Potanin ally chosen at Norilsk

MOSCOW_Metals magnate Vladimir Potanin tightened his hold over Norilsk Nickel on Friday after an ally of his was appointed chief executive of the mining company, and said he wasn't interested in a deal with a fellow Russian billionaire for a bigger stake in the company. After a four-hour board meeting, Potanin _ who is Norilsk's chairman and the largest shareholder in the company with around 30 percent _ told reporters that the board had approved the appointment of Vladimir Strzhalkovsky, an former KGB employee and an associate of Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, as Norilsk's new CEO. Oleg Deripaska's Rusal _ which owns 25 percent of Norilsk _ opposed his nomination. Strzhalkovsky's appointment _ which takes effect Monday _ is likely to deepen the rift between main shareholders Potanin and Deripaska, two of Russia's... [read full story]