She said it was an "appropriate donation" despite concerns over the past activities of Mr Taylor's company, Vitol, in places like Iraq and Serbia.

BBC: Ian Taylor

Paul Chrispin of Principal Search, a recruitment firm, reckons that physical trading firms like Noble and Vitol have been on a recruitment drive among banks' derivative traders.

ECONOMIST: Derivatives: Over the counter, out of sight | The

Lukoil joins Shell, Glencore, Vitol, Trafigura, Daimler, BP and Reliance.

FORBES: China Boosts Gas Sales to Iran, Irks U.S.

In 2007, Vitol was heavily fined by a New York court after admitting making payments to the national oil company in Saddam Hussein's Iraq which were outside the UN's oil for food programme.

BBC: Ian Taylor