Alexander Temerko
Alexander Temerko is a prominent Ukrainian-born British businessman in the energy sector, currently a director and Deputy Chairman of the UK-based company OGN Group.[1] In 2011 Temerko received British citizenship.[2]
He was a senior executive at the Russian company Yukos, becoming vice president in 2003 after the arrest of Mikhail Khodorkovsky. He left this post in 2005.[3][4] The circumstances of Yukos’ collapse provoked strong international censure of the Russian government, as did the prosecution of its senior executives, including Khodorkovsky, Platon Lebedev, and Temerko himself, who was charged with a fraud committed in 2002 and with perverting the course of justice.[5]
He was alleged to have defrauded the state-owned Rosneft of shares in another company, Yeniseineftegaz (YNG).[6] As in several other cases, including those connected with Yukos (such as those of Natalia Chernysheva and Dmitry Maruev), the Russian government failed in its attempt to have Temerko extradited from the United Kingdom to stand trial in Russia.[7][8] The judge in the case, Timothy Workman, found in favour of Temerko: "I am satisfied that the request for Mr Temerko's extradition is in fact made for the purpose of prosecuting or punishing him for his political opinions. I am satisfied that, if he were extradited, he would be prejudiced at his trial and punished or detained by reasons of his political opinions."
Temerko’s views on the energy market and the Russian economy are frequently quoted in the media, for example in the Financial Times.[9][9][10] He has himself contributed articles on these issues, for example in The Observer and the Moscow Times.[11][12] It was reported that the murdered former FSB officer Alexander Litvinenko had warned him of FSB attempts to extort money from former Yukos employees.[13] He has in another context spoken out against corporate raiding in Russia.[14]
Temerko is a member of, and major donor to, the British Conservative Party where he is a member of the Leader's Group. He also actively supports local Party associations in the North-East England where his company is based and Cities of London & Westminster association where his office and residence are located.[15]
During the Scottish Independence Referendum 2014, Alexander Temerko publicly supported for Scotland to remain in the United Kingdom and voiced his support for Britain to remain a part of the European Union. He often comments on the United Kingdom energy policies and advocates for greater support for British manufacturers.[16][17][18]
References
- ^ Board of Directors: OGN Group
- ^ £43 million given to Conservatives by members of exclusive Cameron dining club - Telegraph
- ^ YUKOS Broke Relations With the State - Kommersant Moscow
- ^ Ъ-Газета - ЮКОС разорвал отношения с государством
- ^ BBC NEWS | Business | OECD slams Russia's Yukos trial
- ^ FT.com / UK - Judge refuses to extradite Russian former oil chief
- ^ Kremlin extradition request turned down - Times Online
- ^ BBC NEWS | Business | No extradition for Yukos official
- ^ a b FT.com / Energy - Yukos chiefs lied to us, claims PwC
- ^ FT.com / Europe - Mind your own business, Russia tells west
- ^ How Russia and its allies will be able to turn up | Business | The Observer
- ^ Alexander Temerko | Authors | Search | The Moscow Times
- ^ Spies sent 'to seize cash from Yukos exiles' - Times Online
- ^ FT.com / UK - The man who wants to buy back Russia
- ^ Pearson, Adrian (26 January 2014). "Tory donors flooding the North with cash to kick-start election battle". The Chronicle. Trinity Mirror North East. Retrieved 24 March 2016.
- ^ Amber Rudd Must Stand Up for British Industry and Consumers - Huffington Post
- ^ Haste Ye Back: What a Yes Vote Would Mean for Investment in the North Sea - Huffington Post
- ^ Business interview: Alexander Temerko of OGN - The Journal