OREANDA-NEWS. On 30 June 2008 Ernst & Young, an international audit and advisory firm, announced that Alexander Grebeniuk has been appointed managing partner of Ernst & Young’s St. Petersburg office effective 1 July 2008.

Alexander Grebeniuk will replace Ralf Wagener in this position.

Prior to his appointment as managing partner of the St. Petersburg practice, Alexander Grebeniuk was Audit partner and TCE leader at Ernst & Young Moscow. He has over 14 years of professional experience, which includes the ISA and US GAAS audit of financial statements of major Russian and international companies prepared in accordance with Russian Accounting Standards, US GAAP and IFRS, involvement in initial public offerings on the NYSE and LSE, and advisory services, including implementation of information and budgeting systems.

Alexander Grebeniuk’s appointment as new managing partner in St. Petersburg is part of Ernst & Young’s commitment to developing the Russian leadership of the firm. In addition to his duties as the office leader, Alexander Grebeniuk will take charge of the St. Petersburg Audit practice.

"After five years spent working in Moscow, I am very glad to come back to the city on the Neva to lead one of the most successful and dynamically developing Ernst & Young offices in the CIS. I hope that together with the talented team of the St. Petersburg office, we will continue the successes of my predecessors and enhance the vibrant development of Ernst & Young —retaining and strengthening our leading positions in the audit and advisory services market in the northwest of Russia," Said Alexander Grebeniuk.

Ralf Wagener, who has worked at Ernst & Young in Russia for four years and led the St. Petersburg office for three years, returns to Ernst & Young in Berlin to build the Russian competence center of Ernst & Young in Germany, which will help Russian companies and entrepreneurs do business in Germany, including IPOs on German stock exchanges. ”These four years in Russia were the most exciting and interesting years in my professional career. As I return to Germany, I hope to use this experience to help Russian business ’go west’ and German business ’go east,’” said Ralf Wagener.

In the coming month, Ralf Wagener will closely cooperate with Alexander Grebeniuk, handing over the practice’s management duties.