CapMan, a Finnish private equity fund manager, has acquired a minority stake in Kokoc Group, a major Russian online marketing agency. Neither the amount nor the terms of the transaction, which took place last month, have been disclosed.
The investment will be used to acquire new companies and expand the group’s range of services.
“Kokoc Group caught our attention thanks to its rapid growth, overperforming the market, and its leading positions in SEO and search advertising,” commented Alexander Vlasov, partner at CapMan.
The group comprises 14 online marketing agencies, including Kokoc.com, BDBD, WebProfy, ArrowMedia, MediaGuru, SEO Dream, Unibrains, and Profitator. It has a multi-format online marketing platform to provide all-inclusive marketing solutions.
Among the group’s 3,000 clients are telecom operator Megafon, mobile device retailer Svyaznoy, children’s goods retailer Detsky Mir, Auchan, and many others.
Launched in 1989, CapMan has offices in Helsinki, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Moscow, London and Luxembourg. The company has made 40 investments in Russia since 1996.
“We have helped Russian entrepreneurial SMEs grow into domestic champions or expand their operations internationally. We are committed to building successful businesses by and for the Russian middle class,” says CapMan’s website.
Sources: Kokoc Group, CapMan.
