Interview with GetTransfer CEO Alexander Sapov on Legal

Interview with Alexander Sapov about Overcoming Challenges

Leo Besutti: Alexander, thanks for talking with us. It's been a tough time for the company since COVID-19. We've heard about the product and an attempt to consolidate decision-making. How's that going?

Alexander Sapov: Thank you. Everything is progressing.

Leo Besutti: Am I right that the company recently regained control of its Board and overcame shareholder issues? What does this mean for the company and its drivers?

Alexander Sapov: Yes, the past few months have been very challenging. We've restored the Board's proper functioning, reshaped it, and brought on a respected professional. This is a major turning point. With proper governance back, we can steer the company in the right direction. I’m grateful to our Founder who stepped in and helped resolve this extremely difficult situation within the complex legal framework.

For our drivers, this means the leadership is aligned and focused on supporting them and addressing issues impacting their earnings. The organization is stable, which is important for fixing problems and rebuilding trust.

Leo Besutti: Can you explain to affected drivers what led to this crisis? Why were some payments stalled, and why was the Board's control in question?

Alexander Sapov: This crisis had specific, identifiable causes related to governance failures at the director and shareholder level.

For a time, our Board wasn't functioning properly because a certain member was repeatedly blocking operational decisions, including those to ensure payments to drivers. We couldn’t effectively execute plans or use bank accounts to secure funds to pay what we owed. This internal deadlock stalled many efforts to pay drivers. The company's hands were tied until we addressed the situation.

Leo Besutti: That sounds harrowing. How did you feel during those 18 months?

Alexander Sapov: Imagine being the pilot of a plane being hijacked. The passengers – like our drivers – are hostages. The crew – our employees – are hostages too. And you, the pilot, have your hands tied, unable to touch the controls. That’s what it felt like. I believe any entrepreneur who’s been through a hostile takeover attempt can relate to that.

The "Redomiciliation" Conflict

Leo Besutti: We've heard that one disagreement was about "redomiciliation." What can you tell us about that, and how did it factor into the conflict?

Alexander Sapov: "Redomiciliation" refers to relocating the company’s legal registration to a different jurisdiction – in our case hostile Directors attempted to block all company activities until it’s been moved to Dubai.

Leo Besutti: What would they even do in Dubai? Why Dubai specifically?

Alexander Sapov: I don’t know. Maybe because they don’t extradite criminals?

At the same time this person was aggressively pushing for a booking platform to redomicile, presumably due to a personal agenda that no one really understood. It appeared that this individual was focusing on matters important to him and whom he represents personally, rather than on what the business and our drivers needed at that moment. In effect, the company and its drivers were held hostage by this agenda. I myself fundamentally disagreed with this proposed approach. My stance was very clear: nothing should take precedence over repaying our drivers. We had obligations – those debts needed to be paid – and our first priority had to be settling them, not shifting the company’s registration from the EU or whatsoever.

Accountability and the Path Forward

Leo Besutti: Now that the Board issues are resolved, what's being done to hold those responsible accountable? Are there consequences for the individuals involved?

Alexander Sapov: Absolutely. We're pursuing legal action against those responsible. Our legal teams are preparing claims to ensure they are held accountable for the damage caused to the company, partners, and drivers.

Importantly, any funds recovered from these proceedings will go directly toward repaying our debts, with affected drivers being the first to be paid. It's only fair. We'll keep everyone informed about court proceedings.

I can’t discuss all the details publicly – since this is now a legal matter – we will continue to be as transparent as possible with our community going forward about the nuances of this matter. I want to assure our driver community that now that the management team of an online platform has regained control, we are doing everything in our power to protect them and act in their best interests. We will make sure those responsible face the consequences of their decisions. Our commitment is to righting the wrongs caused by these past governance failures, and that includes using any recovered resources to benefit the drivers who have waited far too long for their payments.

Leo Besutti: With the Board issues resolved and new leadership in place, what steps is a private transfer service taking now to address the outstanding payments to drivers and get the business back on track?

Alexander Sapov: We turned our help to our drivers. We’ve put in place a clear plan to reimburse all drivers as quickly as possible. In fact, we’ve already begun processing payments to those drivers who have been waiting the longest, and we won’t stop until everyone is paid in full.

At the same time are simplifying our operations and re-engaging with partners and investors to restore momentum. Many initiatives that were stalled are now moving forward again. Our team is working around the clock to rebuild trust – both with our drivers and our customers – and to ensure that the service continues to improve. In short, we are doing everything necessary to stabilize the business, grow sustainably, and prevent such issues from ever happening again.

Gratitude and Advice

Leo Besutti: Do you have a final message for the drivers who have been waiting and watching this situation unfold? Many of them supported you and the company through this ordeal.

Alexander Sapov: I want to express my deep gratitude to all the drivers who stood by us during these difficult times and reached out with messages of solidarity and encouragement. So many of you reached out by writing emails, calling, or sending supportive messages. I was moved by the fact that despite experiencing hardship, a large number of our drivers showed support and believed in our team’s ability to fix this. That kind of trust and loyalty is incredibly humbling. It has meant a lot to me personally, and it kept our team’s spirits up even on the toughest days.

Now that we’ve turned the corner and resolved the internal crisis, I want you to feel confident that your efforts are respected and that you will be rewarded promptly going forward.

Leo Besutti: Based on your experience, what advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs?

Alexander Sapov: For entrepreneurs – always have a strong grasp of governance and shareholder rights, even in the early stages. Protect your decision making authority. Carefully select investors. Of course nobody is protected from Black Swans happening so then find power to overcome these difficulties!

Tip: Don't underestimate the importance of solid governance from day one.