Natura Siberica co-founder Irina Trubnikova (the first wife of the cosmetics giant’s late founder, Andrey Trubnikov) has regained control of the company’s property, The Bell reported on Monday, August 30.
This comes amid an ongoing corporate conflict over control of Natura Siberica, which began after Andrey Trubnikov’s death in January 2021.
According to The Bell, Trubnikova has been appointed as custodian of Natura Siberica’s assets that were arrested in connection with a lawsuit over a fire at one of the company’s production sites.
The company’s current head Sergey Buylov — who is also vying for control over Natura Siberica, despite massive backlash from employees loyal to Irina Trubnikova — said that Trubnikova’s representatives had cordoned off the company’s main factory, preventing employees from going inside. “Production has been stopped. The company is suffering losses,” Buylov told The Bell.
In turn, Trubnikova’s representatives assured The Bell that production will resume on Tuesday, August 31, after an inventory of the property is completed.
The death of Natura Siberica founder Andrey Trubnikov in January 2021 triggered a corporate conflict as his relatives were unable to agree on how to divide up the company’s shares and manage the brand moving forward.
In mid-August, Natura Siberica employees released a statement alleging that the company’s new leadership was attempting a raider takeover. The next day, employees picketed outside of Natura Siberica’s Moscow office, protesting Sergey Byulov’s appointment as head of the firm. On August 20, reports emerged that more than 100 employees planned to resign unless the corporate conflict was resolved in Irina Trubnikova’s favor.
