Azerbaijani businessman loses control of Sheremetyevo duty free chain

 Azerbaijani entrepreneur Araz Mehdiyev is no longer the owner of the largest duty free retail operator at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport, RBC reported.

Since Aug. 25, the new owner of the chain has been Vitaly Bavin, who has served as the company’s CEO for the past two years.

Little is known about Mehdiyev, who was previously a partner in several projects of the Kievskaya Ploshchad group, Russia’s largest rental property owner. In 2024, he also bought out stakes from Germany’s Gebr. Heinemann in companies operating duty free stores at both Domodedovo and Sheremetyevo airports.