Altima, an e-commerce-focused interactive agency established in France in 1998, is strengthening its presence in China and making its first steps on the Russian market through the acquisition of THEM, an independent agency operating in Beijing, Shanghai, and Moscow. In addition to serving local clients, Altima will help companies launch their digital and e-commerce activity across …
Two major Russian Internet groups – Rambler-Afisha and SUP Media – have announced plans to merge, creating an entity that will have a combined audience of 35 million users. The financial terms of the merger have not been disclosed. The two firms claim they will have the third-largest Internet audience in Russia after the merger – behind Yandex and Mail.ru Group – with …
Rambler-Afisha merges with SUP Media; new group to reach 35 million users monthly Read More
In what could be the beginning of an international imbroglio, the Swedish telecom group Tele2 AB announced Wednesday that VTB Group, a leading state-owned Russian bank, would acquire its subsidiary Tele2 Russia, for $3.55 billion in cash and debt. With 2G licenses to operate in 43 regions, Tele2 Russia stands as the country’s 4th largest …
Avito.ru, Russia’s leading classifieds site by number of users, is merging with its competitors Slando.ru and OLX.ru, creating the fifth most popular Russian website, with more than 100 million page views a day, The Financial Times reported this morning. As part of the deal, Slando and OLX will be folded into the Avito brand. The …
Avito.ru, Slando.ru and OLX.ru merge to create online classifieds giant Read More
VimpelCom, a leading Russian mobile operator, is considering a North American expansion amid negative market sentiments over the company’s already weighty debt level. VimpelCom CEO Jo Lunder told Bloomberg earlier this year that his company “has an interesting opportunity in Canada” and may consider organic growth or acquisitions there. He declined to elaborate, however, leaving …
Undeterred by debt, VimpelCom eyes “interesting opportunity” in Canada Read More
Russian telecom operator TTK has announced the completion of an across-the-board buyout of 18 regional subsidiaries previously owned by Russian Railways, the national rail operator and TTK’s sole shareholder. To accomplish the task, TTK in December sold 1.069 billion rubles (about $36 million) worth of new shares to Russian Railways, which paid with its stakes …
TTK consolidates assets, becomes major Russian telecom operator Read More
Rambler-Afisha, an Internet group owned by Russian tycoon Vladimir Potanin’s ProfMedia holding, is seeking to attract an investor in Begun, a context advertising company which it fully acquired just months ago. In an exchange with the Russian business daily Vedomosti, Rambler-Afisha General Manager Nikolai Molibog confirmed that co-investment with a third-party was being considered in order …
Matchmaking site Teamo.ru has taken full ownership of its main competitor, Monamour.ru, gaining undisputed leadership of this market segment in Russia. The transaction, which took place in December, was confirmed to East-West Digital News by Teamo Managing Director Vladimir Schmidt. Schmidt said it was a cash transaction, but declined to disclose further financial information.
A mere two weeks after an executive of his management company stated the opposite in an exchange with Bloomberg, Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov, the main shareholder of the Mail.ru Group, said he was willing to increase his group’s stake in Vkontakte.ru, Russia’s leading social network also known as VK.com. “If there is a reasonable market …
Vkontakte.ru ownership saga: Usmanov now plans to increase Mail.ru Group’s stake Read More
WebGames, a former game publisher now turned investor in game studios, has taken over Drimmi, a three-year-old Russian developer of games for social networks. The parties have not disclosed the deal’s value, but an anonymous source with knowledge of the transaction leaked to the Russian business daily Vedomosti that it could be in the millions …
WebGames continues buying spree, takes over game developer Drimmi Read More
Megafon, a major Russian mobile operator controlled by Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov, has acquired a 50% stake in Euroset, Russia’s first mobile phone retailer, from Alexander Mamut, a prominent Russian businessman. Vimpelcom, another leading mobile operator, has increased its stake in Euroset from 49.9% to 50%. The deal has valued the company at $2.3 billion, …
Megafon acquires 50% stake in mobile retailer Euroset, eyes mobile operator Tele2 Read More
Leading Russian venture fund Almaz Capital announced earlier this week that its portfolio company Vyatta, a Belmont, California-based publisher of software security and networking solutions, has been sold to Brocade, a major provider of network solutions. Almaz had acquired a minority stake in the company – less than 25%, PR Director Anna Goryacheva told East-West …
