Russian economist, provost of the Institute of Political Studies in Paris (Sciences Po) Sergei Guriev (included by the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation in the list of individuals-foreign agents) will lead London Business School (LBS) from the next academic year (2024/2025), the university said in a statement. For the first time in history, such a high position in a leading Western educational institution will be occupied by a Russian.
Guriev has worked as rector of the Russian Economic School (NES) since 2005. However, in 2013, security forces came to the economist’s home, and then he was summoned for questioning by the Investigative Committee. Soon after these events, Guriev left Russia and resigned as head of NES.
Guriev has been living in France for almost 11 years. The scientist explained his departure by the danger of a criminal case being initiated against him because of the expert opinion on the second YUKOS case. Then Guriev prepared an analytical report on the oil company, in which he doubted the guilt of Mikhail Khodorkovsky (included by the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation in the list of individuals-foreign agents).
From 2015 to 2019, Guriev served as chief economist at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), becoming the first Russian in the organization to achieve such a high position. At the same time, the scientist was a professor of economics at Sciences Po in Paris, where in 2022 he took the position of provost.
In June 2013, Russian President Vladimir Putin publicly stated that Guriev could return to Russia as he was not in danger. The economist did not agree with this opinion and refused to come to the country.
Source: Rosbalt
Mario Twitchell is an accomplished author and journalist, known for his insightful and thought-provoking writing on a wide range of topics including general and opinion. He currently works as a writer at 247 news agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
