Kirill Silkin

Finance has been part of my life since adolescence, when I made my first trades and realized how companies grow and markets react. This early curiosity led me into investment banking: first as an intern at UFG, then at Deutsche Bank, where I worked on M&A, IPOs, and portfolio strategies. After the 2008 crisis I spent a year in London studying General Management, returned home, and joined VTB Capital as an analyst — continuing to invest personally in real estate and securities.

A few years later I moved to AFK Sistema and worked with developing assets such as Medsi and Intourist. There I formed the path I still follow: understand finance from the inside, learn how the industry operates, and eventually build something of my own. A key milestone was a complex cross-border deal that brought me to the Netherlands, where I became Managing Director of Wintershall Noordzee. For eight years I led gas-production projects on the North Sea shelf and gained first-hand experience in European energy markets and international management.

In 2023 I shifted my focus entirely to entrepreneurship. Through Appelsien Holding I’m looking to acquire and develop founder-led companies in the Energy Tech and Industrial sectors. Most of my work now revolves around evaluating businesses, negotiating with owners, securing financing, and shaping long-term value. My key markets are Western Europe and the U.S., where energy innovation continues to accelerate.

I also build a venture portfolio as a partner at Ten Nine VC and manage investments in stocks, bonds, and real estate. I work with a compact, decentralized team and rely on independence and initiative rather than strict control. I draw inspiration from people who combine depth of thinking with bold decisions — from Warren Buffett to Elon Musk.

I was born in 1988, studied economics from an early age, and later completed executive programs at Stanford along with additional training in negotiation, private equity, and technology. Today my focus is long-term ownership, sustainable growth, and creating companies that can evolve across generations.