Tavrin's Kismet Capital Group closes deal to buy Avito

MOSCOW. Oct 25 (Interfax) - Ivan Tavrin's Kismet Capital Group has closed a deal to acquire 100% of the Avito advertising service, according to data in the Unified State Registry of Legal Entities (USRLE).

According to the USRLE, Kekh Ekommerts LLC, the main Russian legal entity of Avito, and Avito Holding LLC as of October 25 are 99.9% owned by Radio Reklama Vologda LLC, whose ultimate owner is Kismet Capital Group LLC. Infrastructural Holding-2 LLC, owned by Kismet Capital Group, received the remaining shares in Kekh Ekommerts and Avito Holding.

Kismet Capital Group acquired Avito from South African holding Naspers, and the seller was Prosus, owned by the holding.

The company has been looking for a buyer for Avito since May this year. The deal was announced in mid-October at a total of 151 billion rubles.

Kismet reported that a consortium of banks, headed by Russian Agricultural Bank, organized financing for the transaction and settlements for it.