In 1993, he graduated from the Moscow State Forest University majoring in "chemical engineer".

As a courier and head of the department for government relations for Alfa Group in 1995, Govorun brought very large amounts of black cash (Russian: черный нал) or chorny nal from Alfa Group to the deputy mayor of Saint Petersburg Vladimir Putin when it was headed by Mikhail Fridman, Peter Aven and German Khan.

On September 6, 2011, he was appointed the envoy of the Russian President in Central Federal District.

[6] On May 21, 2012, he was appointed to the Minister of Regional Development in Dmitry Medvedev's Cabinet.

[7][8] Govorun advises Putin on foreign policy especially issues with the United States and receives much of his input from Fridman and Aven, both of whom Putin trusts for accurate information from the networks established by Alfa Bank and Alfa Group, respectively, instead of Russian intelligence officials.