FIPP remembers visionary media magnate Derk Sauer

Tributes have been pouring in for media pioneer Derk Sauer, who recently died at the age of 72 from injuries he sustained in a sailing accident off the Greek island of Corfu.

Described by The New York Times as a “champion of free press in a new Russia”, the Dutch-born entrepreneur had an extraordinarily influential career. After moving to Russia in the late 1980s, he would go on to launch The Moscow Times as well as Vedomosti, the first Western-style business daily in Russia, and Russian versions of iconic magazines like Cosmopolitan, Esquire, Harper’s Bazaar and Playboy.

This week, Yulia Boyle, FIPP Chair, added her voice to the tributes for Sauer.

“Derk was a legend. When a classmate brought a few issues of The Moscow Times – Russia’s first truly independent English-language daily – into our Yerevan (Armenia) classroom in my last year of high school, I witnessed principled, rigorous reporting. Something we’ve never seen growing up amid the post-Soviet upheaval,” she said.

“He introduced a parade of trusted media brands into Russia and embedded the values of credible journalism. At Independent Media he hired, mentored, and championed remarkable talent, who adored him. Many continue to advance his vision of free press around the world. Working with Independent Media and his team to launch National Geographic in Russia was a privilege for me and a masterclass in integrity. We mourn a visionary person, publisher and celebrate the freedom he helped ignite.”

Alastair Lewis, FIPP CEO added: “For 100 years, FIPP has been central to international licensing and partnerships that see media brands cross borders and grow outside of their ‘home’ markets. What Derk achieved in his incredible career is remarkable and impressive,” he said.

“I know he has many friends, colleagues and partners amongst the FIPP Community, and the legacy he leaves our industry can be found now in a wide range of businesses right across the world.  We send our heartfelt condolences to his family and loved ones following the tragic news of his passing.”

Born in Amsterdam, Sauer went from an activist to a journalist reporting from conflict zones around the world, including Northern Ireland and Cambodia. He moved to Moscow in 1989, during the twilight years of the Soviet Union after accepting an invitation from Dutch media company VNU to launch Moscow Magazine, the first glossy in Russia.

While Moscow Magazine never got off the ground, Sauer stayed in Russia and, in 1992, launched The Moscow Times – an English-language daily for the growing expat community in post-Soviet Russia that became a trusted independent source of news for millions of readers.

Sauer and business partner Annemarie van Gaal also founded Independent Media in 1992, which published Russian editions of Cosmopolitan, Playboy, FHM, Harper’s Bazaar, Good Housekeeping, Esquire and Men’s Health.

And seven years later Sauer co-founded Vedomosti, one of Russia’s leading business newspapers, as a joint venture with the Financial Times and The Wall Street Journal.

Sauer was married to journalist Ellen Verbeek and had three children. In a post on X, his son, The Guardian journalist Pjotr Sauer, wrote: “Our father, Derk Sauer, has passed away. It’s an immeasurable loss, and no words can truly capture what a remarkable father and husband he was. He dedicated his life to defending independent Russian media. In his final days, he asked that people continue to support the free press.”