Overview of AVTOVAZ Leadership Considerations and Recent Developments
The current understanding is that the appointment of a new AVTOVAZ director has not yet received formal approval, according to the head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Denis Manturov, who spoke yesterday. Efforts toward the appointment are advancing, but final confirmation remains pending.
Alexander Morozov, a former Deputy Minister who oversaw the automotive sector for seven years at the ministry, was not chosen for the post. While his candidacy was reviewed, Morozov is expected to take a position at another industrial company, with the details to be announced later.
This position was confirmed by Manturov, the minister leading the ministry involved in the decision.
Another prominent candidate, Maxim Sokolov, formerly the Deputy Governor of St. Petersburg and ex-Minister of Transport, has been mentioned in discussions about the role. Reports indicate that a deputy from the Samara region, Alexander Khinshtein, who serves as the head of a parliamentary information commission, commented on the matter via his Telegram channel.
There has also been coverage suggesting Vladimir Avetisyan, who holds the role of general adviser to the first deputy general director of Rostec, is considered a likely contender. Avetisyan has been a member of AVTOVAZ’s Board of Directors since 2016, lending him broad familiarity with the company’s operations.
The matter of who will lead AVTOVAZ is anticipated to be resolved soon. Prior to the start of the special operation, AVTOVAZ was led by Nicolas Maure, a French executive. Maure served as AVTOVAZ president from March 15, 2016, to June 1, 2018, briefly moved to another role, and then resumed leadership on June 1, 2021.
Additionally, a Monday agreement concerning the transfer of Russian assets to Renault was noted. The company’s stake in AVTOVAZ was moved to FSUE NAMI, with the deal including a repurchase option allowing Renault to reclaim its stake within six years. The Ministry of Industry and Trade emphasized that if NAMI invests in various AVTOVAZ projects, the price upon future reclamation would be determined accordingly, stressing that the arrangement would not include gratuitous concessions. (Source attributions: TASS, AGN Moscow)
A picture from TASS, AGN Moscow