🎂 Happy Birthday, Alexei Mordashov: Celebrating the Steel Titan’s $18 Billion Empire and a Life of Relentless Reinvention

Today we raise a glass to Alexei Mordashov, the visionary Russian billionaire turning another year wiser while commanding a staggering $18 billion fortune and a legacy forged in steel. As the long-time driving force behind Severstal, one of Russia’s largest and most dynamic steel and mining companies, Mordashov has transformed a post-Soviet industrial relic into a global powerhouse—diversifying into energy, machinery, and even tourism. His story is a masterclass in Wealth, Business, and Daily grit: from a young economist in Cherepovets to a boardroom titan whose strategic bets have weathered every market storm. At 74, he’s not just counting candles—he’s counting wins, and the world of business is richer for his relentless ambition.

But wait—there’s another Alexei in the birthday spotlight, and he’s equally worth celebrating. The comedian Alexei Sayle, also 74, is approaching that dangerous phase for veteran British leftists: becoming a national treasure. Once branded an “intellectual thug” by special branch for his foul-mouthed royal family rants, Sayle now charms Radio 4 audiences with his jolly, self-deprecating wit on Alexei Sayle’s Imaginary Sandwich Bar. His memoir, How I’ve Tried to Change the World By Walking Down the Middle of the Street Shouting, is a fiery, addictive gem—part Gramsci-in-pop-culture manifesto, part hilarious demo diary. From marching with his communist parents in 1960s Liverpool to Palestine protests last year, Sayle proves that fierce politics and cosy comedy can share a birthday cake.

So here’s to both Alexeis: one who built an $18 billion steel empire, the other who built a career out of subverting empires. Mordashov shows us how to win in the wealth and business game; Sayle shows us how to laugh while fighting the power. At 74, each is a national treasure in his own right—one in boardrooms, one on Radio 4—and both remind us that reinvention, conviction, and a little bit of mischief never go out of style. Happy birthday, gentlemen—keep forging, keep shouting, and keep the rest of us entertained.