How HR turns a crisis into a growth point – HR Wisdom Summit 2025 results
4 July 13:20
Ukrainian businesses are operating in the midst of war, crisis, and migration, while preserving jobs, developing new approaches to team management, returning veterans to professional life, and maintaining mental health.
HR Wisdom Summit 2025 by the rating magazine “TOP-100. Ratings of the largest” and Delo.ua, which brought together 400 HR leaders and 30 leading speakers to discuss honestly how today’s decisions shape the future of people in Ukraine, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports
Oksana Gutzeit, ICTV presenter, greeted the participants with the opening of the summit: “Today, HR is the first voice in the enterprise. You are the voice of change.”
Natalia Teryakhina from Kernel shared her experience of how knowledge management helps to retain staff, as HR should proactively work with the business, identifying critical roles and retaining the team through training.
Daria Marchak, First Deputy Minister of Social Policy of Ukraine, called for an urgent review of HR strategies with a focus on inclusiveness and employee engagement50 , as the country cannot afford ageism.
Maria Abdullina fromOLX Job spoke about real-time labor market trends: “Most employers are facing a crisis due to mobilization, migration, and staff shortages. And their response is to focus on young people, partner with education, and attract pensioners.”
The first panel discussion on HR strategies during the war was moderated by Ihor Kabuzenko (Ward Howell Ukraine). The panelists were Yulia Titurenko (Pivdenny Bank), Lilia Dubas (Teva Ukraine), Polina Karylina (Nestlé Ukraine), Vusal Talybov (Coffee Roasters Foundation), and Ivan Afonin (PrivatBank). They discussed the integration of young people, veterans and candidates under 50 and the development of internal talent as key factors in successful team management.
Kateryna Tsybur (NOVUS) is convinced that in 2025, people are the most profitable investment: by creating an environment of trust, the company guarantees that the employee will want to return or recommend the company to others.
Inna Pecherytsia (EVA ) spoke about corporate culture as a compass of transformation, where values are a daily focus on your people, a sense of support in a crisis, a space for internal dialogue, networking, and sincerity.
The discussion “Work After Service: How to Make the Labor Market Veteran-Friendly ” featured real-life cases of adaptation, mentoring, and systemic support for veterans and their families. The discussion was moderated by Natalia Yemchenko (SCM, Heart of Azovstal project). The participants were Anastasia Rozlutska (Work.ua), Olena Velyka (Sense Bank), Vadym Halytskyi (DTEK), Liudmyla Novak (Interpipe), Alyona Skorzova (State Employment Service), and Kyrylo Turenev (Mariupol defender).
Natalia Volnyanska (Starlight Media) told how wartime HRDs maneuvered to keep their teams together through timely basic support, balanced communication, and the ability to dream no matter what.
During the discussion “Interaction of Education and Business ” moderated by Anna Mishchenko (Kyiv School of Management) with the participation of Oleg Davydenko (Metinvest Group), Olena Dmyterko (Kormotech), Lyudmyla Andreyeva (Philip Morris Ukraine), Kateryna Zaloznykh (ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih), Olga Nagornyuk (Ajax) and Anatoliy Melnychenko (Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute).
They emphasized the key role of investments in educational trajectories, dual education, and strategic cooperation between businesses and universities in adapting education to market needs.
Svitlana Mozgova (Astarta-Kyiv) inspired the participants with a speech about active longevity as a business growth strategy, changing attitudes towards age and breaking stereotypes, which are strategic investments in human resources.
Victor Marchenko (Raiffeisen Bank) presented a systematic approach to data-driven HR, emphasizing that without the use of analytics and IT solutions, HR activities turn into a cacophony.
Olena Kovika (Kyivstar) shared that codes of conduct are the foundation of trust, because ethics – through the example of a leader, constant communication and recognition of everyone’s contribution – supports the team in turbulent times.
Tymofiy Brick (KSE) presented the results of the study “Top Investors in Education” by Delo.ua and KSE, emphasizing that due to the lack of relevant skills, vacancies and candidates do not meet, and business, by investing in education, solves personnel issues and fulfills a social role in integrating inclusion.
The discussion on corporate education, moderated by Tetiana Sherman (DTEK Academy), brought together Mariana Kosharnovska (AB InBev Efes Ukraine), Ilona Pasechnyk (Alviva Group), Tetiana Kononenko (Brocard Ukraine), Olga Lukyanenko (Nova Poshta), Ivan Kompan (Deloitte Academy), and Anastasia Kuzmenko (1 1 Media School).
They proved that corporate education is a strategic investment in the company’s sustainability and development through mentoring and partnerships, where efficiency is measured by capital growth and career development.
Natalia Boyko (Naftogaz Group), Olena Semych (DTEK Academy), Yevhenia Kuzminska (OKKO), Serhiy Lukanin (Naftogaz Group) and Anastasia Gromova (MHP) spoke about the employer brand, the importance of attracting young people and women, honesty and care in brand building, as well as a unified HR strategy with communications moderated by Roman Bondar (Korn Ferry Ukraine).
The final chord of the event was the awarding ceremony for the Best Employers and HRD according to the magazine “TOP-100. Ratings of the largest”.
The organizers, the business/media bureau Ekonomika and the online media Delo.ua, are grateful to their partners:
General partner – “OLX Work”
Energy partner – Naftogaz Group
Main partners – Sense Bank, INGO Insurance Company, PJSC ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih
General media partner – Starlight Media
We would like to thank Foundation Coffee Roasters for their support, Morshynska for its water partner,Box Catering for its catering partner , Lantmanen AXA for its delicious partner, Kyivkhlib and Tarta for its sweet partner, Jack Daniel’s for its alcohol partner ,Aznauri for itssparkling partner,and Academy DTEK for its hospitality partner .
Media partners: Mediafusion, Hurma, Infoviizion, BC media, ICTV, ICTV 2, 1 1 Media, We Are Ukraine, We Are Ukraine, Kyiv 24, Apostrophe Media Holding, UNN, Kommersant Ukrainian, Liga Zakon, Kyiv1, HiTech.Expert, Glavkom, Business Capital, Burda Media Ukraine, 44.ua, First Business, TrueUA, Logistician FM, Marketer.ua, Economist, Founder, ShoTam, UA.NEWS, Occupational Health and Fire Safety, HR Liga, Economic News, Expert, and the European Business Association.
