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David Waroquier of Mangrove Capital Partners: “In the coming two years, we expect to see a few major exits in the e-commerce sphere.”

A pioneer among foreign investors on the Russian venture scene, David Waroquier of Mangrove Capital Partners is a recognized expert of the local Internet ecosystem and a reference partner for several Russia-based ventures. He shared with East-West Digital News his vision of the fast-growing Russian online retail market, its challenges, and the possible exit scenarios for investors in this industry. …

David Waroquier of Mangrove Capital Partners: “In the coming two years, we expect to see a few major exits in the e-commerce sphere.” Read More

Russian Orthodox Patriarch joins Facebook

Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, can now be contacted through his official Facebook page. The page has generated over 3,000 ‘Likes’ three days since it opened on Tuesday, May 15. Visitors can read the Patriarch’s speeches, learn Church-related news, see photos of Kirill and click on …

Russian Orthodox Patriarch joins Facebook Read More

Ozon CEO Maëlle Gavet: “We have internalized most of the delivery process to make it more cost-friendly and efficient”

After six years with BCG in Russia, Europe and India, Maëlle Gavet joined Ozon.ru in early 2010 as Marketing and CRM Director. She was appointed CEO in 2011, a year that came as a tipping point for this major online retailer, with a $100 million round of financing in September and, by the year’s end, …

Ozon CEO Maëlle Gavet: “We have internalized most of the delivery process to make it more cost-friendly and efficient” Read More

Leonid Gluzman of Zina.ru: “Up to 80% of first time online purchases are made on couponing websites”

Two years after the Groupon fever hit Russia in March 2010, Leonid Gluzman, the founder of daily deal site aggregator Zina.ru, recalls the history of this thriving industry and shares its key figures and trends for the future. This interview is an excerpt from an in-depth research paper on Russian e-commerce that will be released next …

Leonid Gluzman of Zina.ru: “Up to 80% of first time online purchases are made on couponing websites” Read More

Travelmenu CEO Katrin Buckenmaier: “The Russian online outbound travel market is expected to grow ten-fold by 2015”

Launched in 2009 as a hotel booking engine for travel agents in Russia and Ukraine, Travelmenu.ru has grown into a major online retailer of package tours, a segment that represents more than 85% of the total outbound travel market in Russia. The site has served more than 250,000 travelers to date. Travelmenu has just announced it …

Travelmenu CEO Katrin Buckenmaier: “The Russian online outbound travel market is expected to grow ten-fold by 2015” Read More

US business angel Esther Dyson: “Online services can reduce the costs of being honest”

Among US business angels, Esther Dyson is probably the one who has invested the most to date in Russia. Her portfolio includes no fewer than 15 Russian startups as well as Yandex, the search giant which she advises as a member of its board of directors. In this exchange with East-West Digital News, Esther Dyson …

US business angel Esther Dyson: “Online services can reduce the costs of being honest” Read More

Airbnb co-founder Nathan Blecharczyk: “Entering a market is not just buying a local site and putting your brand on it”

After launches in a range of European, Latin American and Asian countries, Airbnb.com, the famous US online alternative accommodation service, is coming to Russia. The embryonic Airbnb Russian team is headed by Eugen Miropolski, who formerly held senior executive positions at Fast Lane Ventures, KupiVip.ru, and Groupon Russia. In an interview with EWDN chief editor …

Airbnb co-founder Nathan Blecharczyk: “Entering a market is not just buying a local site and putting your brand on it” Read More

iTech Capital’s Gleb Davidyuk: “The Russian startup scene has been largely spared corruption.”

A new player on the Russian venture scene, iTech Capital has attracted capital from a variety of prominent Russian IT businessmen. Its first investments, in late 2011, went to play marketing site The Battle Of Brands and to Giftofoni, an innovative social gifting app launched on the Turkish-language segment of Facebook. In this exchange with East-West …

iTech Capital’s Gleb Davidyuk: “The Russian startup scene has been largely spared corruption.” Read More

Rob Cassedy of eBay: “For Russians, eBay is all about international deals.”

Almost two years after the release of its Russian language version, and one year after it launched a local classifieds service, eBay enjoys a strong and still growing popularity among Russian consumers who use the platform to order goods from all over the globe. eBay’s Head of International Expansion for Europe Rob Cassedy shared some insights …

Rob Cassedy of eBay: “For Russians, eBay is all about international deals.” Read More

Vrublevsky freed after 6 months in jail

Pavel Vrublevsky was released last week after spending 6 months in Lefortovo prison in Moscow, following his arrest in June of 2011 for organizing a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack on the website of Assist, a competitor of his company, Chronopay. A leading Russian online payment processing company, Chronopay processes almost half of all Visa and …

Vrublevsky freed after 6 months in jail Read More

“Our team fucked up in Russia, I lost tons of money,” says Lamoda.ru’s German owner Oliver Samwer

In a confidential email sent in October to his management team revealed yesterday by TechCrunch, Oliver Samwer, the co-founder of German incubator Rocket Internet, had crude words for the management of Lamoda.ru, the online shoe retailer he launched in Russia earlier this year. “Our team fucked up in Russia,” wrote Samwer, complaining that Lamoda.ru failed …

“Our team fucked up in Russia, I lost tons of money,” says Lamoda.ru’s German owner Oliver Samwer Read More

François Esculier: “The global battle for digital leadership is raging in Russia.”

Former Mail.ru Group Executive Vice President Global Operations François Esculier has gained a seat on the Board of Directors of luxury private shopping club CollectionPrivee.ru. He recently shared with East-West Digital News his vision of the global integration of the Russian Internet, speaking his mind on the management issues domestic players faced as well as about …

François Esculier: “The global battle for digital leadership is raging in Russia.” Read More

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