Dmitry (Dmitri) Bukhman

Early Life & Education

Grew up in modest conditions—father worked as a security guard/veterinarian, mother as HR—living with grandparents
Self-taught programmer: at age 16, began developing games on an old Pentium 100 gifted by their grandfather
Studied Applied Mathematics at Vologda State Pedagogical Institute, earning a Master’s degree while continuing to build and sell casual PC games online

Founding Playrix & Career Growth

In 2004, along with his brother Igor, founded Playrix in Vologda to produce simple PC games and screensavers; early success brought in about $10,000/month
By 2007, portfolio included ~16 games and revenue reached ~$300,000/month
In 2009–2010, pivoted to free-to-play mobile gaming with the launch of “Township” on Facebook in 2012, followed by iOS/Android release
Global hits followed: Gardenscapes (2016), Homescapes (2017), Fishdom, and Township, making Playrix a major player in mobile gaming

Expansion & Corporate Moves

Headquarters moved to Dublin in 2013, later shifting to remote work culture
Acquired game studios and invested in peers: Nexters and Vizor Games in 2018; Plexonic and Eipix in 2019
In October 2022, closed offices in Russia and Belarus due to geopolitical disruptions
By 2023, Playrix employed over 3,000 people globally and ranked among top 7 mobile game publishers by revenue

Wealth & Investments

Entered Forbes billionaire rankings in 2020 with ~$3.1 billion
As of April 2023, Forbes estimated his net worth at $7 billion, ranking 332nd globally and 7th among Israeli billionaires
Sunday Times (May 2025) places his wealth at £12.54 billion (~$16.8B), making him the UK’s richest person under 40
In October 2021, he and Igor launched Rix Capital, a family office now based in London managing around $4B

Legacy & Outlook

Dmitry Bukhman transformed a passion for programming into one of the world’s largest mobile gaming companies. Under his leadership, Playrix:
Pioneered the fusion of match‑3 puzzlers with narrative and renovation themes.
Grew organically—without venture capital or public funding.
Continues to innovate in casual gaming and explore expansion into AR and AI‑enhanced experiences.