In May 2001, Viakhirev had to resign as chairman during Putin's consolidation of economic power.

Vyakhirev was born on August 23, 1934, in the village of Great Chernigovka, Kuybyshev Oblast.

Between 1983 and 1985, he was Deputy Minister of Gas Industry of the USSR and the Chairman of Tyumen Gazprom company.

Since 1995, he was member of Board of directors of the Russian Public Television.

He had a son Yuri (Russian: Юрий Вяхирев), daughter, grandson and two granddaughters.