More than 15 businessmen are set to be expelled from the board of directors of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RSPP) at the organization’s congress on March 16. Among them are USM co-owner Alisher Usmanov, LUKOIL co-owner Leonid Fedun and Crocus Group owner Araz Agalarov. On this subject writing RBC with reference to two sources.
According to the publication’s interlocutors, former CEO of Russian Post Maxim Akimov, former head of Sibur Holding Dmitry Konov, former managing partner of EY consulting firm for CIS countries Alexander Ivlev and President from the board of directors of the Siberian production company Stepan Solzhenitsyn will also be excluded from the board of directors of the RSPP.
According to one of RBC’s sources, businessmen want “as little publicity as possible”. Most of them are leaving the RSPP board because after the introduction of Western sanctions they have retired and have nothing to do with business formally, the source said.
Alexander Ivlev, as well as representatives of Dmitry Konov and the Russian Post, confirmed to RBC the upcoming changes in the composition of the board of directors of the RSPP.
Ivlev explained that after the start of the military operation in Ukraine, EY stopped working in Russia and withdrew from the board of directors of the Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs.
Konov, according to his representative, has not worked in Sibur since March 2022 and does not participate in RSPP activities.
Maxim Akimov should be kicked out of the union’s board because Mikhail Volkov is the new CEO and key representative of Russian Post in his place, the company said.
Congress of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs and Putin’s participation in it
Vedomosti and Bloomberg wrote that Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit the RSPP congress on March 16. This will be his first meeting with representatives of major Russian companies since the start of the military operation in Ukraine.
Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, did not directly confirm the president’s participation in the congress, but expressed hope that “such communication will take place”.
According to Bloomberg, the businessmen intend to discuss with Putin the growing role of the state in the economy, as well as to ask him to decriminalize certain economic crimes.
For his part, the president, according to the agency, will emphasize the need to revive economic growth, as well as increased corporate responsibility.
