Aurrigo Regulatory News (AURR)

25 May 2006 07:01

Aurora Russia Limited25 May 2006 25 May 2006 Investment Officer Appointments at Aurora Russia Advisors Limited Aurora Investment Advisors Limited (the "Manager") announces that it hasappointed Andrey Gurin and Oleg Bystranov as Investment Officers to completetheir team. The Manager is the management company of Aurora Russia Limited (the"Company" or "Aurora Russia"), a quoted investment vehicle established to makeequity or equity related investments in small and medium sized Russian companieswhich listed on AIM on 24 March 2006. Andrey Gurin, 34, has eight years experience in Financial Planning, Controllingand Business Development in the Consumer Finance and other services sectors inboth developed and emerging markets, including Russia. Previously he wasFinancial Controller and Treasurer of GE Consumer Finance Russia, based inRussia. Andrey holds an MBA from IESE, University of Navarra, Spain with majorin finance. Oleg Bystranov, 33, has over 10 years experience in working with small andmid-sized Russian companies, having specialized in originating, structuring andexecuting a number of buy and sell-side transactions, primarily in the fields ofmedia, entertainment and advertising. Previously, he worked as an associatedirector for the Moscow office of Altium and later its successor NorthstarCorporate Finance in Russia. Oleg holds an MBA from the Wharton Business Schoolwhere he majored in finance and accounting. Commenting on the appointments, James Cook and John McRoberts, the two ExecutiveDirectors of Aurora Investment Advisors Limited, said: "Both Andrey's and Oleg's experience in finance, the services sectors andoperating in Russia will be invaluable in helping to originate, transact andimprove the management and operations of our investments. They join us at animportant time, when we are in detailed discussions with a number of differentparties, as Aurora Russia looks towards making its first investments. We haveworked with Andrey and Oleg extensively in the past. Their recruitment completesthe team and we are on track to execute the plans that we outlined at the timeof our IPO." Enquiries Aurora Russia LimitedJames Cook, Moscow +7495580 9749John McRoberts, London +44 20 7484 4028 Financial Dynamics +44 20 7831 3113Giles SandersonEd Gascoigne-PeesSvetlana Fedyunin Notes to editors: Aurora Russia Aurora Russia floated on the Alternative Investment Market of the London StockExchange on 24 March 2006. The Company has been established to make equity orequity related investments in small and mid-sized private Russian companiesfocused on the financial, business and consumer services sectors where theDirectors believe there is potential for growth together with viable exitopportunities within two to four years of making such investments. The Companyintends to provide its investee companies with the necessary capital to continueto expand and develop. The Manager, shall provide hands-on operational supportto deliver significant step changes in performance and value creation. Aurora Russia will target companies with Enterprise Values of up toapproximately £100 million and will seek to secure blocking or controllingstakes and board representation. The Company intends generally to take equitystakes of greater than 20% in each portfolio company. It is anticipated thateach equity investment will typically be between £5 million and £25 million. Andrey Gurin Andrey Gurin began his career at GE Medical Systems and quickly progressedthrough a number of finance roles in their Eastern Europe operations to become aManager of Finance for Eastern Europe. In 2001 he was promoted to a Manager ofFinance role for GE Medical Systems Middle East & Africa, based out of Paris. In2003 he moved to GE Oil & Gas Global Headquarters in Italy as a Manager ofFinance for their services operations. He then relocated to Russia in 2004 andworked for GE Consumer Finance Russia as Financial Controller and Treasurer.Andrey holds an MBA from IESE, University of Navarra, Spain with major infinance. He is also a graduate of GE Experienced Financial Leadership Program(EFLP). Oleg Bystranov Oleg Bystranov began his career at Ernst & Young Corporate Finance where headvised small and mid-sized Russian companies. Having moved on to work for ABNAmro Corporate Finance and Delta Private Equity Partners, since 2001 he was anassociate director with the Moscow office of Altium and later its successorNorthstar Corporate Finance. Oleg has been responsible for origination,structuring and execution of a number of buy and sell-side transactions,primarily in the fields of media, entertainment and advertising. Oleg holds anMBA degree from the Wharton Business School where he majored in finance andaccounting and was named to the Director's List for superior academicperformance, and a magna cum laude degree in Operations Research from the StateAcademy of Management, Moscow. Oleg also received his CPA certificate in thestate of Delaware in 1999. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange