MOSCOW – Russian conglomerate En+ Group on Friday named three Americans who will form a voting trust to help Oleg Deripaska reduce his stake in the company in exchange for a waiver from US sanctions.
Deripaska has agreed to reduce his stake in London-listed En+ to 44.95% from 70% and assign any voting rights above 35% to a voting trust.
D. J. Baker, David Crane and David Knower will, subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions, exercise the voting rights attached to certain shares of En+, which manages the energy and aluminium businesses of Deripaska, it said in a statement.
The company did not provide further details about the three individuals or the process of their selection. It was not also clear whether more people would join the voting trust.
The U.S. Treasury has agreed to remove sanctions against En+, aluminium producer Rusal, in which En+ owns a 48% stake, and power firm EuroSibEnergo, if they restructure to reduce controlling stakes held by Deripaska, who is to remain on Washington's blacklist.
His deal with the US Treasury includes Swiss commodities trader Glencore swapping shares in Rusal for a stake in En+.
VTB Bank, Russia's second-largest lender, will also take over a block of Deripaska's shares in En+ pledged as collateral for outstanding obligations.
Deripaska will also donate part of his stake to a charitable foundation. Several shareholders with professional or family ties to him will also assign their voting rights to an independent third party.