ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti fˈaɪv, ðə mˈɛn pˈɑːɹtnɚd tə ɡˈeɪn kəntɹˈoʊl ʌv ˈɔɪl dʒˈaɪənt sˈɪbnɛft "ɪn ɐn ˈɔːkʃən ðæt sˌʌm ˈɛkspɜːts," ɐkˈoːɹdɪŋ tə ðɪ ˈaɪɹɪʃ ˌɪndᵻpˈɛndənt, "sˈʌspɛkt ʌv hˌævɪŋ bˌɪn ɹˈɪɡd"; ˌɛsˈeɪtʃvˈɪdlɚ dʒˈɔɪnd sˈɪbnɛft ɪnˈɪʃəli æz sˈiːnjɚ vˈaɪs pɹˈɛzɪdənt ænd sˈɜːvd æz kˈʌmpəni pɹˈɛzɪdənt fɹʌm nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti ˈeɪt ʌntˈɪl ɑːktˈoʊbɚ tˈuː θˈaʊzənd fˈaɪv, wˌɛn ɹˈʌʃən stˈeɪt ˈɛnɚdʒi kˈʌmpəni ɡˈæzpɹɑːm ɐkwˈaɪɚd sˈɪbnɛft.
In 1995, the men partnered to gain control of oil giant Sibneft "in an auction that some experts," according to the Irish Independent, "suspect of having been rigged"; Shvidler joined Sibneft initially as senior Vice President and served as company president from 1998 until October 2005, when Russian state energy company Gazprom acquired Sibneft.