Oil meter Timchenko went to image makers

In December 2011, the billionaire Gennady Timchenko, a co -owner of the Novatek oil oil industry and the Novatek gas company became president of the "Economic Council of French and Russian Entrepreneurs." This position will not be formal, the press secretary of businessman Anton Kurvin assured Radio Liberty. According to him, Gennady Timchenko intends to develop not only economic, but also humanitarian franco-Russian projects.

The name of Gennady Timchenko became known in the mid-2000s. Journalists discovered that Gunvor, registered in the Netherlands, became widely known when he took over the functions of the oil meter of Rosneft. The press suspected that Gunvor’s commercial successes are associated with the close acquaintance of the owner of the company Gennady Timchenko with the Russian President Vladimir Putin. Gennady Timchenko, we recall, in the early 90s was responsible for export at the oil refining Kirishi plant (being the vice president of the Kirishteftechemexport enterprise) in the Leningrad region. ( Radio Liberty wrote about this enterprise, which appeared in the famous "Salier report" ). In 1998, according to the Kommersant newspaper, Timchenko was financed by the Judo Javara-Neva Sports Club in Peterbur, whose honorary president was Vladimir Putin.

Gennady Timchenko for many years denied close acquaintance with Putin. In the fall of 2011, in response to the question of the writer Zakhara Prilepin , Vladimir Putin first commented on his acquaintance with the businessman : the prime minister said that he knows Gennady Timchenko since his work in St. Petersburg, but emphasized that Timchenko had succeeded in business on his own.

According to the Forbes magazine, over the past five years, Gunvor revenue has increased by more than two times, to $ 65 billion, and Gennady Timchenko earned a fortune of $ 5.5 billion (No. 26 in the Forbes -2011 list).

The Gunvor property structure has changed: as the Swedish television of SVT, as of 2011, found out , the holding Gunvor Group, belongs to another holding, which, in turn, belongs to structures registered in Cyprus, the British Virgin Islands and Liechtenstein.

"On December 12, 2011, during the meeting, Gennady Timchenko, a co-owner and member of the Board of Directors of Novatek, was elected chairman of the Economic Council, replacing Ruben Vardanyan, chairman of the board of directors of the Troika Dialogue investment company," the Franco-Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry said in an information letter.

"The Economic Council of French and Russian enterprises was created on June 18, 2010. The Council was designed to strengthen the economic cooperation of the two countries, based on many years of experience in the interaction of the Franco-Russian business community," the press release said.

Press Secretary of Gennady Timchenko Anton Kurevin told Radio Liberty:

-The invitation to lead the Economic Council of the Franco-Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry received Gennady Nikolaevich in November 2011 from the leadership of the chamber. And Gennady Nikolaevich, having examined it, accepted it, because he sincerely shares the goals and objectives that the chamber to bring the Russian and French business. Gennady Nikolaevich has rich experience in the Russian and international markets, in addition, he has a successful experience in cooperation with French companies, in particular, with Total as part of the work of the Yamal project "Novate".

In the future, Gennady Nikolaevich expects to apply this experience in the work of the Council, he also plans to take an active part in his activities. At present, with its direct participation, work is underway to form an expert council, which could combine the best Russian and international experts from various industries. The activities of the Council will be focused on constant monitoring of business activity in Russia and France and the search for effective solutions that can strengthen the integration between the business communities of countries.

The candidacy of Gennady Timchenko was proposed by representatives of the Council and supported by all its members, ”said Anton Kurevin.

The head of the Troika-Dialog and a member of the Board of Directors of Novatek OJSC Ruben Vardanyan refused to answer the question of a RS correspondent about the reasons for his departure from the post in the Franco-Russian Chamber, where he was replaced by Gennady Timchenko.

However, as the general director of the Franco-Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Pavel Shinsky said, the reason for the invitation of Gennady Timchenko to the place of Ruben Vardanyan was the employment of the latter:

- The reason why Ruben Vardanyan left the leadership of the Council, in his own words, is professional employment associated with his extremely complex working schedule. The Economic Council was created in 2010. Its goal is to collect in one advisory body representatives of large enterprises of both countries, who were erected by general projects. Gennady Nikolaevich Timchenko as a co -owner and member of the Board of Directors of Novatek participates in one of the main franco -Russian projects today - the operation of gas fields on the Yamal Peninsula. This valuable experience became the reason why Gennady Timchenko was asked to take this post, ”said Pavel Shinsky .

According to the already quoted press secretary Gennady Timchenko Anton Kurevin , Gennady Timchenko intends to develop not only business projects at a new post:

“Gennady Nikolaevich is interested in participating in this project not only in terms of cooperation in the economic sphere, but also in terms of uniting efforts regarding the implementation of humanitarian and sociocultural projects, since he has a number of funds in which he is the founder, whose activities are aimed at supporting initiatives in the field of the sociocultural and humanitarian spheres,” said Anton Kurevin.

In addition, under the new President of Gennady Timchenko, the Economic Council will work on the image of Russia in France, Pavel Shinsky made it clear:

- Of course, he will not work daily, but he will determine with other members of this advice, the main priorities. One of them is work on the image of Russia in France and France in Russia.

- And how will the fact that you invited the advice of a person not very public, who is considered close to Vladimir Putin, will be reflected in the image of Russia in France?

- Political issues are not in our competence. Not that they do not interest us - everyone is interested in politics. But the Chamber of Commerce and Industry is not a political institution, and the proximity of one or another of its representative with one or another famous person does not have a direct influence on the course of her affairs, ”said Pavel Shinsky .

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Gennady Timchenko in the early 90s lived and was engaged in business in Finland, then in Switzerland. In Geneva, Gennady Timchenko created the Neva Foundation and supports the Russian -speaking newspaper through it.

According to the commercial register of France, for 2011, Gennady Timchenko owns real estate here, and his wife Elena Timchenko is a hotel.

The register confirms that Gennady Timchenko personally owns three enterprises called Atlantic, Beliz and Ruth. However, in fact, these legal entities are very specific. In fact, this is real estate. "Civil enterprise of real estate" - this form of registration of a house or apartment is possible in France. It allows, in particular, to optimize the amount of taxes if the owner declares the value of the "enterprise" below the market price of the house. In addition, such houses are easier to transfer by inheritance.

So, the "company" of Sci Atlantic, which is owned by Gennady Timchenko, is a house in Biarrice on the Atlantic coast. "SCI Belize" means ownership in the town of Saint-Rafael on the Cote d'Azur. "SCI Ruth" means an apartment opposite the triumphal arch in Paris, in the so -called "golden triangle", where the most expensive real estate is concentrated. Finally, the wife of businessman Elena Timchenko owns the Sogeco Holding SA holding, which owns the Du Grand Cur hotel in Savoy in the Alps.

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Vladimir Ivanidze , a journalist -investigator who collaborated with many Russian and foreign publications, talks about Gennady Timchenko:

- It surprises me, why suddenly Timchenko donkey in France? The fact is that Gennady Timchenko and his whole family are citizens of Finland. In any case, in all official papers and documents that can be found, for example, in France, he is a citizen of Finland.

Gennady Timchenko left for Finland in 1991. In 1998-99, together with the whole family, he received the citizenship of this country. He left Finland, because he was in a material in -and -and -off, including tax ones. In addition to all stories about unpaid repair of the windows that he inserted at home (the case of unpaid repair came to the court, which the Finnish press - RS wrote about). After that, he ended up in Switzerland. As capital accumulates, Timchenko acquired houses, villas, first in Switzerland, then in France - in Biarrice, Savoy, Saint -Raphael.

I think that in lobbying he is even more experienced than in oil trade. And these lobbying opportunities Timchenko are taken into account when he is attracted to some new Franco-Russian institutions.

- That is, is it a mutually beneficial invitation? Mr. Timchenko will be able to lobby not only Russia's projects in France, but also France in Russia?

- I think yes. I don’t know what the Novatek project with Total will turn into, but it is clear that there are a lot of problems on the Nefthazov Front - both with pipelines, and in general with export contracts. Total has to solve them. And this is a large Western company, the management of such companies is easy to corrupt.

- What is this evaluative statement based on?

- At the publications that were dedicated to other large French corporations. For example, in publications about ELF (oil company France - RS). There are other examples. The largest French company producing TGV ships and high -speed trains suddenly decided to open a large joint venture with Iskander Makhmudov. The most lazy policeman from the analytical department, which is engaged in the so -called "Russian mafia," at least he heard the name of Iskander Makhmudov. And this does not bother the French. In my opinion, in France this is a serious problem.

- Now Gennady Timchenko is going to develop humanitarian projects through his funds.

- So far, he is developing his real estate projects. He does it very well. He already has several very expensive real estate objects. For example, in 2008 in Switzerland, the daughter of Gennady Timchenko, 23 -year -old Ksenia bought a villa for 30 million francs in the most luxurious area - a suburbs of Geneva. Ksenia Timchenko citizen of Finland.

- His Neva Foundation is already developing humanitarian programs in Switzerland.

- Yes, only I do not really understand which ones. Well, they sponsor the local Russian -speaking newspaper. Well, they conduct Christmas trees, a tennis tournament ...

- How do you feel about the statement of Vladimir Putin that he is familiar with Gennady Timchenko, but the latter achieved success himself?

- What I know speaks the opposite. There are a lot of details that indicate that Timchenko’s self -sufficiency raises great doubts. But the main thing is that, with Putin’s advent of Putin, Gennady Timchenko began an independent career and went uphill abruptly. And he began in Urals, which, in any case, according to the Scandinavian special services, served as a cover for real KGB agents.

- Now Gennady Timchenko is becoming a more public person than before: posing photographers, recently even gave an interview about hockey.

- Maybe, in comparison with what was 10 years ago, Timchenko becomes a more public person. Now all the rear are cleaned, there is wealth without visible affiliation.

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The French magazine "Nouvel Observator" in the issue for January 5-11, 2011 notes that the French businessmen "began to turn to Russia with their backs." The publication gives the opinion of an unnamed representative of the Business Circles of France: "In Russia, no major project is possible without prior coordination with one of the members of the Putin clan.