OPENWORK Media (Fontanka)

Assets

For 2015 assets of AZhUR-media Ltd were among:

• website "Фонтанка.ру",
• the news edition about Finland Fontanka.Fi,
• Internet radio "Fontanka.Fm",
• the website about health "Doctor Peter" and
• automobile edition "Voditel Peterburga".

History

2019: Victor Shkulyov redeems a controlling stake of the company

On January 10, 2019 it was announced that (the publisher of the online newspaper "Фонтанка.ру) the famous Russian media manager Victor Shkulyov became the new owner of a controlling stake of JSC Azhur-media. This transaction – the largest in the market of media of St. Petersburg lately and one of the largest in the country in discharge of electronic media, the chairman of the board of directors "Openwork media" Andrey Konstantinov reported.

At this time shareholders of the company are five individuals, including founders of the project. "Former partners made the decision on a complete exit from business, we respect this solution", – the author of the Agency of Journalistic Investigations brand says.

"This event offers new prospects and opportunities for Fontanka, – gave the comment to our edition Andrey Konstantinov. – The old dream of those who created the online newspaper was in finding the reliable and professional partner with whom it would be together possible to develop our project. I am very happy that interest in Fontanka was shown by Victor Shkulev with whom we are familiar since 1994 since work in Komsomolskaya Pravda. It is one of the most serious media of people in the world in Russia; the entrepreneur speaking with us one language. It is much more pilot than us, but his views of business are clear and close to us".

According to Konstantinov, the transaction was preceded by long negotiations during which the smallest parts of future joint life were approved.

"At the beginning of this way there was no confidence at all that everything will develop. Besides that emotionally both parties aimed at it. Success was promoted mathematically by rational approach of Victor Mikhaylovich, and is what can already learn. He precisely knows for what it needs this purchase, and we also understand it: Shkulev continues to build the big and complex business which is already provided in many regions and tens of projects".

Andrey Konstantinov also added that serious changes in editorial policy of the edition are not supposed, and he expects changes in a part of business.

2015: Founders of the edition redeem 51% of the company from Swedish "Bonniyer Business the Press"

Swedish "Bonniyer Business the Press", owning 51% of the stocks "OPENWORK media", it was forced to sell business in connection with adoption in Russia of the law on restriction of a share of foreigners in media of 20% in size. In 2015 it was announced that 51% in the company from them will be redeemed by the acting minority shareholders — Alexander Gorshkov, Andrey Bakonin (Konstantinov), Andrey Potapenko and Evgeny Vyshenkov. At this time at them the remained 49%. Initially controlling stake of the Swedish company they sold^[1].

Notes