Фото: пресслужба НБУ
К former first deputy head of the National Bank Kateryna Rozhkova, who was part of the NBU’s board for nine years under four different leaders and departed from her position last week, stated that she found it most fulfilling to work during the tenures of Valeria Hontareva and Yakiv Smoliy. She made these remarks in an interview with NV Business.
“I was part of NBU under Stelmas in 2009. It was a brief but significant time that provided initial insights into the regulator’s operations,” – she mentioned.
“I felt most at ease working with Valeria Hontareva and Yakiv Smoliy. Their management approach was notably open and democratic. We fostered an environment of trust, constructive discussions, and respect for professional opinions. There were no underhanded tactics or internal rivalries. This allowed us to focus on reforms and achieve results,” – Rozhkova shared.
Hontareva served as NBU’s head from 2014 to 2018, while Smoliy was in office from 2018 to 2020.
In July 2020, Kyrylo Shevchenko took over as the chair of the NBU.
“Collaboration with Kyrylo Shevchenko was distinctly different. We didn’t quite manage to work together. His style, in my view, was authoritarian. Perhaps that’s one of the reasons,” – Rozhkova remarked.
In October 2022, Shevchenko resigned from his leadership role at the NBU, reportedly for health reasons, and left the country. The following day, he was notified of suspicion related to the embezzlement of 206 million UAH from Ukrhazbank and subsequently declared internationally wanted.
Andrii Pyshny took over the position from Shevchenko.
“Andrii Pyshny also opted for a vertical, centralized leadership model. At the same time, it must be noted his strategic vision and aspiration to leave a legacy. However, for me, teamwork and the opportunity to express my opinion freely are important. This isn’t about conflict, but rather about values,” – stated Rozhkova.
- As of August 15, 2025, the position of first deputy head of the NBU has been filled by Serhiy Nikolaychuk.
