Developing an IR and PR Strategy to Prepare a Russian E-Commerce Company for IPO

In the current conditions of Russian companies entering the public capital markets, the development of effective strategies of interaction with investors and the public becomes critically important. This thesis is devoted to the development of IR & PR strategy to prepare Master Sklad for the initial public offering (IPO) on the Moscow Exchange. The purpose of this work is to create a detailed communication strategy that will ensure the success of the IPO, strengthen the company's position in the market and increase its investment attractiveness. To achieve this goal, the following analyses have been carried out: a detailed analysis of the company's internal and external environment, including key operating indicators, financial results, competitive advantages and strategic directions of development. The Russian DIY and online sales market was also analysed, as well as an assessment of the Russian IPO market, which allowed to identify the key prerequisites for the company's IPO and identify the main communication challenges. The second chapter considers the theoretical foundations and practical aspects of IPOs, examining the stages of IPOs and factors of successful IPOs according to the Moscow Exchange. IR & PR strategies of similar companies in e-commerce and technology platforms were benchmarked, which allowed proving that positioning the company as a technology company will give it a higher valuation and higher multiples. The third chapter focuses on the development and detailing of an IR & PR strategy for Master Warehouse. It includes analysing the media field, developing a crisis communications plan, creating solutions for the identified communication challenges, organising interaction between the members of the working group, creating channels for IR&PR activities and building a roadmap for IPO preparation. An important part of the strategy was positioning the company as a technology platform and e-commerce, which contributes to a higher valuation. The result of the work is a full-fledged IR & PR strategy, contributing to the successful entry of Master Warehouse into the public market, strengthening its position and increasing its investment attractiveness.