The man who would be owner of Australia’s Foxtel has been revealed as UK/US dual national Sir Leonard Blavatnik, a philanthropist and media entrepreneur who is reported to have almost doubled his money in the pandemic year of 2020.

Forbes quotes the 67-year-old Soviet/Ukrainian – born in Odesa when it was part of the Soviet Union – as worth US$32.1 billion (A$49.23 billion).

His Access Industries investment group is reported to be after Foxtel’s Kayo Sports through its DAZN sports streaming business, which has more than 20 million subscribers in 200 countries, and rights to more than 75 events and competitions.

Nine’s Australian Financial Review quoted “two people with detailed knowledge of the discussions” that Foxtel’s suite of broadcast rights was an attraction.

Blavatnik grew up “north of Moscow” and moved to the US in 1978, but not before studying railway engineering at the state university. Later he studied computer science at Columbia uni and got an MBA from Harvard.

The serious money started with Russian oil company TNK-BP – in which he sold a stake for US$7 billion (A$10.7 billion) – and from acquiring and floating Warner Music, quadrupling its value. Access is reported to have stakes in a chemicals manufacturer and an energy conglomerate, as well as house flipping website Opendoor.

His “services to philanthropy” – he is reported to have given or pledged more than US$1 billion, mostly to universities including Oxford – earned him a knighthood from the late Queen in 2017.

News Corp owns 65 per cent of Foxtel – with telco Telstra, also a willing vendor –chief executive Robert Thomson having reported the “third-party interest” in August. There have also been reports of an offer from US-based Platinum Equity.

A decision on the potential sale is likely to rest with the Murdochs.

A DAZN spokesperson declined to comment to the AFR on the reports.

Pictured: One of the 13 stations on Moscow’s underground, opened in 1935