Ihor Lytovchenko

By the 15th anniversary of Kyivstar, Ihor Lytovchenko wrote Ukraine's first business novel "Lighting the Star. The First-person History of "Kyivstar"". The book tells the story of creating and establishing the largest telecommunications operator in the context of business and the country's development. In June 2014, it was reported that Ihor Lytovchenko was leaving the company.

In 2010 Ihor Lytovchenko headed the business unit "Ukraine" company VimpelCom Ltd., which united Ukrainian telecom operators - Kyivstar and Beeline - Ukraine (close corporation Ukrainian Radio Systems and limited company Golden Telecom). Integration of the Kyivstar company, a mobile communications operator, and the Beeline-Ukraine, a fixed telecom business and broadband access based on FTTB, made it possible to create a multi-service operator with unique capacities and experience.

He is a Candidate of economic science and defended a thesis “Justification of the risks and threat assessment level at the activities of enterprises” (2004). Since 2001 he has been a member of the International Telecommunication Academy and corresponding member of the International Informatization Academy. He is a member of Council of Entrepreneurs under the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.

In 1994 he founded Kyivstar. The construction of the network was started, and the organizational structure and philosophy of the future company were laid. The first call on the Kyivstar network occurred on December 9, 1997.

Since 1994 he has been Kyivstar President. In 2010 Ihor Lytovchenko filled a position of the Head of Ukraine business unit of VimpelCom Ltd.

Ihor Lytovchenko graduated from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, history department (1990) and Odessa National Academy of Telecommunications, and acquired a profession of the economist (2002).

After graduating from the University in 1990, and until 1994, Ihor Lytovchenko was an assistant director of the production association "Vita", and then was the head of the "Lotos" Company.

After the first course at the University, Ihor Lytovchenko joined the Soviet Army and served two years as a member of frontier troops. During the military service years the army leadership made special mention of him so that he was recommended to join the party, which was quite acceptable during the Soviet period. However, in 1985 he changed the plans and expectations of many people radically. Since the beginning of "perestroika" in the Soviet Union new opportunities appeared. Seeing them in proper perspective quite opportunely, Ihor Lytovchenko and his friends started a small trade business specialized in office equipment.

Ihor Volodymyrovych Lytovchenko (І́гор Володи́мирович Лито́вченко; born May 10, 1966) is a founder and permanent head of the Kyivstar company since 1994. He is the chairman of the management board, and the head of business unit VimpelCom Ltd. For 15 years, Ihor Lytovchenko has been developing one of the most successful business projects in Ukraine. Under his command, Kyiv local cellular company has taken a leadership position in the national telecommunications market, providing services to 27 million subscribers around Ukraine.

Ihor Lytovchenko was born on May 10, 1966 in Donetsk, but a few years later the family moved to Kiev. His mother was a doctor, and he was to follow in his mother's footsteps, but in high school he changed his mind and set more ambitious goals. In 1983, Ihor Lytovchenko entered the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Social and Political History department.