Business Wisdom Summit 2025: How Business Opens Opportunities in a Storm

Ukrainian business confidently talks about growth and scaling, about a development strategy now, and not after the war - at the Business Wisdom Summit, which took place on April 11 in Kyiv. 600 participants, 40 leading Ukrainian top managers and international headliners frankly talked about the economy under fire, about money in the midst of chaos, about technologies that are born on the battlefield, and about the future of Ukraine. Oksana Gutzait, the host of the "Facts" program on the ICTV channel, became the voice of the event, reports UNN.

The discussions started with an expert interview with Danylo Hetmantsev, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Finance, Taxation and Customs Policy. One of the key consequences of the new customs initiatives of the Donald Trump administration was the destabilization of the world economy. The actions of the United States are launching a chain reaction that could hurt Ukrainian exports not only through direct tariffs, but also through the responses of other global players.

So, how to restore the economy and lay the foundation for the country's future in the realities of uncertainty? The summit continued with the "Let's Build Ukrainian" panel. Ruslan Shostak, President of TERWIN Corporation, founder of EVA and VARUS, suggested promising areas that the country should focus on. 

"The economic well-being of the country directly depends on the scale of Ukrainian projects. Every $1 billion of investment can increase GDP by 0.5-1%. Global infrastructure projects not only inject funds into the economy, but also launch a multi-level chain of changes. For us, as the owner and operator of one of the largest investment projects in Ukraine, it is important to create this multiplier effect," said Ruslan Shostak.

Participants of the discussion, including Yevhen Kulikov, Head of Corporate Business Department of PrivatBank, and Igor Liski, founder of EFI Group investment company, agreed that the path to an economy with a trillion-dollar GDP lies through building a strong and self-sufficient industry with a high degree of localization. 

The "Recovery: Investing in the Reconstruction of Ukraine" panel was dedicated not only to the reconstruction of the country, but also to changing the paradigms of the future. Illia Polshakov, Director of New Business Development at Kyivstar, spoke about how Kyivstar will help the country transform through major innovations. For example, investing in the Starlink company, which is changing the philosophy of network development. In turn, Yevhen Riyako, a lawyer and managing partner of RIYAKO & PARTNERS law firm, shared positive sentiments regarding new guarantees for investors. The draft law on the suspension of mask-shows and the imposition of indefinite arrests after a search is in the second reading. 

Today, while Ukraine's investment climate is being tempered by the war, the role of banks is changing - from lender to co-creator of transformations.  Leading experts Larysa Bondareva (Raiffeisen Bank), Serhiy Magdych (PUMB), Pervin Dadashova (NBU), Andriy Semchenko (IC INGO) and Yulia Ponomarenko (AbInBev Efes Ukraine) outlined a new architecture of financing in conditions of instability. 

According to Mark Petkevich, General Director of the NOVUS supermarket chain, Ukrainian business is forced to take responsibility for the stability of the economy. However, even with the willingness to pay taxes and develop, business needs stability from the state and long-term plans. To confirm these words, Mauro Longobardo, General Director of ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih, shared that ArcelorMittal has already invested $1 billion in supporting production in Ukraine. However, significant difficulties, including rising energy prices, threaten the company's competitiveness.

The discussion participants also touched upon the problem of staff shortages and the integration of veterans into civilian life after returning from the front. In his speech on the role of business in this process, Oleksandr Bogutskyi, CEO of Starlight Media media company, emphasized: "By investing in products and services for veterans and their families, we are fulfilling an unspoken contract with society, conscience and the values of the country. There are things that cannot be delegated: respect, support, recognition. And there are decisions in which business faces a choice - efficiency or values. But our task is to ensure that efficiency never outweighs humanity."

In times when the country's recovery is a strategic vector, the main asset of business and the economy is people. Yevhen Shagov (AM System, GAMA Consulting) and Andriy Dligach (Advanter.ua) talked about the best investment in turbulent times - investing in one's own personal development, adaptability to the new world, and flexibility of one's own mental health.

Serhiy Myronenko, Chief Operating Officer of Metinvest Group, shared his concerns about the consequences of US customs tariffs for Ukrainian exports, which could lead to the introduction of similar measures by other players. Denys Morozov, Deputy General Director of Interpipe, agreed with these forecasts and noted that this could lead to a significant reduction in production, as well as an increase in trade tensions in the markets. 

Vasyl Yatsyshyn, Director of Mass Market Brands Management at Kormotech, shared his experience of launching a product on a new European market. A qualitative study of relevant channels and audience expectations from the product allowed the Club 4 Paws brand to reach 31% recognition among consumers, and this is an entry ticket to the market.

The "Armorers" panel discussion provided an understanding that the Ukrainian defense industry is already creating solutions that the whole world needs. During his speech, KVERTUS CEO Yaroslav Filimonov said that the mass use of advanced drones by the enemy already requires not point-by-point, as before, use of electronic warfare and electronic reconnaissance equipment, but an integral ecosystem. KVERTUS is working on deploying such an ecosystem that will unite and synchronize electronic reconnaissance and electronic warfare equipment, allowing them to be controlled remotely and from devices of various types, even from a smartphone.

The Business Wisdom Summit hosted an awards ceremony for business leaders according to the "TOP-100. RATINGS OF THE LARGEST".  magazine.

The organizers, business/media bureau Ekonomika+ and online media Delo.ua, are grateful to the partners: 

• General Partner TERWIN, 
• Chief Partner Sense Bank,
• General Information Partner Starlight Media. 

We also thank the coffee partner Foundation Coffee Roasters, the water partner Morshynska, the delicious partner Lantmannen Axa, the sweet partner BKK, the sparkling partner Latinium, and the alcoholic partner AZNAURI. 

And also to media partners: Business Radio Group, ICTV 2, ICTV, 1+1 Media, Kyiv 24, Apostrophe media holding, Espresso.TV, and Priamyi TV channels.

Online resources: NV.ua, UNN, Kommersant Ukrainian, Liga Zakon, HiTech.Expert, Glavkom, Business Capital, xsport, Burda Media Ukraine, PaySpace Magazine, 44.ua, Postfactum, First Business, TrueUA, HR-Liga, Labor Protection, Logist FM, Marketer.ua, Economist, Founder, ShoTam, as well as companies ADV EXPERT, Infovision, bc media, BFK Gulliver, Education Divosvit and the European Business Association, Association of Ukrainian Banks. 

Join those who are already building a new economy - with values that no crisis can erase.