PRESS: MegaFon CEO Soldatenkov rumored to leave operator by Dec

MOSCOW, Sep 4 (PRIME) -- Chief of major Russian mobile operator MegaFon, Sergei Soldatenkov, will likely quit by December, business daily Vedomosti reported on Monday, citing two people familiar with management of the operator’s main holder, USM Group.

One of the sources said that a final decision has not been made so far, but the issue is actively discussed at corporate meetings.

Two more sources close to Soldatenkov and MegaFon’s top managers said that an approaching resignation is being discussed by management. They said Soldatenkov did not plan to come back to the company for a long time, when he took the helm again in 2016. He headed the company in 2003–2012 and kept membership on the board of directors after the leave.

A person close to the operator’s shareholders said that Soldatenkov was invited to improve the situation with financial results after the resignation of Ivan Tavrin, who ran the company in 2012–2016, but it became evident that Soldatenkov failed to cope with the task, and the company needs someone with a new view on the company and the industry. A new director could be looked for inside Internet giant Mail.Ru Group, now controlled by MegaFon.

A spokesperson for MegaFon did not confirm the information on Soldatenkov’s looming quitting, and the top executive did not confirm it either. A spokesperson for USM Group also denied the information.

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