In a new article, the French Le Monde named possible contenders for the Russian assets of Auchan, “Lemana PRO”, Nestle, and FM Logistic, which came under Vladimir Putin’s decree on temporary administration. Among those named by the newspaper’s sources are entrepreneur Alexander Vinokurov, Suleiman Kerimov with partners, God Nisanov, Ilkhom Rakhimov, and Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Patrushev.
The day before, Le Monde wrote that the Metro chain itself had asked for its Russian assets to be transferred to temporary administration. In the new text, the newspaper refers to a source in Moscow who is well acquainted with the inner workings of economic processes, and to representatives of what remains of the French business community in Moscow.
The source considers Auchan the least attractive asset: after the war, the company froze its development in Russia and gets 7% of its group revenue from this market. He calls “Lemana PRO” — the former Leroy Merlin — the most attractive asset: the chain accounts for 20% of the large company’s revenue, and it cannot withdraw the €2 billion in earned cash from Russia.
Le Monde’s source claims that Leroy Merlin’s management, choosing a strategy of a false exit from the country, hoped to keep the money and then build a business in Russia on it after the war, but that plan failed. According to the text, Metro, which is counting on more favorable terms thanks to a display of loyalty, and the German chain Globus, which included former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder in its supervisory board and whom the newspaper calls a friend of Vladimir Putin, are trying to continue the struggle.
In the market, the company “L. E. V. Management” and its CEO, police general Andrey Krayushkin, are considered temporary holders of Auchan, “Lemana PRO”, Nestle, and FM Logistic during the audit. Le Monde’s sources named among the possible future owners Alexander Vinokurov, the son-in-law of Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and a representative of Marathon Group, the largest shareholder of “Magnit”, Suleiman Kerimov with partners, behind whom stands Wildberries, as well as God Nisanov, Ilkhom Rakhimov, and Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Patrushev.
One of the newspaper’s interlocutors in Moscow believes that after buying up Western assets for next to nothing, the new owners will have to thank the Kremlin. In his view, these deals will form a new layer of mini-oligarchs who, because of their dependence, will become loyal supporters of Vladimir Putin.
Sources
