On Friday, Alexander Mikheev was approved as the new Director General of JSC Rosoboronesport, the Russian state-backed monopolist on exports and imports of arms and defence technology (the company is a part of Rostec state-run corporation). Alexander Mikheev will thus replace Anatoly Isaykin, who reached his age limit for a state official on December 17, when he turned 70. Before his appointment of the head of Rosoboronexport, Alexander Mikheev served as CEO of Russian Helicopters Holding.

Alexander Mikheev was born in 1961. He graduated from the Moscow Institute of Civil Aviation and finished post-graduate courses at the Military Academy of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces. The official also finished the Finance Academy at the Government of the Russian Federation. Alexander Mikheev came to work at JSC Rosoboronexport in 2001, a year after the Russian weapons exporter was established in accordance with the decree of the Russian President. Alexander Mikheev had taken various positions during his work experience in the Rosoboronexport corporation - from department chief to deputy CEO. In 2013, Mikheev chaired Russian Helicopters Holding, where he had achieved significant results over three years, especially in the international market: 32 percent of the world fleet of combat helicopters accounts for the products of Russian Helicopters. In addition, more than 40 percent of total export earnings of Rosoboronexport falls on aviation equipment.

Little is known about the family of the new chief seller of Russian weapons. This is not surprising, given Alexander Mikheev's professional activities in the last 15 years. His son Alexei Mikheev had chaired the heavy engineering department at the Ministry for Industry and Trade for three years. During the recent years, he has been engaged in a non-public business. Alexei's wife, Alexander Mikheev's daughter-in-law, Miroslava Duma is known a lot better, although in the fashion industry. She is a fashion blogger involved in several fashion websites in Russia, US and Middle East, and appears on the list of 500 most influential people in the fashion world, according to Business Of Fashion Magazine.