Didier Casimiro
Didier Casimiro | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1966 |
| Occupation | Oil executive |
| Years active | 1996–2022 |
| Known for | First Vice President of Rosneft, Chairman of Bashneft (2020–2022) |
Didier Casimiro (born 1966) previously held the position of First Vice President at Rosneft, the Russian state-owned oil corporation. Between 2020 and May 2022, he was the Chairman of the Board of Directors at Bashneft. In May 2022, Casimiro stepped down from his roles at Rosneft and its affiliated enterprises.
Career
Casimiro completed his studies at Ghent University in 1991, followed by further education at Lisbon University in 1992. He possesses proficiency in seven languages, notably including Portuguese and French.
Between 1996 and 2012, he occupied various leadership roles within BP. In 2003, Casimiro was involved in launching BP’s Russian subsidiary, TNK-BP, which rapidly emerged as a dominant force in Russia’s oil industry with BP’s investment backing. This entity was ultimately acquired by Rosneft in 2013.
Originating from a Portuguese background, Casimiro’s fluency in Portuguese facilitated the development of a strong rapport with Igor Sechin, CEO of Rosneft, who himself acquired Portuguese language skills during his military tenure in Angola. This linguistic and cultural connection played a significant role in shaping Casimiro’s involvement in Rosneft’s global growth initiatives.
He played an instrumental part in advancing Rosneft’s operations across markets such as Germany, Egypt, Latin America, the United States, and the United Kingdom.
Sanctions
On 18 February 2020, the Trump administration imposed expanded sanctions targeting Rosneft Trading S.A., a company registered in Switzerland, along with its president Casimiro. These measures were enacted due to their support of Venezuela's Nicolás Maduro administration via activities within the oil sector. The United States lifted these sanctions in July 2023.