VIII Conductors of Changes Forum: how to preserve unity and build a strong sovereign state?

Held by Deloitte in Kyiv on 27 September 2023, The VIII Conductors of Changes Forum brought together business leaders, statespersons, and public opinion leaders for a topic discussion «Unity today. Unity tomorrow?».

As a moderator, Sergiy Kulyk brought up a difficult question for discussion with the participation of Volodymyr Borodiansky, Co-founder of The Organization of Ukrainian Producers, Minister of Culture of Ukraine (2019-2020), Olesya Ostrovska-Lyuta, Director General of Mystetskyi Arsenal, Anton Drobovych, Head of the Ukrainian Institute of National Remembrance, serviceman of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and Volodymyr Lavrenchuk, Regional Director at NEQSOL Holding Ukraine. Together they tried to answer the question: Are we united against or are we united for?

Reflecting on what unites the Ukrainians, Olesya Ostrovska-Lyuta concludes that it is similar experience. She explained, «Our collective trauma is the basis for our unity, because it provides a common experience and a common symbolic field.»

During the next panel discussion moderated by Roman Bondar, CEO of Korn Ferry Ukraine, the speakers—Olga Stefanishyna, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine, Volodymyr Popereshnyuk, Co-owner of Nova Poshta, Oleksandr Korniyenko, First Deputy Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, and Yuriy Sorochinskiy, CEO of Nemiroff—reflected on what Ukraine’s state structure should be like in the future.

The discussion centered around the question «What value should the state create for you?» The audience put security, protection, freedom, justice, and development in the first place.

Volodymyr Popereshnyuk said, “Today, when we say “the state” we mean taxation, control, inspections. At the same time, the state is expected to be our partner in defense and should focus on defense. In today’s context, security is most sought after. For this purpose, the defense industry should be deregulated by allowing entrepreneurs to produce and buy weapons.” Yuri Sorochynskyi agreed with the need to prioritize security:

Recognizing the value of the state, Olha Stefanishyna added:

When asked about risks that could slow down our country’s progressive development, Volodymyr Popereshnyuk mentioned the tightening of regulation in the first place. «If the state continues to strengthen regulation, we will remain dependent on other countries, which will impede our defense capability,» he commented.

How to win the war of cultures and what the strength of our nation is—these questions were explored by Andriy Rizol, Board Chairman of the «Watch Ukrainian» Association, Ivan Lenyo, Kozak System frontman, and Pavlo Haidai, Entrepreneur, founder of Mizhvukhamy Fund during the panel discussion moderated by Andriy Bulakh, Deputy CEO at MHP.

Ivan Lenyo emphasized the importance of cultural development especially these days and noted that our main task is to fence off everything imperial with a reinforced concrete fence. Pavlo Haidai noted that we need to build our full-fledged sovereignty, «A truly sovereign state shapes its own future and ways to build this future. Can we do it on our own? We lost the war of cultures when we failed to become a political actor, remained dependent and grew weak. But we are fighting for it now, we are on our way.»

Andriy Rizol defined today’s war as a war of technology and spirit. «And we tend to leave the spirit out of sight,» he added.

How can Ukrainian business help in the war of cultures? According to Lenyo, it is important to donate and use management resources to enable the Armed Forces of Ukraine to increase their effectiveness.

The economic strategy that would embraces the interests of all key stakeholders—the state, business, and society—was discussed by Yulia Svyrydenko, First Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine, Minister of Economy of Ukraine, Serhii Kovalenko, CEO of YASNO, Yevhen Liashchenko, Chairman of the Board of JSC Ukrzaliznytsia, Tymofiy Mylovanov, President of the Kyiv School of Economics (KSE), and Tomas Fiala, CEO of Dragon Capital. The discussion was moderated by Yegor Grygorenko, Partner, Head of Consulting and Risk Advisory at Deloitte Ukraine.

Traditionally, the Conductors of Changes Forum has a social component. This year, the event collected and transferred UAH 500,000 to the Children of Heroes Charity Fund, which takes care of children who have lost one or both parents to the war. Deloitte’s corporate responsibility and sustainable development strategy embraces support to educational projects as a priority area. Deloitte is taking action through WorldClass, a societal-impact initiative, to empower 100 million futures by 2030 by improving education outcomes, developing job skills, and providing access to opportunities.