RM Equity Partners Splits From Russmedia With Half a Billion Euros in Assets

RM Equity Partners has completed its full independence from Russmedia, the Austrian newspaper publisher that founded it. The three managing partners—Eugen B. Russ, Chris Wittlinger, and Nicola Szekely—along with the broader investment team have acquired complete ownership of the Liechtenstein-based firm, which now operates with no connection to Russmedia in ownership structure, management, or staffing. The transaction marks both a strategic corporate separation and the conclusion of succession planning within the founding Russ family, with media assets remaining under family control while the investment operation charts its own course.

At present, RMEP operates a substantial alternative investment platform managing over €500 million in assets. The firm maintains a portfolio of more than 50 companies collectively employing over 600 people and serving approximately 400 million end-users annually. Notably, 95% of portfolio revenue is derived from markets outside Austria, underscoring the firm's pan-European investment thesis. The firm's deal capacity is substantial: it can deploy more than €100 million annually and execute individual transactions ranging from €150 million in pure equity to €250 million including co-investment and other capital structures.

The separation reflects RMEP's evolution from a corporate venture arm into a standalone institutional investor. The firm was formally established as a separate entity in 2017 (originally branded as Russmedia Equity Partners) but has since developed a sophisticated ticket size and multi-geography footprint. Notable acquisitions include the 2021 purchase of Shpock, a classifieds marketplace that Adevinta was subsequently forced to divest under EU competition remedies; Jobiqo, a Vienna-based job board acquired in 2019; and earlier holdings including rental marketplace Erento and ski-rental platform Alpy. These deals demonstrate a consistent strategy of acquiring and operationally managing profitable niche digital businesses, primarily across European markets.

Unlike traditional private equity fund structures dependent on external capital raises and investor cycles, RMEP operates as an evergreen vehicle investing its own capital without pressure from third-party limited partners. This structure allows the firm to maintain long-term ownership stakes in portfolio companies and pursue buy-and-build strategies without artificial exit timelines, aligning its interests with underlying business performance rather than fund vintage lifecycles. The independent structure and substantial capital base position RMEP to continue its acquisition strategy without the constraints typical of fundraising-dependent investment vehicles.