The need to attract private sector investment to Ukraine is well recognised, but how realistic is this right now, and how can it be done effectively?
To help Ukrainian officials from across the national and regional governments answer these questions, TheCityUK has partnered with the Moller Institute at Churchill College, Cambridge University, to develop a specialised and advanced leadership course in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).
Working alongside investors, their advisors and experienced practitioners in FDI, the participants identified and worked through what unique opportunities they could offer to investors now and during post-war recovery: how to address investor concerns and build a compelling commercial value proposition and ways to work together to deliver a key account management service that helps investors navigate through different layers of government to get fast approvals and establish successfully.
Over three days, the course provides practical support from those working on investment attraction in an interactive learning environment. Richard Leather, Managing Director of the Moller Institute, says this approach enables participants to practice and build confidence and is key to delivering the most effective outcomes. The course explores how to identify the right projects and opportunities; the most effective ways to promote them to targeted investors; and the development of integrated facilitation services. It also helps to build a Team Ukraine approach with training institutions, local governments, community leaders and veteran support groups to ensure sustainable and inclusive growth for the country and the investors.
The Moller Institute is very proud to be part of the important partnership between the UK and Ukraine and believes that by working together, Ukraine can create a world-class Investment Promotion Agency (IPA) which harnesses the experience and commitment of staff working at all levels of government.
Strengthening the commercial acumen of the government teams working with investors and giving them the tools to be effective are key objectives of the course. There is no doubt it is a challenging environment to attract investors, but there are commercial opportunities in areas like retail, defence, agriculture and health industries that can be developed now, as well as significant potential in energy and infrastructure post-war that the government can prepare for.
Attracting further international investment from a range of different investors will help Ukraine to build back better, create a wide range of jobs for veterans and those returning home, and develop new industries in different parts of the country. By joining up the work of the cities, regions and national governments we ensure the economic benefits of investment are spread throughout the country and everyone is aligned around shared economic priorities.
From the perspective of the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine, they believe that the upskilling of their teams to work with different types of investors and developing a shared vision for investment with colleagues from regional and local economic development agencies will ensure they can deliver a seamless, high-quality service to investors. They point out the many advantages Ukraine has to offer to international investors looking to access high tech talent and vital inputs to global supply chains with proximity to key markets. By working together with their partners, they want to deliver economic prosperity and inclusive growth for all parts of the country.
TheCityUK brings together private sector expertise across financial and related professional services through the City Ukraine Hub to work with Ukrainian colleagues in government, business and the regulators to rebuild a strong and outward looking business environment and financial centre with support from the Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office. The Moller Institute for strategic leadership delivers the highly regarded Advanced Leadership for FDI Professionals Course, which enables IPA leaders to respond to changing investment trends, drive performance and deliver sustainable and inclusive economic impact for their markets.
