Gazprom CEO Alexey Miller wants a $3.7 million tablet

OAO Gazprom, Russia’s biggest company, ordered a tablet computer for chief executive officer Alexey Miller with a maximum price tag of $3.7 million. OOO Gazprom Inform, a unit of the Moscow-based natural-gas exporter, has announced a tender to design a tablet based on Apple’s operating system that matches the functionality as Miller’s desktop personal computer, Gazprom said in tender documentation posted on its website on Tuesday.

The gadget should be guaranteed to start within no more than five seconds as well as support 3G, GPRS and Wi-Fi. It will enable daily monitoring of Gazprom’s businesses from gas production to gas exports to power generation, the tender said. The tablet should ensure information support for Miller’s “management decision making on raising Gazprom’s efficiency regardless of his access to the desktop computer with the use of mobile devices.”

Shares of Gazprom, the world’s biggest gas producer, have fallen 13 per cent this year. Concerns over spending increases and lower dividend payouts have also deterred investors.

President Vladimir Putin, who has vowed to fight wasteful spending, urged Gazprom at its 20th anniversary party at the Kremlin in February to “eliminate anything that is dragging the company down” as well as to improve transparency and minimise expenses.

Applications to take part in the tender will be accepted until July 22, with the results announced no later than July 31, according to Gazprom. The winner will provide the service from July 31 through April 30, 2014, according to the documents.