Russian state oil giant Rosneft has re-elected former German chancellor Gerhard Schröeder as the chairman of its board of directors, keeping him in a job that has drawn some criticism from home.
The company made the announcement on Monday. The vote was on Friday.
Schröeder, who served as Germany's chancellor for two terms, from 1998 until 2005, has courted controversy with his move to join the board of Russia's largest oil company three years ago.
Schröeder, 76, is a reputed close friend of Russian President Vladimir Putin. He has been repeatedly criticized in Germany for his ties to the Russian state controlled companies Gazprom and Rosneft.
The European Union has imposed sanctions against Rosneft as punishment for Russia's role in the Ukraine crisis, preventing the company from accessing certain services and technologies.
Schröeder has stated that his Russian business connections are a private matter.
