Natalya Kaspersky

{{short description|Russian IT entrepreneur (born 1966)}} {{other people|Kasperski}} {{Infobox person | image = Nkasperskaya-front.jpg | caption = Natalya in 2016 | birth_name = Natalya Ivanovna Stutser | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1966|02|05|df=y}} | birth_place = Moscow, Soviet Union | death_date = | death_place = | alma_mater = Moscow Institute of Electronic Machine Building (MIEM) | spouse = {{plainlist| * {{marriage|Eugene Kaspersky|1986|1998||end=div}} * {{marriage|Igor Ashmanov|2001}} }} | children = 5 | occupation = IT business executive | known_for = President of InfoWatch, Founder of Kaspersky Lab | years_active = 1994–present }}

'''Natalya Ivanovna Kaspersky'''{{refn|group=note|In the West, uses as her surname the masculine form ''Kaspersky''.}} ({{langx|ru|Наталья Ивановна Касперская}}; born 5 February 1966) is a Russian IT entrepreneur, President of the InfoWatch Group of companies and co-founder and former CEO of antivirus security software company Kaspersky Lab.<ref name="mia">[http://pressmia.ru/authors/kasperskaya/ Касперская Наталья] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160515105814/http://pressmia.ru/authors/kasperskaya/ |date=2016-05-15 }}, reference of 'Rossiya Segodnya' news agency.</ref> In addition, she is one of the wealthiest women in Russia<ref name="ForbesWoman">''Тофанюк, Е.; Мирсияпова, Х.'' [http://www.forbes.ru/forbes-woman-photogallery/zhenshchiny-v-biznese/243524-bogateishie-zhenshchiny-rossii-2013-reiting-f/photo/5 Богатейшие женщины России — 2013: рейтинг Forbes Woman]. — 'Forbes Woman', 22 August 2013.</ref> and one of the most influential figures in the Russian IT industry.<ref name="ahk">[http://russland.ahk.de/ueber-uns/vorstand/vorstand-bis-maerz-2012/ Der Vorstand der Deutsch-Russischen Auslandshandelskammer] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160514201528/http://russland.ahk.de/ueber-uns/vorstand/vorstand-bis-maerz-2012/ |date=2016-05-14 }}. — 'Deutsch-Russische Auslandshandelskammer' (AHK) official site.</ref><ref name="niuvshe">[https://cs.hse.ru/news/159757293.html Наталья Касперская встретилась со студентами факультета]. — National Research University – Higher School of Economics, 17 September 2015.</ref>

== Biography ==

=== Early years === Natalya Kaspersky (maiden name Stutser)<ref name="forbesreference">[http://www.forbes.ru/profile/natalya-kasperskaya Наталья Касперская], reference of 'Forbes'.</ref> was born on 5 February 1966 in Moscow into a family of engineers and Soviet defense research institute employees.<ref name="cnewsreference">[http://doc.cnews.ru/analytics/face/k#kasperskaya Kасперская Наталья Ивановна], reference of 'CNews'.</ref>

Natalya was elected as a member of her school pioneer council, and later as a member of the district pioneer headquarters, and was also a Komsomol member and organizer. Alongside her main education, Natalya also played basketball in the Children's and Youth Sports School and seriously intended to become a veterinarian until giving up on the dream because of difficulties with studying chemistry.<ref name="kuzmichov">''Кузьмичёв, А.'' [http://www.k2x2.info/delovaja_literatura/fanaty_biznesa_istorii_o_teh_kto_stroit_nashe_budushee/p4.php#metkadoc47 Фанаты бизнеса. Истории о тех, кто строит наше будущее]. — Moscow: 'Eksmo', 2011. — 384 p. — {{ISBN|978-5-699-51493-9}}</ref>

In the eighth year of her education, Natalya moved from an ordinary secondary school to a physics-mathematical school run by the Moscow Aviation Institute.<ref name="proshutinskaya" />

=== Education === After finishing this school, Natalya took the entrance exams for the Lomonosov Moscow State University but was not enrolled, missing out by half a point. However, her results were good enough to gain entry into the Moscow Institute of Electronic Machine Building (MIEM),<ref name="proshutinskaya">[http://vecherka.su/articles/society/21564/ Наталья Касперская: «Я человек скорее ведомый, чем ведущий»]. — [http://www.tvc.ru/channel/brand/id/22/show/episodes/episode_id/570/?page=3 «Жена. История любви»]. Talk show of Kira Proshutinskaya on 'TV Tsentr' channel. — 25 January 2012.</ref> where she studied applied mathematics (1984-1989), and the topic of her diploma was a mathematical model of a nuclear reactor cooling system.<ref name="kuzmichov" /> Later, she earned a bachelor's degree from the Open University in the UK.<ref name="mia" /> During her studies at the MIEM, she met her first husband Eugene Kaspersky, whom she married in 1986.

=== Career === After graduating from the institute, Natalya was assigned to the Central Scientific and Construction Bureau in Moscow,<ref name="finans50success">[http://magz.elibraries.eu/ul/806/Finans%202005.09.pdf 50 самых успешных] [http://www.newsru.com/finance/07mar2005/50usp.html женщин]. — 'Finance' magazine, 7—13 March 2005. — # 9 (99). — P. 17.</ref> where she worked for half a year as a research scientist before going on maternity leave.<ref name="kuzmichov" /> Natalya started her career in IT at the age of 28,<ref name="krasnova">''Краснова, А.'' [http://www.cosmo.ru/stars/krupnim-planom/opra-uifri-masha-sharapova-i-drugie-samye-bogatye-zhenshchiny-zarabotavshie-sami/ Опра Уинфри, Маша Шарапова и другие самые богатые женщины, заработавшие сами]. — 'Cosmopolitan' magazine, 26 August 2015.</ref> when she took on a job, in January 1994, as a salesperson for a computer accessories and software firm with a 50-dollar monthly salary. The job was based in a newly opened store in the KAMI Information Technologies Center<ref name="kuzmichov" /> created by a former professor of Natalya's ex-husband, Eugene Kaspersky, from a Higher School of the KGB during the Soviet epoch.<ref name="forbesreference" /> She believes that all personal data, such as search history, geolocation, contacts, correspondence, photo and video materials, should belong to the State.<ref name="tass">[http://tass.ru/ekonomika/3824223 Касперская: "большие данные россиян" должны принадлежать государству]</ref>

==== ''Kaspersky Lab'' ==== In September 1994, Natalya became head of a distribution department of ''AntiViral Toolkit Pro'' (AVP), which had been under development by Eugene Kaspersky's team since 1991.<ref name="kuzmichov" /> Over two or three years, Natalya successfully built distribution channels and a technical support network and entered international markets, with sales growing rapidly from an initial $100–200 per month in 1994, to more than $130,000 after a year, over $600,000 in 1996 and more than $1 million in 1997.<ref name="busclass">[http://bk43.ru/business/ideas/kasperskaya Наталья Касперская: В семье не без работы]. — 'Business class' magazine, 6 May 2014.</ref> Revenue was divided between the team and the mother company until 1997, when the future founders of 'Kaspersky Lab' decided to start their own business.<ref name="kuzmichov" />

Natalya launched the Kaspersky Lab foundation in June 1997, was key to the naming of the new company, and worked as CEO for more than 10 years. Shares in 'Kaspersky Lab' were initially split between Eugene Kaspersky (50%), his two teammate programmers Alexey De-Monderik and Vadim Bogdanov (20% each), and Natalya Kasperskaya (10%).<ref name="sedakov">''Седаков, П.; Филонов, Д.'' [http://www.forbes.ru/milliardery/257437-virus-kasperskogo-kak-biznes-kaspersky-lab-zakhvatil-200-stran-mira Вирус Касперского: как бизнес Kaspersky Lab захватил 200 стран мира]. — 'Forbes', 19 May 2014.</ref> In 1997, Kaspersky Lab sales started to double yearly, with turnover reaching around $7 million in 2001 and exceeding $67 million in 2006.<ref name="skripnikov">''Скрипников, С.'' [http://expert.ru/2007/08/10/kasperski/ «Разошлись» повторно]. — 'Expert' magazine, 10 August 2007.</ref><ref name="agarunov">''Агарунов, Д.'' [https://xakep.ru/2014/12/29/interview-kasperskaya/ Интервью с Натальей Касперской]. — 'Hacker' magazine, 29 December 2014.</ref>

In August 2007, Natalya was unseated and suspended from her key management functions by Eugene Kaspersky due to the couple's divorce and the deepening ideological divide between the two.<ref name="sedakov" /> Eventually, Natalya agreed to stay on as Chairperson of the newly established board of 'Kaspersky Lab', before finally breaking all ties with the previously family driven business in 2011,<ref name="therunet">[http://www.therunet.com/interviews/1749-ledi-runeta-natalya-kasperskaya Леди Рунета: Наталья Касперская]. — 'TheRunet', 2 October 2013.</ref> with Kaspersky Lab buying out Natalya's stake in the company in 2007 and 2011 (around 30% of shares in 2007).<ref name="agarunov" />

Under Natalya's supervision, Kaspersky Lab turned into a leading antivirus corporation with a network of regional offices worldwide. At the moment of the power change in 2007, annual sales revenue had reached $126 million,<ref name="sedakov" /> while the company had an estimated capitalization of over $1.3 billion and yearly revenue of $700 million by 2011, when Natalya sold her remaining stake and departed.<ref name="tsukanov">''Цуканов, И.; Голицына, А.'' [http://www.vedomosti.ru/technology/articles/2012/02/06/laboratoriya_kasperskogo_rasproschalas_s_minoritariem «Лаборатория Касперского» распрощалась с миноритарием]. — 'Vedomosti' newspaper, 6 February 2012.</ref> After the change in management, the company's rate of growth dropped visibly, with global revenue growing by 40% in 2009, 13.7% in 2011, 3% in 2012, and 6% in 2013.<ref name="sedakov" /> thumb|Natalya Kasperskaya (2016)

==== ''InfoWatch'' ==== After 'Kaspersky Lab' had bought the antispam technology developed by 'Ashmanov and Partners', the head of the latter, Igor Ashmanov, gave the buyer an idea to use the antispam engine backwards for protection against data leaks.<ref name="panfilov">''Панфилов, К.'' [https://vc.ru/p/kasperskaya Наталья Касперская, InfoWatch: «Если у вас есть шанс выжить — не привлекайте инвесторов»] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170204165236/https://vc.ru/p/kasperskaya |date=2017-02-04 }}. — 'VC.ru', 8 July 2015.</ref> During 2001–2002, 'Kaspersky Lab' programmers developed a solution which later became known as ''InfoWatch Traffic Monitor Enterprise'' and which offers protection for corporate users against internal threats (a DLP system). In December 2013, a subsidiary called 'InfoWatch' was established to develop and distribute new software.<ref name="infowatchhist">[http://www.infowatch.ru/about/history История компании] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160408070428/http://www.infowatch.ru/about/history |date=2016-04-08 }}. — 'InfoWatch' official site.</ref>

Natalya Kasperskaya has been CEO and majority owner of 'InfoWatch' since October 2007, with her stake in the company being linked to the business separation deal with her ex-husband.<ref name="forbesreference" /> Natalya made her main investments in 'InfoWatch', 'Kribrum' and 'Nanosemantics' co-owned by her and Igor Ashmanov,<ref name="therunet" /> and 'G Data Software' AG, a German antivirus company.<ref name="gdata">[https://www.infowatch.ru/presscenter/news/2845 Наталья Касперская инвестировала в антивирусную компанию G Data Software AG] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170821043201/https://www.infowatch.ru/presscenter/news/2845 |date=2017-08-21 }}. — 'InfoWatch' official site, 15 October 2012.</ref>

'InfoWatch' software had only vague prospects at the time of the spin-off and was an albatross around 'Kaspersky Lab's neck.<ref name="agarunov" /> Unlike 'Kaspersky Lab', the technological solutions and product line of the new company were initially targeted at large and medium enterprises, starting from 300 workstations, rather than small businesses and retailers.<ref name="panfilov" />

This required a fundamentally different skill set and approach, with Natalya's previous experience in management turning out not to be particularly relevant. Nevertheless, in 2012 InfoWatch, which was previously unprofitable, recorded its first earnings<ref name="therunet" /> and went on growing at an annual rate of 60—70%.<ref name="roempressconf">[https://roem.ru/04-09-2015/205322/natalya-kasperskaya-infowatch-ya-ne-mogu-vspomnit-kakie-to-sereznye-prepony-so-storony-gosudarstva/ Наталья Касперская, InfoWatch: Я не могу вспомнить какие-то серьёзные препоны со стороны государства]. — 'Roem.ru', 4 September 2015.</ref> According to 'Forbes', InfoWatch annual revenue reached around $12 million in 2015,<ref name="forbesreference" /> with independent experts polled by Russian daily newspaper 'Kommersant' in spring 2015 estimating the business to be worth $40–50 million.<ref name="panfilov" />

Today, InfoWatch is a group of companies working in two main business areas — corporate protection against internal threats and external targeted attacks — with the company holding almost a 50% share of the Russian confidential data protection market (DLP systems).<ref name="panfilov" /><ref name="rspectr">[http://www.rspectr.com/article/intervyu/kasperskaya-zhelezo/ Наталья Касперская (InfoWatch): «Строить концепцию по импортозамещению на основе только софта — бессмысленно»] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160515065803/http://www.rspectr.com/article/intervyu/kasperskaya-zhelezo/ |date=2016-05-15 }}. — 'РСпектр', 20 January 2015.</ref> Among longstanding clients are Russian governmental organizations, as well as 'Sberbank', 'Beeline', 'Lukoil', 'Tatneft', 'Surgutneftegas', 'Sukhoi', 'Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Works',<ref name="jsontv">''Корзун, С.'' [http://json.tv/ict_news_read/natalya-kasperskaya-ceo-infowatch-vnutrennyaya-bezopasnost-korporatsiy-i-chto-etomu-meshaet-20150703042215 Наталья Касперская, CEO InfoWatch. Система защиты от утечек (DLP): когда уходим — остаётся наш работающий софт и всё аккуратно разложено по полочкам] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200407084556/http://json.tv/ict_news_read/natalya-kasperskaya-ceo-infowatch-vnutrennyaya-bezopasnost-korporatsiy-i-chto-etomu-meshaet-20150703042215 |date=2020-04-07 }}. — 'Json.tv', 3 July 2015.</ref> etc. In addition, InfoWatch is actively developing the German, Middle East, and South-East Asian markets.<ref name="panfilov" />

Current InfoWatch shareholders are Natalya Kasperskaya and the company's Deputy CEO Rustem Khairetdinov.<ref name="panfilov" />

== Achievements ==

=== Private fortune === According to Forbes, Natalya Kasperskaya had a fortune of around $220 million in March 2013<ref name="ForbesWoman" /> – an estimate which increased to $230 million in 2014 and $270 million in 2015.<ref name="forbesreference" /> In March 2015, Russian news portal 'Lenta.ru' agreed with Forbes’ 2014 estimation while, in July 2015, German magazine 'Der Spiegel' published an estimation of €207 million.<ref name="spiegel">''Локшин, П.; Шепп, М.'' [http://www.profile.ru/economics/item/98317-s-granatoj-v-sumochke-ot-dior С гранатой в сумочке от Dior] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180621170926/http://www.profile.ru/economics/item/98317-s-granatoj-v-sumochke-ot-dior |date=2018-06-21 }}. — 'Der Spiegel' magazine, 10 July 2015.</ref> Finally, in August of the same year, women's magazine 'Cosmopolitan' published an estimate of $270 million.<ref name="krasnova" />

According to 'Der Spiegel', the majority of Natalya Kasperskaya's fortune is in the form of funds derived from asset sales.<ref name="spiegel" /> As for Kaspersky herself, in October 2015, in response to the question as to whether the 'Forbes' calculations are accurate, she emphasized that her company is non-public and thus has no need to reveal its level of capitalization, while adding that “it is nevertheless good to see that people seem to appreciate the value of 'InfoWatch'”.<ref name="harddaysnight">[https://tvrain.tv/teleshow/harddaysnight/my_ne_pod_kolpakom_u_fsb-396220/ Кто следит за вами: ФСБ или ваш телефон]. — Talk show ''Hard Day’s Night'' on TV channel 'TV Rain', 13 October 2015.</ref>

=== Ratings and awards === {| width="100%" |valign="top"| {| border="0" |- | width="80%" valign="top"|{{•}} '''Top management rating''' (IT nomination),      according to 'Kommersant' newspaper      and Association of Russian Managers|| | ||valign="top"|#3 (2009),<ref name="ratingkommers2009">[http://www.kommersant.ru/doc/1245141 Рейтинг высших руководителей 2009]. — 'Kommersant' newspaper, 28 September 2009.</ref> #2 (2010),<ref name="ratingkommers2010">[http://www.kommersant.ru/doc/1509107 Рейтинг высших руководителей 2010]. — 'Kommersant' newspaper, 23 September 2010.</ref> #4 (2011),<ref name="ratingkommers2011">[http://www.kommersant.ru/doc/1777016 Рейтинг высших руководителей 2011]. — 'Kommersant' newspaper, 20 September 2011.</ref> #1 (2013),<ref name="ratingkommers2013">[http://www.kommersant.ru/doc/2280745 Рейтинг высших руководителей 2013]. — 'Kommersant' newspaper, 18 September 2013.</ref> #1 (2014),<ref name="ratingkommers2014">[http://www.kommersant.ru/doc/2568343 Рейтинг высших руководителей 2014]. — 'Kommersant' newspaper, 17 September 2014.</ref> #4 (2015).<ref name="ratingkommers2015">[http://www.kommersant.ru/doc/2810035 Рейтинг высших руководителей 2015]. — 'Kommersant' newspaper, 16 September 2015.</ref> |- |valign="top"|{{•}} '''100 most influential women in Russia''',      according to 'Echo of Moscow' radio|| | ||valign="top"|#66 (2012),<ref name="echo2012">[http://echo.msk.ru/blog/echo_rating/838907-echo/ 100 самых влиятельных женщин России]. — 'Echo of Moscow' radio, 23 January 2012.</ref> #74 (2013),<ref name="echo2013">[http://echo.msk.ru/blog/echo_rating/1019316-echo/ 100 самых влиятельных женщин России]. — 'Echo of Moscow' radio, 4 March 2013.</ref> #81 (2014),<ref name="echo2014">[http://echo.msk.ru/blog/echo_rating/1266848-echo/ 100 самых влиятельных женщин России — рейтинг]. — 'Echo of Moscow' radio, 3 March 2014.</ref> #62 (2015).<ref name="echo2015">[http://echo.msk.ru/blog/echo_rating/1505138-echo/ 100 самых влиятельных женщин России — рейтинг]. — 'Echo of Moscow' radio, 8 March 2015.</ref> |} | || |valign="top"| {| border="0" |- | width="82%" valign="top"|{{•}} '''Top 50 influential business women in Russia''',      according to 'Kompaniya' magazine|| | ||valign="top"|#3 (2010),<ref name="ko2010">[http://ko.ru/articles/21817 Топ-100 влиятельных деловых женщин России] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160514060253/http://ko.ru/articles/21817 |date=2016-05-14 }}. — 'Kompaniya' magazine, 8 March 2010.</ref> #1 (2011),<ref name="ko2011">[http://ko.ru/articles/23085 Топ-50 влиятельных деловых женщин России] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160514060256/http://ko.ru/articles/23085 |date=2016-05-14 }}. — 'Kompaniya' magazine, 14 March 2011.</ref> #25 (2012),<ref name="ko2012">[http://ko.ru/articles/23903 Топ-50 влиятельных деловых женщин России] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160514060258/http://ko.ru/articles/23903 |date=2016-05-14 }}. — 'Kompaniya' magazine, 12 March 2012.</ref> #2 (2013),<ref name="ko2013">[http://ko.ru/articles/24763 Топ-50 влиятельных деловых женщин России] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921160540/http://ko.ru/articles/24763 |date=2013-09-21 }}. — 'Kompaniya' magazine, 11 March 2013.</ref> #15 (2014),<ref name="ko2014">[http://ko.ru/articles/25441 Топ-50 влиятельных деловых женщин России] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160514060307/http://ko.ru/articles/25441 |date=2016-05-14 }}. — 'Kompaniya' magazine, 10 March 2014.</ref> #26 (2015).<ref name="ko2015">[http://ko.ru/persona/item/129979-nezametnyj-matriarkhat Топ-50 влиятельных деловых женщин России] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160514060309/http://ko.ru/persona/item/129979-nezametnyj-matriarkhat |date=2016-05-14 }}. — 'Kompaniya' magazine, 6 March 2015.</ref> |- |valign="top"|{{•}} '''Richest woman in Russia''',      according to 'Forbes Woman' magazine|| | ||valign="top"|#5 (2013),<ref name="ForbesWoman" /> #8 (2014),<ref name="forbeswoman2014">[http://www.forbes.ru/rating/30-bogateishikh-zhenshchin-rossii-2014/2014?full=1&table=1 30 богатейших женщин России — 2014]. — 'Forbes Woman' magazine, 21 August 2014.</ref> #7 (2015).<ref name="forbeswoman2015">[http://www.forbes.ru/rating/50-bogateishikh-zhenshchin-rossii-2015/2015 50 богатейших женщин России — 2015]. — 'Forbes Woman' magazine, 20 August 2015.</ref> |} |} * '''Russian Business Leader of the Year 2012''' award from 'Horasis' (Switzerland) — 2013;<ref name="horasis">[https://www.infowatch.ru/presscenter/news/3077 Наталья Касперская награждена международной премией «Russian Business Leader of the Year»] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170814223217/https://www.infowatch.ru/presscenter/news/3077 |date=2017-08-14 }}. — 'InfoWatch' official site, 18 April 2013.</ref> * '''Women in Technology Awards for Middle East and Africa 2014''', nomination ''Best entrepreneur in IT'' — 2014;<ref name="wit2014">[http://womeninstem.com/2014/winners.php Winners of WIT MEA Awards 2014] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160423121202/http://womeninstem.com/2014/winners.php |date=2016-04-23 }}. — 'Women in Technology International' official site.</ref> * '''Top 20 Women in Business in Northern Europe''', according to 'Nordic Business Forum' — ranked #1 (2015).<ref name="nordic">''Turunen, A.'' [http://www.nbforum.com/nbreport/articles/the-top-20-women-in-business-in-northern-europe/ Top 20 Women in Business in Northern Europe] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924052002/http://www.nbforum.com/nbreport/articles/the-top-20-women-in-business-in-northern-europe/ |date=2015-09-24 }}. — 'Nordic Business Forum' official site, 20 August 2015.</ref> * '''Person of the Year 2016''' in IT/telecom by 'Best in Russia' award - April 2017.<ref name="rsppaward">[http://strategyjournal.ru/partners-news/nazvany-luchshie-kompanii-proekty-i-persony-goda/ Названы лучшие компании, проекты и персоны года]. — Журнал «Стратегия», 2 мая 2017 года.</ref> * '''Medal of the Order "For Merit to the Fatherland"''' II Class (August 26, 2020) — for contributions to the establishment and development of the Russian segment of the information and telecommunication network "Internet."<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-08-29 |title=Указ Президента Российской Федерации от 26.08.2020 № 529 ∙ Официальное опубликование правовых актов ∙ Официальный интернет-портал правовой информации |url=http://publication.pravo.gov.ru/Document/View/0001202008290001?index=9&rangeSize=129 августа 2020. |website=publication.pravo.gov.ru.}}</ref> * '''Medal of the Federal Service for Technical and Export Control (FSTEC) of Russia''' "For Strengthening the State Information Protection System" I Class (February 3, 2021).<ref>{{Cite news |date=2021-02-04 |title=Наталья Касперская награждена медалью ФСТЭК России I степени |url=https://releases.ict-online.ru/news/natalya-kasperskaya-nagrazhdena-medalyu-fstek-rossii-i-stepeni-21818 |work=releases.ict-online.ru}}</ref> * '''National Award for Contribution to the Fight Against the Leakage of Confidential Information''' — June 8, 2022<ref>{{Cite news |date=2024-09-24 |title=Наталья Касперская удостоена Национальной премии за вклад в борьбу против утечек конфиденциальной информации |url=https://www.mont.ru/ru-ru/news/5000 |work=MONT}}</ref>

== Public work == Natalya Kasperskaya is a member of the board of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs<ref name="rspp">[http://рспп.рф/simplepage/21 Правление РСПП]. — Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs official site.</ref> and the Association of Software Developers 'Domestic Software'.<ref name="arpp">[http://www.arppsoft.ru/news/4/7056/?sphrase_id=2285 Круглый стол «Место, где формируется будущее ИТ-отрасли»]. — Official site of Association of Software Developers 'Domestic Software', 3 February 2016.</ref> She is also a member of the Expert Russian Software Council affiliated to the Ministry of Telecom and Mass Communications of Russia,<ref name="minsvyaz">[http://minsvyaz.ru/ru/events/34481/ Утверждён состав Экспертного совета по российскому ПО] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180905132257/http://minsvyaz.ru/ru/events/34481/ |date=2018-09-05 }}. — Official site of the Ministry of Telecom and Mass Communications of Russia, 31 December 2015.</ref> the Grant Committee of Skolkovo Foundation,<ref name="skolkovo">[http://sk.ru/foundation/team/p/person.aspx?un=Natalya.Kasperskaya Наталья Касперская, независимый член Грантового комитета] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210613031614/http://sk.ru/foundation/team/p/person.aspx?un=Natalya.Kasperskaya |date=2021-06-13 }}. — Skolkovo Foundation's official site.</ref> and the supervisory board of the Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology (Skoltech).<ref name="skoltech">[http://www.skoltech.ru/about/board-of-trustees/ Попечительский совет] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170716185844/http://www.skoltech.ru/about/board-of-trustees/ |date=2017-07-16 }}. — Skoltech's official site.</ref> Furthermore, Natalya Kasperskaya is a member of the Russian Mechanical Engineering Union.

From April 2008 until March 2012, Natalya was a member of the board of the Russian-German chamber of commerce.<ref name="ahk" /><ref name="chamber">{{Cite web|url = http://www.kaspersky.ru/about/news/business/2008/Natalja_Kasperskaja_izbrana_chlenom_pravlenija_Rossijsko-germanskoj_vneshnetorgovoj_palaty|title = Наталья Касперская избрана членом правления Российско-германской внешнеторговой палаты|author = |date =8 April 2008 |publisher = — 'Kaspersky.ru'}}</ref> In addition, from 2009 until 2011, she was head of the working party on information and computer technologies under the federal target program of the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia, referred to as “Research and inventions in priority scientific and technology development areas in Russia in 2014—2020”.<ref name="kaspskoltech">[http://www.skoltech.ru/team/natalya-kasperskaya/ Наталья Касперская] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160425130138/http://www.skoltech.ru/team/natalya-kasperskaya/ |date=2016-04-25 }}. — Skoltech's official site, 28 November 2014.</ref>

== Personal life == thumb|left|Natalya Kasperskaya (2011)

=== Interests === Natalya Kasperskaya has enjoyed participating in social activities ever since being at school, where she remembers singing in a children's choir, taking part in school performances and concerts, and even leading a pioneer's team of agitators. In addition, she formed her own school placard newspaper, for which she wrote poetry, and was also interested in sports like basketball, skiing and swimming, as well as phaleristics, collecting stamps and Soviet coins.<ref name="kuzmichov" />

As a student, Natalya was fascinated with Moscow theatre life and knew the repertoires of the main youth theatres of that time, such as Mossovet Theatre, Taganka Theatre, Sovremennik, etc., and sometimes queued overnight to buy tickets to popular performances. Furthermore, she also had a passion for the guitar and poetry and often sang and played guitar at parties.<ref name="kuzmichov" />

Natalya's interest in trekking, skiing,<ref name="therunet" /> travelling with friends and children, and reading professional literature<ref name="cnewsreference" /> came later and she considers ''Good to Great'' and ''Built to Last'' written by American business consultant Jim Collins to be her favorite books, saying that they have influenced her outlook.<ref name="kuzmichov" /> In addition, she also speaks English and German fluently.<ref name="nanosemantica">[http://nanosemantics.ru/company/komanda/ Наталья Касперская. Инвестор, член совета директоров]. — Nanosemantics' official site.</ref>

Kasperskaya admits that she has little interest in cooking, although she had to cook for her family during maternity leave.<ref name="proshutinskaya" /> Similarly, she also has no particular interest in fashion and clothing brands and does not waste much time on shopping, instead buying whatever clothes she finds suit her own style. In addition, Natalya is no fan of designer brands since she knows how such clothes are actually produced.<ref name="therunet" />

Natalya perceives gadgets and social networks somewhat negatively as she understands that they provide capabilities for increased surveillance. While she has to regularly use her work ''Sony Xperia'' phone, Natalya typically allows her PR team to manage her social network presence and uses such media only very rarely.<ref name="jsontv" />

=== Family === Natalya met her first husband, Eugene Kaspersky, at a health resort in January 1987 when she was twenty,<ref name="kuzmichov" /> with the couple marrying just six months later.<ref name="forbesreference" /> In 1989, in her fifth year at the institute, Natalya gave birth to her first son Maxim, with a second son, Ivan, following in 1991.<ref name="kuzmichov" /> The couple split up in 1997<ref name="tinkov">[http://tinkov.com/bizsekrety/35 Игорь Ашманов] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180109134450/http://tinkov.com/bizsekrety/35 |date=2018-01-09 }}. — ''Secrets of business'' talk show with Oleg Tinkov, 24 May 2010.</ref> and divorced in 1998,<ref name="therunet" /> at Eugene's instigation. However, due to their joint and rapidly growing business, the divorce had to be covered up for a couple of years in order to not demotivate employees and panic the market.<ref name="ForbesWoman" />

Natalya met her second husband, Igor Ashmanov, in 1996 at the ''CeBIT'' computer expo in Hannover, where they were working at neighboring stands. A year later, Natalya and Igor renewed their acquaintance and started communicating with one another regularly on a professional basis. Natalya Kasperskaya remembers that they started dating two or three years later,<ref name="therunet" /> after the divorce with Eugene, with the couple deciding to marry in 2001.<ref name="popov">''Попов, И.'' [http://www.forbes.ru/ekonomika/lyudi/73209-kak-i-zachem-pohishchayut-predprinimatelei-i-chlenov-ih-semei Как и зачем похищают предпринимателей и членов их семей]. — 'Forbes' magazine, 8 September 2011.</ref>

In 2005, Igor and Natalya had a daughter, Alexandra, who was followed by a second daughter, Maria, in 2009 and a third daughter, Varvara, in 2012. Natalya's sons from her first marriage both studied at Lomonosov Moscow State University, with Maxim graduating from the faculty of Geography and Ivan from the faculty of Computational Mathematics and Cybernetics.<ref name="popov" />

In April 2011, Natalya's 20-year-old son Ivan was kidnapped in the Strogino district of Moscow on his way to work, with the perpetrators holding him in one of the villages in the Sergievo-Posadsky subregion of Moscow oblast (suburb) and demanding a ransom of €3 million from his parents. However, five days later Ivan was freed thanks to the actions of the Russian intelligence services, with the five kidnappers, including two repeat offenders, being sentenced to prison terms ranging from 4.5 to 11 years.<ref name="popov" /><ref name="sud">[http://www.forbes.ru/news/280077-mosgorsud-smyagchil-prigovor-uchastniku-pokhishcheniya-syna-kasperskogo Мосгорсуд смягчил приговор участнику похищения сына Касперского]. — 'Forbes' magazine, 11 February 2015.</ref>

==Notes== {{reflist|group=note}}

==References== {{Reflist}}

== External links == {{Commons category}} * ''Dean, S.; Vladimirskaya, L.'' [http://infowatch.com/sites/default/files/publications/nkaspersky_interview.pdf Natalya Kaspersky: Russia’s Top Security Woman] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200407084601/http://infowatch.com/sites/default/files/publications/nkaspersky_interview.pdf |date=2020-04-07 }}. — 'BRIC Magazine', No. 4, 2015 Quarter 1. * {{YouTube|gtZicnFQCJw|Игорь Ашманов и Наталья Касперская о будущем российских технологий}}. — 'LifeTV', 1 May 2012.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kaspersky, Natalya}} Category:Living people Category:1966 births Category:Businesspeople from Moscow Category:Chief executives of computer security organizations Category:People from Moscow Category:Soviet businesswomen Category:People in information technology Category:Russian women computer scientists Category:Russian chief executives Category:Technology company founders Category:20th-century Russian businesswomen Category:Russian people of German descent Category:20th-century Russian businesspeople Category:21st-century Russian businesswomen Category:21st-century Russian businesspeople Category:Defenders of the White House (1991)