Russian businessman Mikhail Balakin has an estimated net worth of $1.8 billion as of March 2013 according to Forbes. He is best associated with CD-155, a construction company that was founded in 1954. By the time of its founding, the company was known as "Stroymontazhtrest Number 3". A part of the company's revenue comes from state projects but a huge chunk of it comes from private and commercial construction.

Balakin is a graduate of Moscow Institute of Civil Engineering. Forbes reports that he is married and has one child. After graduation, he started his professional career with Glavmosstroi which was considered as giant Soviet construction firm. In 1993, the company division which he worked for became private, and subsequently, he took major control of it.