Andriy Kobolyev

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Andriy Kobolyev
Born
Andriy Kobolyev

(1978-08-16) 16 August 1978 (age 43)
Kiev, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union
NationalityUkrainian
Alma materTaras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv
OccupationCEO of Naftogaz (2014-2021)

Andriy Kobolyev (Ukrainian: Андрій Коболєв; born 16 August 1978) is a former chief executive officer of Ukrainian state energy company Naftogaz. In October 2014 Kobolyev was named in Fortune magazine's "top 40 under 40 (years of age)" for his reform efforts at Ukraine's energy giant.[1]

Early life[]

Kobolyev was born in Kiev. In 2000, he graduated from the International Relations Institute at Kiev National Shevchenko University with a master's degree in international economic relations. Andriy started his career in PricewaterhouseCoopers (1999-2002). There he worked as a management consultant and was responsible for strategic management and corporate reorganization projects. He has over eight years of experience in the oil and gas sector in Ukraine. Prior to his appointment as CEO of Naftogaz of Ukraine, Kobolyev was an adviser at the AYA Capital private investment and banking group. There he was involved with raising debt and equity capital, loan restructuring, and reorganization of corporate structures of large enterprises. Kobolyev worked for Naftogaz between 2002 and 2010, where he started his career as a specialist in the Economy and Price Policy Department. In 2006–2007, he occupied the position of director of the Department for Corporate Finance and Price Policy and in 2008-2010 he was an adviser to the chairman. In these roles he took part in numerous negotiations with Russia's gas monopoly Gazprom. In 2004–2010, he coordinated the process of raising borrowings from international banks of $2 billion and was responsible for restructuring external debt in 2009.

CEO of Naftogaz[]

Andriy Kobolyev took over as CEO of Naftogaz after the 2014 Ukrainian revolution.[2] Relatively little was known about him by industry experts as he was chosen as an outsider untainted by the corruption of the regime of Viktor Yanukovych. Immediately upon entering office he was faced with the challenges of negotiations with Gazprom (which was seeking to increase the price of gas to Ukraine by 80%[3]), domestic companies refusing to pay their debts, and Russia seeking to prevent Ukraine importing gas from Europe.[4]

In October Kobolyev was instrumental in agreeing an interim gas deal between Ukraine, Russia and the European Commission.[5] Kobolyev has however stressed that this deal is an interim measure and that boosting domestic energy efficiency and diversifying supply sources remain strategic imperatives[6]

On 28 April 2021 the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine suspended the Naftogaz Supervisory Board to usurp its authorities to dismiss Kobolyev and, in violation of Ukraine's Anti-Corruption Law, appointed Yuriy Vitrenko as acting Chairman of the Board of Naftogaz for 1 year.[7][8]

References[]

  1. ^ "Andriy Kobolyev - 40 Under 40 2014 - Fortune". Archived from the original on 2014-10-11.
  2. ^ Ukraine Ready to Pay $4 Billion for Gas If Russia Cuts Price , Bloomberg News (15 May 2014)
  3. ^ "Russia raises gas prices for Ukraine by 80%". CNBC. 4 April 2014.
  4. ^ http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/7baf1bf6-3764-11e4-8472-00144feabdc0.html
  5. ^ http://www.eeas.europa.eu/delegations/ukraine/press_corner/all_news/news/2014/2014_10_31_01_en.htm
  6. ^ "Andriy Kobolyev: It's a myth that without Russian gas everyone will die".
  7. ^ (in Ukrainian) The government fired Kobolev from the post of chairman of the board of Naftogaz, Ekonomisha Pravda (28 April 2021)
  8. ^ (in Ukrainian) Cabinet appoints Vitrenko chairman of Naftogaz, Ekonomisha Pravda (28 April 2021)
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