About

Black Ocean uniquely combines entrepreneurship, incubation, venture capital and investment banking practices with operations and active management. We take a comprehensive approach to execution and value creation across all that we do.

Through our incubator, we turn smart ideas into successful businesses.
Through our strategic holding division, we actively manage these businesses to offer complementary technologies and platforms for the marketplace.

From our head office in New York, we operate businesses throughout North America,
Europe and Asia, currently focused on video, social, mobile and e-commerce technologies and platforms.

Experienced business leaders partnered with smart and driven entrepreneurs

Leading the way is an experienced operational team with a proven track record founding, operating and exiting businesses that have changed the way sectors operate.

The team works with our incubator and holding division and sits across the ventures in which we invest, helping ensure the success of each business.

Our leadership has also developed a network of trusted and influential advisors, who are considered industry leaders and regularly bring to bear their expertise and influence to create game-changing opportunities for our businesses.

Timur Sardarov

Timur Sardarov is an international entrepreneur. In 2005, he co-founded Ocean Group, a private holding company that builds businesses in high-growth industries to create long-term value. He continues to serve as the company’s chairman. He is also co-founder and chairman of Black Ocean, Ocean Group’s digital media company that invests in, builds and operates technology businesses around the world.

Mr. Sardarov drives strategy for Ocean Group and works closely with Black Ocean companies focused on video, social, mobile and e-commerce technologies. Currently, he specializes in international privacy and serves as acting CEO of MyCube, a Black Ocean company. MyCube is the social exchange that enables users to own, control and monetize the content they create online.

Mr. Sardarov founded Ocean Sky, a charter airline company that is currently one of the largest private jet companies in Europe, with aircraft and airport terminals across the UK, Italy and Spain. He holds the title of chairman of Ocean Sky. He got his start in aviation with the creation of Ocean Airlines, an Italian cargo fleet, which he sold in 2005.

Mr. Sardarov was born in Moscow and graduated from Moscow State University, where he majored in economics. Fluent in three languages, he divides his time amongst Ocean Group's global businesses in the UK, Singapore, Moscow and New York City.

Oliver Ripley

Oliver Ripley is an international entrepreneur. He co-founded Ocean Group, a private holding company that builds businesses in high-growth industries to create long-term value, and continues to serves as the company’s CEO. He is also co-founder and CEO of Black Ocean, Ocean Group’s digital media company that invests in, builds and operates technology businesses around the world.

At Black Ocean, Mr. Ripley drives strategy and international expansion for the company’s holding division and incubator. He provides operational guidance and brings opportunities to Black Ocean’s individual companies, helping them create long-term value for their leadership and the marketplace. Currently, these companies focus on video, social, mobile, and e-commerce technologies.

At Ocean Group, Mr. Ripley oversaw the growth of Ocean Group’s real estate portfolio in Europe and Russia; founded its private equity fund division, Kronos Capital; and built the group's agricultural business in Southern Russia. Mr. Ripley also helped build Ocean Sky into one of Europe’s largest private jet companies that operates aircraft and owns airport terminals across the UK, Italy and Spain.

Prior to Ocean Group, Mr. Ripley worked in real estate, commodity trading, and the oil industry at companies including the Athena Group, GEMS, Zurich Keytrade and the Moscow Oil and Gas company.

Mr. Ripley was born in the United Kingdom and attended Eton College and Oxford University. Fluent in six languages, he divides his time amongst the Group's global businesses in New York City, London, Luxembourg, Moscow, and Singapore.

Andrew Reis

Andrew is a serial entrepreneur and active angel investor with a focus on digital advertising and video technologies. Andrew co-founded BlackOcean USA and primarily oversees Black Ocean's video, advertising and monetization arm. He serves as CEO for Genesis Media, which was formed through the merger of 2 of Black Ocean's companies (TV Genesis and AdGenesis).

Andrew is also a co-founder of Tremor Video, the leader in digital video advertising and presently the industry's largest video ad network and analytics platform, where he served as Chief Operating Officer and Board Member. Prior to Tremor, Andrew founded/co-founded five separate digital media companies, all of which saw successful exits.

Andrew has been involved in digital media since 1998 and has helped to create some of the most valuable and highly trafficked web properties.

Dickon Waterfield

Dickon is Head of Strategy and Operations at Black Ocean. He splits his time between assessing potential new investments on their strategic fit for the portfolio and advising existing group companies on overarching strategy, growth opportunities and operational efficiencies.

Dickon's working model is to work closely with a small number of companies at a time to ensure he can provide the required level of guidance and support.

Prior to Black Ocean, Dickon was a Strategy Consultant at Monitor Group advising companies on maximizing growth opportunities through Product Launch, Pricing Strategy and Market Segmentation.

Dickon was educated in the UK at Eton College and gained a First Class Degree at Edinburgh University. Dickon is now based out of New York but spends much of his time working with the group's companies outside of New York.

Roman Gorovoy

Roman Gorovoy is CEO of Black Ocean Russia and oversees the growth of the companies businesses in Russia and the CIS.

Black Ocean opened their offices in Moscow in 2012 to be at the forefront of the exponential growth occuring in Russian tech market. Roman works closely founding, partnering and operating Black Ocean companies in Russia. He is also focused on partnering and working with US and European based companies looking to launch their business in Russia.

Black Ocean Russia is the ideal partner for international companies looking to enter the Russian market that want to work with a local partner that has a similar outlook, and business principles to western companies. Prior to Black Ocean Roman co-founded Regiondo.de , the first, and fastest growing, online market-place for leisure activities in Germany.

Roman has been an entrepreneur his entire life and served as CEO of Electrostar GmbH, a leading manufacturer of industrial appliances. He was responsible for turning around the company and increasing turnover 45% year on year. As a result he was voted one of the top entrepreneurs in Germany in 2010. Roman also serves on the board of ALGO Company Group, a construction and electrical appliance holding company. Roman, a Russian citizen, studied Business Economics at the University of Durham. He is fluent in Russian, English, German and Spanish.

A collective approach to business success

At its core, Black Ocean specializes in building businesses, creating long-term growth and delivering value. We are the ideal partner to turn a smart technology vision into a successful business because we provide access to tremendous resources, deep experience and the ability to execute and deliver.

From business plan expertise to back-office support, we provide the resources and stability to help entrepreneurs accelerate, monetize and grow their businesses.

At Black Ocean, each shareholder/partner becomes part of a dynamic community of entrepreneurs working toward mutual growth.