Alexander Temerko
Alexander Viktorovich Temerko | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 9, 1966 Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic |
| Occupation | Entrepreneur |
| Known for | Director at Aquind Limited; former director and deputy chairman of OGN Group; former senior executive at Yukos |
Alexander Viktorovich Temerko (born 9 September 1966) is an entrepreneur originally from Ukraine, specializing in the energy industry. He currently holds a directorship at the UK-based firm Aquind Limited. Previously, he served as director and deputy chairman of OGN Group, a British engineering and construction company catering to clients in offshore oil, gas, and renewable sectors, including Apache, EnQuest, and ConocoPhillips. During the 1990s in Russia, Temerko occupied senior posts within the Defence Ministry and from 1999 advanced to senior executive and director roles at Yukos, an oil and gas corporation. He moved to the United Kingdom in 2004 and acquired British citizenship in 2011.
A significant contributor to the UK Conservative Party, Temerko has donated more than £1.3 million and participates on the advisory board of the right-leaning Institute of Economic Affairs think tank. In 2019, he publicly urged for the publication of the Intelligence and Security Committee’s report concerning Russian meddling in UK politics while denying any connections to the Kremlin.
Biography
Born on 9 September 1966 in the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, Temerko earned a degree from the Moscow Institute of Electronic Machine Building (MIEM) in 1987 and later graduated from the Institute of Public Administration in 1999. His early professional experience involved environmental science roles within Soviet governmental bodies before joining Boris Yeltsin’s team amid the USSR’s collapse.
Starting in 1992, he held various positions within supply and armaments divisions of Russia's Defence Ministry. He joined Yukos in 1999, ascending to vice president by 2003 following CEO Mikhail Khodorkovsky’s detention, where he managed government relations until resigning in March 2005.
In the UK, Temerko acted as vice chairman of OGN Group based in Newcastle, championing government initiatives to bolster British supply chains across oil, gas, and renewable energy industries. Since 2016, he has been a director at Aquind Limited, which proposed a $1.4 billion electricity interconnector linking the UK and France with potential to supply up to 5% of UK power demand; this project was ultimately declined.
Flight to London, criminal prosecution and extradition case
After being questioned by Russian authorities in October 2004, Temerko fled to London. By May 2005, Russian prosecutors had charged him with share theft at Yeniseineftegaz oil company, forgery, and obstructing justice.
An attempt by Russia to extradite him failed when Judge Timothy Workman ruled in December 2005 that the allegations were politically motivated and connected to the prosecution of Yukos CEO Mikhail Khodorkovsky. The judge determined that the extradition request sought to penalize Temerko for his political stance.
Temerko maintained that actions against Yukos were driven by President Vladimir Putin’s desire to suppress political adversaries. This verdict corresponded with several similar rulings involving former Yukos employees who had sought refuge in the UK.
Views and political activism in the UK
Temerko’s perspectives on Russia’s economy and the Yukos case were referenced by the Financial Times during the late 2000s. He authored articles on developments within Russia's oil sector for publications such as The Observer and The Wall Street Journal.
As a prominent donor and member of the Conservative Party’s Leader’s Group, Temerko supports local party branches in North-East England—where his business operates—and Cities of London & Westminster—where his office and residence are located. He has provided commentary on political and commercial matters impacting the North-East region, particularly concerning North Sea energy production.
A member of London's Carlton Club, Temerko donated a £90,000 bust of former Prime Minister David Cameron there. He frequently voices criticism of President Vladimir Putin and Russian policies publicly, including regarding the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
During Scotland’s 2014 independence referendum, Temerko advocated for Scotland remaining part of the United Kingdom. He also supported Britain's continued membership in the European Union. After the 2016 EU referendum, he favored either a soft Brexit or calling a general election over leaving without a deal. In 2019, he proposed extending Article 50 or conducting a second referendum as alternatives to a no-deal Brexit.
In the Conservative leadership election of 2019, Temerko backed Jeremy Hunt while describing Boris Johnson as a "friend" constrained by hardline Brexiteers. He framed the decision between Hunt and Johnson as a choice between "populism" versus "professionalism."
Temerko advocates enhanced backing for UK manufacturers and stresses the significance of energy interconnectors despite uncertainties following Brexit due to growing reliance on renewable energy sources.
In July 2019, Reuters reported that across multiple interviews Temerko expressed support for Brexit, endorsed Boris Johnson's leadership campaign aimed at leaving the EU, praised senior Russian security figures including former FSB chiefs like Nikolai Patrushev, and reflected favorably on his prior work with Russia’s Defence Ministry during Yeltsin's presidency.
AQUIND Interconnector planning refusal
The AQUIND Interconnector is a planned high-voltage direct current (HVDC) electricity link intended to connect the United Kingdom and France. On 20 January 2022, the UK Business Secretary declined approval for the scheme, highlighting concerns related to the effects on community amenities near the UK connection point and the availability of alternative sites.
In response to the rejection, Alexander Temerko publicly criticized Penny Mordaunt, Minister of State for Trade Policy, who had expressed worries raised by her constituents, describing her as a "national security risk." Mordaunt countered by urging that the Conservative Party's code of conduct be enforced for all members, including financial contributors, and recommended that colleagues refrain from accepting donations from Temerko. Notably, Aquind and Temerko had contributed £1.1 million to the Conservative Party, benefiting 21 MPs and government ministers.
In January 2023, Aquind succeeded in a judicial review challenging the Secretary of State’s decision, resulting in the project’s planning permission being sent back to the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero for further evaluation.
Awards
Temerko was honored with Witte's gold medal "For Thoughts and Deeds" presented by the Congress of Russian Business People. In 1993, he received the II degree medal of the Order "For Merit to the Fatherland" as well as the Medal "Defender of a Free Russia". Additionally, he was officially commended by the Russian president for his contribution to supporting the 100th Inter-Parliamentary Union conference held in 1998.