10 facts about Central Bank head Elvira Nabiullina
Elvira Nabiullina, head of the Central Bank and a native of Ufa, turns 62 today, 29 October. In honor of her birthday, we recall curious facts and milestones from the biography of the «guardian of the ruble».
Did you know, for example, that the high-ranking official chose her profession at random and didn’t even know what «economics» was? Or that she is married to one of the founders of the Higher School of Economics (HSE)? Or that Vladimir Zhirinovsky didn’t believe in her and publicly said so? Read more interesting details in this article.
No. 1. Wore signaling brooches
At press conferences, the head of the regulator wore brooches that hinted at the state of the Russian economy. Nabiullina admitted that she chooses them for each occasion, but keeps the meaning of each piece of jewelry a secret — «otherwise it would be boring». Economic publications even write news about each of her brooches.
For example, five years ago at a briefing on the falling ruble, Elvira Sakhipzadovna pinned a roly-poly doll brooch on her jacket. At a meeting during the self-isolation regime, a house appeared on her lapel. And in 2021, when the Central Bank raised the key rate to 5.5%, Nabiullina wore a brooch in the form of a leopard ready to pounce — experts considered this a signal of policy tightening.
No. 2. Nabiullina is one of the most influential women in the world
Who would doubt it. She was included in such rankings by Forbes magazine from 2014 to 2021. Moreover, since 2018, the head of the Central Bank has been the only Russian woman on the list. In 2017, for example, she ranked 71st, in 2019 — 53rd, and in 2021 — 60th.
No. 3. Loves herring under a fur coat and Olivier salad
In an interview with Sergey Shnurov, Elvira Sakhipzadovna said that for New Year’s, she prefers these two salads. She likes to cook herself, although she admits that her «fur coat» doesn’t turn out as well as she would like.
No. 4. First female head of Central Bank in G8
The Ufa native became the first woman appointed head of the Central Bank of a country in the G8 — Nabiullina received the position in 2013. This was a worldwide sensation. At the same time, her name was not on the lists of expected candidates — they kept it a mystery.
«Responsibility for the money of a big country — here you need male brains,» said Zhirinovsky at the time (by the way, Vladimir Volfovich also said various things about Bashkiria). — «Here you need strategic thinking. Among bankers worldwide, I have never seen a woman. All bankers of all humanity are only men. Elvira is a very good person, perhaps, but we have complaints against her since she was the minister of economy.»
But Nabiullina did not take offense at the politician.
«If you take offense at various statements of that kind, it would simply be very hard to live,» she answered in an interview with Vladimir Pozner.
No. 5. Married while studying at university
While studying in the postgraduate program at Moscow State University (MSU), where she was in the department of history of the national economy and economic doctrines, Elvira Nabiullina married economist Yaroslav Kuzminov, who taught in the same department. Not long after, he became rector of the Higher School of Economics (HSE), which he created together with colleagues from MSU.
No. 6. Has a child
In 1988, she gave birth to a son, Vasily. In the late 2000s, he studied at HSE in the sociology faculty, and received a master’s degree from the University of Manchester. It is known that he is married.
No. 7. Loves classical music
The official admitted that she loves listening to Shostakovich and Bach, gets a lot of emotions from music, and can play the piano.
No. 8. Regrets the collapse of the USSR
«It was a time of hopes. An amazing time of hopes. <…> I consider the collapse of the Soviet Union a tragedy… Yes, I consider it a tragedy, a tragedy for many people, truly. I don’t know if it could have been avoided, I don’t presume to judge that,» said the head of the regulator in an interview with Vladimir Pozner.
No. 9. Entered MSU at random
A few years before graduating from school, Elvira Nabiullina had not chosen a profession. She said that she didn’t even know what economics was. The future head of the Central Bank decided on her specialty only at the admissions committee, when reading the list of faculties — she was attracted by the unknown.
However, Nabiullina graduated from school with all A’s, but did not receive a gold medal. At that time, only one was sent for the graduation, and there were more honor students.
No. 10. Favorite literary character — Andrei Bolkonsky
At one time, the head of the Central Bank was captivated by one of the central characters of the novel «War and Peace». She admitted that she rereads her favorite fiction several times.
And in school, as reported by «KP» citing a classmate, young Elvira Nabiullina devoured the poems of Anna Akhmatova and Sasha Chyorny, and their works were banned in the USSR.
The official studied at Ufa school No. 31. Not long ago, readers complained to us that it is falling apart and you can fit a palm through the cracks in the walls. We went and saw it for ourselves.
