Artur Janibekyan

Biography

Born on February 29, 1976 in Yerevan. Graduated from the PhysMath School at Yerevan State University, then from the Yerevan State University majoring in economics.

Professional career

In 2003 created comedy show Comedy Club along with his comedy sketch friends. Comedy Club introduced Russian viewers to comedy. Since 2005 Comedy Club has aired on TNT (a Russian TV channel) till nowadays.

In 2006, Comedy Club entered the top 10 of the most commercially successful Russian projects (ninth place with 3.5 million dollars) according to the Forbes Magazine.

In 2007 founded the multi-functional producer center Comedy Club Production, where he serves as CEO and general producer till nowadays. This year GQ magazine (Russia) named Artur Person of the Year in the 'Producer of the Year' category.

In 2008 – launched 24-hour humor channel Comedy TV.

In November 2009 – opened restaurants called Comedy Café.

Founder and co-owner of 7 Art, the company that produced the popular sitcoms UNI and The Interns currently airing on TNT. Later 7 Arts became a part of Comedy Club Production.

In 2011 the controlling stake of Comedy Club Production was sold to TNT , a popular TV channel in Russia. The stake amounted to 250 million dollars and was a record sale for the Russian TV.

In 2012 – “Media-Manager of Russia 2012” award for 'outstanding achievements in creating brands and TV programs, as well as for the largest business deal in the history of Russian television and content production.’

In 2013, Comedy Club Production took second place in the list of the largest companies producing content for major federal Russian TV channels according to the Forbes Magazine.

On March 30, 2015 the "Gazprom Media Holding" JSC announced about establishment of the entertainment channels sub-holding, which included four terrestrial TV channels: TNT, TV-3, «Friday!» и «2х2», as well as Comedy Club Production and «А Plus production» (former Good Story media). Artur Janibekyan took charge of the sub-holding of entertainment.

In 2015, Artur Janibekyan entered the top 5 best managers in the country in the media business in the annual rating of “TOP-1000 Russian Managers” based on results of expert voting of top managers of the Russian Managers Association (RMA). The rating is published annually in the daily business publication “Kommersant”.

On January 1, 2016, the sub-holding GPM RTV under the guidance of Artur Janibekyan started a new TV channel TNT-4, the viewing grid of which comprises the best library projects of the TV channel TNT from the moment of its broadcasting.

In June 2016, Artur Janibekyan also became the head of the TV channel TNT in the position of the General Director.

On July 7, 2016, Artur Janibekyan became the prize winner of the competent professional award “Media-Manager of Russia 2016”. He got a golden statuette “For establishment and effective management of sub-holding of entertainment TV channels of Joint-Stock Company “Gazprom-Media-Holding”.

In 2016, projects of two TV channels being the part of the sub-holding GPM RTV received 7 statuettes of the major Russian Television Award “TEFI” in the categories “Daily air” and “Evening prime”.

Category “Evening prime”

On July 6, 2017, Artur Janibekyan, General Director of “Gazprom-Media Entertainment Television” and the channel TNT, was awarded the title of laureate of the XVIIth National Award “Media Manager of Russia - 2017” for the third time. The award was received in the category “Federal Media Holdings” for “development and effective management of the sub-holding, for outstanding achievements in creating entertaining and humorous content”.

Personal initiatives and public activity

Co-owner of JAZZVE, a chain of coffee shops in Armenia and Russia.

Artur holds workshops for students of the Skolkovo MBA program; he is also a member of the Snob discussion club.

One of the founders and sponsors of the Ayb Educational Center, the first innovative Armenian educational center comprising a school, a church, a community center and a kindergarten all combining the best traditions of Armenian education and cutting-edge technology in the field of education.

Initiator and sponsor of a project for the erection of two sculptures in Yerevan, Armenia – 'The Life of Eternity' by David Yerevantsi (glorifies two Armenian women who saved the most valuable ancient manuscript, 'Mushsky Izbornik', during the genocide) and the sculpture 'Men' by David Minasyan, inspired by the eponymous film directed by the famous Edmond Keosayan.

In 2013 – lectured on 'Trends in Russian Media' for students at Columbia University.

Founder of the Cultural Renaissance Fund that aims to revive Armenian folk music. Unprecedented work was carried out with the support of the Fund to restore and record and create a digital music library and launch a worldwide portal of Armenian national folk and sacred music www.armenianmusic.am, where you can find a digital music library that includes Armenian folk songs, samples of Armenian medieval music, instrumental music, and Ashik songs (about 600 tracks).

Supporter of the research and educational non-governmental organization, Wikimedia Armenia, to preserve, develop and promote the Armenian language and the intellectual and cultural heritage of Armenia.

Producer and sponsor of the 'The Book' (2013), a documentary film directed by V. Mansky. In 2014 the film was shown during the official program of the documentary film 'Free Thought' at the 36th Moscow International Film Festival.

Being the supporter of the ideas of the Armenian poet, philosopher and theologian St. Grigor Narekatsi (Gregory of Narek); Artur organizes and sponsors all events and activities associated with his name and work in Armenia.

For devotion to spiritual values and holy grounds in 2013 Artur was awarded the highest honor of the Armenian Apostolic Church—the Order of St. Gregory the Illuminator.

In 2016, in Armenia Artur Janibekyan was awarded the first-class medal “For Merit for the Motherland”.

As the founder of the Cultural Renaissance Fund, Artur Janibekyan developed the “Saroyan House” project, within the frames of which the mansion of the American writer and playwright of Armenian origin William Saroyan, located in Fresno, California, will be turned into a museum house. The works will end, and the house-museum will be open for visits in August 2018 - to the 110th anniversary of the birth of the great writer.

The name of Artur Janibekyan, as a name of Armenian who loves the church and the people of the Armenia, is immortalized in a bas-relief in the Cathedral of the Holy Transfiguration of the Lord of the Armenian Apostolic Church in the city of Moscow.

In January 2017 Artur Janibekyan presented to the Cathedral a part of the relics of St. Gregory the Illuminator, acquired at one of the auctions in Paris, where relics of the Armenian culture and unique church ornaments were presented.

In 2017, 120 years after the first edition, one of the most important pearls of Armenian sacred music, the Sacred Liturgy of Makar Yekmalyan, was released in Yerevan. The liturgy, classic of the Armenian sacred music, was reissued with new notes and additions due to the initiative of the “Cultural Renaissance” Foundation and personally its founder Artur Janibekyan.

Projects

He is the producer of the following TV programs:

He is the producer of the following movies:

Family and personal life

His father, Otari Akopyan, was a top-level political party member in Soviet times.
His mother, Ella Akopyan, was a dentist.
His sister, Lilit Akopyan, works in an international organization.
Married to Elina Janibekyan. They have three children: two sons, Narek and Aram, and one daughter, Eva.