As Ukraine’s new prime minister, Serhii Koretskyi, takes office, he faces his biggest management challenge yet. With a hard winter looming and protests on the streets, Koretskyi must use his business acumen, political dexterity, and diplomacy to steer the country through the toughest of times.

A Unconventional Leader

Unlike many of Ukraine’s senior government officials, Koretskyi did not climb through political parties, parliament, or the civil service. A trained engineer, he built his career in business, spending more than two decades managing fuel and food industries before being picked to run some of Ukraine’s most troubled state-owned energy companies.

With over 20 years of experience in the private sector, Koretskyi has a reputation as an effective crisis manager, reviving struggling state enterprises and making them profitable. His most notable achievements include reviving Ukrnafta, a state-owned oil producer, and Naftogaz, the state energy giant, both of which were on the brink of collapse when he took over.

Under his leadership, Ukrnafta reported record profits, cleared its tax debts, and expanded production. The company became one of Ukraine’s largest taxpayers and a major contributor to the war effort, supplying fuel to the military and funding drones. Naftogaz, on the other hand, rebuilt gas reserves to over 13 billion cubic meters and raised nearly $1 billion.

A Rocky Start

Koretskyi’s premiership is already off to a rocky start. As lawmakers voted to confirm him, hundreds of protesters gathered in the city center, enraged at President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for unfairly sidelining popular Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov in the sudden government reshuffle announced this week.

Koretskyi’s immediate priorities include protecting Ukraine’s battered energy system, stabilizing the economy, ensuring international aid is spent effectively, and expanding domestic arms production. He has stated that his priority is to be prepared for the winter, and he has been tasked by Zelenskyy to lead the country through what officials expect could be the hardest winter of the war due to Russian attacks.

Koretskyi’s background and experience make him an unconventional leader, but he is not without his challenges. He will need to use his skills as a crisis manager to navigate the complexities of Ukrainian politics and lead the country through a period of great uncertainty.

A New Era for Ukraine?

Koretskyi’s appointment marks a new era for Ukraine, one that is characterized by a growing sense of uncertainty and insecurity. As the country faces a hard winter, protests on the streets, and a looming threat from Russia, Koretskyi will need to use all his skills and experience to lead the country to a brighter future.

With his background in business and his reputation as an effective crisis manager, Koretskyi is well-equipped to face the challenges ahead. However, the road ahead will be difficult, and only time will tell if he will be able to lead Ukraine through this tough period.

In the coming weeks and months, Koretskyi will face numerous challenges, from protecting the energy system to stabilizing the economy. He will need to use all his skills and experience to navigate the complexities of Ukrainian politics and lead the country to a brighter future.

One thing is certain: Ukraine’s new prime minister faces his toughest challenge yet, and the country’s future hangs in the balance.