Former Russian subsidiary of British American Tobacco changes name as part of rebranding

ST. PETERSBURG. Oct 13 (Interfax) - Tobacco group ITMS, whose main legal entity is JSC ITMS, formerly JSC BAT SPB, the former Russian subsidiary of the British American Tobacco (BAT) concern, has announced plans to rebrand and change its name to Building the Future of Tobacco (BFT), the group's press service reported.

It said that the new BFT brand would reflect the group's future development strategy - developing a legal and revenue generating industry, as well as investing in the production of tobacco products for global and Russian brands.

As reported, BAT made a deal to sell its business in Russia - JSC BAT SPB and JSC International Tobacco Marketing Services - and in Belarus in September 2023, to a consortium run by local management. As of late September 2023, JSC ITMS has been owned by UAE company BFI Holding. Until April 2025, BFI Holding was also the direct owner of JSC International Tobacco Marketing Services. Then, JSC International Tobacco Marketing Services Trading Company, registered in the Moscow region in October 2024, purchased a 51% share of the joint-stock company, with the remaining 49% directly owned by BFI Holding.

According to an explanatory note accompanying the 2025 financial report of JSC ITMS, the measures taken to identify beneficiary owners on December 31, 2023 showed Andrei Osavolyuk and Sergei Kudinov to be beneficiary owners. As of January 2, 2024, Alexander Tobak is the beneficiary owner of the company. The note says that JSC International Tobacco Marketing Services, controlled by the same individual as ITMS, accounts for most of the company's sales.