AMSTERDAM, Aug. 15, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- VimpelCom Ltd ("VimpelCom", "Company" or "Group") (NASDAQ: VIP), a leading global provider of telecommunications services, announces that Scott Dresser has been appointed as Group General Counsel, with effect from September 1 2014. Scott has also been appointed a member of the Group Executive Board and the Group Management Board.

Jeffrey McGhie, previously Group General Counsel & Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, has agreed to remain with VimpelCom as Senior Adviser to the Company on specific issues.

Commenting on the appointment Jo Lunder, VimpelCom CEO, said: "Scott brings a wealth of expertise from a wide range of industries, having worked in both the UK and US. His experience will be a valuable asset to our Group and I look forward to working closely with him."

Scott Dresser was most recently Vice President of Global Strategic Initiatives at BirdLife International, a global conservation organization operating in 118 countries. Between 2006-2012 he was with Virgin Media in the UK, including as General Counsel where he led the Legal Department and acted as the principal liaison with the Company's Board of Directors, as well as being a member of the Executive Management Team.

Scott Dresser commented, "I am looking forward to working with my colleagues across VimpelCom's international footprint and the challenge of addressing the different legal and regulatory structures that we have in each country."

Scott Dresser previously held positions in the US at White Mountains RE Group (which is the operating company of White Mountains Insurance Group Ltd), in the role of Senior Vice President and Associate General Counsel from 2005-2006; as Senior Advisor for Legal and Financial Affairs for the International Global Conservation Fund (an international non-profit organization in marine regions) from 2002-2005; and positions at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP and at Lord Day & Lord, Barrett Smith. He studied at the Vanderbilt University School of Law and University of New Hampshire, and was admitted to the Bar, in New York and Connecticut, in 1993.

About VimpelCom
VimpelCom is one of the world's largest integrated telecommunications services operators providing voice and data services through a range of traditional and broadband mobile and fixed technologies in Russia, Italy, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Armenia, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Algeria, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Burundi, Zimbabwe, Central African Republic and Canada. VimpelCom's operations around the globe cover territory with a total population of approximately 753 million people. VimpelCom provides services under the "Beeline", "Kyivstar", "WIND", "Infostrada" "Mobilink", "Leo", "banglalink", "Telecel", and "Djezzy" brands. As of June 30, 2014 VimpelCom had 221 million mobile customers on a combined basis. VimpelCom is traded on the NASDAQ Global Stock Market under the symbol (VIP). For more information visit: http://www.vimpelcom.com.

SOURCE VimpelCom Ltd.