Russian potash miner Uralkali has appointed former CEO Vladislav Baumgertner to head the newly merged Uralkali-Silvinit, set to be the world's second biggest producer of the fertilizer ingredient.

The company said in a statement Baumgertner, who ran Uralkali between 2005 and 2010 before switching to a similar role at Silvinit, would replace Pavel Grachev, who had led Uralkali through the pre-merger transition period.

Uralkali and fellow potash miner Silvinit agreed earlier this month to join forces to create a national Russian champion that will come close to challenging world's biggest producer Potash Corp, of Canada.

The merger was engineered by billionaire tycoon Suleiman Kerimov, who bought controlling stakes in both Uralkali and Silvinit alongside associates during last summer.

Potash has emerged as a valuable commodity in a world struggling to feed a growing population while battling droughts and floods.