OREANDA-NEWS  Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder attended Russian President Vladimir Putin's birthday on October 7, the Kremlin's press service reported.

Putin learned from the news this morning that Schroeder was in Moscow, where he arrived on business for Globus.

"The president invited his old friend to his house. Gerhard Schroeder was with Vladimir Putin when the head of state celebrated his birthday yesterday," the message says.

Schroeder joined the supervisory board of Hyperglobus LLC, the Russian representative office of the German retail chain Globus, the company announced in early October.

According to Thomas Bruch, beneficiary of Hyperglobus LLC and shareholder of Globus Holding GmbH & Co., Thomas Bruch, Schroeder "thanks to his long-term involvement in the political, economic and cultural life of Russia will be an ideal addition to the board and will help continue to adhere to a dialogue-oriented approach." This approach "presupposes constructive cooperation based on dialogue and a joint search for viable solutions."

Globus Group was founded in Germany in 1828. The chain's hypermarkets are currently operating in Germany, the Czech Republic, and Russia. The network has been developing in Russia since 2006. In March, in its report, the company announced its intention to resume its previously suspended expansion in Russia.