The business brunch “Business Energy: Resilience and Development” took place in Kyiv: investment, CSR, legal security and development strategies for Ukrainian business

On 13 October 2026 the business brunch “Business Energy: Resilience and Development”, organised by the business publication PERSHYI BIZNESOVYI | BIZ, took place in Kyiv.

The central idea of the business brunch was the energy that drives Ukrainian business today: the energy of people, leadership, capital, technology, responsibility, partnerships and strong management decisions.

The event programme covered corporate culture, social responsibility, investment, technological independence, digital transformation, legal security, reputation and strategic communications.

The organisers: the strength of Ukrainian business lies in people who do not stop

Opening the business brunch, Viktoriia Shteinberg, co-founder of the business publication PERSHYI BIZNESOVYI | BIZ, stressed the importance of professional dialogue and of uniting Ukrainian entrepreneurs in the face of constant challenges.

“We live in a time when doing business in Ukraine is already an act of courage. Every day Ukrainian entrepreneurs face new challenges: war, economic uncertainty, labour shortages, energy risks, changing markets and consumer sentiment. But despite everything, Ukrainian business keeps working, investing, creating jobs, supporting people and finding new opportunities for development,” said Viktoriia Shteinberg.

People and corporate culture: how to keep a team together in times of uncertainty

Kateryna Tiura, HRD of the Veranda / Fenix restaurants

The brunch programme opened with a talk by Kateryna Tiura, HRD of the Veranda / Fenix restaurants, on “PEOPLE: The Power of a Team. People, Culture and Technology in the New Reality”.

The focus was on the transformation of corporate culture, the manager's role in building a strong team, adapting to change and the impact of technology on personnel management.

Amid labour shortages, migration and constant uncertainty, preserving human capital is becoming one of the key issues for Ukrainian companies.

Particular attention was paid to the importance of corporate values, internal communications and managers' ability to sustain employee motivation in crisis conditions.

Corporate social responsibility: from aid to business strategy

Panel discussion “Corporate social responsibility: from aid to business strategy”

One of the key topics of the event was the panel discussion “Corporate social responsibility: from aid to business strategy”.

Participants discussed how Ukrainian business is moving from ad hoc charitable aid to systematic social programmes integrated into companies' long-term strategy.

Particular attention was paid to supporting military personnel and veterans, working with communities, inclusion, accessibility, educational initiatives and employers' responsibility towards their teams.

The discussion was moderated by Daria Sukhenko, co-founder and creative director of Trembita PR Agency.

Taking part in the discussion were:

• Valentyna Yovenko — Director of Corporate Communications of the 9-1-1 Pharmacy chain.
• Olena Kreknina — Marketing Director of AXOR INDUSTRY.
• Artem Honcharenko, PhD — Head of the Veterans Institute at KNUCA, accessibility ambassador of the Ministry of Education and Science.
• Khrystyna Ivchenko — Head of External Communications and Public Relations at NOVUS.

The discussion looked at practical examples of social initiatives by Ukrainian companies.

In particular, the topics included ensuring access to medicines in frontline communities, supporting employees and internally displaced persons, helping servicemen and veterans, and developing educational programmes and social partnerships.

Participants stressed the importance of moving from individual charitable initiatives to systematic work with specific goals, accountability and evaluation of results.

Free capital in times of uncertainty: where should business invest

Panel “Free capital in times of uncertainty: where should business invest?”

The investment panel “Free capital in times of uncertainty: where should business invest?” was devoted to preserving and growing capital amid war, inflation, currency fluctuations and limited predictability.

The discussion centred on comparing various investment instruments: domestic government bonds (OVDP), bank products, investment in land and real estate, reinvesting in one's own business, and private and venture investment.

Participants examined these instruments in terms of potential returns, risks, liquidity and investment horizon.

The discussion was moderated by Taras Kozak, founder and president of the UNIVER investment group, a Kyiv City Council deputy and a PhD in public administration.

Participants:

• Andrii Usenko — CEO and co-founder of Tvoie Kolo and Miastoriia, co-owner of the asset management company Profit.
• Taras Kyrychenko — Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Nova Poshta, co-founder of TOLOKA.VC.
• Mykhailo Patsan — entrepreneur, investor and asset manager with 18 years of experience, an expert in international financial markets and Web3 technologies.

The discussion covered how entrepreneurs can build a balanced investment strategy, assess the risks of different assets and find the optimal balance between preserving liquidity, investing and developing their own business.

Particular attention was paid to investment in Ukrainian land, the prospects of venture capital and opportunities for asset diversification.

Technological independence as a competitive advantage

Oleksandr Vlasyshen, CEO and co-founder of GenKod Diagnostics

Oleksandr Vlasyshen, CEO and co-founder of GenKod Diagnostics, spoke about the importance of in-house research capability in genetic research for Ukrainian business.

The topic of the talk was “Technological independence as a business strategy: in-house research capability as a competitive advantage”.

The speaker addressed the development of laboratory infrastructure in Ukraine, moving research from foreign laboratories to Ukrainian facilities, building in-house technological competencies and reducing dependence on foreign partners.

Oleksandr Vlasyshen also stressed the advantages of carrying out genetic research in Ukraine: optimised logistics, shorter turnaround times, quality control at every stage and wider availability of modern genetic diagnostics. Using GenKod Diagnostics as an example, he showed how developing in-house laboratory infrastructure helps grow the Ukrainian genetic research market and strengthen the company's competitive position.

Legal security for business: how to prevent risks

Panel discussion “Legal security for business in the new reality”

Another important part of the programme was the panel discussion “Legal security for business in the new reality”.

Participants discussed criminal-law and tax risks, inspections by supervisory authorities, business interaction with law enforcement, asset protection, the liability of executives and preventive mechanisms of legal security.

Moderator: Nadiia Shuliak, attorney and managing partner of the Crown law association.

Joining the panel were:

• Hanna Shchennikova — managing partner of Shchennikova & Partners Law Office.
• Denys Tereshchenko — managing partner of the ALERTES law association, an attorney specialising in white-collar crime and strategic defence of businesses in criminal proceedings.
• Marharyta Fedorova — head of Fedorova LawFirm, chair of the Real Estate and Construction Committee of the Association of Lawyers of Ukraine.

The discussion looked at preparing businesses for inspections, responding to requests from the State Tax Service, the risks of tax disputes, criminal proceedings against enterprises and algorithms for protecting companies.

Particular emphasis was placed on the need to assess legal risks in advance and to integrate legal protection mechanisms into the corporate governance system

Digital transformation: automation and efficiency of business processes

Volodymyr Novikov, CPO of Medoc TTN

The technology block continued with Volodymyr Novikov, CPO of Medoc TTN, and his talk “The digital energy of business: how Linkos Group technologies help automate processes, manage data and scale up”.

The focus was on digitising document flow, automating operational processes, managing data effectively and using technology to improve business productivity.

Given staff and resource constraints, digital solutions are becoming a tool for keeping companies running without interruption and creating opportunities to scale. Particular attention was paid to how automation helps reduce the operational load on teams, optimise internal processes and improve management efficiency.

Communications in an age of uncertainty: how to keep trust

Panel discussion “Communications in an age of uncertainty”

The closing panel discussion was “Communications in an age of uncertainty: how to keep trust when the rules keep changing”.

Participants discussed the role of strategic communications in company development, reputation management, information risks, crisis communications and the specifics of how business engages with its audience in wartime.

Moderator: Dmytro Chepur, head of special projects at the business publication Mind UA.

Joining the discussion were:

• Anastasiia Hrynevych — communications manager at AB InBev Efes Ukraine.
• Dmytro Samoliuk — Head of Digital of the TV channels “My — Ukraina” and “My — Ukraina+”.
• Liubov Pidhorna — co-founder of MSP LLC.
• Viktor Ivanchenko — Head of Strategy & R&D at Megapolis+.
• Liliia Oliinyk — founder of the ilive brand, head of the public organisation “I Live in Harmony”, a public figure.

Participants discussed how companies can maintain the trust of customers, partners and employees, adapt communication strategies to changes in the information environment and respond to reputational challenges. Particular attention was paid to cooperation between business and the media, the role of digital communication channels, the importance of consistency and transparency in building a reputation, and brands' responsibility to their audiences.

An important part of the business brunch was professional networking among company owners, executives, investors, media representatives and experts.

Participants could not only take part in the discussions but also share practical experience, discuss potential areas of cooperation and make new business contacts.

The event's organisers, Viktoriia Shteinberg and Yurii Atanov, stress that the business brunch is created not only as a discussion platform but above all as a space for developing professional connections and forming new partnerships.

“We cannot always influence the circumstances in which we work. But we can influence the decisions we make, the people we bring together and the future we build together. The strength of Ukrainian business lies in people who do not stop. And its energy lies in the ability to act, to unite and to move forward,” stressed Viktoriia Shteinberg and Yurii Atanov

The event's general partner is the TV channel “My — Ukraina+”.

The business brunch was hosted by Karina Shevchenko, presenter and journalist of the TV channel “My — Ukraina+”

Business brunch partners

Event partner and venue — the Veranda on the River restaurant,

Water partner — AQUA Myrhorod. Water that matters

AQUA Myrhorod Detox, AQUA Myrhorod Collagen, AQUA Myrhorod D3 — the energy of the sun

Gift partner — BROCARD, Ukraine's largest perfume and cosmetics chain in the luxury segment.

The event's partners include: Tvoie Kolo, Principessa Jewellery Group, Yamagiwa, BARAKA, AB InBev Efes Ukraine, the 9-1-1 pharmacy chain, Linkos Group, MSP (Mastery Presents), Shchennikova & Partners Law office, GenKod Diagnostics, the ALERTES law association, AXIMUS LAW FIRM, Detailing 4K

Information support is provided by: My-Ukraina+, My-Ukraina, RBC-Ukraine, Channel 33, Mind UA, the Apostrof media holding, Komentari, Delo.ua, Minfin, Finance.ua, SPEKA, Dilova Stolytsia, Marie Claire Ukraine, Business PRO, GLORY Magazine, Best People Club, BUT.IN.UA, Super Lady, Infovision, ProfBuild, Power Mental Health / Mental Innovation Group, Trembita PR Agency, the Megapolis+ advertising holding

The business publication PERSHYI BIZNESOVYI | BIZ continues to develop a platform for professional communication, exchange of experience and stronger cooperation among representatives of Ukrainian business.