The shareholders of TNK-BP are in search of the compromise
On these days it became known that the Chairman of the Board of Directors (and one of the basic shareholders) of TNK-BP Michael Friedman becomes also the president of this company, however, for a half of a year only and then he should concede the post of the president to someone else. As applicants are called the ex-head of oil company West Siberian Resources Maxim Barsky and the native of "Interros" Paul Skitovich, who have already started to work with TNK-BP. However, it is early to say that the Russian and British shareholders have settled all contradictions.
As it was known in 2003 the owners of the Tyumen oil company sold British ВР 50 % of the actions, as a result TNK-BP appeared. Then it was supposed that the Englishmen will really manage the new company and the Russians will provide political cover. Therefore the managers from ВР were responsible for the industrial policy and the finance in the company and the Russians provided legal maintenance and security service. There was nothing surprising that a representative of ВР Robert Dadli became the president of TNK-BP. Obviously, it was supposed that through any time ВР will increase its package in the company.
However, the situation in the country changed. The Russian authorities have counted on strengthening of the state's role in oil business. The owners of "YUKOS" were not allowed selling the action of the company to foreigners. As a result the actives of "YUKOS" have passed under control of state "Rosneft". Moreover, the Government decided that to develop strategic oil and gas fields can those companies, in which foreign capital share does not exceed 50 %. It is necessary to remind that among the "Russian" shareholders of the TNK-BP not only "Alpha-group" is present, but also American firm Access Industries (belongs to Leonard Blavatnik), therefore it turns out that the share of the foreign capital in TNK-BP exceeds 50 %. Thus, TNK-BP cannot apply for development of strategic deposits. It is obvious that this situation does not please the British; therefore they began speaking about their desire to sell 50 % of TNK-BP the Russian state company. The Russian shareholders opposed it and organized a number of arm-twistings for English managers. As a result Robert Dadli left his post.
Now TNK-BP tries to operate with the state companies via creation of joint ventures. The company plans to develop Kovyktinsky gas condensate deposit with Gazprom and the Verhnechonsky oil deposit with "Rosneft". Thus, now the Russian shareholders of TNK-BP have won a round in struggle against British, but those, for certain, will try to recoup.