First Vice President for Commerce and Refining Maxim Andriasov is leaving Bashneft. This is the first top manager of an oil company hired by AFK Sistema, who leaves after a change of ownership

Photo: TASS

"I will not challenge this decision"

According to an RBC source close to the oil company, it was proposed to replace Andriasov with Denis Stankevich, who is on the board of Bashneft and holds the position of vice president for economics and finance and chief financial director of the company. The board of directors can approve the company’s chief accountant, Alexey Lisovenko, for the position of Stankevich. Another RBC interlocutor, close to the board of directors of Bashneft, says that one of the motives for such reshuffles is “seeing off the personnel of the former shareholder.” Stankevich declined to comment.

Andriasov confirmed to RBC that his employment contract, which ends on May 17, is not being renewed, as well as information about possible personnel changes. “I have heard about such candidates, but I don’t know anything about their confirmation,” he said when asked about potential successors. He confirmed that the decision not to renew his contract was made by the board of directors [passed on March 31].

“I will not challenge this decision. I didn’t intend to stay in the company anyway, since I came along with AFK Sistema, and it is now not a shareholder of Bashneft. The shareholder has changed, and I have completed all the tasks that I took on related to the development of retail, the modernization of processing, and the reorganization of the company. I’m used to doing something new, but I don’t see any further development in the company in my area,” Andriasov noted. He spoke on this topic with the president of Bashneft, Alexander Korsik; according to him, the decision of the board of directors states that he is leaving his post of his own free will (RBC has read the wording of the decision of the board of directors).

Severance pay

The main intrigue is whether the top manager who has worked for the company for three years will receive additional remuneration. “Under the terms of the contract, if a top manager leaves after the contract expires, he is not entitled to a “golden parachute” or compensation. As a result, I may leave with nothing. This is the decision of the head of the company, I will not challenge it in court,” Andriasov said. “If the company appreciates my merits, it will be good, but I won’t ask for money,” the top manager concluded.

The Bashneft press service declined to comment. RBC's interlocutor at the company did not rule out that the top manager will not leave empty-handed: normal practice in the oil and gas industry is to pay part of the employee's annual bonus, taking into account the time worked from the beginning of the year until the moment of resignation, or compensation of several salaries in the case if the separation occurs by agreement of the parties.

When asked if he had received a new job offer, Andriasov replied that he was in substantive negotiations, but had not yet received a formal offer. The top manager clarified that he wants to rest a little after his resignation is officially formalized.

Maxim Andriasov was born in 1974. Since 1998, he worked at the Tyumen Oil Company (TNK), where he also held the positions of deputy head of the petroleum products sales department, the TNK trading house and director of the marketing and sales department of TNK-Ukraine OJSC. Since 2003, he worked at TNK-BP, and from 2004 to 2005 he held the position of Deputy General Director for Network Development of CJSC Petrol Complex Equipment Company. From 2005 to 2012, he worked in the structures of TNK-BP: from TNK-Stolitsa, where he held the position of General Director, to senior positions in the company’s network structures in Ukraine, Belarus and south-east Russia. Since May 2012 - Vice President for Regional Sales of Bashneft. Since September 2012 - First Vice President for Refining and Commerce at Bashneft. Not a shareholder of the company.

Denis Stankevich was born in 1974. From 1997 to 1999 he worked at the Ural Trust Bank. From 1999 to 2004, he headed the financial and economic department of Belkamneft OJSC. In 2004-2009 - General Director of JSC ASPEC. Since 2010 - Financial Director for Refining and Commerce of Bashneft. In April 2013, he was appointed vice president for economics and finance and chief financial officer of the oil company.

Key top manager for commerce and refining will leave Bashneft