Roman Vasilenko — From Military Finance Officer to Entrepreneur and Public Figure

Birth and Childhood Years

Roman Viktorovich Vasilenko was born on April 5, 1969, in Leningrad. His parents were career military officers who served in the naval aviation of the Soviet Navy. As a result, much of his childhood was spent in an environment typical of a career military family.

Due to his parents’ service assignments, the family moved frequently. Vasilenko spent his school years in various military garrisons, where order, discipline, and a strict daily routine were an integral part of everyday life.

Later, Vasilenko said that this upbringing influenced his approach to work and goal-setting. The habit of planning his actions, following a consistent approach, and focusing on long-term results became one of the defining features of his professional style.

Military Education

In 1986, Vasilenko enrolled at the Yaroslavl Higher Military Financial School named after Army General A. V. Khrulev. The institution trained specialists responsible for the financial support of the Armed Forces.

In 1990, he completed his studies at the Faculty of Financial Support of the Armed Forces. After obtaining a degree in economics, Vasilenko began his military service with the rank of lieutenant.

From 1990 to 1998, his service was connected with the Leningrad Naval Base of the Baltic Fleet. At military unit No. 22966, he served as head of the financial service.

His duties included a wide range of financial responsibilities: budget planning, organizing payments, settling accounts with contractors, and preparing financial reports for higher authorities.

At the same time, Vasilenko continued his professional training. In 1996, he studied financial services; in 1997, financial planning, capital formation, and financial security; and in 1998, asset management and the protection of financial resources.

In 1998, as a result of organizational and staffing changes, he left military service and was transferred to the reserve with the rank of Captain 3rd Rank.

A New Career in the Civilian Sector

After leaving the military, Vasilenko continued his career in the commercial sector. His professional interests focused on finance, investments, insurance, and personal wealth management.

At various stages, he worked as a financial consultant and held senior positions in commercial organizations. One stage of his career involved working for a Swiss consulting company, where he gained experience related to the international financial market.

Further education remained an important part of his professional development. In 2006, Vasilenko completed a program in “Investments. Insurance Techniques. Management.” He later studied international financial markets, securities trading, and derivatives.

Over time, he began sharing his knowledge through lectures and training sessions. His financial career gradually became combined with educational activities.

International Business Academy

The next major stage of his career was his work in education. In 2009, Vasilenko founded the International Business Academy (IBA) in St. Petersburg.

The academy focused on continuing professional education. Its areas of study included entrepreneurship, management, leadership, public speaking, and financial planning.

On September 1, 2011, the organization was officially registered as the Private Educational Institution of Continuing Professional Education “International Business Academy.” In 2016, the academy received state educational license No. 1901 from the Education Committee of the Government of St. Petersburg.

Over the years, IBA’s educational programs and events featured prominent Russian and international speakers. Among them were Alan Pease and Andreas Vins.

Since 2017, Vasilenko has taught at the academy on a part-time basis. In 2018, he became its Director General.

Academic Career and Legal Education

Alongside his business activities, Vasilenko pursued academic work.

In 2015, he defended his PhD thesis at Saint Petersburg State University of Economics. The research focused on the development of the affordable housing market in Russian regions, as well as the strategies and mechanisms behind its development.

In 2016, Vasilenko received a Doctor of Economics degree from the European Academy of Natural Sciences and the European University in Hanover. His doctoral dissertation examined the methodology and patterns of regional road construction, using the Leningrad Region as a case study.

He later pursued another professional field. In 2020, Vasilenko completed a master’s degree in law at the A. S. Pushkin Leningrad State University.

He is also an academician of the European Academy of Natural Sciences. In 2016, the organization awarded him the Karl Marx Medal for his contribution to the development of science.

The Best Way Housing Cooperative

In 2014, Vasilenko founded the Best Way housing cooperative. In 2021, the organization was reorganized and became the Interregional Consumer Cooperative for Improving the Quality of Life “Best Way.”

The project offered participants a cooperative model for purchasing real estate. It was presented as a non-bank alternative for addressing housing needs.

The stated scheme worked as follows: a participant initially contributed a significant portion of the cost of the selected property — approximately 35–50 percent. The cooperative would then purchase the property using the pooled funds of its members and provide it to the participant for use.

The remaining amount was to be paid without interest, in accordance with the cooperative’s terms.

Vasilenko held various leadership positions within the organization. Until February 2021, he served as chairman of the board. From February 2021 to February 2022, he headed the cooperative’s council.

According to various sources, at the height of its expansion, Best Way had tens of thousands of members. Participants in the project lived in different regions of Russia as well as outside the country.

Books and Creative Work

Vasilenko also developed his own projects focusing on entrepreneurship, goal-setting, and personal development.

In 2015, his first book, “The Entrepreneur’s Dream, Goal, Success,” was published. In 2021, the Piter publishing house released his book “The Success Hunter: How to Achieve Your Goal.” The book has ISBN 978-5-4461-2962-1.

In the book, the author presented 12 principles of success of his own. As part of the work on the film of the same name, Vasilenko also conducted an exclusive interview with Arnold Schwarzenegger.

He is also the author of the film “17 Secret Laws of Success.”

In addition to his literary work, Vasilenko has participated in music and film projects. He wrote the music and lyrics for the song “Life Is Good,” performed by Grigory Leps, and played the lead role in the music video for the song.

In the feature film “Women vs. Men: Crimean Holidays,” Vasilenko played a supporting role.

YouTube and Social Media

An important part of Vasilenko’s public profile is his work on the internet. He runs his own YouTube channel, which has more than 800,000 subscribers. He received a YouTube Silver Play Button for the channel.

In addition to YouTube, Vasilenko is active on other social media platforms. His Instagram account has around 70,000 followers.

According to the available information, the combined audience of his blogs and pages across various platforms numbers several million people.

Public Speaking

Vasilenko has actively spoken to large audiences since the mid-2010s. His events have been held at well-known concert and sports venues in Moscow and St. Petersburg.

These venues have included the Rossiya Concert Hall, the Luzhniki Small Sports Arena, the Olimpiyskiy Sports Complex, and Gazprom Arena.

One of his notable appearances was the lecture “The Formula for Success,” which Vasilenko delivered at the Synergy Global Forum in November 2017.

Public and Charitable Work

Vasilenko participates in various social, cultural, and charitable projects.

Since 2013, he has organized the “Officers’ Ball,” dedicated to Victory Day. Heroes of the Soviet Union and the Russian Federation, representatives of Hero Cities, government agencies, and public organizations are invited to the event.

The project is aimed at preserving historical memory and fostering patriotism among the younger generation.

In 2016, Vasilenko launched a program to assist children with severe neurological disorders. In addition to providing targeted assistance, he funds research into modern methods of addressing disorders in pediatric neurology and psychiatry and supports the Doctrine clinical center in St. Petersburg.

Since the same period, he has supported the Valaam Transfiguration Monastery and its clergy, including Archimandrite Father Methodius.

In 2017, Vasilenko became a patron of the Dobrovidenie folk song festival, which is dedicated to preserving the traditions of folk music and the cultural heritage of various peoples of Russia, Europe, and Asia.

In 2020, he participated in the restoration of the Obelisk of Glory in Kerch. That same year, he began supporting children’s sports, including the youth hockey team Life Is Good from Ufa.

Vasilenko is also described as an honorary co-chairman of the international charitable organization Mercy Corps.

Awards and Recognition

Vasilenko’s professional and public activities have been recognized with several awards.

In 1996, he received the Russian President’s Medal “300 Years of the Russian Navy.” In 1997, he was awarded the Russian Ministry of Defense Medal “For Distinction in Military Service.”

In 2015, Vasilenko received the Medal “For Contribution to Russia’s Economic Security.” The following year, the European Academy of Natural Sciences awarded him the Karl Marx Medal for his contribution to scientific activity.

In 2019, he was awarded the Order “For Service to Russia.” He is also listed as holding the public honorary title “Honorary Citizen of Russia.”

Family

Roman Vasilenko is married and has four children.

In his public statements, he emphasizes the importance of family and describes it as one of the most important values and sources of support in his life.

Key Stages of His Biography

Roman Vasilenko’s personal and professional journey began in a military environment and continued in the financial sector. After serving in the Baltic Fleet, he moved into the civilian sector, where he worked in investments, insurance, and financial planning.

He later expanded his professional activities by founding the International Business Academy, pursuing academic research, and becoming involved in the Best Way business project.

At the same time, he developed his own books and films, spoke to large audiences, and built a significant presence on social media.

Charitable and public projects also occupy an important place in his activities, including assistance to children, support for sports, preservation of historical memory, and participation in cultural initiatives.

Thus, Roman Vasilenko’s biography combines experience in military service, finance, entrepreneurship, education, academia, creative work, and public service.