Pavel Durov

Pavel Durov
Павел Дуров
Durov in 2012
Born (1984-10-10) 10 October 1984 (age 40)
Leningrad, Soviet Union
Other namesPaul du Rove[a]
Citizenship
  • Soviet Union (until 1991)
  • Russia (since 1991)
  • Saint Kitts and Nevis (since 2013)
  • United Arab Emirates (since 2021)
  • France (since 2021)
Alma materSaint Petersburg State University (BA)
Known forCo-founding of VK and Telegram
Title
  • CEO of VK (2006–2014)
  • CEO of Telegram (2013–present)
Children5[2][3][4]
FatherValery Durov
RelativesNikolai Durov (brother)

Pavel Valeryevich Durov[b] (Russian: Павел Валерьевич Дуров; born 10 October 1984) is a Russian technology entrepreneur best known as the founder and chief executive officer (CEO) of Telegram, a messaging platform launched in 2013.

Durov was born in Russia, where he co-founded the social networking site VKontakte (VK) in 2006. He left VK in 2014 following disputes with the company's new owners and increased pressure from Russian authorities, which also led him to leave the country. In 2013, he and his older brother, Nikolai Durov, developed Telegram, and in 2017, they moved to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, where its headquarters are now located.[5]

Durov was listed on Forbes's billionaires list in 2023, with a net worth of $11.5 billion. His fortune is largely driven by his ownership of Telegram.[6] As of 25 August 2024, Durov was the 120th richest person in the world, with a net worth of $15.5 billion, according to Forbes.[7] In 2022, he was recognized by Forbes as the richest expat in the United Arab Emirates.[8] In February 2023 Arabian Business named him the most powerful entrepreneur in Dubai.[9] Durov publicly stands for Internet freedom and criticises the establishment that tries to restrict it.[10] Since 2021, he has held citizenship in Russia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, the United Arab Emirates, and France.

On 24 August 2024, Durov was arrested on criminal charges relating to an alleged lack of content moderation on Telegram and refusal to work with police, which allowed the spread of criminal activity.[11][12]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference LeMonde_mysterious_passport was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "Milliardär ist Vater von über 100 Kindern und animiert Männer – was dahintersteckt" (in German). Focus.de. 2 August 2024. Archived from the original on 5 August 2024.
  3. ^ "Дети Павла Дурова впервые вошли в рейтинг богатейших наследников Forbes". Forbes.ru (in Russian). 27 May 2021. Archived from the original on 28 September 2022. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  4. ^ "Forbes получил документы о трёх детях Павла Дурова". 3 August 2024. Archived from the original on 3 August 2024. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
  5. ^ "Why Telegram has become the hottest messaging app in the world". The Verge. 25 February 2014. Archived from the original on 13 March 2016.
  6. ^ "Forbes Billionaires 2023: The Richest People In The World". Forbes. Archived from the original on 18 March 2024. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
  7. ^ "Forbes Billionaires 2024: The Richest People In The World". Forbes. Archived from the original on 25 April 2012. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
  8. ^ "With $15.1B, Pavel Durov Is The Richest And Youngest Billionaire In The Middle East". Forbes Middle East. 17 April 2022. Archived from the original on 14 February 2023. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
  9. ^ "Dubai 100: Meet the 100 people you need to know in the emirate". Arabian Business. 8 February 2023. Archived from the original on 10 February 2023. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  10. ^ Mozur, Paul; Satariano, Adam (26 August 2024). "How Telegram's Founder Went From Russia's Mark Zuckerberg to Wanted Man". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 27 August 2024. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
  11. ^ Mackintosh, Thomas; Vernon, Will (24 August 2024). "Telegram CEO Pavel Durov arrested at French airport". BBC News. Archived from the original on 25 August 2024. Retrieved 25 August 2024.
  12. ^ How Telegram’s Founder Went From Russia’s Mark Zuckerberg to Wanted Man Archived 27 August 2024 at the Wayback Machine New York Times, August 26, 2024


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