Childhood and youth of Sergei Vitalievich Kozhevnikov
Kozhevnikov Sergei Vitalievich was born on August 15, 1963 in an ordinary metropolitan family. Mom is the director of a preschool institution, and dad is an employee of the State Planning Committee. Sergei graduated from the capital's school No. 9, where there was an emphasis on history and graphics. There was no difficulty in choosing a future profession. He loved to draw. He had a goal - to learn drawing with the participation of professionals. Therefore, in 1979 he became a student at the Moscow State Art School “In Memory of 1905”. My student days passed quickly. In 1983, on July 3, he defended his graduation project. And four days later he was called upon to repay his debt to his homeland.
Founder of Russian Radio and the Golden Gramophone Award
Army service in the air defense forces lasted until 1985. And in the army he did not abandon his favorite work. He was often asked to draw posters or sign something beautifully. Arriving home, he began his studies at the Moscow State Art and Industrial School. S.G. Stroganov, which graduated in 1990 in the direction of “artist of decorative and applied arts”. From 1992 until the start of his career in the media group, he owned his own gallery, Art Pictures. Despite the fact that Kozhevnikov loved to draw throughout his childhood and youth, and besides, he studied it professionally, he earned a lot of money through a completely different activity.
Sergey Kozhevnikov
Alexander Kozhevnikov: They complained about me. Even Putin
On September 21, the famous forward of the USSR national team Alexander Kozhevnikov celebrates his 60th birthday. The day before, a Soviet Sport columnist talked to him.
About regalia
– I’m most proud of the first of my two Olympic medals. He won it in Sarajevo. I went to Yugoslavia from... the hospital. Viktor Tikhonov needed snipers, and then I scored almost a goal per match. Then our unit, with Vitya Tyumenev and Kolya Drozdetsky, fired. I scored the winning goal against the Czechs in a match comparable to the final. After my click from behind the blue line, the puck ricocheted off the crossbar and the back of goalkeeper Schindel and fluttered into the goal. Then Volodya Krutov finished them off. “It was planned that way,” I now answer jokingly when asked about that goal.
I also went to Calgary from my hospital bed. The knee could no longer hold up, it didn’t even fully straighten. But Tikhonov remembered Sarajevo and invited me to the team, although his assistant Igor Dmitriev was pushing the young Nemchinov. Unfortunately, my leg gave out in Canada and I only played two matches. He went out in a threesome with young Mogilny and Chernykh.
About Spartak
– Since childhood, I dreamed of a diamond, I dreamed of Spartak. But having arrived there from Penza, I wilted. He even went on the run. There were big offers from Dynamo Moscow and Minsk. But with the arrival of Boris Pavlovich Kulagin, everything returned to normal. And I stayed at Spartak. By the way, the brothers Makarov, Larionov, Mylnikov were ready to wear the red and white uniform...
Why then did he go to Krylia Sovetov? Because I didn’t work well with the new coach Mayorov. He considered me a “net” and refused to fulfill the players’ requests. And he led the team in the old way. A walking anachronism.
Dmitriev did not fulfill his promise. Maybe out of jealousy? I pushed someone into the national team, but they took me. I scored and gave away a lot back then.
About the trainers
– My favorite coach is Kulagin. Very strict, but also a psychologist. He came to spend the night with me with a folding bed. So that I don’t lose my temper and don’t break the rules. We talked with him a lot on various topics. This was a turning point in my career.
I also consider Viktor Vasilyevich a great coach. He won so much, turned the tide of unsuccessful matches. He has amazing taste in players. I think I justified his trust.
It’s a pity that Kulagin had to leave Spartak. He died of a stroke almost in oblivion before the Calgary Olympics. Tikhonov did not want to let us go to the funeral. From collection. But Slava Fetisova and I asked for time off and went.
About prickly defenders
– The most disgusting ones are Dynamo players Valery Vasilyev and Sasha Bilyaletdinov. I played with the first one at the 1982 World Championships, where Gretzky came. Valery Ivanovich could make such a tackle that the attacker would have sparks falling from his eyes for a long time. Now, however, these “mills” are prohibited. Bilyaletdinov could easily be split. He caught his opponents and beat them mercilessly.
Slava Fetisov and Lesha Kasatonov were more inclined towards creation. It was easier with them.
It was difficult to score against Tretyak. Somehow in February 1982 I succeeded twice. We were leading 5:0, but in the third period Tretyak caught everything. “Spartak” barely held on to the victory – 5:4.
About the championship
– Why did Spartak push CSKA off the throne? We lacked a goalkeeper like Tretyak. Vitya Doroschenko was a great goalkeeper, calm and stable. But in the derby with the army team he lacked courage and often made mistakes. “We started the derby with 0:1,” we joked about this.
But we constantly beat Dynamo Moscow under Kulagin. I know that Vladimir Yurzinov has not liked us Spartak players for a long time. He said: “This is not the Spartak spirit, but the Spartak scent.”
About children and arenas
– My daughter and son support... CSKA. Do not be surprised. We lived in the same house with the Mikhailovs. So the children became friends. Maria now hardly goes to hockey games - she is raising three kids. And I myself am not a frequent visitor to Spartak. I think it’s better for him to play in Sokolniki. Now they are deciding whether to build an arena there for 15 thousand or not. I don’t like that Spartak now plays at the CSKA Arena. Although we somehow shared the sports palace in Luzhniki with two Moscow clubs. He didn't belong to any of them. For some time we hosted our opponents in the three-thousand-capacity CSKA building on Leningradsky Prospekt. When Luzhniki was preparing for the 1980 Olympics.
On October 2, Spartak will honor me. Come to the match with SKA.
About journalism
“They used to invite me on TV as an expert, but then they started calling me less often. Apparently, he became displeasing to someone. I always answer your colleagues’ questions. I'm telling it like it is. The truth. Tretyak doesn't like this. He often complains about me at the top. And Bykov, at the 2011 World Championships in Bratislava, complained to Putin himself.
I read a lot about myself and heard different, bad things. Like, I’m both an anarchist and a drunkard. Nonsense. I just love freedom. And if I had violated the regime, I would hardly have been on the ice at 60. Many of my comrades are already lying in the ground. Recently, Vitya Tyumenev was buried. A year ago - Sergei Mylnikov.
Yes, on the ice I was an individualist. Unlike, say, our captain Sergei Kapustin. That’s why I didn’t have chemistry with him. But I scored a lot, and not the most logical goals. And with such worn knees.
The beginnings of the career of Sergei Kozhevnikov
CJSC Russian Media Group appeared in 1995 . The well-known radio station “Russian Radio” originates from its origins, the creators of which are young and ambitious guys: Sergei Kozhevnikov, Sergei Arkhipov and Vitaly Bogdanov . Sergei set big goals for himself and took a leading position in this matter. First, the director of public relations, and after a short period of time - the general producer of Russian Radio .
Sergey Kozhevnikov - Russian radio
But he doesn't stop there. A year later, Kozhevnikov creates the famous Golden Gramophone award, where he has been the main producer for nineteen years. In 1998, Sergei Kozhevnikov became a co-owner of Russian Media Group , and three years later he was appointed to the position of general director. In the same year he became one of the owners and creator of Radio Monte Carlo. In 2006, on October 1, Sergei Kozhevnikov created the popular music channel “RU.TV” and is the founder of its award, in which the most outstanding pop artists have been awarded for more than a single season. And already in 2008 he became chairman of the board of the IWG.
Owner of Russian radio
Media career[ | ]
In 1995, together with Sergei Arkhipov and Vitaly Bogdanov, he founded the radio station “Russian Radio”[3]. He took on the post of director of public relations, then general producer.
Since 1996, producer and creator of the Golden Gramophone award[1].
From 1995 to 2001 — producer of the radio station “Russian Radio”, director of CJSC “Russian Media Group”
From 1996 to 2020 - Chief Producer of the Golden Gramophone Award
In 1998, he became a co-owner of Russian Media Group CJSC (now owns 22% of the shares), since September 2001, general director of Russian Media Group CJSC [1] (Russian Radio, Radio Monte Carlo, DFM, Hit FM, Russian News Service, TV channel RU.TV).
In 1998, he was the creator and co-owner of Radio Monte Carlo and the horse racing Grand Prix of Radio Monte Carlo.
Since June 2007 - member of the Board of Directors of the Izvestia newspaper[1].
In 2006 - Founder of the RU.TV TV channel and founder of the RU.TV Award
Since 2008 - General Director, Chairman of the Board of CJSC Russian Media Group.
Since 2020 - co-founder of the summer international music festival "ZHARA" in Baku (Azerbaijan) together with singers Emin Agalarov and Grigory Leps[4]
In October 2020, together with developer Emin Agalarov, he opened the TV Channel “Your House” and the TV Channel “Heat”.[5] At the same time, he is both the general director and producer of two television channels.
Since 2020 - producer of the ZHARA Music Awards.
In October 2020, it became known that Sergei Kozhevnikov transferred his share to Emin Agalarov in their joint project to develop the TV channel “Your Home,” which was his last asset in the media business. According to the media manager, “the prospects for traditional media will only get worse every year. If I ever engage in media, it will be only in projects on the Internet[6].”
Scandal in the media group
In the fall of 2014, music producer Vladimir Kiselev and Chairman of the Board of Directors of RMG Olga Plaksina approached the President with a request to create, on the basis of a few similar TV channels and radio stations of RMG, a place in which inexperienced but already trained singers would be released onto the big stage to create future stars out of them. stage. A kind of production center with the participation of RMG and State Concert. The concert hall at the Spartak sports stadium was suitable for these purposes. The coordinator of the patriotic media holding becomes the FSUE Goskontsert, in which the general director Sergei Bunin is Kiselev’s long-time partner.
Sergei Kozhevnikov is ready to sell his stake in Russian Media Group
In the summer of 2020, a shareholder conflict occurred in the holding due to the RMG FSUE Goskontsert, which had not yet been sold. Sergei Kozhevnikov refuses to sell and create such a holding. His opinion was shared by several other supporters, who subsequently wrote a written appeal to the president, who believed that the price of RMG was 3 times less than the market price. Due to the reluctance to sell the stake to Kozhevnikov’s relatives, threats began to be made more and more often. At that time, the value of the entire holding was estimated at $60 million. On August 3, Sergei Kozhevnikov created an offer to IFD-Capital, offering to buy his share at an acceptable price, but there was no positive response.
Sergey Kozhevnikov
On August 10, Sergei Kozhevnikov was fired at a meeting in absentia, and Sergei Arkhipov, who was also the founder of Russian Radio, was appointed to replace him. But he didn’t last long as CEO. After 8 days he said he was leaving his job. Kozhevnikov believes that he was fired unlawfully, since he was on vacation at that time and could not attend the meeting, and it is impossible to dismiss the director without his presence. He promised that he would challenge this case in court. In April 2020, Sergei Kozhevnikov said that he is not morally tied to the holding. And I am ready to leave the shareholders at any time.
Co-owner of Russian Media Group
Sergei Kozhevnikov: “Mr. Kiselev constantly refers to the first person of the state”
- June 16, when I was informed that there was a decision to sell the share of Capital and offered to sell my share for 1 billion rubles. I said that the figure was underestimated and I was not ready to sell my shares at this price. 1 billion rubles, or approximately $17 million for a 22% stake, is a price based on less than $80 million for the entire company. But when the contract was presented to me, the figure indicated was even lower - 750 million rubles for 22% of the shares. This is about $12 million based on the company’s value of $55 million. It can be compared with recent transactions in the media market: “Road Radio” was sold last year for $60 million and “Chanson” in April of this year, also for $60 million. “Russian Media Group” the scale is much larger than the named stations combined. Therefore, I believe that the price quoted to me is not adequate to the market.
– Do you, as a shareholder, have a pre-emptive right to buy out the other party’s share?
- Undoubtedly. This is all stated in the company's charter. But I did not receive such an offer. Moreover, there was no official notice of the shareholders' decision to sell. Desperate to receive any documents about the impending transaction, I made a counter-offer on August 3 based on the cost that Olga Plaksina (chairman of the board of IFD Kapital and the board of directors of the Russian Media Group - Forbes ) told me. I proposed to buy out Capital’s share at the rate of 33.8 million rubles per share (the authorized capital of Russian Media Group CJSC is divided into 100 shares. - Forbes ). So far I haven't received any response. But through the press, Plaksina commented that I had double standards: I call one figure the market price, and make another offer. To which I answer: I am making you the same offer that you are making to me.
– What price do you consider to be the market price? General Director of State Concert Sergei Bunin said in an interview with Vedomosti that VTB valued RMG at 6-7 billion rubles.
– VTB only evaluates cash flows, it does not evaluate the value of brands. But take away the broadcasting base and leave me the name “Russian Radio” - I will leave only with a sign and I will be able to launch the station again. I believe that a fair price for RMG, taking into account the value of brands, is about 10 billion rubles. Moreover, this is an estimate given the current low market.
– In an interview with RBC, Olga Plaksina said that you were aware of the negotiations with Gosconcert and had full information about all the proposals.
- It is not true. Moreover, rumors circulated around the market and throughout the year I asked Plaksin whether a sale of the company was planned. To which I was told every time that no, there are no negotiations on the sale. Only in July, thanks to the Vedomosti newspaper, I saw a scan of a document dated October last year, on which Plaksina signed. Nine months ago, she, together with Kiselev, initiated this whole story with the creation of a new media holding based on RMG, was a participant in the process, while keeping me in the dark as the general director, member of the board of directors and shareholder. If there had been a normal market conversation, I would have joined in, and I think we would have found a mutually acceptable solution to the issue. I want the situation to not feel like a one-way street. We must hear each other. Unfortunately, there is no dialogue yet.
– If there was a dialogue and you were heard, where would you get the funds to buy out Capital’s share?
– I think I would have found a sufficient number of like-minded people who could provide the necessary financial support.
– One of the justifications for your resignation was a violation of labor discipline: you went on vacation without leaving a deputy in your place...
– For fourteen years, as the CEO, I have been going on vacation and notifying the board of directors about it in advance. And all these years, the question never arose as to why and how I went on vacation. It only arose when I refused to sell my shares at a low price. Half of our management is currently on vacation. All RMG shareholders are on vacation. Plaksina herself is now vacationing in Sardinia. A measure such as an emergency convening of the board of directors and changing the general director - I would say this is a form of pressure on me. There is no other explanation.
– It was also said that cases of corruption were revealed in RMG, episodes of the director general using his official position and the organization’s funds for personal interests...
– If such serious violations had been revealed, then, probably, I would not have been reappointed as general director (June 15, 2015 at the general meeting of shareholders of the Russian Media Group. - Forbes ). Second: it is unlikely that the general director and all top management would have been paid annual bonuses, a record in the entire history of RMG, in the amount of several tens of millions of rubles. All these decisions were made after the April internal audit. And three months later it suddenly turns out that I am a corrupt official. Although this whole situation was outlined to me on June 16 when they offered to sell the shares at a low price: if I don’t go through with the deal, then in the future I will be removed as general director, the opening of a criminal case and other horrors. All these hints of corruption with references to some abstract artists... Many respected artists and production centers can confirm that in 20 years of communication with Russian Radio, money as a means of getting on air has never figured in our relations. Therefore, if there are any significant letters, then this, unfortunately, is similar to the style of work of Mr. Kiselev. Let me draw your attention to one more thing. Kapital positions itself as an investment company. But it is probably stupid to make the last purchase of RMG shares based on the value of the holding at $300 million, and sell at a rate four times lower (in 2008, structures controlled by IFD Kapital bought 39% of RMG shares from its co-founder Vitaly Bogdanov, transaction was based on an estimate of the value of the entire group at $300 million - Forbes ). Usually this is done when you urgently need to get out of business or there are some problems with the company. But RMG is doing fine, and there is no objective need to sell at such a discount. What a subjective situation it is, it’s hard for me to judge. I don’t know for sure what’s in the heads of Plaksina and Kiselyov.
– Is it true that you are involved in the appeal of music producers and artists to Vladimir Putin with a request to prevent the sale of RMG?
- No, that's not true. I was not the initiator of this letter. But, of course, I knew that the artists were preparing such a letter. The fact is that Kiselev (officially he denies his involvement in the State Concert, although the Federal State Unitary Enterprise is actually run by his partner) in all private conversations began to spread his fingers like a fan and say that all the artists will now be at his fingertips. This scared the artists. And since Mr. Kiselev constantly refers to the first person of the state in all his actions, the artists turned specifically to the first person (the Federation Foundation became famous for the fact that Vladimir Putin sang and played the piano at its first charity concert in 2010. - Forbes ) .
– Why do you think the idea of creating a patriotic music holding arose? RMG radio stations have never demonstrated any opposition. The artists whose songs you included in the rotation did not show in any way that they were not patriotic...
– Unfortunately, the most terrible thing in this whole story is the use of such a wonderful concept as patriotism for selfish personal purposes. “Russian Media Group” was initially built as a patriotic, nationally oriented holding – both mentally and musically. When there were military operations in the Caucasus, Tajikistan, and Kosovo, we, on our own initiative, traveled to hot spots with concert teams. We were not allocated a penny from the state budget for this. And now some, under the beautiful guise of patriotism, hide their desire to receive financial subsidies, sit on the state budget and extract money from it. This is my opinion why what is done is done. Another cover up for their insolvency with beautiful slogans.
– You know Leonid Fedun, the head of the board of directors of Capital?
- Yes, sure.
– Have you tried to contact him directly and discuss the current situation?
– He is currently on vacation. The last time I spoke to him was at the end of June on the phone. I hope he returns from vacation and I return from vacation, we will meet and talk. We communicated well for many years. It seems to me that he was simply misled about my interests and intentions... Any war ends with a peace treaty. The sooner we all sit down at the negotiating table and discuss the issues that have arisen, the better it will be.
Personal life
Sergei Kozhevnikov is considered by many to be a very successful man. After all, he not only built a successful business from scratch, but also created his own strong unit of society. His wife Ekaterina Vladimirovna Kozhevnikova was a model before the birth of children and did not miss a single fashion party, which is why they are now at all social events together. They are always smiling, friendly and try not to deprive anyone of attention. Sergei, despite his busy schedule, is a very decent and decent family man and spends all his free time with his family. After all, he believes that happiness does not lie in money, but in having close people nearby. His long-legged, beautiful wife gave him four lovely children: Timofey (1997), Fedor (1999), Tatyana (2003), Elizaveta (2010).
Philip Kirkorov , Sergei Kozhevnikov with his wife
On weekends they go to the cinema, shops or cafes. They often go on vacation to the seashore. After all, one of the favorite hobbies of the father of the family is diving, which he has been into since the 90s. While the head of the family is actively studying marine life under water, Ekaterina Kozhevnikova is relaxing on the beach with her children. Everyone will envy such a family, because they have peace and love. And the media never came across information about the couple’s disagreements, and several tens of thousands of people follow their life on the social network Instagram. Sergei Kozhevnikov often posts photos with his children and wife. Even now the couple looks at each other with tenderness and love. And the children delight us with their successes.
Sergei Kozhevnikov with his wife
Kozhevnikov now
Sergey Kozhevnikov owns a 22% stake in Russian Media Group CJSC . But this is not his main income. Despite the tragic dismissal from the IWG, Sergei Kozhevnikov did not give up and continued to act. In 2020, he, together with famous musical performers Grigory Leps and Emin Agalarov , are co-founders of the summer international music festival “ZHARA”, which takes place in Baku in the warm country of Azerbaijan. Probably, the climate of this country influenced the name of the festival. With the latter, he opened the TV channel “Your House” and “Heat” in October 2016, where Sergei Kozhevnikov is both general director and producer. Since 2020, another producing project has been added. This is the ZHARA Music Awards. But Sergei also found himself in another area. Since 2014, together with Leps, they own the Leps bar and the Ginza store. He is also a co-owner of the popular restaurant Forte Bello. In addition, he still remains a caring father and loving husband.
Shareholder of RMG Sergey Kozhevnikov
Moscow State University of Arts and Industry named after. S. G. Stroganov, specialty: artist of decorative and applied arts; Candidate of Legal Sciences.
