Representative office of Avast in Russia and the CIS

2017: Opening of representation in Moscow

In September, 2017 the Czech anti-virus developer Avast Software registered the representation in Russia and the CIS which is based in Moscow. Alexey Fedorov appointed the chief representative told about this TAdviser. It since fall of 2016 was registered as the employee of office Avast in the Czech Republic. Before 10 years worked in Kaspersky Lab where held a position of the director of the international retail sales, and 5 years – the operating officer in Softkey company.

Alexey Fedorov told TAdviser that main objectives of opening of office are business development, first of all, in the Russian market which is one of priority for the company, and support of local partners. The share of other CIS countries in business of Avast is small.

By the time of opening of office in Moscow the products Avast are available to the Russian users more than 10 years, however management of local business all this time was conducted from office in the Czech Republic. Acquisition of Avast in 2016 of one of the competitors - AVG companies became one of the key factors which influenced the solution to open own representation in Russia, Alexey Fedorov explained TAdviser. After merge at the company became more users and partners here, and the need for local presence became more explicit.

Before Avast merge did not open foreign offices in such format at all, the chief representative of the company in Russia and the CIS noted. In this respect Russia became the first country. In line – opening of office in Japan. In addition to Russia, the company has foreign offices in the USA, Germany and the Netherlands, but or the company got them "by inheritance", or are more focused on development.

Is not going to employ the big state in the Moscow office Avast yet as in the Czech Republic there are employees providing a part of functionality for the Russian market, generally technical.

As well as earlier, the company will continue sales through partners. In Russia Avast has three main distributors: Softline, Asbis and Belrus company which is based in Rostov-on-Don. At the same time the Allsoft company which is a part of Softline is engaged in support of the Russian online store Avast.

Fedorov says that with opening of office the company is going to review partner policy in Russia: watch which of partners works more effectively and hold with them planning sessions. It is possible that the number of distributors will be laid off.

According to Fedorov, by the time of creation of office in Moscow in Russia there are 20 million installations of an antivirus of Avast. Their main part of users is provided by individuals, but there are also users from SMB. The direction of SMB Avast is going to develop. The company historically does not work with large business and state structures.

In the Russian market of antiviruses on number of installations at users Avast estimates the share approximately at 25%. By the main competitor in the company consider Kaspersky Lab. At the same time it is necessary to consider a difference in model of distribution of software, Fedorov notes: Avast traditionally offers the software on the Freemium model (free of charge, with a possibility of purchase of the paid version with enhanced capabilities).

In addition to business development by forces of the Russian office, Avast considers the possibility of complete transfer here and supports of local users, but still it is necessary to estimate economic feasibility of this step. So far support is performed from the Czech Republic where also the Russian specialists work.