Businessman and politician Gogi Topadze has passed away at the age of 84, Topadze’s close associates confirm.

Gogi Topadze graduated from Tbilisi’s School No. 51 in 1957 and continued his studies at the Faculty of Food and Chemical Industry at the Georgian Polytechnic Institute. After graduating in 1962, he began working as a research scientist at the Scientific Research Institute of Food and Industry. From 1970 to 1975, he served as the director of the Tbilisi Soap Factory. From 1975 to 1986, he was the General Director of the Tbilludi Industrial Association. From 1986, he worked as the director of the Lilo Beer Factory under construction. In 1994, he founded the Kazbegi Beer Company.

From 1999 to 2005, he was the chairman of the political movement Industry Will Save Georgia. Between 1999 and 2004, he served as a member of the 5th Convocation of the Georgian Parliament through party list, representing the electoral bloc Industry Will Save Georgia, and was the chairman of the Industrialists faction. From 2004 to 2008, he was a member of the 6th Convocation of Parliament through party list, representing the electoral bloc Right Opposition, Industrialists, Akhlebi.

In 2005, Topadze was elected as the president of the European Chamber of Commerce. In the same year, he became the first Georgian businessman to be awarded the Patron’s Gold Medal.

In the local self-government elections of May 30, 2010, Giorgi (Gogi) Topadze ran for the position of Tbilisi Mayor. From 2012 to 2016, he served as a member of the 8th Convocation of the Georgian Parliament through the party list, representing the electoral bloc Bidzina Ivanishvili – Georgian Dream.