Submitted on Wed, 06/15/2011 - 05:52
On 13 June 2011, AmBAR hosted a meeting with top managers of Russia's largest internet search company Yandex. Just a month before, Yandex IPO on NASDAQ set a record for the largest public offering for an internet company since Google, raising $1.3 billion and beating the expectations by 19 per cent. Hence, the AmBAR meeting posed a logical question: Yandex: The Biggest IPO for an Internet Company Since Google. What's Next? Yandex was represented by co-founder and Chief Technology Officer Ilya Segalovich, Yandex Labs Chief Executive Officer Anya Barski, and Chief Technology Officer Arkady Borkovsky. Around 200 people packed a spacious ballroom of the Four Seasons Hotel in East Palo Alto, CA. After the opening presentation on the Yandex IPO strategy and implementation, moderators Anya Barski and AmBAR's Leonid Litvak steered the discussion to focus on the company's prospects. Members of the audience formed a long queue to the mike for an opportunity to get a first-hand perspective on Yandex future strategy and specific directions. The meeting ended with a wine-and-cheese reception that provided more opportunities for making business contacts or relaxed socializing. AmBAR has a long-standing Yandex connection: from as early as 2005, Yandex sponsored AmBAR's annual Silicon Valley Open Doors (SVOD) conference and other projects. In the words of AmBAR's Leonid Litvak, AmBAR values its partnership with Yandex and intends to keep it strong. At the June 13 meeting, Anya Barski of Yandex thanked AmBAR for keeping Yandex engaged with the professional community.