The Point of Takeoff: How Our Alumni Community Sustains Leadership in Times of Trial
In business education, the most valuable asset isn’t programs or models – it’s people. Those with whom fate connects us. Those we can think, collaborate, and grow with. Together, we create an environment that sustains us through crises, inspires change, and becomes a source of solutions even in the most turbulent times.
Graduates of the UCU Business School are fortunate – for this greatest treasure surrounds them not only during their studies but also long after. A vivid confirmation of this was the “Alumni Leadership Day – 2025” – an event that once again brought together the Alumni Community. True to tradition, it combined management insights, a live discussion on the future of business, and the presentation of the “Alumni Awards – 2025”. Let’s recall together what made it so remarkable this year!
Memory That Leads to Action
In times when the very existence of our state is at stake, it is crucial not to forget those who make such gatherings possible. That’s why the “Alumni Leadership Day – 2025” began on November 1 with a moment of remembrance – a collective tribute to the fallen Defenders of Ukraine at the Field of Honor. A place where not only the best among us rest, but also those without whom – as exemplified by UCU Business School alumnus Oleh Vorobiov – the Community itself feels orphaned.
Yet memory is also about readiness to act. The fundraising initiative announced that day by the UCU Business School and the Center for Leadership of UCU in support of the 93rd Separate Support Battalion of the Unmanned Systems Forces became a true example of such action – a way to directly support those who are bringing our Victory closer.
The theme of this year’s gathering deeply resonated with that spirit. After all, “The Point of Takeoff” is about connecting the key contexts that shape Ukrainian society today – war and resilience, generational change, and asymmetric thinking. It’s about everything that can become our strategic advantage – not only in business but also on the battlefield.
“The Point of Takeoff”: A Case That Goes Beyond Business
The event opened with a case session by the Center for Leadership of UCU – “The Point of Takeoff”, dedicated to the story of how the 414th Brigade of Unmanned Systems “Magyar Birds” was formed. This unit, led by Robert (“Madyar”) Brovdi, became a vivid example of how the strategic principles of asymmetry can be applied in the practice of warfare, management, and team culture.
“We created this case not about drones, but about systems thinking – about how discipline, decision-making speed, internal culture, and leadership trust turn limited resources into a disproportionate outcome”,
summarized Andrew Rozhdestvensky, Executive Director of the Center for Leadership of UCU and creator of the video case.
The educational case itself is based on the ideas of Adrian Slywotzky, described in his book “David Wins: The Discipline of Unmatched Victory”. It’s about how advantage arises not from power, but from the ability to think and act faster than others.
For participants, this work became more than just a learning exercise – it served as a mirror to business reality: how companies can remain effective by rethinking the meaning of Scale, Failure, Speed, Frugality, Access, Algorithms, Magnetism, and Narrative in their operations. And most importantly, how much – in truth – both business and Ukraine’s Defense Forces can learn from each other’s approaches.
“Modus Operandi of Ukrainian Business 2025”: A Shortage of People, an Abundance of Challenges
An equally important part of the event was the panel discussion “Modus Operandi of Ukrainian Business in 2025 and Beyond”, moderated by Sophia Opatska, Founding Dean and Chair of the Supervisory Board of the UCU Business School.
Panel participants – Oleh Chaharyn (“PwC Lviv SDC”), Grygorii Zeleniuk (“Darlisad”), Nazar Bihun (“NORDA Dynamics”), and Kateryna Glazkova (CEO of SUP) – discussed the factors that will determine the competitiveness of Ukrainian companies over the next decade.
One of the questions that set the tone for the conversation was simple yet pointed: “What keeps you up at night today?”
Oleh Chaharyn answered without hesitation:
“People. Their safety, development, and future. If we lose people, there will be no business left. These are the three core values of any company: people, people, and people again”.
Human capital emerged as the central theme of the discussion. Ukraine is entering a period of demographic decline, which is already reshaping the labor market. Sophia Opatska highlighted a telling statistic:
“If we currently have around 200,000 school graduates, by 2030 there will only be 130,000. We are entering an era of talent shortage. At the same time, Ukrainian offices of international companies often achieve the best results globally. This is a signal: our people know how to do more with fewer resources…”
Most importantly, this challenge requires new management approaches. In the current reality, domestic businesses must learn to work both with those returning and with newcomers. We are at a stage in market globalization where openness to international teams is no longer just a strategy – it is a condition for survival.
The discussion concluded with topics on automation, changing roles, and responsibilities. In this context, it is particularly valuable that Ukrainian businesses, long accustomed to crisis management, are now developing their own leadership style – adaptive, pragmatic, and free of illusions.
“Alumni Awards – 2025”: Influence as the Currency of Trust
The final part of the event was the presentation of the “Alumni Awards – 2025” – an annual recognition of graduates who not only demonstrate business success but also serve as exemplary leaders in their fields.
Opening the ceremony, Tetiana Novolodska, Head of the UCU Business School Alumni Association and Community, noted:
“We believe that Leadership is, above all, about your ability to influence the system around you. And each of our graduates demonstrates that this influence can be concrete and measurable”.
So, who were the winners of the “Alumni Awards – 2025”?
- “Business and Industry Breakthrough Award” – Pavlo Zaiats (“Petslike”): 49.9% revenue growth and launch of a franchise model.
- “Business Resilience Award” – Marianna Bilyk-Tomashek (“Dental Front”): systematic support for the Armed Forces of Ukraine through dental identification.
- “Ukraine Global Brand Development Award” – Maksym Hladysh and Nazar Hembara (“BotsCrew”): merger with “CourtAvenue” and international recognition of Ukrainian AI.
- “Strategic Impact in Security and Defence Award” – Viktoriya Yaremchuk and Volodymyr Nepiuk (“Farsight Vision”): technologies that save soldiers’ lives.
- “Community & Social Impact Award” – Maryana Savka (“Old Lion Publishing House”): cultural projects shaping a shared identity.
- “Marketing Excellence Award” – Marta Rohach (“Monobank”): development of the B2B direction and creation of a professional community.
- “Product & Service Innovation Award” – Anastasiia Khmelovska (“Zmina Agency”, “Anakonda”): an innovative brand with a mission of bodily awareness and sustainability.
All of them are different – in focus, experience, and scale. Yet they share one thing: the ability to act where others only observe. The “Alumni Awards – 2025” was not just a recognition – it demonstrated what makes UCU Business School graduates recognizable worldwide: a combination of dignity, professionalism, and courage to act.
We congratulate the laureates and thank everyone who contributes to this Community – a community of leaders keeping the country on the rise.
What Did Alumni Leadership Day 2025 Teach Us?
The year 2025 is a time when traditional management models lose their effectiveness, and the value of human connections and trust grows.
That is why each UCU Business School alumni gathering is not just a tradition or networking event. It is a test of the Community’s maturity, demonstrating its ability to think systemically, act quickly, and learn together.
For some, “The Point of Takeoff” last Saturday was inspiring through the story of “Magyar Birds”. For others, it was an opportunity to honestly reflect on their own challenges in business or within their teams. Yet for all of us, it was a reminder that true takeoff does not begin by chance – it begins with discipline, trust… and the first step toward one’s own Dream.