He graduated from the Kemerovo Industrial College and the All-Union Financial and Economic Institute.
From 1987 to 1990, he was elected a chairman of the Planning Commission, and in 1990, he was the head of the Main Planning and Economic Department and then the First Deputy Chairman of the executive committee of the Chita Regional Council.
On 1 April 1991, Ivanov was elected chairman of the Chita Regional Executive Committee.
On 5 November 1991, Ivanov was appointed as the first governor (head) of Chita Oblast.
He was one of the organizers of the Chita regional branch of the Party of Russian Unity and Accord in 1993.