Ukrainian Defense Industry supervisory board appoints Gulyak as company CEO

MOSCOW. Oct 21 (Interfax) - The supervisory board of the Ukrainian Defense Industry, a state-owned joint-stock company known also as Ukroboronprom, has appointed Oleg Gulyak its general director, Ukrainian media reported citing Ukroboronprom as saying on its social account on Monday.

Gulyak previously served as the company's acting general director.

"Gulyak is well aware of the urgent needs and is an experienced manager. The principal goals currently facing him is continuing to increase production, completing the reform of the defense industry's state sector, and building an efficient anticorruption infrastructure," Ukrainian Minister of Strategic Industries German Smetanin said.

Gulyak's appointment was preceded by the selection of a pool of 20 candidates conducted by the Ukrainian office of Odgers Berndtson, an international company specializing in selecting senior managers. The company short-listed three people for the job, with whom the supervisory board conducted individual interviews attended by officials from the U.S., UK, and German embassies to Ukraine.

As reported, Ukroboronprom's supervisory board on September 5 decided to terminate German Smetanin's powers as the company's general director and appoint Gulyak as acting general director. Gulyak had served as an advisor to the Ukroboronprom general director from July 1, 2024.

Gulyak has served with the Ukrainian Armed Forces since 1993. He started his military career as a deputy commander of a reconnaissance company in an Air Mobile Division. In 2021-2024, he commanded the Ukrainian Armed Forces' Logistics Forces.