Former European leaders resign from Russian corporate boards, 24 February 2022

The former prime ministers of Italy and Finland and the ex-chancellor of Austria resigned from the boards of Russian companies on Thursday following Vladimir Putin’s full military invasion of Ukraine.

Matteo Renzi, the former prime minister of Italy and a senator for the centrist Italia Viva party, walked away from Delimobil, Russia’s largest car-sharing service, founded by Italian businessman Vincenzo Trani, in response to Russia’s military action.

Esko Aho, the former prime minister of Finland, quit the board of Russia’s largest bank, Sberbank, where he served for six years as an independent director and member of the supervisory board. Aho said it was his personal choice that had nothing to do with the bank.

Christian Kern, Austria’s former chancellor, said he had resigned from the board of Russian Railways (RZD) on Thursday morning with immediate effect.

Ernesto Ferlenghi, the chief of Eni in Russia, on Thursday resigned from his role as a board member of Federal Grid, the operator and manager of Russia’s unified electricity transmission grid system, a spokesperson for the Italian oil company told the FT.