Gazprom has established a new structural unit, the Tax Policy Department, on the basis of the Tax Policy Directorate in order to raise the tax efficiency, build and improve the tax risk management system in the Company as well as to reinforce interaction on tax-related issues with Gazprom Group's subsidiary and affiliated companies.

The Department will act as a coordinator of the tax strategy and the single tax policy of Gazprom Group. The new structural unit will prioritize the following objectives: providing tax support to Gazprom's large-scale infrastructure projects, protecting the Company's interests in tax issues before the Russian federal authorities, shaping an efficient tax planning and risk management system, rendering methodological assistance in tax-related issues to other structural units, subsidiary and affiliated companies of Gazprom Group.

In addition, the Department will coordinate efforts on compliance with tax legislation in transfer pricing within Gazprom Group.

The Tax Policy Department is supervised by Andrey Kruglov, Deputy Chairman of the Management Committee – Head of the Department for Finance and Economics of Gazprom.

Karen Oganyan has been appointed Head of the Tax Policy Department.

Background

Karen Oganyan was born on April 27, 1974 in Tula.

Between 1997 and 1998 – Assistant to the Head of the Russian Federal Tax Service, Deputy Head of the Directorate for Legal Entities' Profit (Income) Taxation and Accounting Methodology in Taxation under the Russian Federal Tax Service.

In 1999 – Consultant at the Tax and Insurance Division of the Department for Finance and Monetary Control under the Russian Government Administration.

Between 1999 and 2004 – Deputy Head, Head of the Department for Profit Taxation and Accounting Methodology in Taxation, later on – Head of the Profit Taxation Department under the Russian Ministry for Taxes and Levies.

Between 2004 and 2005 – Head of the Directorate for Profit (Income) Taxation under the Federal Tax Service.

Between 2005 and 2007 – Assistant to the Russian President Plenipotentiary in the Southern Federal Okrug under the Russian President Administration.

In 2008 – Assistant to the Regional Development Minister of the Russian Federation.

Between 2008 and 2010 – Director of the Controlling and Analysis Department, Advisor to the First Vice President, Director of the Risk Monitoring Department of the Olympstroy State Corporation branch company.

In 2010 Karen Oganyan was appointed Head of the Tax Policy Directorate of Gazprom.