- Born on May 7, 1951, in Leningrad.
- Graduated from the M. I. Kalinin Polytechnical Institute in Leningrad in 1974.
- 1974–1977: engineer at Electron Industrial Company.
- 1977–1997: worked at the Leningrad Optical-Mechanical Enterprise (LOMO), rising from engineer-designer to general director.
- 1977
- In December 1977 was appointed First Deputy Governor of St. Petersburg and Chairman of the Economic and Industrial Policy Committee.
- Became Deputy Prime Minister on May 30, 1998.
- On October 17, 2001, became Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Industry, Science and Technology.
- Since February 18, 2002: Minister for Industry, Science and Technology.
- Since November 1, 2003: Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Northwest Federal District.