Head of French oil giant Total dies in Moscow plane crash

Christophe de Margerie, the chairman and CEO of French oil giant Total SA, died on Monday when his jet crashed into a snowplow on a runway at Moscow's Vnukovo Airport. He was 63. The crash also killed three crew members and the plow's driver. Russian officials say they will conduct an investigation into the crash.

De Margerie's 40 years at Total started in the finance department, progressed through heading regional operations in Southeast and Central Asia and the Middle East, and ended with a successful run as chief executive. He was known for his geopolitical acumen, strategic expansion, and large mustache. Total is the world's No. 4 private (non-state) energy company by market value, Bloomberg says, following Exxon Mobil, Royal Dutch Shell, and Chevron.

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.