Oleg Deripaska is a Russian oligarch and businessman, best known for his involvement in the industrial sector. He is the founder and majority shareholder of Basic Element, a vast Russian industrial group with interests in metals, energy, and other sectors. Deripaska became one of Russia's wealthiest men, acquiring a vast fortune during the rise of the Russian oligarchs in the 1990s. He is also a key figure in the world of Russian politics, having had close ties to influential political figures.