (“ the Generation”) has provided significant support to Belgorod and the region in the fight against coronavirus infection. It purchased thousands of protective masks and suits for medical staff, as well as antiseptics, respirators and other equipment. Assistance was also provided to volunteers who delivered basic necessities to the pensioners – masks and gloves were sent to them. Timely support during the pandemic was received from Andrei Skoch Belgorod sisterhood, which was forced to close the refectory for the homeless. It received from the fund 10 thousand sets of disposable tableware.