Page 120 - RusRPTMay19

customers use its services, as well as strengthen its positions in the competitive taxi, food delivery and e-commerce markets,” VTB Capital nevertheless commented on April 24.
One of Russia's oldest online marketplaces Ozon Holdings raised a RUB10bn ($155mn) convertible loan from its two largest shareholders AFK Sistema multi-industry investment conglomerate and Baring Vostok fund, Vedomosti daily reported on April 29 citing all the participants of the deal. The funds raised would be used to "support the strategy of aggressive market expansion that was stated by the company in 2018." Ozon has been posting stable results, but revenue growth in the last quarters was clipped by unresolved logistics and infrastructure issues. In the end of 2018 the company said it will address the issue intending to raise several hundreds of million dollars in equity in 2019 to support new investments in logistics and IT. With giant capital injections in 2011 ($100mn), 2014 ($150mn) and 2018 (up to $92mn), Ozon is one of the most well-funded Russian e-commerce companies. The online retailer now plans to build a new order processing centre in the Moscow region with a total surface of over 0.1mn square meters, as well as expanding logistics infrastructure in Russian regions. Previous estimates put the needs of Ozon for additional funding at $200mn. The recent $155mn loan granted by the shareholders confirms their commitment in seeing Ozon through the infrastructure challenge.
Facebook and Twitter have been given nine months by Roskomnadzor, the Russian telecom and Internet regulator, to move Russian users’ data onto servers located physically on Russia soil. As reported yesterday by the Interfax news agency, Roskomnadzor’s head Alexander Zharov expressed “hope” that the two companies will comply with Russian legislation on personal data storage, and that the authorities will not end up having to block access to their sites. Adopted in 2014 and applicable since September 2015, this legislation requires companies operating in Russia to store Russian users’ or clients’ personal data on servers physically located in the country. Numerous foreign and domestic players were concerned, including global players who tended to store their users’ data in borderless clouds.
Russia's largest bank Sberbank acquired 100% in Russia's third largest online recruitment service Rabota.ru for an undisclosed amount. According to sources of Vedomosti daily, the deal stood at RUB500mn-RUB1bn ($8mn- $15mn). Rabota.ru was founded in 2002 and is part of the RDV-Media group that controls other media with classifieds. The website is third largest after HeadHunter and Superjob with over 0.2mn vacancies, 10mn applicants registered, and a monthly audience of 4mn people. Sberbank plans to develop Rabota.ru into a large player by modernising the service, the bank commented on the acquisition. In 2018 the classifieds market grew by 28% to RUB10.3bn, according to J'Son & Partners estimates cited by Vedomosti daily.
Russia’s largest bank and digital economy powerhouse Sberbank plans to buy a stake in major internet media group Rambler controlled by Alexander Mamut, Vedomosti daily and RBC business portal reported on April 22 citing unnamed sources close to the deal. Reportedly the two sides are negotiating an acquisition of non-controlling stake in Rambler, in order to enrich the ecosystem of Sberbank with digital media and entertainment services, which was confirmed by the companies that declined to comment further.
Russia's leading job searching service HeadHunter is preparing a
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