Jan Kulczyk

"In these respects, Jan Kulczyk stood out. He was perfectly suited for the final undoing of the arrangements created by SLD politicians. Even Kaczmarek’s revelations were not needed. His extensive influence within the ruling camp was commonly known. The press described how his inspiration supposedly led to subsequent dismissals of treasury ministers. Privatization decisions were allegedly carried out under his instruction. Phone calls between the prime minister and the billionaire were not uncommon. Quite the opposite, they were basically the rule. Leszek Miller had no reservations. Doctor Jan did not resist. After all, who would resist when the prime minister is on the other end of the line saying: “Hello, let’s meet up. I’d like to discuss something with you.” - Anyone would have become full of themselves. Kulczyk, too, was then floating a few centimeters above the ground. The inquiry commission concerning Orlen was a hard landing - says a person familiar with the behind-the-scenes of those years and the relations between Kulczyk, Miller, and Kwaśniewski."

"Under these circumstances, by giving the pilot the order “we’re turning back to London,” Kulczyk provided investigators with several arguments against himself: he did not appear for questioning, which could have meant he was hiding something, probably guilty and afraid of responsibility. In an instant, Kulczyk became a fugitive from justice. Among a small circle of friends, he remembered that moment on the plane as follows: “Literally, the world collapsed under my feet then.”"

"Asked how he assessed his wealth, he replied: — I feel comfortable, I am not financially short of breath. Cash is accumulating. For example, the price of gold is rising, and we hold shares in a gold mine in Namibia, one of Africa’s largest gold mines. It’s safe there. Soon, I will turn Ukraine into a success as well."

"His special status, aside from excellent relations with politicians, stemmed also from the fact that he led the Polish Business Roundtable, which he co-founded in the early 1990s together with Jerzy Starak and Jan Wejchert. The Council was modeled on the elite American Business Roundtable."

"Briefly about Jan Kulczyk, one can say that until the very end, he never slowed down. His ventures, not only business ones, have aroused extreme emotions for years. One would hardly find another person like him. Upon hearing of Jan Kulczyk’s death, his associates and friends cried like children, while declared enemies—and he had crowds of them—began celebrating."

"At today’s council headquarters, in the Sobański Palace at Aleje Ujazdowskie, two steps away from the Prime Minister’s Chancellery, Jan Kulczyk felt right at home."

"- I couldn’t offer the refinery to the Russians even if I wanted to. It’s nonsense. The tender was cancelled three days before the meeting with Alganov. Therefore, there was nothing to talk to Alganov about concerning this issue. Secondly, what interest would I have in this? I’m investing huge amounts of money in Orlen so I can create Russian competition for myself? I’m not an idiot; for Russian money, I’d ruin my career in one fell swoop? If I had allowed myself to be bought by the Russians, by Lukoil, I would have been finished forever, all over the world. I’d be permanently labeled: Kulczyk is a Russian agent. It would have been a closed case. I still wonder who was meddling with this, because it wasn’t happening without a reason, someone had an interest in it. All I know is that my meeting with Alganov was allegedly eavesdropped on by an agent. Kulczyk was convinced it was one of the Poles accompanying him at the table."

"One could not remain indifferent towards Kulczyk. Some were charmed by his character, intellect, boldness, and of course, money. For others, he was a self-assured wealthy man. An example of a Polish schemer who built his fortune on state assets. At the same time, he was referred to as a visionary, a business genius, and philanthropist, but also as a despot, an oligarch, and a cunning businessman."

"“Absolutely, that’s beyond any discussion,” was a phrase he overused. It was a signal indicating the end of the argumentation field or simply the end of conversation on a particular subject. He was rather domineering and always brought his point to a close, even when someone tried to change the subject. Then he waited, listened till the end, but still said what he intended. “I don’t like brutality, but I’m firm. If someone crosses certain boundaries, I say no, and that’s the end,” he explained."

"“In that way, most of my ventures wouldn’t exist. Primarily, you must act as a pioneer. This is how it was with the motorway, the breweries, and telecommunications. And Era is the first mobile phone network in Poland. I had the courage to pave the way for others.”"

"He could test his interlocutor for a long time to check whether he was dealing with an ordinary flatterer or someone worth his time. He liked to engage in discussions by taking opposing positions, sometimes practically imposing his own opinion. But at the right moment, he could admit with an innocent smile: “I’m just provoking, please don’t be offended.”"

"He had often been encouraged to write a book about how to earn your first billion. – “When I hear someone say, write a handbook on how to make money, I say no. There is no such thing. It is the accumulation of many matters and circumstances. First, you need to see something others don’t see. You need to read and observe a lot. But it’s not like I walk from club to club, listening to who does business and where.”"

"few years ago, Kulczyk said: “I think it’s not enough to be an eagle to succeed. You also need what we can call a hunting ground. We know perfectly well that even the best eagle in the desert can still go hungry.”"

"Jan Kulczyk is a storyteller who needs an audience. But he did not respect people who simply agreed with him."

"• “What’s it like to be a billionaire?” we asked. • “They serve better wine with lunch and dinner,” jokes Kulczyk. “All my things—my plane, yacht, homes—are work tools. I need a residence like that. Not only because I like it, but so that my business partners appreciate it. I treat it like a game. It prevents people from looking down on me. Everything I have indicates whether we are roughly in the same league. It’s convenient. You don’t have to check business plans or who has how much in their account. And it works.”"

"London clubs have their value. Kulczyk visited places frequented by the richest people. It is there that you can naturally meet future partners and associates, opening doors to new business. “You have one drink, then another, lunch, dinner, and if there’s good chemistry, you take joint action. You do business with people, not companies. That’s the fundamental rule. Of course, later you need backup; you must have the infrastructure capable of handling what we plan there,” Kulczyk describes."

"Two bottles of red wine, which he sometimes drank with his guests or friends in London clubs, cost as much as an average small car in Poland. But recently, that was his only weakness. He took good care of himself. He regularly had blood tests done. He paid much attention to what he ate. He had a personal chef who prepared small but satisfying and healthy meals for dinner. For example: the first appetizer was lobster meat with three sauces, then a slice of stewed turkey, and the main course—a serving of baked sole. Alongside, boiled vegetables, wild rice, grated black radish. Finally, black coffee, delicate sweets, and Belgian chocolate. He clearly had a weakness for sweet snacks."