“Person of the Year”: From Recognition to Responsibility

Today, I see these awards above all as recognition of shared work. Behind every decision and every result stood teams, partners and people who believed in the potential of their city and region, took on responsibility and worked for change. I am grateful to everyone with whom we walked this path.

The scale of the tasks changed, and new challenges emerged. What remained constant was the conviction that development begins with people who can see the bigger picture and turn it, day by day, into concrete action.

This year, I had the honour of joining in paying tribute to Ukraine’s energy workers.

Together with Hanna Zamazieieva, Head of the State Agency on Energy Efficiency and Energy Saving of Ukraine, I presented the special military-patriotic award “Unbreakable” to Vitalii Zaichenko, Chairman of the Management Board of NPC Ukrenergo. The award honours the company for its professional valour, courage and resilience in restoring Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.

For me, as Chairman of the Board of Global 100% RE Ukraine, this topic is especially close. Today’s energy resilience and its future are inseparable. As we rebuild the system, we must at the same time create the conditions for its development: introduce innovation, expand distributed generation, renewable energy sources and energy storage, and strengthen the energy independence of communities.

My personal journey with the “Person of the Year” programme brings together experience in managing a city and a region with my current work on Ukraine’s energy future. This experience has confirmed a simple idea for me: the true value of leadership is measured by what it gives to people and the opportunities it leaves for future generations.

I thank the organisers for preserving the tradition of public recognition. I congratulate this year’s winners and thank everyone who defends Ukraine, sustains its vitality and works for its future.