Alexander Udodov (Александр Удодов) is a Russian real estate professional and investment specialist. He is the owner of Aforra Group and a member of the board of the Eurasian Pipeline Consortium. As a businessman, he is not only driven by business success but also deeply involved in selected restoration projects aimed at social and cultural upliftment.
Early Career and Education
Udodov was born in Dagestan in the USSR on 10 June 1969. He finished his basic schooling and enrolled in the Soviet Army where he served for three years. After leaving the military, Udodov started working as a manager in the transport department of a top construction company in the Ukraine, UkrEnergoMontazh. During his tenure, he gained invaluable experience in the industrial construction industry.
From 1997 to 2001 Udodov worked at the Latvian company J&P Corporation where he gained experience in international logistics and transportation. Meanwhile, he was studying at the Kiev University of Law and graduated with a Law degree in 2001.
VG Cargo
In 2004 Alexander Udodov became majority shareholder of VG Cargo GmbH, a logistics company located in Germany. Specializes in high value freight, VG Cargo soon established itself as a leading global air cargo handling firm. The company started gaining traction in the European market, and by 2006 it unveiled a state-of-the-art cargo terminal in response to the amplified demand for capacity. The following years brought further expansion to the company leading up to an increase in capacity of at least six times over the course of a single decade. In 2018 Udodov announced plans to handle up to 90 thousand tons of air cargo, firmly establishing VG Cargo as a leader in European air cargo handling.
Moving Into the Real Estate Sector
Since 2010 Alexander Udodov is involved in real estate projects. In 2015 he launched his company Aforra Group. His property portfolio has since grown to include several shopping malls, centers, and a mixed-use property purchased from AFK System in 2015. Hymeney and Yakimanka, 26 are two of the luxurious properties owned by Udodov. Malls in his portfolio include Atlas, a chain of shopping centers located in Obninsk and Odintsovo, and the Rechnoy mall in Moscow. In 2016 Udodov initiated the construction of a contemporary balneological resort based on the ruins of Solnechy sanatorium, a Soviet boarding house in the Krasnodar area. The resort was completed in 2018 and is situated in the foothills of the Caucasian Ridge in a scenic forest in Krasnodar region.
Alexander Udodov Today
Maintaining a diversified portfolio, Udodov has also entered into the agricultural sector and opened a greenhouse complex Mushroom Rainbow for mushroom growing in the Kursk region. The company used innovative technology to prepare the compost for cultivating champignons and anticipates eventual production of as much as 17,000 tons of mushrooms per year. The production started in 2017, now covering around 20% of the requirements in Russia.
Other Interests
Besides his business ventures, Alexander Udodov actively backs social and cultural projects such as the on-going restoration of a historic monastery. Located on Paliiy Island in Karelia, the Kornilie-Paleostrovsky monastery was entirely destroyed during the time of the Soviet Union. Udodov also has a great interest in hockey, which he has played for many years.