Aleksandr Kretov

Who is Aleksandr Kretov?

Aleksandr Kretov spent his formative years in his home city of Chelyabinsk in west-central Russia. In 1989, he enrolled in the Chelyabinsk Polytechnic Institute, where he did a five year course in Electrical Engineering before furthering his education at the local Financial University, studying Finance and Credit. Aleksandr graduated with a qualification in economics in 1996.

The year previous, he had taken on the leadership of the construction project for the Centre for the Food Industry - Ariant. By the early 2000s, the company made an investment in agrofirm Yuzhnaya, with its extensive vineyards in the esteemed wine-producing region of Krasnodar. Under Aleksandr Kretov’s supervision, it underwent complete revitalisation and modernisation of the winemaking facility Kuban-Vino, first set up in 1956. This marked a significant turning point in his career, as winemaking became his primary business focus, and simultaneously a notable milestone in Ariant's history.

He recalls: "I’m from Chelyabinsk and good wine didn't reach there. Everyone drank vodka, brandy, and semi-sweet wines. However, I aspired to become more acquainted with the wine culture that was already flourishing in Europe at that time and wanted to understand all its nuances and try to make my own wine in Russia.

He continues: “When we entered the grape-growing industry 20 years ago, we discovered that there were very few vineyards. This was a period marked by an anti-alcohol campaign, which resulted in soaring alcohol prices, sales restrictions, and the loss of vineyards. So, we had to start from scratch. There were no local nurseries cultivating seedlings, so we were forced to get them from abroad. There was no equipment, no specialists - absolutely nothing. The only inspiration for the whole project came from the land itself, which allowed us to grow quality grapes and produce excellent wines."

Aleksandr Kretov emerged as the visionary founder of a new winemaking venture, producing exquisite wines through close collaboration with grape growers and foreign oenologists.

As an experienced manager, Aleksandr Kretov became CEO at Agrofirma Ariant LLC in 2016, a company specialising in meat production. During his time there, he worked on improving its technical and technological processes, once again displaying his leadership qualities in overseeing the firm’s development and modernisation.

In 2019, Aleksandr served as the Deputy CEO in charge of development at the Centre for the Food Industry - Ariant. In 2020, he became a shareholder of the Ariant Group of Companies. He built a management team that now oversees the business processes without his direct involvement.

Business matters aside, Aleksandr Kretov is renowned for his philanthropic work in the Chelyabinsk and Krasnodar Regions, being actively involved in supporting local initiatives, including making significant contributions to the construction of various sports facilities. He not only promotes sports but also personally embraces an active lifestyle, taking part in pursuits such as football, tennis, swimming, cycling and yoga. In what leisure time he has, Aleksandr also enjoys travelling.