Derk Sauer

Sauer, a native of Amsterdam, has considered himself a Maoist in the past, having participated in Dutch left wing politics since his youth. He claims that the 'Red May' student protests of Paris in 1968, which happened while he was 15 years old, informed much of his political beliefs.{{Cite web |last=Братерский |first=Александр |date=2003-06-04 |title=Дерк САУЭР: "Я считал себя маоистом" |trans-title=Derk Sauer: “I considered myself a Maoist.” |url=https://iz.ru/news/277452 |access-date=2021-11-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201127172211/https://iz.ru/news/277452 |archive-date=2020-11-27 |website=iz.ru |publisher=Известия (Izvestia) |language=ru}}{{cite news|last=Kuper|first=Simon|date=10 October 2005|title=Russian remodelling of a cosmopolitan theme|work=Financial Times|url=https://www.ft.com/content/28054942-39af-11da-806e-00000e2511c8|url-status=live|url-access=subscription|access-date=November 29, 2021|archive-url=https://archive.today/20201211215837/https://www.ft.com/content/28054942-39af-11da-806e-00000e2511c8|archive-date=11 December 2020}} He later rejected communist ideology and has described Mao as a "monster". He is a member of the Socialist Party of the Netherlands.

Despite not speaking Russian, Sauer was approached by Russian journalists in 1989 while serving as an editor for a weekly paper in his native country. They were able to convince him to immigrate to Russia and begin working on establishing a newspaper.

Sauer worked with his business partner Annemarie van Gaal to introduce Cosmopolitan and Playboy to Russia, among other magazines through their publishing house 'Independent Media,' which was founded in 1992.{{Cite web|date=2007-10-22|title=The Moscow Times|url=http://www.themoscowtimes.com/doc/AboutIM.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071022104958/http://www.themoscowtimes.com/doc/AboutIM.html|archive-date=October 22, 2007|access-date=2021-11-26|website=The Moscow Times}}{{Cite web|last=Kuper|first=Simon|date=2005-10-24|title=Футбол на нефтяных дрожжах: олигархам нужен статус |trans-title=Soccer on oil yeast: oligarchs need status |url=https://inosmi.ru/world/20051024/223250.html|url-status=live|access-date=2021-11-26|website=inosmi.ru ИноСМИ.Ru|language=ru|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921061606/http://www.inosmi.ru/world/20051024/223250.html |archive-date=2013-09-21 }} Sauer founded The Moscow Times, the first Western-produced English language newspaper in Russia, as part of the new publishing house alongside the {{lang|ru-latn|Vedomosti}}. Over the years, he became a successful media entrepreneur in Russia.{{Cite web|date=2018-04-04|title=Derk Sauer koopt Moscow Times terug, wil verdienen aan Chinezen |trans-title=Derk Sauer buys back Moscow Times, wants to earn from Chinese |url=https://www.rtlz.nl/business/ondernemen/derk-sauer-koopt-moscow-times-terug-wil-verdienen-aan-chinezen|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180404074949/https://www.rtlz.nl/business/ondernemen/derk-sauer-koopt-moscow-times-terug-wil-verdienen-aan-chinezen|archive-date=April 4, 2018|access-date=2021-11-26|website=rtlz.nl |language=nl}}{{Cite news|last=Focht|first=Elizaveta|date=July 31, 2020|title="К Путину и Навальному должен быть один подход". Дерк Сауэр о свободных СМИ, харассменте и цензуре |trans-title="There should be a unified approach to Putin and Navalny." Derk Sauer on free media, harassment and censorship |language=ru |work=BBC News Русская служба|url=https://www.bbc.com/russian/features-53602679|access-date=2021-11-29}}

In 2005 Sauer sold The Moscow Times to the Finnish Sanoma.

in 2010 Sauer became one of the new owners of NRC Handelsblad, company which purchased his previous holding Het Gesprek.{{Cite web|date=2010-03-24|title=Mediamagnaat Sauer schept 'Italiaanse toestanden' bij NRC Handelsblad |trans-title=Media magnate Sauer creates 'Italian conditions' at NRC Handelsblad |url=https://joop.bnnvara.nl/nieuws/mediamagnaat-sauer-schept-italiaanse-toestanden-bij-nrc-handelsblad |access-date=2021-11-26 |website=Joop |language=nl}}

In 2017 Sauer repurchased The Moscow Times. He claimed that the paper could serve as a great medium for educating people abroad about underreported domestic subjects.

He also helped hundreds of independent Russian journalists to settle in the Netherlands after the outbreak of the Russo-Ukrainian War.{{Cite web |url=https://www.ft.com/content/dc163a95-e858-490b-9739-f2c6d12182bb |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240704105632/https://www.ft.com/content/dc163a95-e858-490b-9739-f2c6d12182bb |archive-date=2024-07-04 |title=The Russian media sending truth back home |date=4 July 2024 |website=ft.com |publisher=The Financial Times |quote=Free Russian media seemed doomed. Instead, TV Rain (known in Russia as Dozhd), The Moscow Times and other independent journalists have gathered in Amsterdam, from where they are sending truth back to Russia.}}

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Category:Living people

Category:Businesspeople from Amsterdam

Category:Maoists

Category:Dutch newspaper publishers (people)

Category:The Moscow Times people

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)

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