The chief executive of a Russian burger chain recently warned Vladimir Putin of the dangers facing his business if McDonald’s, its former parent, exercises its right to buy it back.
“If the brand returns, the [company’s] IT systems will become foreign again, all kitchen equipment will become foreign,” Oleg Paroev told Russia’s president. “And all the enormous work of our colleagues, our Russian partners will turn out?.?.?.?to have been to some extent in vain.”
At that televised Kremlin meeting in late May, Putin reassured him and other executives who shared similar concerns that he had already ordered the government to find a solution to nullify the dreaded buyback clause.