LONDON (Reuters) -- Russia's United Company RUSAL, the world's largest producer of primary aluminum and which is hoping to list in London later this year, has approached former Anglo American Plc. (AAL.L) executive Simon Thompson to be its chairman, the Sunday Telegraph reported.

Thompson left his post as head of Anglo American's base metals arm after losing out to Cynthia Carroll to be the group's new chief executive.
He is understood to be the leading candidate for the RUSAL post although there are others in the race, the newspaper added.
If Moscow-based RUSAL's float goes ahead it will be the largest in London this year, valuing the group at around 30 billion dollars. The group is currently controlled by Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska