branding
communications strategy
event management
social media
digital marketing
PR
copywriting

As Features Editor of Time Out Moscow, I was involved in senior-level decision-making across editorial, events, and marketing, working closely with the Editor-in-Chief and shareholders. I defined the magazine’s communications and content strategy and oversaw the delivery of between 6 and 60 pages of editorial each week, from concept through to publication, managing teams, schedules, and budgets.

I led collaborative projects with Time Out editions worldwide and developed an annual cover-story strategy that helped attract new advertisers and commercial partners. Alongside core brand features — including travel, culture, holiday guides, style, and film — I conceived and delivered special editions focused on public spaces, the emerging food scene, stand-up comedy, and local businesses driving positive change within their industries.

Testimonial

I loved working with Marina, and would love to work again.

She is a wonderful human being, and an exceptional strategist and executive in public communications, with a clear vision of what makes unique content that promotes the brand and brings an interesting read to the target audience, and has an avid eye for win-win partnerships.

Her understanding of formats suitable for different purposes and audiences, gives her a flexibility to create strategies for a startup or a corporate brand or a book or an NGO.

We have produced multiple pioneering materials on standup, avant-garde jazz and urban development that brought an entirely new audience and interest to these topics, while setting Time Out apart in the media market.

Olga Duka, Creative Shell SL, Co-Partner; Improve Ventures, General Partner
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New Russian Stand Up

Back in the day, no one took Russian stand-up seriously. I devoted an issue to new Russian comics that also featured an interview with Eddie Izzard, who came to Moscow for the first time with his show Force Majeure. The issue became legendary and brought those comics their first contracts.

Best Things In Flandria

In collaboration with Visit Flandria, I organised and led a press tour for the editorial team, featuring Antwerp and Ghent’s gastronomic, fashion and cultural highlights. I interviewed the amazing Father Rudi Mannaerts, an art historian and pastor of St

In collaboration with Visit Flandria, I organised and led a press tour for the editorial team, featuring Antwerp and Ghent’s gastronomic, fashion and cultural highlights.

I interviewed the amazing Father Rudi Mannaerts, an art historian and pastor of St Andrew’s church in Antwerp, who invited Ann Demeulemeester to create a new gown for the statue of the Virgin Mary, opening the church for dialogue and embedding it in contemporary culture.

Andrew’s church in Antwerp, who invited Ann Demeulemeester to create a new gown for the statue of the Virgin Mary, opening the church for dialogue and embedding it in contemporary culture.

Small Businesses in Moscow

With a lot of hope for liberalisation of the country, small businesses emerged at the beginning of the 2010s. I was keen on supporting them with a feature. Time Out stakeholders didn’t see it as a priority.
Eventually, they let me publish it in August when no one reads magazines. The issue sold out. The publishers asked me to make another one, in December. Years later, those business owners thanked me for the clients that kept coming from the online article.

Gorky Park Renovation

In the early 2010s, I was obsessed with the idea of creating new public spaces in Moscow and renovating the old ones. This feature about renovating a massive park in the centre of the city, Gorky Park, marked the beginning of a new era of urban planning in Moscow.

Free Time Out Moscow

In 2012, Time Out London adopted a freemium model. At the time, there were a few media outlets using this distribution model, such as ShortList, NME music paper and The Evening Standard. In 2013, Time Out Moscow followed. I prepared the editorial team for this pivotal step before leaving the company.

In 2012, Time Out London adopted a freemium model. At the time, there were a few media outlets using this distribution model, such as ShortList, NME music paper and The Evening Standard. In 2013, Time Out Moscow followed. I prepared the editorial team for this pivotal step before leaving the company.

Alas, Moscow market wasn’t ready for it. Metro was the only newspaper distributed for free. Time Out advertisers did not appreciate thinner paper. Eventually, Time Out Moscow stopped publishing its print edition.

Alas, Moscow market wasn’t ready for it. Metro was the only newspaper distributed for free. Time Out advertisers did not appreciate thinner paper. Eventually, Time Out Moscow stopped publishing its print edition.