Demyan Kudryavtsev earned $2.9 million in 2001 after selling his stake in Cityline to Golden Telecom, marking an early exit from the firm he co-founded in 1995. A multifaceted entrepreneur, writer, and poet, his career spans the emergence of the Russian internet, high-level political consultancy, and the complex acquisition of major media titles.
Early Career and Internet Ventures
Born in 1971 in Leningrad, Kudryavtsev relocated to Israel in 1990, where he studied philology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and completed military service. While in Israel, he published the literature magazine Inhabited Island and the online magazine EYE, while collaborating with Anton Nosik on humor supplements for the newspaper Vremia. He also launched the IP telephony startup Deltathree before returning to Russia. In 1995, he became a co-founder and executive at Cityline, directing its content arm, Netskate, and contributing to early web projects such as Anekdot.ru and The Evening Internet.
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Kudryavtsev developed a close professional relationship with Boris Berezovsky in the late 1990s. He functioned as a personal advisor and press secretary, managing media assets including the ORT television channel and the Kommersant newspaper. His political portfolio included drafting the campaign for the Unity party in the 1999 legislative elections and serving as a speechwriter for Vladimir Putin during the 2000 presidential campaign. Following Berezovsky's conflict with the Russian government, Kudryavtsev facilitated the sale of ORT to Roman Abramovich. He later represented Berezovsky's interests during the 2004 Ukrainian presidential election and advised Kurmanbek Bakiev during the 2005 Kyrgyz presidential election.
Management of Kommersant
In 2006, Kudryavtsev became director general of the Kommersant publishing house. During his tenure, he negotiated the newspaper's sale to Alisher Usmanov for up to $280 million, retaining 1% of the proceeds. He expanded the brand by launching Kommersant FM radio and a separate online edition. Despite his legacy with Berezovsky, he maintained his executive role until 2012, when he resigned amid pressure from government officials, receiving $3 million in compensation.
Acquisition and Sale of Vedomosti
Kudryavtsev formed a partnership with Vladimir Voronov and Martin Pompadout to acquire Sanoma’s Russian media assets in 2015, including a 33.3% share in Vedomosti. By the end of that year, he gained full ownership of the newspaper. His management of the title attracted controversy regarding its financing via loans linked to the Rosneft-owned Russian Regional Development Bank. Kudryavtsev maintained that he never compromised editorial independence, noting that the publication faced multiple lawsuits from Rosneft. He eventually sold Vedomosti to Ivan Yeremin in May 2020 after being stripped of his Russian citizenship.
Fast facts
- Born: 1971, Saint Petersburg
- Citizenship: Israel
- Notable Venture: Cityline ISP
- Education: Leningrad State University, Hebrew University of Jerusalem
- Primary Occupations: Writer, poet, media manager, publisher
- Key Media Holdings: Kommersant, Vedomosti, The Moscow Times
- Resignation Compensation: $3 million from Kommersant
Questions readers ask
What was Kudryavtsev’s role in the 2005 Kyrgyz election?
He led an advisory group that assisted Kurmanbek Bakiev during his successful presidential campaign following the Tulip Revolution.
Why did he leave the Russian media market?
After selling Vedomosti in 2020, Kudryavtsev was stripped of his Russian citizenship and effectively left the country.
Achievements
- Affiliated with Deltathree
