Hennadiy Kernes
| Hennadiy Adolfovych Kernes | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Mayor of Kharkiv | |
|
Assumed office 24 November 2010 |
|
| Preceded by | Mikhail Dobkin |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Kharkiv, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union 27 June 1959 |
| Occupation | Legislator |
| Religion | Judaism |
| Signature |  |
| Website | Official mayoral website |
Hennadiy Adolfovych Kernes (Ukrainian: Геннадій Адольфович Кернес, Russian: Генна́дий Адо́льфович Ке́рнес, Yiddish: געננאַדיי אַדאָלפאָוויטש קערנעס; born 27 June 1959) is a Ukrainian politician who has been the Mayor of Kharkiv since 2010.
Kernes was born into a Jewish family, to Adolf Lazarevych Kernes and Anna Abramovna in Kharkiv. He graduated from the National University "Yaroslav the Wise Law Academy of Ukraine" with a degree in jurisprudence and from Kharkiv National University of Economics with a degree in state management. Between 1977 and 1979 Kernes studied in CTC-14 in Kharkiv and specialised in draftsman-designer on mechanics.
From 1979 to 1990, Kernes worked for a number of enterprises. According to his official biography his career began in 1977. Kernes managed the production and trading company Acceptor from 1992 to 1994. He then became the chairman at CJSC NPK-Holding until 1999. Kernes was then first deputy director of the Kharkiv branch of the Trading House Gas of Ukraine till 2001. He then became CEO at NPK-Holding till 2006.
Prior to his career in politics, Kernes allegedly acted as an organized crime boss in the Kharkiv region, a claim he has denied.
Kernes has a criminal record for theft and fraud; according to him the accusations were "partly fabricated" by "his enemies".
In 1986 he was charged but not prosecuted. In August 1992 Kernes was sentenced by the Kharkiv Regional Court to three years in a penal colony; but the court released him from custody, taking into account that Kernes was held in jail during the criminal investigation that had lasted more than two years. He has been described as a "mini-oligarch", having acquired enough wealth in his business career to launch a career in politics.
In 1998 Kernes was first elected into the Kharkiv city council and has served three terms there. Between April and May 2002 Kernes was the secretary of Kharkiv City Council.
...
Wikipedia