Home > Sergey Mikhaylovich Darkin

Born on 9 December 1963 in Bolshoy Kamen, Primorsky Krai, he attended school in Artyom and later in Vesyoly Yar settlement.

After graduating from school he entered the Far Eastern Naval College and simultaneously started work as a docker in the port of Vladivostok. He graduated from the college with high honours in 1985 and chose to continue with graduate studies. Having completed graduate studies he worked as a stevedore in Vladivostok port.

In 1989 he became deputy director of the Dallizing joint stock company. In 1991 he founded the Roliz company. The company's activities included ship-building and later fishing. In 1998 Darkin also became president of the Primorye Bank. He remained president of Roliz until his election as Governor of Primorsky Krai in 2001.

On 27 May 2001, in the first round of the governorship elections, Darkin received the largest number of votes cast (24%); under the electoral law this was insufficient, however, for him to be elected without a second round of voting. In the run-off election held on 17 June 2001 Darkin obtained a share of the vote of 40.17%. He was officially sworn in as Governor of Primorsky Krai on 25 June 2001 in succession to Governor Yevgeny Ivanovich Nazdratenko .

The governor has three daughters (one of whom was adopted). His youngest daughter was born on 18 April 2001, the day on which Darkin submitted his request to be registered as a candidate in the governorship elections.

Sergey Darkin's hobbies include volleyball, scuba diving, fishing, and hunting.