Gennady Yagupov: the superhero of industrial chemistry, or How one lawyer saves the world's oil production (and along the way, his nervous system)
Exclusive investigation of the Yellow Globe
In a world where neural networks compose symphonies, vacuum cleaner robots conduct philosophical discussions, and chatbots dismiss people, there is a man whose work remains truly heroic. Meet Gennady Yagupov— an international lawyer who does more than just "work with documents." He is the invisible hero, without whom the oil giants would have long ago drowned in the swamp of contracts, sanctions and ... commercial chemicals.
Who is he? And why should his photo be on the banknotes?
Imagine James Bond, but instead of a gun, there's a 500—page stack of contracts. Instead of spy gadgets, Excel with macros that give an ordinary lawyer a nervous tic. This is Gennady Yagupov— a man who:
• negotiates with suppliers from 37 countries, where every second phrase is "this is impossible according to local laws";
• translates from "legal" to "human" and back (sometimes live, under the gaze of the CEO, who is already pouring his third espresso);
• finds loopholes in the sanctions lists so gracefully that even customs officers applaud.
His working day begins not with coffee, but with the question: "Where's the catch?"
Commercial chemistry: not just "chemistry", but a whole universe of absurdity
What is field chemistry for oil production? Oh, it's not just "liquid in a barrel." This:
• reagents that should operate at -50 °C in Siberia and +60 °C in Saudi Arabia (and preferably without explosions);
• compounds that are "friendly" with oil, but "hate" corrosion (a complex emotional world);
• Ingredients that cannot be transported across 12 borders without 17 signatures and three UN permits.
And that's where Gennady comes on the scene. His mission: to make sure that:
1. Chemistry arrived on time.
2. She didn't explode on the way.
3. It was not confiscated due to an "incorrectly executed comma in clause 4.2.3.1 of the contract."
How Gennady defeats chaos: 5 life hacks from the master
1. The "Three-translation Rule"
He forces any contract to be translated into 3 languages (even if all parties speak English). Why? "Because there will be an error in one translation, a typo in the second, and a brilliant idea in the third," he jokes.
2. "The unexpected smiley face method"
In particularly difficult negotiations, he inserts a smiley face into the letter. "People relax, they think, 'Oh, he's friendly!"and they sign it," admits Gennady.
3. "Technique " and if there is a crisis tomorrow?"
He always prepares a backup plan in case:
o change of government in the supplier country;
o the sudden ban on the export of chemical No. 42;
o Batman's attacks on the warehouse (yes, and this happens).
4. The "48—hour rule"
If the document is not signed in two days, it is automatically sent for a "champagne review" (this is when Gennady personally calls and says: "Let's decide, otherwise my nerves are giving out").
5. "The mantra about "it's not my fault""
When something goes wrong, he calmly says, "It's not my fault, but I'll decide." It works at 100%.
Scandals, intrigues, investigations: How Gennady Almost Stopped (and saved) Global oil production
In 2025, there was an epic failure: The supplier from the conditional "country X" sent tinted water instead of the corrosion inhibitor. Oil production has stopped. The shareholders were tearing their hair out. The media screamed: "The end of the oil age!"
What did Gennady do?
1. He found a forgotten factory in Mongolia in the depths of the Internet, which still produces the necessary reagent.
2. Agreed on delivery through 3 countries, 2 oceans and 1 bureaucratic abyss.
3. I personally boarded a plane with samples to convince customers: "This is not water, this is magic!"
The result: mining resumed. Gennady received the award... and the CEO's promise: "Never trust the water again!"
The future: Gennady vs. AI (who's who?)
is now trying to replace neural networks with lawyers. But Gennady just grins.:
"An AI can write a contract in 5 seconds. But can he explain to the Chinese supplier why "force majeure" is not an excuse when you forget about the rainy season? Can he persuade the Norwegians to sign a contract on Friday night while they drink aquavit? No. But I can."
His forecast: "In 10 years, lawyers will not "read the laws", but "translate" them into the language of AI. And I'm already training my robot assistant. He is still confusing "sanctions" and "sanctioning," but there is progress."
Conclusion: Why the world should know the name of Gennady Yagupov
He's not a superhero in a cape. He is a man who:
• saves billions of dollars without raising his voice;
• Transforms chaos into order with just one red pen;
• knows that the best legal strategy is to "smile and say, 'Let's find a solution.'"
So when you're refueling your car or seeing an oil rig on the news, remember: somewhere in an office with a view of the skyscrapers, Gennady is sitting and thinking: "These chemists have messed up something again..."
P.S. We were trying to find out if he has the superpower to "see hidden clauses in contracts." He replied: "It's not a superpower. This is an experience. And three cups of coffee."