Aleksandr Nazarov: ‘I am not an Armchair Manager’

Vilya building company was established in 1996 by SPbGASU alumnus Aleksandr Nazarov who has made sizable reputation in construction business. He tells about his education at Leningrad Civil Engineering Institute (now SPbGASU) and his business.

Aleksandr Nazarov, Photo by Igor Bakustin

 Why did you decide to work in construction?

I entered Chita Polytechnic Institute with specialty in Industrial and Civil Engineering in 1974. I was choosing between Polytechnic and Pedagogical Institute, though there was also a Medical Institute in Chita in those times which I didn’t consider at all. I enjoyed studying at the Faculty of Civil Engineering and in 1976 I and four more students were transferred to Leningrad Civil Engineering Institute due to its tendency in 1974-1979 to invite students from provinces so they could come home and teach in their local civil engineering institutes. Anyway I wished to become a builder, not a lecturer.

 Was is hard to study in Leningrad Civil Engineering Institute?

 I learned everything at ease and received increased scholarship. At the same time, I went into judo and sambo and I really enjoyed my student life at the dormitory on Fontanka embankment.

 Who among academic staff had the biggest influence on you?

 When my son entered SPbGASU, I told him to pay particular attention on Construction Technology. I still use the knowledge from these lectures and I must know all the peculiarities of construction process as building company executive officer. It was the only course I got a satisfactory mark for. When I tried to correct my result Professor Afanasiev agreed and made me retell him the whole textbook. Finally, he gave me a satisfactory mark again, but he also praised me. I wish all future builders to pay attention to this course as it is extremely useful.

 What did you do after graduation?

 I graduated in 1979 and worked as a foreman and superintendent at trust 6 ‘Glavleningradstroy’. I am not an armchair manager and I still work at construction site. My teacher was Aleksandr Gutman who has been working up to now even though he is over 80.

 Do you remember your first construction sites?

 My first site was a children camp near Zelenogorsk. We were moved to another site every two or three months. It was lovely to work on constantly changing tasks.

 Please, tell more about your international cooperation.

 Our trust together with Hukka (Finland) establish Russian-Finnish construction enterprise ‘Element’ which produced wall panels for newly-built houses after Soviet military disengagement from Germany. Hukka became bankrupt in 1990-s.

I established Vilya in 1996 and in 1998 I met Oleg Zherebtsov, founder of Lenta and one of the first Saint Petersburg billionares. From 2000 to 2006 we built ten Lenta supermarkets, two Castorama shops for Kingfisher (United Kingdom), and one O’key supermarket. Vilya also built all construction Metrika supermarkets.

Kingfisher recommended Vilya to Raven Group (United Kingdom) as prime contractor for construction of a large logistics complex in 2007. They were important for delivering products to more and more Saint Petersburg supermarkets.

 Do you leave any works for outsourcing?

 We do general construction works and charge contractors with engineering facilities. I think that general contractor resembles an orchestra conductor – if somebody plays out of tune, they do not work anymore.

 Do you run the company yourself or is there a department in charge?

 Vilya is not so big to charge something to somebody. My son is deputy officer, we also have Chief Technology Officer and Financial Officer, everything else is on my command. I am open to any questions and suggestions but I also have the upper hand.

We introduced innovative construction technologies when constructing Lenta, O’key, Karusel, Castorama, Metrika and other supermarkets, such as long span structures, sandwich panels, French roofs with alkorplan cover, concrete floors with polymer cover, a plenty of finishing materials, Geberit storm-water drainage system, Press-beton and more.

 How do you motivate your employees?

 They have a good salary and I always hire people with kindred spirit. More than that, three SPbGASU alumni joined our team four years ago.

 What do you think about them?

I am happy to work with them; they have deep knowledge from the University. I have close relationship with SPbGASU and come to all alumni reunions.

 You company has been working for 23 years. Could you summarize your work somehow?

 We have done much in construction business. It is extremely hard to find a 23-year-old building company with untarnished reputation.

Interview by Elena Shulgina

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