Infront X, the digital products and experiences subsidiary of the international sports marketing agency, has today (April 1) announced that it is closing down its operations in Russia.
The move is in response to sanctions placed on the country as a result of its ongoing invasion of Ukraine, which began in late February.
It will see Infront X wind down its team of 50 staff in St Petersburg, which provides services to customers outside Russia.
In announcing the decision, Infront X said that demand from international customers for services provided from within the country had “come to a standstill.”
The closure is expected to be completed by the end of May.
Philip Sharpe, managing director and chief operating office of Infront X, said: “The current circumstances caused by Russia's war against Ukraine make it impossible to operate our dedicated office in St. Petersburg. We very much regret this step as it impacts a long-standing and loyal team of experts.
“We are now in the process of offering opportunities to relocate and to work from elsewhere to as many of our 50 staff members in Russia as possible. I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank those colleagues that we must let go for their contribution to Infront X's business success and wish them all the very best for the future.
“We have ensured that we maintain services for our international customers through resources outside of Russia at the highest quality levels.”
Infront X was launched in April last year after the operations of digital media subsidiary iX.co and tech research and development division Infront Lab were merged.
It was announced in January that the firm’s chief executive Christian Mueller was to step down, with his last day having been slated as yesterday (March 31).
Infront X has worked with golf's PGA Tour on a shot tracking app for fans, with Verizon on 5G connectivity in stadiums, on a digital hub for esports organization Activision Blizzard, and on a community app for fans of English soccer's Chelsea FC, among other projects.
