On Friday, October 11, the Ministry of Defense announced the establishment of supervisory boards for its two procurement agencies. Both boards will have five members—three independent and two government representatives.
In the spring, the procurement agencies DPA and DOT announced a selection process for professional recruiting companies through the Prozorro system. These companies were tasked with helping to select independent members for the supervisory boards. The recruiting companies compiled lists of potential candidates, who were then invited to interviews with Ministry of Defense representatives.
Although the Ministry of Defense received the candidate lists in early summer, the final composition of the supervisory boards has only been approved now.
"The appointment of supervisory boards at the defense agencies DPA and DOT is an important step toward meeting international standards in defense procurement. It ensures independent oversight of processes, minimizes the risk of corruption, and increases trust in the system domestically and among international partners," – said Ukraine's Defense Minister Rustem Umerov.
The Independent Anti-Corruption Committee has advocated for a supervisory board in the Ministry of Defense’s procurement agency since 2017, noted the organization's executive director, Olena Tregub.
"At that time, we emphasized that a separate procurement agency should be created within the Ministry of Defense. It must have proper corporate governance — a supervisory board with independent members who would monitor audits and protect the agency from political pressure. We are glad that finally, in 2024, during a full-scale invasion, Ukraine has implemented this in two agencies. This step brings us closer to victory and NATO membership," – Tregub emphasized.
The Ministry of Defense has already published the composition of the supervisory boards. For the Defense Procurement Agency, the independent members will include:
- Patrick Auroy (over 30 years of experience in leadership positions in France’s defense sector and NATO structures);
- Kateryna Kuznetsova (over 25 years of international experience in audit and corporate finance, including as a director at PwC in the UK);
- Lukasz Stolarski (18 years of experience at NATO’s NSPA, a leading multinational
- teams and complex logistics);
As state representatives:
- Yuriy Dzhygyr (Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine);
- Taras Chmut (Director of the "Come Back Alive" foundation).
The State Logistics Operator's independent members will include:
- Simon Woodward (significant experience in the UK and international sectors, including pharmaceuticals, retail, consumer goods, catering, military and high-risk goods);
- Hanna Demchenko (over 20 years of experience in international companies in the financial sector);
- Mykola Royenko (experience in compliance, internal audit, investigations of potential abuses, establishing controlling and budgeting functions, working on IPO projects, and auditing financial statements of leading companies);
As state representatives:
- Nadiya Bihun (Deputy Minister of Economy of Ukraine);
- Yulia Marushevska (Head of the Office for Support of Changes at the Ministry of Defence).