The Blavatnik Family Foundatio
THE BLAVATNIK (Len and Emily) FAMILY FOUNDATION. Capitalist.
Sir Leonard "Len" Blavatnik’s poor Jewish family fled the Soviet Ukraine in 1978. Besides his education at Moscow State University of Railway Engineering, he earned an MS in computer science from Columbia University and an MBA from Harvard Business School in 1989. Thereafter he worked at Arthur Andersen & Co., Macy’s Department Stores, Deeside Aluminum, and EnergiBolaget i Sverige AB, before forming his conglomerate company, ACCESS INDUSTRIES. Access has diversified investments in oil (Russian), entertainment, coal, aluminum, petrochemicals and plastics, telecommunications, media, and real estate. The Queen of England awarded Blavatnik a knighthood for services to philanthropy in Britain.
He is an advocate of Inclusive Capitalism, not “just about Corporate social responsibility.” He seeks to engage worldwide leaders in business, government and civil society “to make capitalism more equitable, sustainable, and inclusive.” Investments ought to “extend the opportunities and benefits of our economic system to everyone.” Those investments most beneficial are “enhanced education, skills training, job creation and innovation.”
Len Blavatnik is a member of boards of Cambridge University, Harvard Business School and Tel Aviv University. The Blavatnik School of Government opened in September 2012, at the Radcliffe Observatory Quarter, University of Oxford.
Emily Apleson Blavatnik was executive producer of “Humor Me” and “NY Export: Opus Jazz.” She is often seen around New York at Central Park Conservancy, NEW YORK CITY BALLET, The Neuropsychoanalysis Association, The Boys Club of New York, and The School of American Ballet.
The Blavatnik Family Foundation is an active supporter of educational, scientific, cultural, and charitable institutions in the United States, United Kingdom, Israel, and the world. It has contributed to British Museum, Tate Modern ( "Blavatnik Building"), Royal Opera House, National Portrait Gallery and Museum of Modern Art. The Foundation has supported the Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists. It gave £75 million to the University of Oxford.
The Foundation supports entrepreneurship (licensing and commercialization) in the life sciences to expedite the transition of scientific discoveries into treatments and cures of diseases. The Foundation gave Harvard University $50 million to sponsor entrepreneurship in the life sciences.
Open Secrets reveals Leonard Blavatnik made over 350 contributions to both Democrats and Republicans, but recently he has moved closer to the US Republican Party. In 2015-2016 he donated $7.35 million to Republican political candidates. He also donated $1 million to the committee for the inauguration of Donald Trump.
Blavatnik appears to have missed the softer side of Ken Burns toward communism and the Cold War.