Ural Federal University: University Alumni Lead Russian Plants

Artyom Fominykh, a graduate of Ural State Technical University (now UrFU), was appointed General Director of RUSAL’s Volgograd Aluminium Smelter. This decision was made at the beginning of February by RUSAL’s management.

In 2004 Artyom Fominykh started his career at Volgograd smelter. From 2006 he worked as a foreman, senior foreman, and head of the production planning and analysis department. In 2017, when the smelter was decommissioned, he became director of electrolysis production and participated in the restart of electrolysis at the plant. During that time, major equipment overhauls, production start-up and ramping up to design parameters were accomplished. In addition, high-efficiency gas-cleaning units of the electrolysis buildings were put into operation. Fominykh was awarded the “Pride of RUSAL” badge of honor.

Dmitry Izotin, a graduate of Ural State Technical University (now UrFU), was also appointed new General Director of Ural Turbine Works JSC. Prior to that, he held the position of sales director. After coming to this plant in 2009 as a manager in the sales department of power equipment services, Izotin moved to the position of deputy director of sales in 2013 and became director of sales in 2017. In 2021, he was awarded the title “Honorary Power Engineer of Mongolia.”

“The company has always been young, and we believe that the appointment of the youngest executive in the industry is a strengthening of traditions and a sign that the people who grew up at the plant are able to secure its future. The plant team under the leadership of Dmitry Izotin has serious tasks before us: diversification of the order portfolio, creation of new products and development of new markets. The main thing is to bring something new that dictates the current technological mode and become the flagship of digital transformation of the entire industry,” said Mikhail Lifshitz, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Ural Turbine Works JSC.