SUP was active in Italy
The Union of Ukrainian Entrepreneurs (SUP) is working in Italy, where the On the Road to URC event is taking place in Milan. This is a key event dedicated to the role of business in Ukraine’s reconstruction, organized by the governments of Ukraine and Italy as part of the preparations for the Ukrainian Recovery Conference (URC), which will be held in July 2025.
Partnership for Growth
One of today’s key events was the roundtable discussion “Partnership for Growth,” organized by SUP in cooperation with our Italian partners, Confindustria. The event, attended by more than 30 representatives, served as a platform for exploring cooperation opportunities between Ukrainian and Italian companies, even in wartime conditions.
Speakers:
- Kateryna Glazkova, CEO of the Union of Ukrainian Entrepreneurs
- Marco Felisati, Director of International Relations, Confindustria
- Fabio Ricci, Deputy Director General, Italian Agricultural Machinery Manufacturers Federation (FederUnacoma)
- Pobilets Margaryta, Head of Investment Attraction and Financing, Activitis Financial Company
- Alessandro Durante, Director of External Relations, Federazione delle Associazioni Nazionali dell’Industria Meccanica Varia ed Affine
- Denys Myrhorodskyi, Owner of the “Dynasty” group of companies
- Anna Kalinovska, Head of Wind Power Generation Division
Representatives of Ukrainian businesses shared their capabilities and competitive advantages in various sectors, while Italian companies outlined areas where they see potential for collaboration. It was a highly productive discussion that we hope will lead to real, long-term partnerships.
Role of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)
Another key topic of the event was the role of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Ukraine’s reconstruction. A panel discussion, “The Potential Role of Small and Medium Enterprises in the Reconstruction Process,” was moderated by Kateryna Glazkova, Executive Director of SUP.
Since a significant share of SUP members are SME representatives, the Union has deep expertise in this area and is already working systematically on its development, including through the creation of a sectoral Small Business Committee. Participants discussed strategies to strengthen the role of SMEs in Ukraine’s recovery, as well as special support programs provided by the government and international financial institutions.
Speakers:
- Tetyana Berezhna – Deputy Minister of Economy of Ukraine
- Natalia Butkova-Vitvytska – Board Member responsible for SMEs, Oschadbank
- Volodymyr Kuzyo – Deputy Chairman of the Board, CFO of Bank Lviv, former Deputy Minister of Economy
- Luca Ponzellini – Deputy Head of the Financial Inclusion Department, EIB
- Olha Slyvynska – Director of International Relations, Co-Chair of the Center for Financial Development & Investment, KSE Institute
- Martine Diss – Deputy Head of Communications, DG GROW
- Anita Richter – Head of the Ukrainian Unit, Global Relations and Cooperation, OECD
- Kateryna Rigg – Regional Head of SME Finance & Development, EBRD
- Escipion Oliveira-Gomez – Director of Enterprise Competitiveness, International Trade Centre, Geneva
- Mariin Ratnik – Special Representative of Estonia
- Mattia Adani – Vice President, Assolombarda
- Maria Havryliuk – CEO and Co-Founder of GUNIA Project
We sincerely thank the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine and the Government of Italy for warmly welcoming the Ukrainian delegation, supporting this initiative, and providing a platform for constructive discussions.