One Year After Launch, Yandex Is Unhappy With Its Israeli Taxi-Hailing Business

One year after launching its taxi-hailing app Yango in Israel, Russian Nasdaq-listed company Yandex N.V. is not too pleased with Yango Israel CEO Yaniv Alfi. Yandex has recently summoned Alfi for a hearing, according to one person familiar with the matter who spoke to Calcalist on condition of anonymity.

Yango has declined Calcalist’s request for comment.

A delegation of Yandex executives from Moscow recently arrived in Israel to take a close look at the company’s Israeli operations, that person said. The executives are particularly displeased with the Israeli Ministry of Transportation’s 11 separate investigations into the company, and with the fact that Yango has been unsuccessful in countering its Israeli competitor and market leader Gett, despite generous discount schemes, the person said.

Yandex is currently interviewing several candidates to potentially replace Alfi, according to the person. One who was offered the position is Imri Galai, the Israel general manager of Helsinki-headquartered food delivery service Wolt Enterprises Oy, but he declined the position.

In response to Calcalist’s request for comment, Alfi said he is unaware of efforts to replace him. .