Our Insights

Digital: An Interview with Nataliia Ivoniak, Amrop Ukraine

Thu, 09 Oct 2025 10:49:00 Z

“In critical times leaders must move with decisions, even risky ones.”

Nataliia Ivoniak is a Partner at Amrop Ukraine and has recently become a member of Amrop’s Global Digital Practice. Since joining Amrop, Nataliia has built deep insights into such industries as Finance and Banking, IT & Digital, FMCG, Production, Energy, Real Estate, and Pharma. She has experience on both domestic and international executive search assignments across the general management, marketing, business development, HR, CFO, and IT functions, and she has been instrumental in projects with mission critical organizations in Ukraine.

We talked to Nataliia about her professional journey during enormously challenging times like COVID-19 and the war in Ukraine, about resilience and leadership during crises, and her strategic focus in the Digital and Tech sectors.

Sustainable Success Stories: lifecell

Thu, 09 Oct 2025 10:49:00 Z

Lifecell is the third largest telecommunications operator in the Ukrainian market, and, just like every infrastructure company, throughout the last year it has had to navigate the high risks imposed by the ongoing war in Ukraine and dealing with its consequences.

Viesturs Liegis, Managing Partner of Amrop Ukraine spoke to Ismet Yazici, General Manager of lifecell, about running the company in a time of war, the close cooperation between lifecell and the Ukrainian army, the collaboration with the other largest telecom operators in Ukraine to provide means of communication for the Ukrainian people and about innovations and fulfilled investment plans, which the war hasn’t halted.

Sustainable Success Stories: PrivatBank Ukraine

Thu, 09 Oct 2025 10:49:00 Z

Since the approval given on the 8^th of March, 2022, by the National Bank of Ukraine, PrivatBank, Ukraine’s largest commercial bank, took only 30 days to complete a Cloud migration of its whole operation – an unparalleled feat accomplished in world-record time to ensure the continuity of the irreplaceable services to its clients and to protect the bank’s operation from the possibility of its local data centres coming under Russian attack.

Amrop spoke to the bank’s VP IT & Operations Mariusz K. Kaczmarek and Independent Supervisory Board Member Roman Sulzhyk about the astonishing IT accomplishment, the steps taken to maintain strategically sound corporate governance during a time of war, and their collaboration with Amrop Ukraine, which assisted PrivatBank in hiring its IT leadership team.

Introduction by Viesturs Liegis, Managing Partner of Amrop Ukraine.

Leadership and Innovation in Ukraine’s DefenseTech Transformation

Thu, 09 Oct 2025 10:49:00 Z

The global Defense industry is undergoing rapid expansion, driven by technological acceleration, industrial collaboration, and an increasing demand for agile solutions. Ukraine is at the leading edge of this transformation.

We spoke to Alex Ulanovych and Viesturs Liegis, Partners at Amrop Ukraine and Baltics, who share their perspectives on Ukraine’s defense technology landscape, where entrepreneurship, innovation, international collaboration - and light-speed transformation - are shaping a new industry model.

“It's risky to invest in Ukraine, but it's risky not to invest in Ukraine.”

Thu, 09 Oct 2025 10:49:00 Z

Nataliia Ivoniak’s key take-aways from IT events in Ukraine

Nataliia Ivoniak, Partner at Amrop Ukraine, recently took part in several leading tech gatherings, including AI & Big Data Online Day, FinMarketing, the launch of the Fintech Catalog 2025, DOU Picnic and IT Arena. She takes a moment to reflect on the key trends and signals for tech and IT businesses.

Confidence by Design: The Real Secret to Offer Acceptance

Thu, 09 Oct 2025 10:49:00 Z

“Even the strongest candidates sometimes say no. The offer is right, the team is inspiring, the culture feels aligned, yet something breaks in the final stretch. Having led dozens of executive searches, I’ve seen that moment too many times. And every time, the reason wasn’t the package. Or not only this. It was confidence, or rather, the absence of it,” says Nataliia Ivoniak, Partner at Amrop Ukraine.

Empowering Careers: Amrop Ukraine’s Partnership with USAID and AmCham Ukraine

Wed, 24 Sep 2025 10:49:00 Z

Amrop Ukraine in partnership with AmCham Ukraine supported USAID Ukrainian professionals through a dedicated career transition initiative: we successfully delivered tailored career development services for the largest USAID chapter in the world of 120 people.

Throughout the program, participants received strategic guidance in career development in the form of:

+ Personal analysis and feedback on CVs, with strategic recommendations

+ Customized reviews and advice to enhance LinkedIn profiles’ visibility

+ Online career consultations focused on strengths, growth areas, and effective job search strategies

+ Practical examples, guidelines, and tools for professional branding and interview preparation

+ Active promotion of standout candidates to potential employers – Amrop clients and partners

"I had the honor to conduct training on “Smart Job Search Strategies” at the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv for USAID Ukraine employees, which was both professionally exciting and a profound emotionally gratifying experience,” comments Angela Poddubna, Partner at Amrop Ukraine. “This was the beginning of our collaboration with USAID, as we also launched outplacement services and career counseling, helping professionals navigate their career transitions with tailored strategies, effective self-pitches, and interview preparation."

The goal of the Amrop Ukraine team was to empower participants not only to find new opportunities but also to confidently position themselves in the labor market after the changes the current US President has made. With clear communication and a personalized approach, we ensured each individual had the resources and confidence to advance their careers.

“We are equally pleased to highlight AmCham Ukraine’s active involvement in fostering our dialogue and cooperation with USAID, as well as further strengthening our partnership,” Poddubna continues. Viesturs Liegis, Managing Partner of Amrop Baltics & Ukraine adds: “Amrop is proud to be an active member of AmCham which advocates for the betterment of the business climate, working closely with Ukrainian and U.S. Governments and delivers the shared voice of U.S., international and Ukrainian companies, who’ve invested in Ukraine and are committed to our country.”

Below we’ve highlighted the experiences of two of the program’s participants which Amrop had a chance to support.

Change Management as an Executive Competency

Thu, 06 Feb 2025 12:00:00 Z

Evidence from Amrop Ukraine / ChangeImpulse Alumni Club survey

For owners, boards, and senior executives responsible for major transformations: Change is the new constant, yet too many organizations still treat the "people side" of transformation as an afterthought. This brief shows why change management (CM) competence really matters at the top.

Drawing on a survey of 10 senior leaders with direct transformation experience - C-level executives and transformation sponsors from energy, financial services, technology, retail, and manufacturing sectors across Ukraine and CEE – this research presents practitioner depth rather than statistical generalization. Every respondent confirmed that CM skills helped advance their careers and supplied concrete examples: faster rollout of new systems, smooth mergers with no key-talent loss, and governance decisions steered by readiness assessments.

They are confident that CM aligns with the Association of Change Management Professionals Standard and various Human Side of Change methodologies, including ChangeImpulse's ACMP QEP "Change Management Course" and Amrop's Alumni Club experience. At the same time, participants said owners and boards underestimate CM's strategic value.

Taken together, these responses make a clear case: CM is not merely an HR task but a core executive competency that accelerates value, reduces risk, and should be visible in board-level hiring and program governance.

I Am Not a Robot: AI and Leadership Hiring - Part III

Thu, 06 Feb 2025 12:00:00 Z

Watertight oversight: The role of Boards

In March 2025, an employee of software company Intuit claimed that its use of an automated video interview platform unfairly blocked her promotion. She blamed AI-driven biases related to her disability and race. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed charges on her behalf against Intuit and HireVue, the tech firm she said used AI in a discriminatory way. Both denied the accusation. Intuit stated that it provides reasonable accommodations to all applicants. HireVue denied that Intuit even used AI in this instance.¹

Law firm Fisher Phillips say this emphasizes the need for organizations using AI hiring tools to conduct regular accessibility audits, review vendor agreements, train HR teams about possible AI biases and legal requirements, and allow for human review during an interview process. They should offer clear and simple pathways for applicants needing accommodations, monitoring and adjusting AI usage to address potential biases.

Given the stakes surrounding senior hires in particular, should boards be involved in guiding AI use in talent management strategy? Let’s recall the board’s core activities of Control (protecting shareholder wealth), and Service, helping the firm create value, aligning shareholder and societal interests.²

I Am Not a Robot: AI and Leadership Hiring - Part I

Thu, 06 Feb 2025 12:00:00 Z

Part 1 | Mapping a Shifting Landscape

Artificial Intelligence is reshaping leadership hiring - accelerating processes, enriching relationships, and opening new possibilities for executive search. Yet, it remains a tool that demands judgment and restraint.

In this three-part series, Amrop explores how AI is transforming executive and board-level recruitment - its opportunities, risks, and what the future may hold. Could AI ever replace the headhunter?

Drawing on insights from senior Amrop partners and board members, early adopters and active contributors to the firm’s global AI governance, this first article examines how the technology is taking shape inside the executive search ecosystem.

I Am Not a Robot: AI and Leadership Hiring - Part II

Thu, 06 Feb 2025 12:00:00 Z

Pitfalls, Risks & Solutions

While AI offers efficiency and scale in executive search, some pitfalls are currently limiting its effectiveness in high-level hiring. None are insurmountable.

In Part 2 of our series examining how AI is transforming executive search and its impact on global executive talent acquisition, senior Amrop Partners unpack the downsides in data-driven leadership hiring processes.

How can AI users get the best of both worlds in executive and board hiring?

ESG Leadership in Private Equity

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 12:50:33 Z

Private equity’s mission of creating an ESG-friendly economy.

As the drive for Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) in private equity accelerates, its senior decision makers have a rocky mountain to climb. Moving away from exclusively financially driven investment and management patterns is a complex endeavour.

For true transformation, private equity leaders must integrate ESG into all levels and dimensions of their portfolios. They must communicate clearly with critical stakeholders. Install monitoring and reporting systems that deliver consistent quality of information. And translate ambition into action by changing core business habits.

Unsurprisingly, progress is uneven.

From Apps to Ventures: Interview with Mykola Tymkiv

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 10:49:00 Z

Mykola Tymkiv, the CEO of Gismart, has directed strategic development and execution across Wellness, Entertainment, and Utility verticals at the organization. He’s built and nurtured a high-performing, growth-driven culture focused on excellence and measurable impact and established a full-cycle infrastructure to accelerate scalable growth and develop lovemark products trusted by millions.

Mykola Tymkiv talked to Nataliia Ivoniak, Partner at Amrop Ukraine, about Gismart's strategic initiatives, the organization’s transition to a co-founding venture-building model and the integration of AI technologies. He touched also on the importance of cultivating talent and maintaining a supportive company culture amidst rapid organizational changes.

Sustainability and Change Management: A Conversation with Yulia Riakhovskaia, Metinvest

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 10:49:00 Z

"Sustainability is only achieved through behavioral change."

Change management has moved from the sidelines to the center of executive leadership. In a joint report by Amrop Ukraine and the ACMP (Association of Change Management Professionals) Ukraine Chapter, senior leaders are unequivocal: it is a core executive capability that drives value creation, mitigates risk, and belongs firmly on the board agenda.

In a conversation with Amrop's Angela Poddubna, Yulia Riakhovskaia, Business Support and International HR Director at Metinvest, brings these insights into sharp focus. Drawing on real-world experience, she shares how change management shapes decisions, accelerates careers, and ultimately determines whether large-scale transformations succeed - or fail.

Sustainable Success Stories: Interview with Jakub Karnowski, Ukrainian Railways

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 10:49:00 Z

Jakub Karnowski is an independent member of the Supervisory Board and Chair of the Transformation Committee of Ukrzaliznytsia (Ukrainian Railways), as well as an independent member of the Supervisory Boards and Chair of the Audit Committees of Allianz Life and Non-life Insurance Poland, Allianz Investment Fund Poland and Euler Hermes Poland and Ukrposhta (Ukrainian Post).

He’s the former CEO of Polish State Railways as well as former CEO & Chair of the Investment Committee of a leading mutual fund in Poland. He holds a PhD in Economics and works as an Assistant Professor (adjunct) at the Warsaw School of Economics, in addition to being a World Bank consultant specializing in railway restructuring.

Viesturs Liegis, Managing Partner at Amrop Ukraine, lead the team that collaborated with JSC Ukrzaliznytsia in selecting and appointing four of the independent Supervisory Board members in February 2022, just before the outbreak of the war in Ukraine. Viesturs spoke to Jakub about the role of Supervisory Boards in a time of crisis, the current and post-war strategy of Ukrzaliznytsia, and representing the economic and political interests of Ukraine in Poland.

The C-Suite Sustainability Struggle - Part 1

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 09:08:27 Z

Environmental and social responsibility have been a feature of the business landscape for a surprisingly long time. And yet the place of sustainability on the corporate agenda, how it is addressed, and by whom, is in a state of revolution.

The road to sustainability is still under construction. But is it even headed in the right direction?

In this report we take a hard look at the current context of sustainability in business and why it is such a headache for hard-working organizations. We open the box on why the ever-expanding function of the Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) is only a partial answer to these challenges.

Digitization on Boards 5th Edition

Wed, 21 Jun 2023 06:54:18 Z

Many organizations have pursued large-scale digital transformation in the past years, but still haven’t seen the expected impact on revenue or costs. Having observed a number of missteps made by the leaders of these organizations, we can identify what they have not done well.

These organizations are now under even more pressure to make consequential business decisions, not only at a faster pace but also in business areas where they may have no previous digitization or tech investment experience. While many of the traditional challenges to digital transformation are still here, new factors have emerged that are key to opening doors for value creation today and going forward.

We work with top-performing companies who have done it differently and share their successes with you in our new report below!

War raised thoughts on misconceptions in society and organizations: one thing leads to another

Fri, 22 Apr 2022 12:00:00 Z

Team’s successors

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 11:03:33 Z

What is the connection to the company’s management team’s “reserves” with the value of the company?

Change of the management – it is a question much avoided in the Latvian business environment. The attention to the question is limited, considering problems encountered on daily basis as more crucial. Bearing in mind the unforeseeable impact of the pandemic phases, it is completely understandable.

People with Talent (Like Us) | 10 Pillars to Build Your Dream Career

Wed, 09 Dec 2020 12:50:00 Z

A specialist in leadership and talent management, Maria da Glória Ribeiro is the Founder and Managing Partner of Amrop Portugal. With a Masters in Psychology from the University of Porto, and specialized in business organizational development, she has over 20 years’ experience in strategic consulting and organizational behavior. She is called upon to evaluate, guide and recruit talents for companies from diverse professional sectors. She has been recognized as one of the main Portuguese headhunters by Nancy Garrison-Jenn, (The Global 200 Executive Recruiters).

Based on her recently published book, Maria Da Gloria presents 10 pillars to build a fulfilled professional career, each drawing inspiration from a true life story. Telling Francisco’s story, this first chapter looks at Life Strategy.

Inside the Wise Leader’s Brain 4 | Meet your Statistical Brain Team

Wed, 04 Nov 2020 14:02:00 Z

Scientists formulate hypotheses and apply them to probabilities and uncertainties. So does our brain. It selects the hypotheses that best fit with our environment. As it hypothesizes, as it collects data and re-adjusts, it learns.

Inside the Wise Leader’s Brain 5 | The Problem With Homo Deus

Wed, 04 Nov 2020 13:58:00 Z

Smart machines copy certain behaviors. Autonomous cars can drive. But they don’t really understand what they are doing (or why). Deeper understanding requires an abstract, causal model as a representation of this world. And we seem to be born with that incredible ability as part of our human evolution. Understanding contexts is possible for us because we see relationships and subtleties that machines can’t.

Inside the Wise Leader’s Brain 8 | Wising Up Your Brain

Tue, 03 Nov 2020 13:41:00 Z

So far we have explored a wealth of neuroscientific theory. As a senior executive, how can you train your brain in practice?

In 2018, we conducted a global study 'Wise Decision-Making - Stepping Up to Sustainable Business Performance'. Our goal was to explore the approach of leaders to wise decision-making.

From Tension to Transformation | How Wise Decision-Makers Transcend Paradoxes

Tue, 01 Sep 2020 14:46:00 Z

From the 2008 financial crisis, to the tsunamis of digitization and machine learning and Covid-19, life for leaders has never been more complex. Contradictions and tensions are multiplying by the day. Can we solve them? A large body of research suggests that we can: by managing paradoxes through wise decision-making.

Times of crisis present executives with a particularly painful paradox: meeting shareholder expectations, ‘versus’ preserving jobs. Covid-19 has created an even more difficult choice. Should all companies be saved at all costs? And how do we preserve the financial interests of investors, whilst limiting unemployment and supplier bankruptcies?

As Amrop global board member Andrew Woodburn told South Africa's Money Show in the early days of the pandemic outbreak: "This is no longer about profit. Every single leader I've spoken to is about: how can I protect my people? How can I guarantee them some sort of existence going forward? How can I ensure that this business is going to be here, when we all go back to work?"

Obstacles faced by digital leaders may be putting non-tech organizations at risk, new Amrop report finds.

Wed, 30 Oct 2019 12:00:00 Z

As the battle to implement digitization in non-tech organizations intensifies, Amrop's new report sheds new light on the experiences of C-suite digital leaders on the frontlines of change. Weaknesses emerge in four key areas: organizational context, the attitude of boards, the role itself, and digital leaders’ confidence in their own competencies.

The Organization: Digital leaders have an uphill struggle. 45% report a lack of dynamism and speed.

They are blocked by fragmented, complex organizational structures, difficulty identifying key stakeholders, and a diffuse strategy. Around a third face questions regarding ROI - 50% say the focus is on financials rather than the future, with a general lack of realism or patience. Four digital threats are considered ‘high or extreme’ by one in four: processing data meaningfully, digital risk, regulatory delays and customer frustration.

The Board: Words not met by action: only 33% of digital leaders are truly supported or resourced.

Boards prioritize digitization, say 69% of digital leaders, giving space and listening to their input. However, only a third really agree that their boards assign enough resources, or ensure digital initiatives are put into a process. Only 28% truly believe their boards fully understand the meaning and scope of digital. The focus is (too) often on operations, or the customer interface.

The Role: Care needed beyond the honeymoon. Only 18% of digital leaders get a mentor or coach.

Digital leaders have a good start on joining organizations: 80% encounter an inspiring role profile. Two thirds have an easy decision to join, and are matched (at least on joining) with key stakeholders. But only half really feel well-informed by their onboarding process, or helped to have a quick impact. And only one in five receives a senior mentor or coach.

The Competencies: Digital leaders generally confident. But only 26% are fully up to date with security.

Amrop has built the core skillset for Chief Digital Officers and equivalents into a Digital Competency Model, comprising 4 dimensions and 16 indicators. Inviting C-suite digital leaders to self-rate reveals 13 areas in which under 40% feel fully confident. And only one in four feel fully competent or confident in four key digital areas: defining commercial performance indicators, risk management, talent management and security.

“This report highlights the pressure points of digital transformation in non-tech organizations,” said Job Voorhoeve, Leader of Amrop’s global Digital Practice. “In a confusing arena, these insights will enable boards and digital leaders to identify clear avenues for action.”

About the study

159 C-suite digital leaders from mainly EMEA countries and multiple sectors responded to an in-depth survey: Digitization on Boards, 3^rd Edition. 53% had a global span of control. 90% identified as Chief Digital Officer, Chief Technology Officer, Chief Information Officer, Chief IT Officer, or Independent Board Member/NED.

Read the report here.

About Amrop

Amrop advises organizations in the domains of Executive Search, Board and Leadership Services. With over 60 offices around the world, Amrop supports companies in identifying and positioning ‘Leaders For What’s Next’: top talent, adept at working across borders in markets around the world.