Russian oligarch Evgeny Lebedev  (pictured)  engaged George Osborne as an editor of London’s Evening Standard newspaper. Osborne lost his job as British finance minister in the aftermath of the EU referendum in June, the appointment for the mass-media job came as as a surprise on Friday.

“I am proud to have an editor of such substance, who reinforces The Standard’s standing and influence in London,” Lebedev tweeted.

“And whose political viewpoint – socially liberal and economically pragmatic – closely matches that of many of our readers.”

Evgeny is a well-known London socialite, an eldest son of the billionaire Alexander Lebedev, whose regarded by Forbes as one of the richest Russians. Next to Evening Standard, Evgeny owns Independent newspaper. The renumeraton to Osborne has not been disclosed.