Google acquires Russian ad company

Last Friday, according to Information Week, Google is trying to acquire ZAO Begun, a Russian contextual advertising company, for $140 million. The two parties had reached an agreement with Rambler Media to acquire ZAO Begun. Begun is currently owned by Rambler Media, one of the largest Internet portals in Russia. The deal will give Google a potential growth in the Russian market, connecting it to a larger network of both advertisers and publishers. With this acquisition, Google target is to provide advertisers with a broader network of sites on which to place ads.
“Google is very committed to giving Russian users, advertisers, and partners the best possible service and experience,” Mohammad Gawdat, Google’s managing director of emerging markets, said in a statement. “This agreement will result in better search results and more relevant advertising for our Russian users and publishers.” Google’s purchase of Begun represents an effort to challenge Yandex’s lead in the Russian search market.