The famous Russian leader who implemented the policy of Perestroika was Mikhail Gorbachev. Introduced in the 1980s, Perestroika aimed to restructure the Soviet economy and government, allowing for private enterprise and some market reforms. This policy sought to address the inefficiencies of the planned economy and increase transparency in governance, termed Glasnost. Gorbachev's reforms ultimately contributed to the decline of Soviet influence and set the stage for the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991.