The transaction involving the sale of Skartel to Garsdale Services reached an estimated value of US$1.33 billion in 2013. This exit marked a significant milestone for Serguei Adoniev, a Russian entrepreneur who launched his commercial activities in the fruit import sector before diversifying into telecommunications, real estate, and high-technology ventures throughout the post-Soviet landscape.
Foundations and Early Business
Born in Lviv in 1961, Adoniev pursued studies at the Peter the Great Saint Petersburg State Polytechnical University. He held a position teaching Structural Resistance at the Leningrad Polytechnic Institute between 1985 and 1989. In 1994, he entered the fruit import industry by co-founding Olbi-Jazz alongside Oleg Boyko and Vladimir Kekhman. By 1996, he established the Joint Food Company, which became a leading entity in the Russian fruit market before he divested his interests in 2001.
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Adoniev founded the Telconet Capital fund in 2006, positioning it as the primary shareholder of the telecommunications operator Skartel, known by the trademark Yota. Under his guidance, the company became the first Russian provider to launch mobile Wimax 4G and subsequently pioneered LTE technology in the region in 2012. In 2011, the firm launched Yota Devices, which created the YotaPhone. Rostec acquired a 25 percent stake in Skartel in 2008, prior to the eventual sale of the company to Garsdale Services in 2013.
Greenhouse Agriculture
In 2013, Adoniev partnered with Sergey Rukin to form Technologies of Greenhouse Growth, a St. Petersburg-based venture. The enterprise integrated greenhouse operations in the Moscow and Tumen regions with the trading house TTR Trade. Operating under the ROST brand, the business supplied major retailers such as Lenta, Magnit, and Diksi. The project involved an investment exceeding US$100 million. Adoniev exited this venture in early 2017 when Rukin acquired his shares.
Philanthropic Endeavors
Adoniev has directed significant funding toward cultural and educational projects. He co-founded the Strelka Institute for Media, Architecture and Design in Moscow with Alexander Mamut in 2009. His involvement in the arts includes supporting the Stanislavsky Electrotheatre, the MusicAeterna choir conducted by Teodor Currentzis, and the DAU film project directed by Ilya Khrzhanovsky. Additionally, he established foundations dedicated to the philosophical work of Merab Mamardashvili and Salomon Maimon, while also supporting the Charitable Foundation Ostrova for individuals with cystic fibrosis. In 2016, he received the Philanthropist of the Year award from the Ministry of Culture of Russia.
Fast facts
- Born: 1961, Lviv
- Education: Peter the Great Saint Petersburg State Polytechnical University
- 1996: Founded Joint Food Company
- 2006: Founded Telconet Capital
- 2012: Yota launches LTE in Russia
- 2013: Sold stake in Skartel for US$1.33 billion
- 2016: Received Philanthropist of the Year award
Questions readers ask
What was the result of Adoniev's involvement in the fruit trade?
He founded the Joint Food Company in 1996, which became a leading fruit importer in Russia before he sold his shares in 2001.
What is the focus of the Charitable Foundation Ostrova?
The foundation provides assistance to individuals in Russia living with cystic fibrosis.
Achievements
- Educated at Peter the Great Saint Petersburg State Polytechnical University
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