Behind every billionaire there is a story!

Oil markets: A nasty Russian tale

 all began as a promising partnership. In November 2005, Eugene Bokserman, a Toronto businessman with investments in Russia and Canada, introduced his friend, billionaire tycoon Alex Shnaider, also of Toronto, to Michael Shtaif. As Russian-born Jews, Shtaif and Shnaider shared much in common. They had immigrated to Canada as children, only to return as Canadian citizens to Russia, where they successfully navigated its free-enterprise culture in the wake of the collapse of the Soviet Union.Each also had something the other needed. As former vice-president of operations in the services division for TNK-BP, one of Russia’s largest oil independents, Shtaif knew how to cut a deal in the oilpatch

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http://www.canadianbusiness.com/markets/commodities/article.jsp?content=20080212_198706_198706