MOSCOW, September 28. /TASS/. Gazprombank does not plan rebranding of Mega chain of shopping malls, a source in the press service of the credit organization told TASS, adding that the bank admits buyback of the asset by previous owners.

"Rebranding is not planned. Our prior task is to develop the Mega brand, to develop the professional and tightly-welded team, to multiply traditions and to maintain the Mega corporate cultural code. There is no question of sale of separate malls either. This is a strategic investment both for Gazprombank Group and for the whole Russian economy," Deputy Chairman of the Board of Gazprombank Tigran Khachaturov said.

He added that "there is a possibility" of buyback of assets that have been purchased, by previous owners.

Gazprombank said earlier on Thursday that it had closed the transaction on purchase of Mega chain of shopping malls in Russia from the Swedish Ingka Centres (the structure that previously owned and managed IKEA and Mega shopping malls in Russia).

The Swedish Ingka Group includes three business areas: Ikea Retail with 392 Ikea stores in 32 markets, Ingka Centers (in Russia represented by Mega shopping malls) and Ingka Investments. Ikea stores worked in Russia within Mega shopping malls. Ikea announced suspension of business processes in Russia and Belarus in early March 2022.