December 7th 2010
- The Dorchester, London
130 top business executives and influential thinkers met with Ukraine-based business leaders, politicians and independent commentators, on December 7th, for a day of in-depth analysis and debate on the country's future prospects and its appeal for investment.
In an environment of slow Western European growth, it is critical that businesses look beyond their traditional home markets for significant expansion opportunities. Ukraine may not be right for every investor, but clearly there are significant opportunities for some.
Topics included:
- Is the much-heralded reform programme by the current Government likely to deliver real change?
- With vast reserves of natural resources, fertile soil and a large educated population does Ukraine offer sustained investment opportunities?
- What are the realities (risks and opportunities) of operating a business in such a volatile environment?
- With investors placing their bets, who will the likely winners and losers be?
Expert speakers included:
Edward Lucas, Deputy Editor, The Economist (Chair)
Irina Akimova, First Deputy Head of Administration for the President of Ukraine
Mohammad Zahoor, Founder, ISTIL Group
Jock Mendoza-Wilson, Director of International and Investor Relations, System Capital Management
Tomas Fiala, Managing Director, Dragon Capital
Ian Baron, Chief Executive Officer, Cadogan Petroleum
Boris Krasnyansky, Managing Partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers Ukraine
Tanya Chekhet, Country Representative, Mott MacDonald Ukraine
Trond Moe, Country Manager, Telenor Ukraine, President, European Business Association in Ukraine
Natalie Jaresko, Co-Managing Partner, Horizon Capital
Patrick Van Daele, General Manager, Shell Ukraine Exploration and Production
Dario Marchetti, General Manager, Danone Ukraine
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INVITATION AND ENQUIRIES
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supported by:
| 08.30 | REGISTRATION AND REFRESHMENTS |
| 09.00 | CHAIR'S WELCOME Edward Lucas,Deputy Editor, International Section and Central and Eastern European correspondent, The Economist |
09.10 | OPENING ADDRESS: Investing in Ukraine, the potential versus the reality Mohammad Zahoor has made a series of successful investments in Ukraine since 1993, covering steel, telecoms, media, real estate, banking and hotels. As such he is uniquely qualified to assess the country’s potential for the outside investor, the positive and negative aspects of operating in Ukraine, and the implications of the current Government’s policies for the business community. Mohammad Zahoor, Founder and Chairman, ISTIL Group |
| 09.40 | PANEL: Ukraine after the crisis: the macro-economic and investment outlook How will macro-economic trends drive or inhibit Ukraine’s growth over the next five years? We talk through the likely scenarios for GDP, currency rates, unemployment and population demographics, and make projections for Ukraine’s key industry sectors: metals, agriculture, financial services, telecoms, FMCG, construction etc. With Ukraine’s considerable resources attracting the interest of foreign investors, where do the most attractive opportunities lie? Jock Mendoza-Wilson, Director of International and Investor Relations, System Capital Management |
| 10.45 | NETWORKING REFRESHMENT BREAK |
| 11.15 | INSIGHT: The Government’s reform programme Viktor Yanukovich’s new Government has announced a series of reform measures, designed to overhaul the country’s finances, energy sector, financial sector, judiciary and public services. We talk to a leading Ukrainian official about the roadmap for reforms, probing the risks of failure and assessing the likely associated opportunities for the outside investor. Interviewed by Savik Shuster, Director, Savik Shuster Studios |
12.10 | PANEL: The real business landscape for multinationals We have heard about Ukraine’s potential, but what of the realities of operating a business in the country? Multinationals need to navigate their way through bureaucracy, political uncertainty, corruption, an unfamiliar legal system and an evolving gamut of market barriers. A panel of business leaders will talk through the unique challenges of doing business in today’s Ukraine, comparing their strategic and tactical approaches to building market share and revenues. Ian Baron, Chief Executive Officer, Cadogan Petroleum |
| 13.10 | LUNCH |
| 14.20 | SPEECH: Inside Ukraine: decoding the DNA Every country is unique, but some are more unique than others. The assumptions which foreigners make about Ukraine are often incorrect, as the country differs significantly from CIS states in its national identity, attitude towards power, commercial entrepreneurialism etc. An expert brings to life the unique elements of the Ukrainian consciousness, providing real insight into the land and its people. Andriy Kulykov, Writer and Broadcaster, ICTV |
| 14.45 | NETWORKING REFRESHMENT BREAK |
| 14.45 | PANEL: The Ukrainian talent pool: recruiting and retaining staff An inexpensive but well-educated workforce combined with minimal levels of industrial action would imply that Ukraine’s labour market is a relatively attractive feature of its business environment; the reality on the ground, however, suggests that access to talented employees is not always trouble-free. How is one multinational going about the process of recruiting and training its staff? What critical skills gaps are in evidence, and how can they be mitigated? Tanya Chekhet, Country Representative, Mott MacDonald Ukraine |
15.30 | PRESENTATION: 2012 and beyond: Ukraine’s future growth dynamic The co-hosting of Euro 2012 looks like the perfect catalyst to unite a polarised country behind a major national project. Can Ukrainian energy and spirit be channelled into a platform for sustained economic development? Is Ukraine on the right path to evolve along the lines of its Euro 2012 co-host, Poland? Kirill Osypov, Head of the PR, Marketing and Tourism Infrastructure Department, Euro 2012-Ukraine |
| 16.15 | CHAIR'S CONCLUSION AND CLOSING REMARKS |
| 16.30 | DRINKS RECEPTION Sponsored by PwC |
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INVITATION AND ENQUIRIES
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supported by:
 | Edward Lucas Deputy Editor The Economist |  | Boris Krasnyansky Managing Partner PricewaterhouseCoopers Ukraine |
 | Jock Mendoza-Wilson Director of International and Investor Relations System Capital Management |  | Mohammad Zahoor Founder ISTIL Group |
 | Tomas Fiala Managing Director Dragon Capital |  | Natalie Jaresko Co-Managing Partner Horizon Capital |
 | Tanya Chekhet Country Representative Mott MacDonald Ukraine |  | Ian Baron Chief Executive Officer Cadogan Petroleum |
 | Trond Moe Country Manager, Telenor Ukraine President, European Business Association in Ukraine |
Further confirmed expert speakers include :
Irina Akimova, First Deputy Head of Administration for the President of Ukraine
Jose Manuel Pinto Teixeira, Ambassador to Ukraine, European Commission
Patrick Van Daele, General Manager, Shell Ukraine Exploration and Production
Dario Marchetti, General Manager, Danone Ukraine
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INVITATION AND ENQUIRIES
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supported by:
In association with:
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The Foundation for Effective Governance was established in 2007 by Ukrainian businessman Rinat Akhmetov to help improve people's lives by assisting policy makers at all levels and stakeholders to design and implement actionable public policy solutions, and by furthering public debate on the most important development challenges facing Ukraine.
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INVITATION AND ENQUIRIES
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