Nikolai is CEO of Nordgold and has led the company since its creation in 2007 as a subsidiary OAO Severstal, one of the world’s leading vertically integrated steel and mining companies. Nikolai has overseen the growth of Nordgold into an established pure-play emerging-markets gold producer with operations in Burkina Faso, Guinea, Russia and Kazakhstan. In January 2012 Nordgold was spun off from Severstal and became an independent company with GDRs listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE: NORD).

From 2004 – 2007 Nikolai served as Head of Strategy at Severstal Resources, the mining division of Severstal, and prior to this he was an engagement manager focussing on the mining sector at McKinsey&Company.

Nikolai holds a Masters Degree in Technical Sciences from the Saint Petersburg State Technical University, a Ph.D. in molecular genetics from the University of Texas and a MBA from Vanderbilt University.