Published: June 24, 2009
The Russian government has hired one of the country's most influential investment bankers to informally consult state-run companies over acquisitions abroad, according to banking sources.
Natasha Tsukanova resigned as a head of JP Morgan's investment banking unit in Russia, after Igor Sechin, Russia's top energy official, asked her to advise the government on foreign mergers and acquisitions in the energy sector.
As the chairman of state oil company Rosneft, Sechin is spearheading a drive by the government to expand efforts by both private and state-owned Russian companies to buy assets abroad, particularly in energy and infrastructure.
Tsukanova has worked for JP Morgan for 12 years, covering other major deals which involved Russia's top companies, Rosneft in its initial public offering in 2006 and the country's biggest lender Sberbank.