The world"s largest burger chain owns about84% of its nearly 850 restaurants in Russia and became one of the biggestglobal brands to exit the country earlier this week, while saying it wouldretain its trademark.
Govor, who runs the franchise operationthrough his firm GiD LLC, has been a McDonald"s licensee since 2015 and hadhelped the burger chain expand into remote Siberia, where he operates 25restaurants.
McDonald"s and GiD declined to disclose thefinancial terms of the deal. The burger chain had said it would take a non-cashcharge of up to $1.4 billion following a sale.
The deal with Govor provides for employeesto be retained for at least two years on equivalent terms, McDonald"s said onThursday.
He would pay the salaries of corporateemployees in 45 regions of the country until the closure of the sale, which isexpected in the coming weeks.
Russia"s Industry and Trade Minister DenisManturov said the deal was the result of a "long and difficult"negotiation process and the government would provide Govor all the necessaryassistance to set up operations.
Earlier in the day, a local media reportsaid one of the US fast food chain"s largest franchisee operators in Russia,SPP, was a potential buyer. Its owner Kairat Boranbayev runs a McDonald"sfranchise in Kazakhstan and Belarus.
SPP did not immediately respond to aReuters request for comment.
McDonald"s had in March decided to closeits restaurants in the country, including the iconic Pushkin Square location incentral Moscow - a symbol of flourishing American capitalism in the dyingembers of the Soviet Union.
Several other Western brands, includingImperial Brands and Shell, have also agreed to sell their Russian assets orhand them over to local managers.
