Graduates of Belarusian Universities: Success Stories of Foreign Entrepreneurs

Nguyen Dang Quang (Vietnam)

The 59-year-old billionaire Nguyen Dang Quang became the first and only graduate of the Belarusian education system to be included in the Forbes rating. He studied at the Physics Department of the Belarusian State University (BSU), where he also defended his thesis and received his doctorate from the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus. In the 1990s, using his knowledge and skills, he created capital by producing instant noodles in Russia for Vietnamese students. Later, when he returned home, he founded Masan Group, which became one of the largest financial and industrial conglomerates in Vietnam. It produced the same instant noodles, but added soy, fish and chilli sauces, condiments, instant coffee and instant cereals. Now the company is engaged in the production of food products, household and hygiene products, and also owns a chain of supermarkets WinMart.

Nguyen Dang Quang's wealth exceeded $1bn in 2018 and he was ranked by Forbes for the first time in 2019.  He is one of the seven richest Vietnamese in the world.

Upendra Mahato (Nepal)

Unlike the Vietnamese billionaire, Upendra Mahato is quite well-known in the Belarusian business world. This Nepali became famous here for his large projects and assets. For example, he once impressed the local banking community by taking the top management and shareholders of his controlled Mezhtorgbank (now Alfa Bank) to Kathmandu for their annual meeting.

Upendra Mahato, a 62-year-old businessman from Nepal, studied at the Minsk Polytechnic Institute and specialised as a hydropower engineer.He made his first serious capital together with Minsk resident Alexander Milyavsky by trading consumer electronics in the post-Soviet countries in the 1990s. Together they privatised the Moscow television factory Rubin, but quickly switched to television production at the Voronezh factory Videofon, which they later sold to the South Korean company Rolsen. They invested the proceeds in the creation of one of the largest shopping centres in Europe, Gorbushkin Dvor, on the basis of MTZ Rubin.

Mahato invested part of his funds in assets in Nepal, licences to deploy mobile communications in South-East Asia and Africa, as well as in Belarusian projects such as Interforest, Mezhtorgbank, Amkodor and BNK Holding. He also served as Nepal's Honorary Consul in Belarus. In the early 2010s, Mahato sold his stakes in these projects, including the profitable sale of MTZ Rubin real estate to ex-Belita CEO Yury Khotin and his son Aleksei, as well as stakes in mobile operators NCell and Latelz Co.

After that, Mahato moved to Nepal, where he headed the World Association of Nepali Diasporas and the International Association of Graduates in the Republic of Belarus.

By the way, Mahato's brothers - Birendra, who worked for him, and Surendra, who set up a business in pharmaceutical distribution and catering - also studied in Belarus.

Yousef Nedal Amin (Syria)

Yusef Nedal Amin, a graduate of a Belarusian university, founded Kravira, which successfully managed clubs and casinos, as well as the Zio Pepe chain of pizzerias. In the early 2000s, his company received plots of land for development in various cities of Belarus. However, in the 2010s his business faced difficulties and by 2018 the company was liquidated. Despite this, his contribution to the business environment of Belarus was significant.

After the bankruptcy of Kravira, the businessman temporarily became the manager of a small business centre Ram, which appeared in the same place.

The owner of the centre is Tahir Khamsho, another native of Syria who studied in Belarus.

Abdo Romeo Abdo (Lebanon)

Abdo Romeo Abdo came to Belarus from Lebanon in the early 1990s. He studied at Minsk State Linguistic University and the International Institute of Economics and Law. Already as a student, he went into business and invested in the local economy. His companies built the Silver Tower and Rubin Plaza business centres, as well as the Galileo shopping centre in Minsk.

Tadjeddin Seif (UAE)

Tajeddin Seif graduated from A. A. Kuleshov Mogilev State University and became known for his activities in business and public sphere. He is an ambassador of the Vatican's Pontifical Foundation Pontifical Fondazione Gravissimum Educationis in the UAE and a member of its Board of Trustees. Established in 2015, the foundation oversees Catholic education and other programmes around the world, and its trustees include world-renowned politicians and businessmen.

Education in the Republic of Belarus can be a launching pad for a successful career in business, whether you are an international student or not. If you are looking for an opportunity to get a quality education and build a successful career, Belarusian universities are the ideal choice for you. Join thousands of international students who have already discovered the opportunities that studying in Belarus offers and follow the example of these successful businessmen!