The ranking forms part of the magazine’s Who’s Who in Ukrainian Business study. The project aims to highlight the nation’s top HR professionals and share their experience of tackling staff shortages, burnout and the reintegration of veterans.
The longlist was drawn up by the Forbes Ukraine editorial team together with experts from Korn Ferry, on the basis of recommendations from HR practitioners and recruiters. Thirty-seven candidates made the shortlist, from which a jury of partners at leading executive search firms selected the final 11.
Candidates were assessed against five criteria: change management, strategic vision, people-centricity, innovation and business acumen. Achievements in 2024 and early 2025 were taken into account.
Petruk commented: “For me, this award is more than a personal success; it recognises the work of an entire team: top professionals in their field, each of whom, in their own role, is bringing victory closer. You can embark on great journeys alone, but only together do we become strong enough to overcome any challenge. Thank you to the wider Metinvest team! Your commitment and self-sacrifice, which are helping to keep Ukraine’s economy going, are the bedrock of our company: just as Metinvest itself has become a true pillar of Ukraine in these turbulent times.”
The ranking also included HR leaders from MHP, SoftServe, Ukrsibbank BNP Paribas Group, PrivatBank, DTEK, the National Bank of Ukraine, Lifecell/Datagroup/Volia, Intellias, Metro Cash & Carry and Ukrnafta.
The full “Who’s Who: The Most Effective HR Leaders” ranking is available in the latest issue of Forbes Ukraine.