BETTING ON THE POWER OF PEOPLE: How to grow amid global turbulence

Photo source: forumkyiv.org

On October 16, the eleventh Kyiv International Economic Forum (KIEF) will begin. The forum is often referred to as the Ukrainian Davos. For many years, it has been and remains a landmark event in the Ukrainian business calendar. Hundreds of Ukrainian companies align their «economic clocks» with it. Summarizing results, identifying trends, and providing expert recommendations and forecasts — this is what Ukrainian business traditionally expects from KIEF. It is especially relevant now, amid the ongoing war and growing turbulence in global markets and international politics.

A TIME FOR TOUGH DECISIONS

he first Kyiv International Economic Forum took place on October 2, 2014, at the initiative of Vasyl Khmelnytsky, a well-known Ukrainian entrepreneur and founder of the UFuture company. Since then, the Ukrainian Davos has become the most anticipated business event of the year, not only in Ukraine but also internationally.

Over the past eleven years, thousands of Ukrainian and foreign entrepreneurs from dozens of countries, as well as politicians, public figures, investors, leading economists, analysts, and consultants from various fields, have participated in the forum. KIEF gained particular significance for Ukraine and its partner countries during the war.

The Russian-Ukrainian conflict became a challenge for globally renowned visionaries, demanding new and difficult decisions. Governments and companies worldwide found themselves in need of unconventional answers — ones that began shaping the direction of global economic discourse. KIEF has made a considerable contribution to these intellectual efforts.

THE DRIVER OF DEVELOPMENT — PEOPLE!

Ukraine 2.0: The Power of People — this is how the theme sounds this year, around which the dialogue between Ukrainian business, the state, and the international community will be built within the forum. Today it is obvious to everyone that the task of rebuilding and modernizing Ukraine will require a kind of reset of the relations among all stakeholders of the «Ukrainian project». Therefore, more than 1,000 forum participants will have to find an answer to the key question: how, in the conditions of war and global turbulence, to synchronize the specific decisions and actions of people in business and government, in education and production?

Speaking about the synergy of the creative will of all those who are building Ukraine’s future today, Vasyl Khmelnytsky notes: «The greatest strength and driver of the country is its people. Those who defend, rebuild, create, make political decisions, educate children, invest in entrepreneurship, culture, and new technologies, develop themselves every day, and choose to develop Ukraine despite the challenges of the time. KIEF 2025 is a space for decisions and partnerships that will determine the country we will live in tomorrow».

A RETURN TO 2022 IS IMPOSSIBLE

This year, the KIEF program includes 15 panel discussions featuring more than 100 speakers. The organizers of the forum have structured the dialogue in such a way that communication will not be theoretical or detached from reality, but as practical as possible. The discussion will focus on issues that are truly important for business development: how to attract investment, scale production, integrate into global supply chains, build energy resilience, maintain competitiveness, find qualified personnel, and overcome social challenges in the «age of change»?

According to the CEO of the forum, Yuriy Pivovarov, KIEF participants will seek answers to a number of questions: what will Ukraine become tomorrow, how will its economy, industry, and energy sector develop? And most importantly, what kind of people will build and live in this new Ukraine?

«Ukraine is going through a prolonged conflict and significant economic pressure. But the world is also changing rapidly: a technological revolution, a new arms race, the energy transition, demographic shifts. A return to 2022 is impossible — we face a different reality and new opportunities», emphasizes Pivovarov.

THERE ARE DIFFERENT WAYS TO SEE THE WORLD

This year, KIEF will once again become the traditional «meeting point» for the interests of the state and business. Representatives of the Cabinet of Ministers, the Office of the President of Ukraine, and the Verkhovna Rada will join the discussion panels. Well-known Ukrainian business leaders will share their thoughts and ideas with forum participants: DTEK CEO Maksym Tymchenko, CEO of OKKO Group Vasyl Danyliak, co-owner of Nova Poshta and the NOVA Group of Companies Viacheslav Klymov, founder of the investment company EFI Group Ihor Lisky, co-owner of the biotechnology company Enzym Group Olena Vovk, founder of the public union «Osvitoria» Zoya Lytvyn, among others.

Among the international speakers are George Friedman, founder and head of the analytical center Geopolitical Futures; Vyacheslav Dombrovskis, former Minister of Economy and Energy of Latvia; Edward Mermelstein, former Commissioner for International Affairs of New York City; Topi Paananen, CEO of Peikko Group; and Adam Sikorski, President of the Management Board of UNIMOT S.A. The speakers have been selected to provide forum participants with a unique experience of diversified «optics» — a non-trivial perspective on the events taking place in Ukraine and around the world.

This year, the organizing committee will direct part of the proceeds from ticket sales to support the Soborna Ukraina Charitable Foundation, which helps families of defenders who died in the war. Everyone is welcome to make additional donations.

The material was prepared in cooperation with the Kyiv International Economic Forum.
Huxley is the official media partner of KIEF