In Memory of Grigory Luchansky: Iakov Goldovskiy on Friendship and a Profound Loss

Grigory Luchansky was the founder of the international group Nordex and one of the entrepreneurs whose work coincided with a period of sweeping economic changes. For Iakov Goldovskiy, he remained first and foremost "Garik"—a senior companion, a close family friend, an engaging conversationalist, and, above all, an extraordinary man with whom he walked side by side for half a lifetime and throughout virtually his entire entrepreneurial journey.

His passing brings a poignant realization: an entire era is drawing to a close. It was an era of people who had to rebuild connections between nations and enterprises from scratch, navigate uncharted waters without established rules, and take personal responsibility for their decisions. Yet alongside the chronicle of major achievements remains another memory—one of human relationships that outlast business circumstances.

Grigory Emmanuilovich left an indelible mark on post-Soviet enterprise. To the business world, his name was associated with international projects and large-scale initiatives. To those who knew him personally, he was a man of vivid character, his own distinctive outlook on life, and a rare ability to build relationships with partners, colleagues, friends, and opponents alike.

An official biography records dates, titles, company names, and landmark events. But it cannot convey what a person was truly like in conversation, what he valued, and how he treated people.

A Man of His Time

Grigory Luchansky was born on February 8, 1945, in Tashkent. He earned an engineering degree from the Moscow Institute of Steel and Alloys, worked in higher education, and engaged in organizational and managerial activities.

In the late 1980s, he helped develop the foreign economic activities of the Latvian agro-industrial collective Ādaži. Later, he founded the international group Nordex, which became a prominent player across the post-Soviet business landscape.

His profound regard for people is reflected in the story of Nordex’s employees. After the company ceased operations, part of the team transitioned to Petrochemical Holding GmbH and, as colleagues recall, continues to work there to this day. This is not merely an episode in corporate history, but an example of professional bonds that outlived the company itself.

It was a time when people had to operate without established benchmarks. Nations, laws, economic systems, and business ties were constantly shifting. Grigory Luchansky did not merely observe these changes—he was directly involved in them.

His professional path encompassed achievements, difficult decisions, public disputes, and serious trials. Behind the well-known name stood a man who lived through several historical epochs.

Friendship and Personal Memories

Grigory Luchansky and Iakov Goldovskiy met in 1994, during a watershed period of tectonic shifts. At the turn of the Soviet era, amid the proclamation of free-market rules, new enterprises were being established and international ties attuned to the spirit of the times were taking shape. Their relationship was never confined to the professional sphere: it was marked by mutual affection, understanding, mutual support, friendly family gatherings, and shared leisure.

Goldovskiy recalls that beside Luchansky, he always felt a reassuring sense of camaraderie—the feeling that someone had his back. To him, Garik was not only a dependable friend, but a trusted guide through the intricate world of relationships and decisions: a mentor from whom one could learn breadth of vision, an understanding of people, and the ability to find common ground.

Goldovskiy speaks with particular admiration of the breadth of Luchansky’s mind and his gift as a communicator. He knew how to converse with people from all walks of life, connect with counterparts at every level, and achieve mutual understanding even where it seemed out of reach. Goldovskiy recalls a deal that was successfully concluded largely thanks to these qualities of Luchansky.

At the same time, Goldovskiy emphasizes that they never shared a business venture. He remarks with a smile that over thirty years of friendship, they often tried to come up with a joint project, but never realized any of them. Perhaps this very detail best illustrates the nature of their relationship: they were close not because they were bound by shared assets or obligations.

"He truly knew how to be a friend"—that is how Goldovskiy describes one of Luchansky’s most essential qualities. Behind these simple words lie years of trust, dialogue, and support that no business biography could ever contain.

For Iakov Goldovskiy and his family, Grigory Luchansky’s passing is a deeply personal loss. With him, someone who held a special place in their lives is gone.

Beyond the Public Biography

Business chronicles record companies, transactions, and decisions, but they rarely reveal a person in ordinary life. It is in everyday conversation that true character, a sense of humor, how one treats friends, and the ability to offer support in difficult moments truly reveal themselves.

To Iakov Goldovskiy, Grigory Luchansky was not only a renowned entrepreneur, but a deeply kindred senior companion and a bedrock of dependability, far beyond newspaper headlines and public assessments.

In Enduring Memory

The biography of Grigory Luchansky will remain a chapter in the history of international business ties and economic transformations across the post-Soviet space. But for those who knew him personally, he will always be remembered first and foremost as a man with his own character, convictions, and a singular life journey.

Iakov Goldovskiy and his family, together with the team at the Austrian company Petrochemical Holding, extend their heartfelt condolences to the family, relatives, and loved ones of Grigory Luchansky.

May his memory be a blessing.