Vimpelcom's VIP.M key Russian shareholder Altimo expects the telecoms group's new co-owner Naguib Sawiris to get as many seats on board as Altimo itself and Norway's Telenor (TEL.OL), Altimo's CEO said on Wednesday. "We think that the representation will be nearly equal. For example, there could be three directors (nominated) by each (of the big shareholders), and three independent directors," Altimo's Chief Executive Alexei Reznikovich told reporters. Egyptian tycoon Sawiris became a 30.6 percent Vimpelcom shareholder last week after Russia's No.3 mobile phone operator closed a more than $6 billion deal for his assets -- Orascom Telecom (ORTE.CA) and Italy's Wind. Altimo then surprised the market by saying it would trigger the termination of its 2009 shareholders agreement with Telenor to allow Sawiris roughly equal rights in Vimpelcom, something Telenor had fought to avoid in a futile attempt to block the deal earlier this year. Altimo had said it would annul the agreement by selling some of Vimpelcom's preferred shares.
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