OREANDA-NEWS. On 1 February 2008 was announced, that entities controlled by OAO RTM’s General Director Eduard Vyrypaev acquired a 35.7% stake in OAO RTM that had previously been held by entities controlled by Georgy Trefilov, the President of MARTA Holding and the Chairman of the Board of Directors of OAO RTM. Thereby, Eduard Vyrypaev has consolidated 71.4% of OAO RTM’s shares. The remaining 28.6% shares were floated during the IPO in May 2007.

OAO RTM’s General Director Eduard Vyrypaev said — “We have a responsibility to our investors and partners, and to be able to keep growing our business and implement major new projects we, and this includes controlling stakeholders, need to focus all of our resources exclusively on the development business and Company’s growth. This was achieved through this stock consolidation.“

“Georgy Trefilov significantly contributed to the Company“, stressed Eduard Vyrypaev. “Setting up and steering OAO RTM to maturity would not be possible without him. Georgy Trefilov tendered his resignation as Chairman of OAO RTM’s Board of Directors.. Under no circumstances the current changes in our shareholding structure are going to affect our corporate governance. As for electing a new Chairman of the Board, the nomination is going to be discussed at the next Board meeting and we expect this to be an independent director.“

“As before, OAO RTM is adamant about meeting its commitments to the shareholders and partners going ahead with the implementation of its current projects and with the expansion of its regional presence. 2008 will see the launch of our fundamentally new development projects which will allow us to diversify our business by complementing our existing portfolio with commercial, hotel and residential real estate projects in Russia’s regions. We are confident that this strategy will be conducive to maintaining our long-term relations with our existing tenants as well as to bringing in new partners".

Eduard Vyrypaev noted that, during the upcoming offering, the companies under his control that hold OAO RTM shares are fully intent on exercising their preemptive right in proportion to the size of their respective stakes.