Mikhail Lesin, died of a heart attack on November 6 in Washington, said the evening of RIA Novosti news agency referring to his family. Lesin was 57 years old.
The former minister, businessman and head of the largest media holdings in the country, Lesin more than 20 years has been one of the key figures in the Russian media market.
«For example, I never I did not ask – I can not, I can not. There was no alternative. All I can! “- Characterized himself Lesin in an interview. The list of his works, indeed impressive: last year alone, the head of “Gazprom-Media” Lesin had to close one of the largest transactions in the history of the Russian media market, turn-based once it is salespeople actually monopoly and completely reshape advertising market by removing him pay TV.
The latter return of Yassin in the media business are believed to have contributed to his close friend, the first deputy head of presidential administration, Alexei Gromov. More surprising was the last year’s resignation from the post of head of Yassin “Gazprom-Media.” RBC recalls what else he will be remembered for the industry.
«Voice of the Heart»
Lesin was born July 11, 1958 in Moscow in a military family builder. In the late 1970s, he served in the army, and after – entered the Moscow Civil Engineering Institute named after Kuibyshev (IISS). In his student years Lesin became interested in KVN, was the director of the humorous television program “Jolly Fellows” – this was the beginning of his career in the media.
But the humorous programs Lesin was not enough. “I started with the business for many years and it has worked,” – he said in an interview with Forbes in the summer of 2014. In 1987 Lesin with with a friend on a student KVN, Yuri Zapolye founded an advertising agency, which was later called “Video international ». By the beginning of 2000 – s it has grown into the largest seller of advertising in the country. Now it is called the Vi and sells advertising on all major federal channels, except for NTV and TNT. Zapol died of cancer in 2005, after which the head of the agency has become a common one fill in and Lesin, Sergei Vasiliev.
In 1994 Lesin led television station as part of the agency “RIA Novosti” and two years later – actively participated in the presidential campaign of Boris Yeltsin. Lesin, for example, is credited with creating the slogan “Voice of the Heart”, the authorship of clips “I believe I do, I hope,” “Save and Protect” and even weekly radio address, the president of a country. He is also in an interview with Boris Yeltsin for the first time spoke about the problems with the heart and emergency operations. After the election, Lesin briefly headed the Office of the President Public Relations.
In 1997, he became the first deputy head of VGTRK, and actively participated in the creation of the state media holding company in its current form. When it came to holding the radio station “Mayak” and “Radio Russia”, RIA “Novosti”, as well as regional STRC.
RTR actively use state benefits. And it’s often put Lesin reproach: “The benefits provided by the state VGTRK, unprecedented. Apparently, the state is more important not to RAO “UES” and “Gazprom” and state television – says in an interview at that time, the general director of ORT (now – “First Channel”) Xenia Ponomareva. – This case, of course, government. Still, there is a line of decency. When one of the officers VGTRK Mikhail Lesin in combination – mediated leader of the largest advertising group, it is called unfair competition. ” The very “Video International”, however, argued that Lesin came from among its shareholders in 1994.
Portfolio Minister
In 1999, the ministry was headed by Lesin Press, Broadcasting and Mass Communications in the government of Sergei Stepashin. During the parliamentary (1999) and presidential (2000) elections, he was a key figure in the election headquarters first pro-Kremlin bloc “Unity”, and then – who became Yeltsin’s successor, Vladimir Putin.
As minister printing Lesin took active participate in one of the most scandalous stories of the early 2000s – in the transition assets “Media-Most” Vladimir Gusinsky under the control of “Gazprom” and so-called “defeat of the old NTV.” In March 2000, “Gazprom” has sent “Media-Most” requirement to pay $ 211.6 million, which itself “Gazprom” previously listed bank Credit Suisse First Boston on the loan “Media-Most”. Negotiations are deadlocked and 13 June 2000, Vladimir Gusinsky, was arrested on charges of embezzling $ 10 million in the privatization of the company “Russian Video”. Three days later, Gusinsky was released on bail. With the “Media-Most” had to say good-bye. On the basis of its assets was eventually established holding “Gazprom-Media».
When Lesin Minister in 2003 from the VGTRK was derived RIA “Novosti”, transformed to the Ministry of print. It Lesin invited to lead the agency Svetlana Mironyuk, who led the RIA 2013. In a recent interview with Forbes, she stated that her views with Lesin that is considered to be public interest, much later dispersed. It Yassin she called one of the initiators of her retirement. “This is a public service, where no there is no guarantee” – so last fall in an interview with Forbes commented on the changes in the RIA itself Lesin. This rule he had to learn, and by example.
In 2004, the post of Minister Lesin succeeded to the status of the Presidential Adviser on the Media. In this role, he was one of the launch in 2005 of TV channel Russia Today, which was to broadcast the Russian view of the world to foreign audiences. But in 2009 Lesin was suddenly dismissed. The formal reason, wrote Interfax, has been called “failure to comply with the rules of the civil service and ethical behavior of civil servants».
Post surrendered
Among the the causes of loud resignation source of Interfax in the presidential administration called the use Lesin his position “to deal with issues not related to official duties».
In September 2009, members of the “National Media Group” TV channels REN TV and the “Fifth Channel “agreed that from 2010 to sell advertising in their air will be no sales house” Gazprom-Media “as before, and the” Video International “. Use its services the main shareholder of the bank “Russia” Yury Kovalchuk (then “National Media Group” has been closely associated with the bank) has advised it Lesin told one of his friends.
Guide “Gazprom-Media” then complained in the “Video International” in the presidential administration, Dmitry Medvedev, who did not have a relationship with an advisor, decided to dismiss Yassin, told sources close to the “Video International” and has confirmed a federal official.
In December 2009, , immediately after the resignation of Yassin, in record time, the Duma adopted amendments to the law “On Advertising”, limited in 2011 the share of “Video International” 35% of all advertising budgets, raised in the federal channels in the previous two years. Business largest seller commercials thought was doomed, but that did not happen: the summer of 2010, the founders and top managers of “Video International” have sold 100% of the group structure associated with the bank “Russia” and its founders.
After leaving the administration President, Lesin in 2010-2011 was a member of the board of directors of the “National telecommunications” (at the time belonged to the “National Media Group”), but from active participation in the life of the Russian media has departed. He moved to California, was engaged in fishing, family, helped his son Anton, fascinated by the movie business in Hollywood. But watch out for the affairs of the Russian Lesin never stopped maintaining contact with all the key players in the media market.
Return
The return of Yassin to cases it was unexpected and triumphant. In the fall of 2013, Nikolai Senkevich, nearly 10 years headed the holding company “Gazprom-Media”, suddenly left his post early. And the leadership of the largest private media holding of the country and suddenly instructed Lesin.
The holding “Gazprom-Media” includes TV channels NTV, TNT, radio “Echo of Moscow», Comedy Radio, «City FM», broadcasts Rutube, the newspaper ” Seven Days “and other media assets. In fact, the company (the largest shareholder – Gazprombank) is under state control, and the decision on the appointment of its head takes as interlocutors told RBC’s media market, the president. It was believed that the return of Yassin contributed to his close friend, the first deputy head of presidential administration, Alexei Gromov.
«Yassin much lobbying is not necessary, it is also one of the key figures in the market”, – he denied this version of Putin’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov. “In this case, I think the impact need industry to such people were involved, and his personal need to disclose their potential,” – said he told Forbes.
In his new position Lesin immediately began to buy Assets: in just two months later, he made a deal with the holding “Prof-Media” Vladimir Potanin, acquiring entertainment channels “Friday”, TV3 and “2×2″, radio station “Autoradio” and “Humor FM” and the production company “Central Partnership”. Purchase cost “Gazprom-Media” at $ 602 million. The credit commitments “Gazprom-media” after the transaction increased by 6 times, up to 32 billion rubles. But Lesin acquisition of assets considered to be very successful step, seeing in it great potential for synergies with the TV and radio stations of their holding. Today, the former TV “Prof-Media” – one of the fastest growing asset in the “Gazprom-Media».
In addition to shopping, Lesin engaged in the consolidation of production and marketing units within the holding company, has changed several top managers, including long-term Director General “Echo of Moscow” Jury Fedutinova. Since then, the conflict began with a radio Yassin, fell deeply in the autumn of 2014 in a public scandal. The head of “Gazprom-Media” has tried to dismiss the journalist of “Echo” Alexandra Ivy for inappropriate behavior in social networks. This was done to bypass the chief editor of the radio station Alexei Venediktov, and was seen as an attack on the latter.
«Gazprom-Media” – one of the leading players in the industry, and we are obliged to defend their interests in the market “- said Lesin in an interview with Forbes, responding to a question whether he wants to participate in the affairs of the industry. One of the holding Mikhail Lesin, really, it was not enough – he quickly moved his energy for the entire media market. On his initiative, for example, was revived Award “Taffy”, created by the Industrial Committee on telemetry, which was to determine acceptable to all meter viewers (the ratings – a key figure for the sale of advertising, the main source of income of TV channels), began to form a new single seller of television advertising.
The market is talking about the return of the Minister – albeit in the informal status. But the activity of Yassin, his complex nature and the desire to consolidate the flow of advertising on TV market appeared like not all. “By that I many do not like, I have long been accustomed to,” – he said he top-manager in an interview with Forbes in August 2014, a few months later – suddenly resigned prepravleniya “Gazprom-Media» .
Close to Lesin people talked about the personal reasons for his resignation, including the feel unwell, top manager. But the market believed that his resignation had other reasons – a complicated relationship with the heads of federal channels, and with the head of the board of directors of “Gazprom-Media” Alexei Miller. Initiatives Lesina with his departure “podvisli”: in particular, has not been selected single meter audiences telekanov, creating a new seller commercials also stalled.
«As far as I know Mikhail, and I know him for a long time, in certain circumstances, is always more important is his will, and not some external factors, “- said about care Lesin of” Gazprom-Media “Deputy Minister of Communications and Mass Communications of Russia Alexei Volin.
Sam Lessin reasons for resignation He has not officially commented. After retiring, he spent several months in Switzerland, where he was treated, then went to his California home. In matters of the media industry, he almost did not participate, but, as he himself admitted in a recent conversation with the correspondent of RBC old habit he continued to follow her life.
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