Putin aide to be first woman on central bank shortlist

MOSCOW: Elvira Nabiullina, a Kremlin aide and former economy minister, is being considered by President Vladimir Putin as a candidate to replace Russian central bank Chairman Sergey Ignatiev, according to two people with knowledge of the matter.

Nabiullina, 49, joins a shortlist that includes Ignatiev’s first deputy Alexei Ulyukayev and former finance ministers Alexei Kudrin and Mikhail Zadornov, three people with knowledge of the matter said in January. The Izvestia newspaper, which reported Nabiullina’s candidacy earlier today, said VTB Group Chief Executive Officer Andrey Kostin, VEB CEO Vladimir Dmitriev and MDM Bank Chairman Oleg Vyugin have also been considered.

Kremlin aide and former economy minister Elvira Nabiullina is being considered to replace Russian central bank chairman Sergey Ignatiev, according to people with knowledge of the matter. Putin by law must name a candidate to replace Ignatiev, 65, three months before his third and final term ends June 24. Putin told reporters late March 7, on the eve of International Women’s Day, his pick will be “unexpected” and “you’ll like it.” Putin’s nomination must then be approved by a majority in the lower house of parliament.

The new Bank Rossii chairman will oversee an expansion of the regulator’s powers as it absorbs the Federal Financial Markets Service, which now reports to the prime minister. Nine of 15 economists polled by Bloomberg before Putin’s comments last week said Ulyukayev was the most probable nominee, followed by Kudrin, who received three votes.