President-elect Donald Trump has picked Rex Tillerson, executive chief of Exxon Mobil and a closer acquaintance to Putin, to be the new secretary of state, according to transition officers.

Tillerson, 64, is a businessman without political experience, but has a wide international career and contacts all around the world. However, his relationship with Russia has awaken concerns in the Senate.  

In the past several days, Republican and Democratic lawmakers had warned that Mr. Tillerson would face intense scrutiny over his two-decade relationship with Russia, which awarded him its Order of Friendship in 2013, and with Mr. Putin.

As chief of Exxon Mobil, Tillerson strengthened the presence of the company in Russia by  sealing a deal with Russian oil company Rosneft. 

But when he assumes the position of the secretary of state, Mr. Tillerson would face a new challenge: nurturing alliances around the world that are built less on deals and more on diplomacy, reports The New York Times.