The oil division of Gazprom, Russia's state-owned energy giant, has became a significant minority stakeholder in scandal-hit Sibir Energy. Gazprom Neft offered 500p per share, trumping a similar 430p per share offer from TNK-BP, which was announced on Wednesday and has now been pulled. The latest offer for shares in the AIM-listed group, which is currently in a legal battle to reclaim cash from its former chief executive and a major shareholder, has also scared off a mystery third suitor, which had made an informal approach on Wednesday about a potential offer for the whole company. Alexander Dyukov, chief executive of Gazprom Neft, said: “We are pleased to have become a significant minority shareholder in a company that we regard as a world-class asset.” The offer, which is expected to have given Gazprom a 16 per cent stake, values Sibir at about £1.9billion. A spokesman for BP, which half owns TNK-BP with several Russian investors, said: “We are disappointed, but we hope that there will be other opportunities for further investment in Russia.” Although Sibir has recently hit the headlines for controversy surrounding suspect share dealings and allegations of wrongdoing by directors, it is also regarded as having some top-quality production assets in Siberia and has a string of lucrative petrol stations around Moscow. Shares in Sibir were suspended in February at 174p after it emerged that Chalva Tchigirinsky, the Georgian property developer who held a 23.5 per cent stake, owed the company $325 million (£221 million), an amount nearly three times what was initially disclosed to the stock market. In April the group launched an investigation into Henry Cameron, its suspended chief executive, and Mr Tchigirinsky, over allegations of share price manipulation and irregular transfers. ，英语论文题目，英语论文 |
