VimpelCom Ltd. officially confirmed the resignation of Beeline CEO Mikhail Slobodin
Former Beeline CEO Mikhail Slobodin and analyst Eldar Murtazin in bee costumes, photo “Vedomosti”.
After today's statement by the representative of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation V.I. Markin about the possible involvement of Mikhail Slobodin, General Director of Vympel-Communications PJSC to paying bribes to the former leadership of the Komi Republic, the latter was relieved of his post. The investigation applies the term “person involved” to it, and the parent company, which previously refused to comment on the news about Slobodin’s possible participation in the offense, confirmed his resignation . The decision takes effect immediately.
As CEO of Beeline, Mr. Slobodin will be replaced by Shell Jonsen (Kjell Johnsen), Head of Major Markets of Vimpelcom Ltd, the head company-shareholder and former head of Telenor in Russia.
Recall that today, on September 5, in the morning in Moscow, the managing director of the Renova group of companies Evgeny Olkhovik and the general director of T Plus, Boris Vainzikher, were detained. Both are charged with giving bribes to the former leadership of the republic, as well as participation in a criminal group of Gaizer, the former head of Komi.
Mikhail Slobodin told the Vedomosti newspaper that he is currently on a business trip in France, but by the end of the week he plans to return to Russia in order to provide the investigators with answers to their questions.
PJSC "Vympel-Communication" was founded in 1992 by Russian businessman Dmitry Zimin and American businessman Ogi K. Fabela II. The third after the "MTS" and "Megaphone" Russian cellular and broadband operators in terms of revenue and the number of subscribers.
Mikhail Slobodin has served as CEO of the company since 2013. Prior to that, he worked in the structures of the Renova Group, from 2002 to 2010 he headed IES Holding, and from 2011 to 2013 he headed TNK-BP.
A Telenor spokesman declined to comment on Slobodin’s resignation. Mr. Johnsen, who takes over as CEO, took the place of the “Head of the main markets” in August of this year.