Fridman says to step down as TNK-BP acting CEO soon

MOSCOW, Nov 11 (Reuters) - Russian billionaire Mikhail Fridman said on Wednesday he was likely to step down soon as acting chief executive of oil firm TNK-BP (TNBPI.RTS), which will appoint a new permanent chief.

The board of TNK-BP, a joint venture between oil major BP (BP.L) and a quartet of Russia-connected billionaires, is due to meet this month to discuss candidates for the CEO job. Industry sources have said Fridman could keep his post. [ID:nL6706134]

Fridman's appointment as interim CEO earlier this year was perceived as the final step by BP in ceding much of its influence at TNK-BP.

TNK-BP said in May that it hoped to select a new CEO by the end of the year. Two newly appointed executives are in the running for the top job -- BP nominee Pavel Skitovich and the Russian partners' candidate, Mikhail Barsky, who came from oil firm West Siberian Resources.

Barsky is seen as front-runner for the job. (Reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin, writing by Dmitry Zhdannikov, Editing by Robin Paxton)