Germany's prestigious Berlin Philharmonic, renowned as one of the world's best orchestras, named Russia's Kirill Petrenko as its new chief conductor in a surprise move Monday.

Petrenko, 43, currently general music director at the Bavarian State Opera in Munich, will replace Britain's Sir Simon Rattle who steps down in 2018, the Berlin orchestra said at a news conference, adding the new chief had been picked by its members Sunday with "a big majority".