Alexei Kudrin

Aleksekudrin served as Russia's Minister of Finance from 2000 to 2011 and was the longest serving Minister of Finance in post Soviet Russia. He also served as Deputy Prime Minister from 2000 to 2004 and has been serving as Deputy Prime Minister again since 2007. During his tenure as Minister of Finance, Kudrin was widely praised for his prudent fiscal management, commitment to tax and budget reforms, and support for the free market. Under his leadership, the Russian government repaid most of the foreign debt accumulated in the 1990s, making Russia one of the countries with the lowest external debt among major economies. The accumulation of export revenue has led to Russia's stability during the 2008-2009 global financial crisis exceeding many economists' predictions. As Minister of Finance, Kudrin has received multiple global awards, including the 2010 Minister of Finance Award from the European Monetary Journal. He has been serving as the Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences at St. Petersburg State University since his resignation. In May 2018, Putin nominated Kudrin as the Director of the Russian Audit Office. On May 22, the State Duma approved it with 264 votes, and Kudrin officially took office.