U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has chosen Rex Tillerson as his secretary of state -- the top cabinet position. Tillerson currently serves as Chief Executive Officer at the Texas-based oil company ExxonMobil. In a statement, Trump said the businessman’s experience operating a major company will help him lead the State Department. “His tenacity, broad experience and deep understanding of geopolitics make him an excellent choice for secretary of state. He will promote regional stability and focus on the core national security interests of the United States,” Trump said. Tillerson has no experience as a diplomat, but his company has business relationships with governments in many countries, including Russia. Trump says those contacts should serve Tillerson well as America’s top diplomat. In Trump’s words, “a great advantage is he knows many of the players and he knows them well. He does massive deals in Russia.” Tillerson has reached major agreements with Russian companies for the exploration and production of oil and natural gas. These deals led Russian President Vladimir Putin to give Tillerson his country’s Order of Friendship in 2013. Earlier this year, Tillerson said he has known Putin since 1999 and has a “very close relationship with him.” The ExxonMobil chief has strongly criticized American limits on trade with Russia. These measures have forced him to cancel some projects that would have been profitable for his company. Political observers say Tillerson’s ties with Russian officials may cause some members of the United States Senate to question his appointment. While American presidents can appoint members of their cabinet, the Senate must approve the nominees before they can serve. The Constitution gives the Senate this power.