On 22–26 June 2026, the Ukrainian Corporate Governance Institute, together with the Corporate Governance Professional Association (CGPA), held the Advanced Professional Development Program for Corporate Secretaries — “Corporate Secretary 2”. The program brought together 27 participants representing major state-owned, private and financial companies, as well as public authorities.
The participants represented, among others, JSC Ukrzaliznytsia, JSC Ukrtransgaz, JSC Ukreximbank, JSC Ukrnafta, JSC ANTONOV, NJSC Ukragroleasing, LLC Gas Transmission System Operator of Ukraine, JSC PIRAEUS BANK ICB, JSCB INDUSTRIALBANK, JSC Altbank, PrJSC VUSO Insurance Company, PJSC NASK ORANTA, PrJSC ABINBEV EFES UKRAINE, JSC Dniprovska CHPP, JSC Kryvorizka TPP, JSC IVCHENKO-PROGRESS, JSC NTK Elektronprylad, LLC ALVIVA Ukraine, LLC FC ACTIVITIS, the State Property Fund of Ukraine, and other organizations.
In terms of professional background, the group included corporate secretaries, corporate secretary service program managers, chief legal counsels, legal counsels, corporate rights management specialists, representatives of legal departments, directors and chief specialists of corporate rights departments. This diverse composition created a strong professional environment for the exchange of experience among representatives of the energy, transport, banking, insurance, industrial, public administration and private business sectors.
The program is a continuation of the basic Corporate Secretary Training Program and is designed for professionals who already have practical experience in performing corporate secretary functions and seek to advance to a new level of professional excellence. It combines modern corporate governance theory, practical tools, analysis of real-life situations, workshops and work on participants’ own “Roadmaps” for improving corporate governance in their companies.
The first day of the program focused on the role of the corporate secretary as an inspirer and driving force behind corporate governance reforms in a company. Oleksandr Okuniev, Chair of the Board of Directors of CGPA, spoke about governance as a strategic process, risk management, corporate ethics, compliance and responsible corporate citizenship. Special attention was paid to the role, powers and composition of the Supervisory Board / Board of Directors, succession planning for Board members, the corporate secretary’s work with newly elected Board members, induction sessions, liability, insurance, contracts and remuneration of Board members.
The second day continued the program’s practical focus. Participants worked on topics related to effective Board meetings, the role of the corporate secretary in preparing and supporting such meetings, the work of Board committees, external evaluation and self-assessment of the Board’s performance. The program also addressed the interaction between the Board and the executive body, the selection of executive body members, and succession planning as one of the important tasks of the Board, in which the corporate secretary plays a key coordination and methodological role.
The third day was dedicated to current regulatory and legal issues. Olena Stupak, Executive Director of LLC EMCON and CGPA member, spoke about the disclosure of regulated information and financial statements by issuers, current requirements, recent changes and expected innovations. Nataliia Shevchenko, Senior Lawyer at Ernst & Young, presented updates in the regulation of general shareholders’ meetings — in-person, electronic and remote. Kateryna Polyvach, Corporate Secretary of JSC NSTU, delivered a session on institutional memory and continuity of management decisions, highlighting the redefined role of the corporate secretary — from process administrator to architect of continuity. Volodymyr Ihonin, Partner and Head of Corporate Practice at Vasil Kisil & Partners, addressed the liability of officers in joint-stock companies, conflicts of interest, significant transactions and related-party transactions.
The fourth day was highly practice-oriented. Uliana Semchyshyn, Corporate Secretary of JSC Ukrnafta, conducted a workshop titled “Challenging Situations and Validity of Decision-Making during Meetings of the Supervisory Board and Its Committees.” Participants analyzed situations that corporate secretaries face in their daily work: procedural matters, complex management decisions, proper documentation of processes and ensuring the effective functioning of corporate governance bodies.
Olha Shenk, Partner in the Dispute Resolution and Compliance Practice at the Kyiv office of the international law firm CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang, presented the key elements of anti-corruption compliance: conflict of interest policies, work with personnel, checks, training and internal investigations. The day concluded with a session by Kateryna Yelisovetska, Corporate Secretary of JSC Ukrtatnafta, on artificial intelligence in the work of a corporate secretary — its opportunities, risks and practical application.
The final day of the program was devoted to preparation for the exam, defense of the “Roadmap” for corporate governance transformation, summarizing the results of the training and awarding certificates to program participants. Work on the Roadmap is one of the program’s key features: participants not only master modern approaches to corporate governance, but also develop a practical vision of changes that can be implemented in their own companies.
The participants themselves also highlighted the high practical value of the program. They particularly valued the combination of theory with real-life cases, the opportunity to discuss challenging situations with experienced practitioners, and the tools that can be immediately applied in the work of a corporate secretary.
“The program is useful and rich in both theoretical material and practical issues. Many lecturers based their presentations on challenging matters they had encountered in practice. The material and topics were excellently structured — from a focus on strategy to daily routine. I appreciated not only the training materials, which can be immediately applied in my work, but also the selection of lecturers, each of whom shared not only their knowledge and experience, but also helped shape a new vision, set a direction for further development and inspired by their own example,”
Olha Raievska, JSC PIRAEUS BANK ICB.
“Thank you very much for the meaningful, logical and engaging lectures, well-selected materials and professional speakers. Special thanks for the organization of the learning process. Everything was delivered at the highest level,”
Anna Holovko, JSC Ukrzaliznytsia.
The Corporate Secretary 2 program confirmed that the role of the corporate secretary in a modern company goes far beyond administrative support for governing bodies. It is a profession built on trust, quality of decision-making, institutional memory, transparency, responsibility and the ability to act as a driver of change in corporate governance.
For the Ukrainian Corporate Governance Institute and the Corporate Governance Professional Association, the development of the professional community of corporate secretaries remains one of the key areas of work. Corporate secretaries are increasingly becoming the professionals who help companies build mature, transparent and effective corporate governance systems in line with the best Ukrainian and international practices.