Ihor Lytovchenko

Ihor Volodymyrovych Lytovchenko (І́гор Володи́мирович Лито́вченко; born May 10, 1966) is a founder and permanent head of Kyivstar company since 1994. He is the chairman of management board, the head of business unit VimpelCom Ltd. For 15 years, Ihor Lytovchenko has been developing one of the most successful business projects in Ukraine. Under his command, Kyiv local cellular company has taken leadership position on national telecom-market, providing services to 27 million of subscribers around Ukraine.

Ihor Lytovchenko graduated from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, history department (1990) and Odessa National Academy of Telecommunications and acquired a profession of the economist (2002).
He is a Candidate of economic science and defended a thesis “Justification of the risks and threat assessment level at the activities of enterprises” (2004). Since 2001 he has been being a member of the International Telecommunication Academy and corresponding member of the International Informatization Academy. He is a member of Council of Entrepreneurs under the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.

Was born on May 10, 1966 in Donetsk, but a few years later the family moved to Kiev. Ihor Lytovchenko's mother was a doctor, and he was to follow in his mother's footsteps, but in high school he changed his mind and put more ambitious goals. In 1983, Ihor Lytovchenko enters Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Social and Political History department. After the first course at the University Ihor Lytovchenko joined the Soviet Army and served 2 years as a member of frontier troops. During the military service years the army leadership made special mention of him so that he was recommended to join the party, it was quite acceptable during the Soviet period. However, in 1985 he changed the plans and expectations of many people radically. Since the beginning of "perestroika" in the Soviet Union new opportunities appeared. Seeing them in proper perspective quite opportunely, Ihor Lytovchenko and his friends start a small trade business specialized in office equipment. After graduating from the University in 1990 and until 1994 Ihor Lytovchenko was an assistant director of the production association "Vita", and then he was the head of the "Lotos" Company.

In 1994 he founds Kyivstar. The construction of the network was started, the organizational structure and philosophy of the future company were laid. The first call to Kyivstar network occurred on December 9, 1997.

Work experience in leadership positions is 19 years.

Since 1994 is Kyivstar President. In 2010 Ihor Lytovchenko filled a positionof the Head of Ukraine business unit of «VimpelCom Ltd.»

By the 15th anniversary of “Kyivstar”, Ihor Lytovchenko wrote Ukraine’s first business novel “Lighting the Star. The First-person History of “Kyivstar””. The book tells the story of creation and establishing of the largest telecommunications operator in the context of business and country’s development. June 13 it was reported that Ihor Lytovchenko is leaving the company.

For many years Ihor Lytovchenko has been recognized as the best top manager in the sphere of telecommunications according to main Ukrainian business media’s ratings (Companion, TOP-100, GVardiya), while “Kyivstar” is heading the list of the best and the most effective companies of Ukraine. It is under the command of Ihor Lytovchenko that the company has taken the leading positions as the top cellular operator and internet provider on the national telecommunications market.

In 2010 Ihor Lytovchenko headed the business unit "Ukraine" company «VimpelCom Ltd.», which united Ukrainian telecom operators - "Kyivstar" and «Beeline - Ukraine" (close corporation "Ukrainian Radio Systems" and limited company "Golden Telecom"). Integration of the Kyivstar company, a mobile communications operator, and the Beeline-Ukraine, a fixed telecom business and broadband access based on FTTB, made it possible to create a multi-service operator with unique capacities and experience.

• Order "For merits» III degree (2000), II degree (2004), I degree (2006).
• Award of the European Centre for Market Research (EMRC) (2003) for outstanding achievements and innovative market-based policy "Kyivstar".
• The Association of Industrial Promotion Gold Medal (France) (2003).
• Diploma of the Cabinet of Ministers for a significant personal contribution to the reform of the national economy, development of entrepreneurship and market infrastructure in Ukraine, as well as for excellence in professional activities (2003).
• Badge "Honorary telecommunications worker of Ukraine" (2005).
• The title of the best top manager of Ukraine (2009).
• According to the publishing company «Комп&ньйон» Ihor Lytovchenko was declared to be the most influential top manager of Ukraine (2010).
• Won the "Best manager - team leader" and "Best Manager - HR management", and also entered the top five executives in common "TOP-100. Best Top-Managers of Ukraine publishing company "Экономика"(2011).