Barabash, CEO of Philip Morris Ukraine, has been appointed Vice President of PMI for the European region: who will replace him?
4 May 12:10
Maksym Barabash, who has led Philip Morris in Ukraine and Moldova since 2022, has been appointed Vice President of Philip Morris International for the European region. Artem Konik, who has worked at Philip Morris for over 20 years and has extensive management experience across various business functions, has been appointed to replace him as the company’s CEO in Ukraine, reports "Komersant Ukrainian" citing Interfax-Ukraine.
“Konik is a strong leader with a deep understanding of the business, the market, and the team. Over the years he has worked at the company, he has made a significant contribution to the transformation of the commercial function, as well as to the launch and development of the distribution of Philip Morris’s innovative products,” the agency quotes Barabash as saying.
He added that this appointment is part of a strategy to develop internal leaders who know the business well.
It is noted that Konik has held management positions in business planning, marketing, and commerce.
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In his new role, Barabash will be responsible for a cluster that includes Ukraine, Romania, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Moldova. He will also remain head of strategic projects for the Ukrainian market.
It is noted that this is only the third time in Philip Morris’s more than 30 years of operation in Ukraine that a Ukrainian has become the company’s CEO.
“Among my key tasks are ensuring business growth even amid the war, developing new platforms where we see potential for leadership, and shaping the future of our business through the development of new categories and changing approaches to consumption,” Konik commented on his appointment.
Philip Morris International (PMI) is one of the leading players in the tobacco market. The company has announced that it aims to create a smoke-free future and is developing its portfolio for the long term beyond tobacco and nicotine products. As of the end of 2025, PMI’s smoke-free products were available for sale in 105 countries worldwide, used by 43 million adult consumers, and the smoke-free business accounted for approximately 41.5% of the company’s total net revenue.
Philip Morris Ukraine has been operating in the Ukrainian market since 1994. According to the company, it has invested over $750 million in Ukraine’s economy since then, including $70 million since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, and in 2025, together with Philip Morris Sales and Distribution LLC, paid 58.5 billion UAH in taxes in Ukraine.
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