OREANDA-NEWS.  June 03, 2013. Polyus Gold International Limited (LSE – PGIL, OTC (US) – PLZLY, “PGIL”, “Polyus Gold” or the “Company”), the largest gold producer in Russia, announces a number of recent appointments to its senior management team.

Sergey Fyodorov has been appointed Deputy CEO for Capital Construction. Mr. Fyodorov brings with him over 36 years’ experience in mining and construction. He joins Polyus Gold after a long and successful career as a key member of the senior management teams of two of Russia’s leading mineral fertiliser producers, Acron (2005-2013) and Phosagro (1996-2004). As Head of Resource Projects at Acron, he oversaw the development and construction of new mines including Oleny Ruchey, Partomchorr and Talitsky. Mr. Fyodorov started his career as an underground construction engineer in 1976 and, in 1992, he was appointed General Manager of Severpodzemstroy, a leading underground construction service provider in the North of Russia.

Mr. Fyodorov graduated from Novosibirsk Railway Engineering Institute with a degree in construction engineering.

Sergey Karabutov has been appointed Deputy CEO for Corporate Affairs. Mr. Karabutov joined Polyus Gold in 2007 as Director of Government Relations. Prior to joining the Company, he served as first deputy head of human resources at Russia’s Ministry of Defence . From 1997 until 2007, he served in the Russian military holding various command posts. Since 2007, Mr. Karabutov has been Vice President of the Union of Miners of Russia, a leading industry organisation representing Russia’s metals and mining sector.

Mr. Karabutov graduated from the Military Academy of the Armoured Forces in Moscow and the Military Academy of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation with a degree in public and military administration. He also attended Harvard University and the State Finance Academy in Moscow.

Fyodor Kirsanov has been appointed Deputy CEO for Procurement. Prior to joining Polyus Gold, Mr. Kirsanov headed procurement for United Shipbuilding Corporation, Russia’s leading industrial manufacturer, and for Sibur, Russia’s largest petrochemicals producer, managing procurement budgets of over USD 1 billion. From 2005 to 2007, he worked as a consultant at McKinsey & Co.

Mr. Kirsanov graduated from the People’s Friendship University of Russia in Moscow in 2003 with a degree in economics. He holds an MBA with honours in strategic management from the Fox School of Business at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and a master’s degree in economics from the People’s Friendship University of Russia.

Alexey Shuplov has been appointed Deputy CEO for Internal Control. Prior to joining Polyus Gold, Mr. Shuplov headed the Russian representative office of United Mining Corporation, a UK supplier of equipment for the mining, oil and gas and power industries. Before that, he held a number of senior executive positions in a number of oil and gas, mining and transport companies including Gazprom, the world’s largest natural gas producer, Transnefteprodukt, an operator of oil products pipelines in Russia, and United Transport Company, a large private railway operator in Russia. During 2000-2002, Mr. Shuplov also served as an adviser to the CEO of Kovdorsky GOK, Russia’s second largest producer of apatite concentrate.

Mr. Shuplov graduated from the Moscow Railway Engineering Institute and the Russian Presidential Academy of Public Administration.

German Pikhoya, Chief Executive Officer of Polyus Gold, commented:
“All these individuals will report directly to me. We have taken steps to further strengthen the Polyus Gold management team to ensure delivery on our growth plans including the successful development of the Natalka project into Russia’s largest gold mine, and to make sure that we continue to drive efficiencies and control costs across our operations.”