Mr. Alex Shnaider
Former President at the Jewish Russian Community centre of Ontario
Co-Founder & Chairman of the Board - Midland Group
- Date of birth: August 3, 1968
- Place of birth: Chernivtsi, Ukraine
- Residence/Nationality: Toronto/Canadian
- Marital status: Husband to Simona Shnaider; Father of 3 daughters.
- Education: York University, Toronto, BA (Honors) Economics, 1991
1990 – While still in university, worked as Project Manager for a company conducting trade in the former Soviet Union. Identified potential for trading steel in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).
1993 – Co-founded Trans Resources NV, a company trading in ferrous metals, in Antwerp, Belgium.
1994 – Co-founded Midland Resources Holding Limited. Established offices in Antwerp and Kiev, Ukraine. Commenced trade of raw materials within CIS countries.
1997 – Returned to Canada. Transferred activities of Trans Resources NV to Midland Metals International Inc. in Toronto. Expanded CIS operations by opening office in Moscow.
1998 – Registered office in London, UK. Expanded global trading activities.
2000 – Commenced investment program with the acquisition of a significant stake in a Ukrainian steel mill.
2001 – Bolstered mill ownership by investing in a group of steel assets in Ukraine, including a pipe mill, refractory plants, raw materials producers and mines. Established or acquired steel warehousing businesses in the UK, Turkey & Serbia.
2002 – Established Midland Shipping Group. Acquired Armenian Electric Network. Expanded activities in the scrap trade by acquiring a scrap processor. Commenced real estate development in Moscow.
2003 – Participated aggressively in state privatization program of Serbia by investing in agriculture, real estate, transportation and light industrial sectors. Developed new real estate projects in Toronto and Moscow. Acquired steels mill in southern Russia. Expanded transportation division with investments in railcar manufacturing.
2004 – Continued expansion of transportation division with acquisition of steel foundry assets in Poland, Ukraine and Russia. Announced Midland F1’s participation in Formula One racing. Expanded real estate interests in Russia and Ukraine. Acquired 60% of Ukraine’s first mega-market outlet chain. Acquired controlling interest in Ukraine’s leading food and beverage distributors.
2005 – Accelerated F1 program via acquisition of Jordan Grand Prix team (later to be renamed Midland F1 Limited). Exited Armenian Electric Network via sale to consortium head by United Energy System (UES).
2006 – Appointed Chairman of Royal Laser Corp. (TSX: RLC). Negotiated sale of Midland F1 Limited to Spyker Cars NV. Significantly boosted investment in Russian real estate projects.
2007 – Exited Russian steel mills via sale to RusSpetStal. Announced construction financing for Trump International Hotel & Tower, Toronto. Established chain of MD convenience stores in Ukraine.
