Western experts to help lead global expansion
Washington, D.C., 17 April 2003 – Group MENATEP today announced appointment of a former senior U.S. Treasury Department official, a former German minister of economics, a former member of the British Parliament and an American founder of a major global public affairs firm to its new international advisory board.
The board will serve as a resource to Group MENATEP's leadership to help achieve the company's goals of full integration into the world market and adherence to the highest levels of corporate social responsibility. Creation of the board is one more example of the leadership demonstrated by Group MENATEP and its subsidiary companies in the movement towards transparency and good corporate governance. The Group announced its shareholders and ownership structure last year.
Former U.S. Deputy Treasury Secretary Stuart Eizenstat; Dr. Otto Graf Lambsdorff, former member of the German Bundestag and former German Minister of economics; J. Dudley Fishburn, for many years of The Economist and a former member of the British Parliament; and Margery Kraus, president and chief executive officer of APCO Worldwide, have been appointed as board members.
"I am pleased to announce the creation of the International Advisory Board and look forward to working with this exceptional group of individuals to expand further our global presence," said Platon Lebedev, director of Group MENATEP. "We believe the broad base of contacts and experience of this Board will help us with our efforts to operate more effectively as a world class company."
Eizenstat brings with him 15 years of service in the U.S. government, including appointments in the Clinton Administration from 1993 to 2001 as deputy treasury secretary; undersecretary of state for economic, business and agricultural affairs; undersecretary of commerce for international trade; and U.S. ambassador to the European Union. He was also chief domestic policy advisor to President Carter from 1977 to 1981. Eizenstat currently heads up the international practice at Covington and Burling, a Washington, D.C.-based law firm, and is an expert in international business transactions, trade and regulations. He also serves on the board of directors of numerous corporations and non-profit organizations.