RBK Group
RBK Group, also known as RosBusinessConsulting or RBC Group, is a Russian media and information-services holding company headquartered in Moscow.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
RBK Group, also known as RosBusinessConsulting or RBC Group, is a Russian media and information-services holding company established in 1993 and headquartered in Moscow. Its best-known business is the RBC media operation, centered on the rbc.ru news and business-information portal. Over time, the group has combined editorial media, paid business information, events, financial information, digital infrastructure, and selected consumer internet assets. The group’s media portfolio has included the RBC news website, the RBK Daily business newspaper, the RBC business magazine, and RBC TV. It has also operated specialist editorial products covering real estate, automobiles, finance and investing, sport, lifestyle, and economic and social trends. Regional versions of the RBC portal have been launched through a combination of company-operated and franchise arrangements, allowing the national news service to distribute local reporting while selling regional advertising under RBC standards. RBK has also developed business-to-business services. These have included market research, conferences, the paid RBC Pro information platform, Public.ru media monitoring and analysis, and the National Credit Ratings agency. The group has used both advertising-supported and subscription or paid-access models, with the balance between these activities changing as its corporate structure evolved. A second major area was digital infrastructure. Through Hosting Community and later Ru-Center Group, RBK consolidated hosting providers and domain-registration businesses. Its 2011 acquisition of Ru-Center strengthened its position in the Russian domain and hosting markets. In September 2021, RBK sold all shares of Ru-Center Group to Ru-Web.Investments, an investor syndicate led by Proxima Capital Group, while receiving a 25 percent interest in the acquiring entity. The group has been especially notable for investigative and politically sensitive journalism. Reporting concerning alleged corruption, abuse of power, the Panama Papers, and properties associated with Vladimir Putin generated significant public and political pressure. In 2016, the organization experienced a major editorial leadership change after searches at ONEKSIM Group and controversy surrounding RBC publications. Editor-in-chief Yelizaveta Osetinskaya, website editor Roman Badanin, and newspaper editor Maxim Solus left their positions. The episode became one of the defining events in the modern history of Russian business media. RBK has also faced litigation and editorial controversies. Rosneft sued the group over reporting concerning the state oil company and later brought another claim connected with a 2020 article. The group has participated in industry-wide editorial solidarity campaigns, including the 2019 “I/We Ivan Golunov” front-page action with Kommersant and Vedomosti. In addition to media, RBK has supported the RBK Award and has owned or developed non-core assets such as the LovePlanet.ru dating service. Its present structure is described in the supplied reference as consisting broadly of media and information services, digital infrastructure, and secondary assets.
History
RBK Group was established in 1993 as RosBusinessConsulting and developed into a Russian business-information and media holding. Its core operation became a national business news service, combining a web portal, newspaper, magazine, and television channel. The group later expanded into specialist digital publishing, professional information services, events, hosting, domain registration, and consumer internet businesses. A significant stage of expansion began with the formation of Hosting Community in 2007. The company consolidated several hosting and registration businesses, including Hosting Center, SpaceWeb, PeterHost, Garant Park Telecom, and Centrohost. RBK acquired Ru-Center in 2011, strengthening its position in domain registration and hosting. Following the acquisition of Reggae Business in 2013, the infrastructure division represented a substantial share of several Russian domain zones and became a major participant in the national hosting market. In 2014, Hosting Community adopted the Ru-Center Group name for greater recognition among consumer customers. RBK reorganized its assets into five broad segments in 2015: advertising-based business-to-consumer information and services; paid business-to-business information and services; business infrastructure; the RBK Award activity; and secondary assets. The media segment included rbc.ru, RBC Daily, RBC magazine, RBC TV, and specialist products such as RBC Real Estate, AutoNews, RBC Style, RBC Sport, RBC Quote, and RBC Trends. The professional-services segment included research, conferences, Public.ru, RBC Pro, and, from 2019, National Credit Ratings. In 2020, the group’s structure was simplified into media and information services, digital infrastructure, and secondary assets. The group’s editorial reputation was shaped by investigative reporting. RBC published material about corruption, official power, the Panama Papers, Vladimir Putin’s family, and the property commonly referred to as “Putin’s Palace.” Searches at ONEKSIM Group in April 2016 were followed by intense scrutiny of RBK and a leadership shake-up. Mikhail Prokhorov had held a majority stake since acquiring 51 percent in 2009. In May 2016, editor Maxim Solus was dismissed, while Roman Badanin and Yelizaveta Osetinskaya resigned. The episode illustrated the political and commercial risks facing independent Russian business media. RBK also encountered questions about editorial independence after correspondence published by Anonymous International appeared to show contact between state officials and RBK executives and journalists. RBK’s chief executive Nikolai Molibog said he had communicated with the presidential administration to explain changes at the company, while denying that the administration controlled its publications. The company announced an internal review concerning alleged breaches of editorial rules. Litigation became another recurring feature of RBK’s history. Rosneft sued over a 2016 article about Igor Sechin and the company’s relationship with BP. A first-instance court ordered a correction and reduced damages; an appellate court later removed the damages award but retained the correction requirement. RBK and Rosneft reached a settlement in 2017. In 2020, Rosneft filed another large damages claim over reporting related to a former Venezuelan project. RBK expanded its regional publishing footprint from 2012, initially with a St Petersburg edition and later through franchises. Franchisees used the federal news feed alongside local material and sold regional advertising under RBC’s editorial and brand standards. The group also developed finance and investment products, including the 2019 relaunch of RBC Quote as RBC Investments in partnership with VTB. National Credit Ratings received Central Bank accreditation in 2019, and RBK acquired a minority interest in Scoring Technologies in 2020 for its counterparty-verification service. In September 2021, RBK disposed of Ru-Center Group, transferring the infrastructure asset to Ru-Web.Investments and retaining an indirect economic interest through a 25 percent stake in the buyer. The company’s portfolio has also included LovePlanet.ru, acquired in 2007, and the CNews technology publication, which was sold in 2018. In 2019, The Guardian described RBK among Russia’s respected newspapers alongside Kommersant and Vedomosti. The supplied sources do not establish a complete current ownership, executive, or operating-status picture beyond the continuing description of RBK as a media group.
- 2021
Ru-Center Group sold
[1]RBK sold the infrastructure subsidiary and received a 25 percent stake in the acquiring investment company.
- 2019
National Credit Ratings accredited
[1]RBK’s credit-rating subsidiary received accreditation from the Central Bank of Russia.
- 2016
Editorial leadership crisis
[1]Political pressure surrounding investigative reporting was followed by the dismissal and resignations of senior editorial figures.
- 2012
Regional expansion begins
[1]RBK launched regional versions of its news portal, beginning with St Petersburg.
- 2011
Ru-Center acquired
[1]The group acquired domain registrar and hosting company Ru-Center.
- 2009
Mikhail Prokhorov acquires majority stake
[1]Prokhorov acquired a 51 percent stake in the group.
- 2007
Hosting Community formed
[1]RBK consolidated several hosting and domain-related businesses into Hosting Community.
- 1993
RBK established
[1]RosBusinessConsulting was established in Russia and later developed into the RBK Group media holding.
Products and positioning
A Russian business-media and information-services group combining advertising-supported journalism, paid professional information, digital infrastructure, and selected consumer internet assets.
News portal
rbc.ru
RBK’s principal digital news and business-information portal, carrying national reporting and specialist coverage. Regional versions extend the service with locally produced content and franchise distribution.
Business television
RBC TV
A television operation focused on business, economics, finance, markets, and current affairs, forming part of the group’s integrated media portfolio.
Paid business information
RBC Pro
A professional information and analysis service offering paid access to selected RBC content and business-oriented materials.
Credit-rating agency · 2019
National Credit Ratings
A Russian credit-rating agency established by RBK in 2019 and led initially by Kirill Lukashuk, formerly associated with ACRA. It received Central Bank accreditation in 2019.
Hosting and domain registration · 2011
Ru-Center Group
RBK’s digital-infrastructure holding, built through the consolidation of hosting providers and the acquisition of Ru-Center. RBK sold the group in 2021.
Online dating · 2007
LovePlanet.ru
A consumer dating service acquired by RBK during its growth period in 2007. Although considered non-core, it was retained because it remained profitable.
Controversies
2018
Duma Ethics Commission dispute
RBK withdrew journalists from the State Duma after its ethics commission found no evidence of sexual harassment allegations involving Leonid Slutsky, a conclusion the newsroom opposed.
2016
Political pressure and 2016 editorial purge
After investigative reports concerning Putin’s family, the Panama Papers, and the property known as Putin’s Palace, searches at ONEKSIM Group were followed by the dismissal or resignation of senior RBK editors.
2015
Published correspondence and editorial-independence controversy
Correspondence released by Anonymous International indicated contact between presidential-administration employee Timur Prokopenko and RBK figures. RBK announced an internal review after allegations that editorial material had been improperly influenced.
Marketing campaigns
- 2019I/We Ivan Golunov
Russia
RBK, Kommersant, and Vedomosti coordinated front pages and issued a joint statement supporting Meduza journalist Ivan Golunov after his arrest. The campaign became a prominent symbol of solidarity among Russian journalists.
Outcome. Golunov was released, and the slogan continued to be used as a broader expression of opposition to perceived injustice.
Brand decisions
2021
Ru-Center Group divestmentM&ABackground
RBK decided to separate its hosting and domain-registration infrastructure business from the main holding.
Action taken
It sold 100 percent of Ru-Center Group to Ru-Web.Investments and received a 25 percent stake in the buyer.
Aftermath
Digital infrastructure became indirectly represented through RBK’s minority interest rather than direct ownership of Ru-Center Group.
2019
RBC Quote relaunched as RBC InvestmentsProduct launchBackground
RBK expanded its finance coverage and investor services.
Action taken
The service was relaunched in partnership with VTB Bank as a finance-media and securities-investment platform.
Aftermath
The product became part of RBK’s finance-focused media and services portfolio.
2016
Rosneft litigation responseOtherBackground
Rosneft challenged RBC reporting about Igor Sechin, BP, and the privatization of Rosneft shares.
Action taken
RBK contested the claim and appealed the first-instance judgment requiring a correction and awarding damages.
Aftermath
The appellate court removed the damages award but retained the correction requirement; the parties later reached a settlement.
2015
Five-segment operating structure introducedStrategyBackground
RBK sought to distinguish advertising media, paid business information, infrastructure, awards, and non-core consumer assets.
Action taken
The holding organized its activities into five business segments.
Aftermath
The structure was later simplified into media and information services, digital infrastructure, and secondary assets.
Recent events
- 2021
Sale of Ru-Center Group[1]
M&A
RBK sold Ru-Center Group to Ru-Web.Investments while obtaining a 25 percent interest in the acquiring company.
- 2021
RBK Group sells Ru-Center Group[1]
M&A
RBK Group sold all shares of Ru-Center Group to Ru-Web.Investments, an investor vehicle led by Proxima Capital Group, while receiving a 25 percent interest in the acquiring company.
- 2019
RBK, Kommersant and Vedomosti support Ivan Golunov[1]
Campaign
The three newspapers used coordinated front pages and a joint statement supporting Meduza journalist Ivan Golunov after his arrest.
- 2019
RBC joins solidarity campaign for journalist Ivan Golunov[1]
Campaign
RBC, Kommersant, and Vedomosti published coordinated front pages supporting Meduza journalist Ivan Golunov after his arrest, using a shared visual message that became a prominent symbol of press solidarity in Russia.
- 2019
RBC creates National Credit Ratings[1]
Product launch · Regulation
RBK established the National Credit Ratings agency, which later received accreditation from the Central Bank of Russia and became one of the agencies authorized to assign official credit ratings.
Sources1 sources
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