In a world where startups are born and vanish at a kaleidoscopic pace, individuals who possess not only vision but also proven experience in building sustainable business structures attract special interest. Georgii Dubovyi, with over twenty years of experience in leadership positions in international companies and his current role as Business Developer for Startups, represents precisely such a blend of experience and innovative thinking.
– Georgii, your professional path impresses with its breadth: from an engineer-electrophysicist at the National Technical University of Ukraine to founder and leader of companies in logistics, luxury retail, and even biotech research in Poland. What was the initial impulse for the transition from the technical sphere to business, and which milestones of your early career do you consider key to shaping your current approach to business development?
– Thank you for such an assessment. Indeed, my path has not been linear. My degree in engineering-electrophysics laid the foundation for systems thinking, the ability to analyse complex processes and find non-trivial solutions — qualities that are invaluable in business. However, even during my studies, I realised I was drawn to market dynamics, interaction with people, and building systems not only technical but also commercial. My early experience as a sales representative at British American Tobacco became a real “field school”: building a client base from scratch, responsibility for results, and understanding sales psychology. Then came an important stage at IQ Management Ukraine, the representative office of a Danish company, where I built a distribution network for dairy products across Ukraine and managed a team of sales representatives. This marked a transition from individual performance to managing teams and systems. Studying marketing in Hamburg and later deepening my knowledge of accounting and finance complemented practical experience with theoretical grounding, allowing me to see business as a holistic financial-economic model. Each stage was not just a step but an element forming a comprehensive vision.
– You have unique experience managing large teams — over 100 people — in various industries, such as international transportation (“Ukrainian Transport Group”, DGF Group) and luxury goods distribution (“Jindo Rus Ukraine”). What is your philosophy for forming, managing, and, importantly, transforming teams capable of showing high performance in such different operational and cultural environments?
– The foundation of my philosophy is the synergy of a clear structure and human potential. Regardless of the field, whether logistics — where precision, discipline, and coordination are crucial — or luxury retail — where client orientation, product knowledge, and the ability to create a special atmosphere come to the forefront — the key principles remain unchanged. First is clarity of goals and expectations. Every employee, from an international truck driver to a sales consultant in a high-end boutique, must clearly understand their role, tasks, and performance evaluation criteria. Second is the right selection of people. I always looked for not just performers, but people with potential who shared the company’s values. In the luxury segment, this was especially critical — to find people capable of representing global brands. Third is creating a motivation system — both financial and non-financial — that stimulates not only individual achievements but also teamwork. Implementing incentive and sales stimulation systems was an important part of my work already at IQ Management. And finally, leadership by example and trust. Team transformation is only possible when the leader is ready to change themselves, open to feedback, and delegates authority, giving people the opportunity to grow. Managing a team of 100+ people requires building an effective management hierarchy and systematic reporting, which we successfully implemented, for example, at Jindo Rus Ukraine at the national and regional levels.
– How do you manage to develop and implement effective business strategies for such diversified areas, and are there universal strategic principles?
– Absolutely, there are universal principles, although tactical tools may differ drastically. The first principle is deep market and customer understanding. Before forming a strategy, it’s essential to thoroughly study the environment, competitors, and needs of the target audience — be it cargo shippers in logistics or potential biotech product consumers. The second principle is financial discipline and focus on profit and loss. My background in finance and accounting allows me to view any business through the lens of numbers. Planning, cost control, and profitability management are the foundation of any enterprise’s sustainability. The third principle is adaptability and readiness for innovation. Markets change, technologies evolve. A successful strategy is not a frozen dogma but a flexible plan ready for adjustments. An example is our decision to diversify into biotechnology. We saw a promising niche and invested in developing a unique extraction technology. The fourth principle is building a strong operational base. Whether it’s well-tuned logistics and customs procedures in a transportation company or a streamlined lab and production process in biotech — without a reliable foundation, a strategy remains just words on paper. The awards of the “Ukrainian Transport Group” — “Best International Carrier in the CIS” in 2007 — are exactly the result of synergy between strategy and operational efficiency.
– Currently, you are actively developing as a Business Developer for Startups. Based on your extensive experience managing both established companies and projects at the formation stage (e.g., building distribution networks from scratch), what are the most common mistakes or “growth areas” you observe in modern startups, and how does your experience help them avoid these pitfalls?
– Startups are about energy, speed, innovation. But they often lack the systematisation and strategic depth typical of mature companies. One common mistake is underestimating the importance of financial planning and control. Enthralled by the product or idea, founders sometimes forget about unit economics, cash flow, and cost management. My knowledge and skills help startups build a healthy financial model. The second problem is chaotic team and process building. At the start, this may work, but during scaling, it leads to collapse. My experience in creating and transforming teams of over 100 people, implementing management reporting, and building distribution networks from scratch allows me to help startups lay scalable organisational structures and processes. The third growth area is an underdeveloped go-to-market strategy. With my experience forming markets for new products and brands in Ukraine, I help startups more clearly define their target audience, promotion and sales channels, and build partnerships. Essentially, I offer startups not just advice, but practical tools and approaches from the “big” business world, adapted to their speed and flexibility, helping them avoid costly mistakes and accelerate their path to success.
– If you were to summarise the essence of your approach, Georgii, what three fundamental pillars would you highlight as the foundation for building any successful, sustainable business and effective team?
– I would probably highlight three main elements. First — People. Finding the right people, creating conditions for their growth, motivating and uniting them with a common goal — this is the absolute foundation. Without a strong, engaged team, even the most brilliant strategy will remain unrealised. Second — System. A successful business is a well-functioning mechanism. This includes everything: financial flows, operational processes, sales, marketing, team management. A systematic approach based on data and clear procedures ensures stability and scalability. My engineering and financial education are a great help here. Third — Vision and Adaptability. One must be a strategist to clearly understand where you’re leading the company, but also be ready to respond flexibly to changes in the external environment, explore new directions, as we did with biotechnology. Stagnation is the beginning of the end. Continuous development, learning (I myself have gone through various courses and trainings in Germany and Ukraine), and openness to new things are the key to long-term success.
– Thank you, Georgii, for such an insightful conversation. Your journey clearly demonstrates how the synthesis of strategic vision, a systematic approach, and a focus on developing human capital makes it possible to build successful companies across diverse industries.
– Thank you. I was glad to share valuable insights based on my rich and multifaceted experience!