Energoatom is looking for a new CEO: what are the requirements for candidates
16 June 13:37
The Supervisory Board of NAEK Energoatom has announced an international competitive selection process for the position of Chairman of the company’s Management Board. Applications from candidates will be accepted until July 31, 2026, after which the evaluation phase will begin. This was reported by the company’s press service, according to "Komersant Ukrainian"
Who is Energoatom looking for?
The company noted that it is inviting candidates with an impeccable professional reputation and proven experience in managing large, complex, and strategically important organizations to participate in the competition.
The future chairman of the board will lead one of Ukraine’s key energy companies, which plays a vital role in ensuring the country’s energy security and economic stability.
“This is one of the most important leadership positions in Europe’s energy sector. The chairman of the board will lead an organization that plays a decisive role in ensuring Ukraine’s energy security and maintaining the stability of the national economy,” the company stated.
Energoatom is Ukraine’s largest power-generating company and the operator of the national nuclear power fleet, which accounts for over 55% of the country’s electricity production and is one of the key elements of the country’s energy security.
The company operates the Rivne, South Ukraine, and Khmelnytskyi nuclear power plants, as well as the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, which is under temporary Russian occupation and is one of the largest nuclear power complexes in Europe.
In addition to its nuclear assets, Energoatom manages pumped-storage and hydroelectric facilities and operates the Centralized Spent Nuclear Fuel Storage Facility.
In 2025, the company generated over 54 billion kWh of electricity.
Energoatom employs approximately 30,000 people, making the company one of Ukraine’s largest state-owned enterprises and one of the country’s most important strategic organizations.
What are the requirements for candidates
The successful candidate must combine strategic vision with operational discipline, resilience under pressure, and the ability to work in conditions of uncertainty.
Key requirements include:
- experience managing large and complex organizations;
- a proven professional reputation;
- experience working in a highly regulated environment;
- understanding of security, reliability, and business continuity;
- experience implementing large-scale transformations;
- ability to work with government agencies, regulators, international partners, and financial institutions;
- fluency in Ukrainian;
- high level of English.
Experience in the energy sector, utilities, industry, high-tech manufacturing, transportation, the defense sector, or other capital-intensive and highly regulated industries will be a distinct advantage.
The supervisory board of Energoatom emphasized that special attention will be given to candidates who have previously led large-scale organizational, operational, or strategic transformation programs.
This refers to experience in large corporations, government institutions, critical infrastructure operators, or other organizations of strategic importance to the economy and national security.
This emphasis stems from the fact that Energoatom operates in a particularly complex environment—at the intersection of energy, nuclear safety, public administration, international partnerships, and military challenges.
The candidate must be fluent in Ukrainian and have a high level of English. This is necessary for effective work in an international environment.
The Chairman of the Board of Energoatom must interact with the supervisory board, government agencies, regulators, international financial organizations, strategic partners, and other key stakeholders.
How to apply
To participate in the competition, candidates must submit a resume and a cover letter in Ukrainian and English.
The deadline for submitting documents is July 31, 2026.
Once the application period closes, the candidate evaluation phase will begin.
Candidates who successfully pass the preliminary selection stages may be invited to participate in further evaluation stages, which will include interviews, an assessment of management and leadership competencies, a presentation of a strategic vision for the Company’s development, as well as a comprehensive check of business reputation, integrity, and trustworthiness.
Only candidates selected for the next stages of the competition will be notified of the results of the review and invited to continue participating in the selection process.
The Supervisory Board of Energoatom has engaged the international firm Korn Ferry as a consultant for candidate search and evaluation. It will conduct the search for candidates, assess management and leadership competencies, and support the selection process.
Following the appointment, the Supervisory Board will continue to perform its oversight and control functions, in particular through regular evaluations of the Chairman of the Management Board’s performance and the application of accountability mechanisms in accordance with the Company’s corporate governance system and legal requirements.
The final decision on the appointment will be made by the Supervisory Board based on the results of a comprehensive evaluation of the candidates, taking into account the Company’s strategic needs and its critical role in securing Ukraine’s energy future.
Watch us on YouTube: important topics – without censorship
What will the compensation be?
Energoatom noted that the terms of compensation will be determined taking into account the strategic importance of the position, the scope of responsibility, and international market benchmarks for organizations of a similar level of complexity.
The specific salary amount was not mentioned in the announcement.
Who is currently leading Energoatom
Pavlo Kovtoniuk is currently serving as the interim chairman of the board of Energoatom. He previously headed the Rivne NPP, and before that served as the plant’s chief engineer.
In 2025, the supervisory board terminated Petro Kotin’s powers as acting chairman of the company’s board of directors at his own request.
Scandal at Energoatom
As a reminder, businessman Timur Mindich is one of the figures implicated in a high-profile corruption scandal at Energoatom. On November 10, NABU and SAPO published the so-called “Mindich tapes,” which indicate that a kickback scheme was operating at Energoatom — contractors were required to pay 10–15% of the contract amount.
Former Justice Minister Herman Halushchenko and former Energy Minister Svitlana Hrynchuk, who have since resigned, were also implicated in the scandal. Mnidich is also suspected of pressuring the current Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, Rustem Umerov, who previously served as Minister of Defense.
Who Joined Energoatom’s New Supervisory Board
The Cabinet of Ministers has launched a large-scale audit of state-owned companies, paying particular attention to the energy sector following the release of the NABU “Midas” case regarding widespread corruption in the energy sector. On January 28, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine approved the new composition of the supervisory board of NAEK “Energoatom.”
The new supervisory board of NAEK “Energoatom” consists of seven members, four of whom are independent international members.
Independent members of the supervisory board:
- Rumina Velshi — an international expert with over 40 years of experience in nuclear safety. She previously headed Canada’s nuclear regulator and the IAEA Commission on Safety Standards.
- Laura Garbenčiūtė-Bakienė — a finance and audit specialist with 25 years of experience. She has held senior positions at PwC and has experience working with strategic facilities, including the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant.
- Patrick Fragman is an international executive and former president and CEO of the American company Westinghouse Electric Company.
- Brice Buyon is a lawyer and corporate governance expert who has held senior positions at the French energy group EDF.
Government representatives on the supervisory board:
- Deputy Minister of Economy, Environment, and Agriculture Vitaliy Kindrativ;
- Serhiy Sukhomlyn, Head of the State Agency for Infrastructure Restoration and Development;
- Maksym Malashkin, State Secretary of the Ministry of Energy of Ukraine.
As is known, in May, two independent members of the Energoatom supervisory board—Brice Boyon and Patrick Fragman —resigned.
Read us on Telegram: important topics – without censorship
