A nephew of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, a staunch ally of Vladimir Putin, has been named the new CEO of Danone’s Russian subsidiary, just days after the seizure of the French giant’s assets in Russia.
The arrival of Yakoub Zakriev, 32, at the head of Danone’s Russian subsidiary was reported in the Spark-Interfax database, which collects the main legal information of companies in Russia.
On Telegram, Chechen Information Minister Akhmed Dudayev confirmed late Tuesday that Yakub Zakriev, until then Chechen Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture, has been “appointed CEO of Danone Russia.”
Former mayor of Grozny
A graduate of Moscow State University, Yakoub Zakriev was notably mayor of Grozny, the capital of this Russian republic in the Caucasus, between 2018 and early 2020. Between February and November 2020, he headed the administration of Ramzan Kadyrov, then he was appointed Minister of Agriculture.
He is the nephew of Ramzan Kadyrov, a staunch supporter of Vladimir Putin and his military offensive in Ukraine, where many Chechen fighters are involved.
His appointment as CEO of the Russian subsidiary of Danone, a global agri-food giant, comes three days after the publication of a decree signed by Vladimir Putin formalizing the seizure by the Russian state of the French group’s assets, as well as from those of the Danish brewery Carlsberg.
A new boss for Carlsberg-owned Baltika
According to the economic daily Kommersant, the Baltika company, owned by Carlsberg, has also appointed a new director: Taïmouraz Bolloev, founder and historical figure of this Russian brewery that he directed for the first time until 2004.
In a press release published on Wednesday, Carlsberg’s Danish management denounced “a change at the head of Baltika (…) carried out without the knowledge or approval of the group.”
Since the offensive in Ukraine on February 24, 2022 and the first economic sanctions decreed by the West, many multinationals have left Russia and others have suspended their activities there, in the oil, automobile or even luxury sectors.
Source: BFM TV
