Today I was privileged to interview Alona Lebedieva, an entrepreneurial trailblazer from Ukraine whose journey through the business world is both inspiring and remarkable.
From navigating internships abroad to spearheading ambitious projects and making strategic investments, Ms. Lebedieva has carved out a distinguished niche in the metal and engineering industries. Her story is compelling and inspiring..
Alona Lebedieva
EU Today: Thank you for joining us today, Alona. Can you start by telling us about your early years in education and how they shaped your career?
Alona Lebedieva: Absolutely. During my university years, I was really proactive about developing my skills. In my first year, I took a summer internship in Austria at a consulting firm. The work wasn’t particularly challenging, but I needed that experience to move forward. Initially, I did internships during holidays, but from the third year onwards, I managed to balance part-time work with my studies.
One memory that stands out is during my internship in Austria. I had to present a market analysis to senior consultants. As a young student, standing in front of seasoned professionals was nerve-wracking. The night before, I barely slept, rehearsing my lines over and over. When the moment came, my hands were shaking, but I pushed through. The feedback was really positive, and that experience gave me the confidence to tackle future challenges.
EU Today: How did these early experiences influence your career path?
Alona Lebedieva: During my internships, I met a lot of interesting people and made connections in Ukraine and Russia. These connections inspired me to start a retail business, which was the beginning of my journey in the metal and engineering sectors. I worked closely with railway car manufacturers in Ukraine and Russia.
One of the most challenging yet rewarding experiences was negotiating my first contract with a major supplier. I had to travel to a remote factory in Russia, and I was the only woman in the room. The negotiation was intense and required a deep understanding of both the technical details and the cultural nuances.
I remember a senior executive tried to undermine me, but I stood my ground and presented a well-prepared case. Eventually, we reached a favourable agreement, which was a big milestone for me. This experience taught me the importance of resilience, preparation, and the ability to adapt to different environments.
EU Today: Your early career seems quite dynamic. How did you transition from internships to leading significant projects?
Alona Lebedieva: I believe I established myself as a professional with a strong sense of responsibility, which led to an invitation in 2005 to head a very ambitious project to create a major logistics company in Moscow. This project aimed to build a company with a substantial fleet of railway cars amid a significant shortage of new cars, casting for production, and high demand for transportation services.
EU Today: What challenges did you face in setting up this company, and how did you overcome them?
Alona Lebedieva: Starting the company from scratch, we had to secure a large number of railway cars, ensure they were fully utilised, and eventually sell the operating company. We financed part of the project through bank loans and leasing agreements. Over two years, my team and I attracted investors, secured bank financing and leasing programmes from major banks, and signed financial and operational leasing agreements with various companies.
EU Today: That sounds like a massive undertaking. How did it culminate?
Alona Lebedieva: We built a fleet of 2,000 cars, exceeding our initial goal of 1,000. For achieving this, I was granted a 30% stake in the company. By the third quarter of 2007, we completed our objectives and sold the company in December 2007 for $80 million, earning a net profit of $22 million. This experience and opportunity are unforgettable for me.
EU Today: After successfully selling the company, what were your next steps? How did you decide to invest the proceeds?
Alona Lebedieva: I have always believed that money should work for you, so I decided to reinvest the proceeds into Ukraine. This led to the acquisition of several key assets across various sectors, focusing on diversification to manage risks and ensure steady growth.
EU Today: Can you tell us more about these investments?
Alona Lebedieva: Certainly. In 2008, I acquired stakes in several companies operating in industrial manufacturing, spare parts production, and engineering services. These included a stake in a pump manufacturing plant, a company producing spare parts for rolling stock. Some of these investments proved highly successful, while others required constant subsidies and ended up resembling hobbies more than investment projects.
Svesky Pump Plant
EU Today: Those are quite diverse investments. How did you proceed in the following years?
Alona Lebedieva: Over the next few years, I continued to diversify my portfolio.
In 2009 and 2010, I acquired stakes in companies engaged in the sale and design of railway cars, industrial pump manufacturing, cargo transportation, and asset management. This diversification strategy was aimed at spreading risk and leveraging opportunities across different sectors.
EU Today: How did your investments evolve in 2010 and 2011?
Alona Lebedieva: My strategy remained focused on expanding my stakes in various companies. I increased my holdings in manufacturing plants, agricultural companies, and engineering firms. This approach allowed me to build a robust and balanced portfolio, capable of weathering market fluctuations. Again, while some ventures thrived, others needed continuous financial support and were more passion-driven than profit-oriented.
Freight car manufactured by Aurum Group
EU Today: What about your investments in the subsequent years?
Alona Lebedieva: In 2012 and 2013, I founded new ventures and increased my stakes in existing companies.
These included creative and entertainment industries, further agricultural investments, and engineering services.
My plan to balance work and studies while selling off Ukrainian assets and investing in new ventures in Singapore had to be postponed due to the war in eastern Ukraine in 2014.
EU Today: How did the war impact your plans and your business?
Alona Lebedieva: The year 2014 brought war and a sharp economic downturn, the collapse of plans and hopes, and a wave of raider attacks. It marked the beginning of a period where the integrity of partners and top management was put to the test.
While fending off these hostile takeovers, I was also striving to preserve jobs and keep the business afloat. For me, people are the main asset. My father always taught me that you might have to go without, but you must always pay your employees their wages. Gathering all my willpower, we embarked on long legal battles.
EU Today: Could you elaborate on the challenges you faced during this period?
Alona Lebedieva: The challenges were multifaceted. The war disrupted supply chains and markets, causing a significant economic decline.
The instability made it difficult to operate normally, and many businesses faced raider attacks, where opportunists tried to seize control of companies amidst the chaos. We had to constantly defend against these attacks, which was both financially and emotionally draining.
EU Today: How did you manage to keep the business running despite these challenges?
Alona Lebedieva: It was incredibly difficult. We had to be very strategic and resilient. I focused on maintaining the core operations and ensuring that our employees were taken care of.
This often meant making personal sacrifices to ensure that everyone received their salaries on time. We also had to engage in numerous legal battles to protect our assets and prevent hostile takeovers. It was a time of constant vigilance and hard work, but the commitment to my team and their well-being kept me going.
EU Today: What was the outcome of these legal battles?
Alona Lebedieva: The legal battles were long and arduous. They required significant resources and time, but they were necessary to protect the company and its employees. We managed to fend off many of the raider attacks, but it was not without cost. The constant stress and financial strain took a toll on everyone involved. However, these experiences also strengthened our resolve and highlighted the importance of integrity and resilience in business.
EU Today: How did these experiences shape your approach to business and investments moving forward?
Alona Lebedieva: These experiences reinforced my belief in the importance of ethical business practices and the value of a dedicated team. They taught me that while financial success is important, the well-being and loyalty of your employees are paramount. Moving forward, I became even more focused on creating a supportive and secure environment for my team. It also made me more cautious and strategic in my investments, always considering the potential risks and the stability of the environment in which I was investing.
EU Today: Following the upheaval in 2014, how did you continue your investment activities in Ukraine?
Alona Lebedieva: Despite the challenges, I remained committed to investing in Ukraine. In 2014, I expanded my portfolio with several strategic acquisitions, focusing on industries such as manufacturing, real estate, agriculture, and logistics. This diversification aimed to mitigate risks and leverage opportunities in different sectors.
EU Today: What additional investments did you make in subsequent years?
Alona Lebedieva: In 2016, I consolidated my investments, acquiring full ownership in several companies across various sectors, including chemicals, agriculture, and asset management. This consolidation allowed for better control and optimisation of resources.
EU Today: How did your investment strategy evolve in the subsequent years?
Alona Lebedieva: My strategy continued to focus on expanding and diversifying my portfolio. I made new acquisitions in agriculture and energy supply, and fully consolidated ownership in key companies, ensuring a strong and stable investment base.
EU Today: Could you elaborate on your recent initiatives and activities, particularly regarding your work with the Federation of Employers of Ukraine and your charitable efforts?
Alona Lebedieva: Certainly. During 2019 and 2020, I worked closely with the Federation of Employers of Ukraine to combat the import of decommissioned Russian railcars into Ukraine.
These imports were detrimental to our domestic economy and negatively impacted Ukrainian railcar manufacturers and related industries.
We conducted a comprehensive economic analysis, which we presented and defended in the government. Despite strong opposition from Ukrainian oligarchs and major railway carriers, my colleagues and I managed to push this initiative through, and the corresponding law was enacted.
Since 2019, I’ve also been deeply involved in charitable projects. We launched several initiatives to provide targeted assistance to children and support medical institutions.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, we actively supported the local population, ensuring they had access to necessary resources and medical care. This period was challenging for many, and I felt it was crucial to step in and offer as much support as possible.
EU Today: Your commitment to charity is notable. Could you expand on your philanthropic activities, particularly those aimed at helping children?
Alona Lebedieva: Absolutely. The idea of helping children came to me on Christmas Eve when I saw a Facebook post about a newborn baby whose parents were seeking financial support for surgery. The post poignantly highlighted the disparity between spending money on luxury items like an iPhone and using that same amount to save a life. This deeply moved me, and I decided to cover all the expenses for the baby’s surgery. Today, that baby is a healthy and cheerful boy.
The real starting point for my charity foundation was an incident involving the emergency transfer of a 7-year-old grandson of one of our employees to the Kyiv City Children’s Clinical Infectious Diseases Hospital. Ukrainian doctors, despite working under tough conditions and with limited resources, managed to save the child’s life.
This experience made me realise the need for systematic support to modernise children’s municipal hospitals. Thus, in 2017, we registered the “Charitable Foundation of Alona Lebedeva Aurum” and began our work.
Our first project was to renovate the Kyiv City Children’s Clinical Infectious Diseases Hospital, where we started with three boxed wards in the department for treating children with infectious diseases of the nervous system. We renovated the premises, installed new bathrooms, and provided new beds and cabinets.
In 2018, we extended our efforts to the Kyiv City Children’s Clinical Hospital No. 1.
We renovated the surgical ward, installed new windows, replaced doors and lamps, and fully equipped the shower room with new water pipes, ceramic tiles, showers, and a bathtub. We also purchased functional beds and new mattresses.
In 2019, during an emergency operation on a child’s brain, our foundation quickly provided the necessary consumables, ensuring the child’s survival. The following year, in collaboration with the All-Ukrainian Charity Organization “Mother and Baby,” we supplied express tests for coronavirus and respirators to children’s hospitals in Kyiv.
We also supported individual cases, such as providing funds for the medical treatment of little Dominika, whose family leases land to one of our agricultural enterprises. Each project is a testament to our commitment to improving the healthcare infrastructure and providing timely support to those in need.
EU Today: How has your dual focus on business and charity shaped your perspective and future goals?
Alona Lebedieva: My journey underscores the intersection of resilience and compassion. Business success must coexist with social responsibility. By promoting gender equality and fostering economic empowerment, we create a more equitable society.
EU Today: As a role model for aspiring women entrepreneurs in Ukraine, how do you view your impact on future generations?
Alona Lebedieva: Being seen as a role model for women entrepreneurs is an honour. In a male-dominated industry, I hope to inspire young women to pursue entrepreneurship boldly. By sharing my journey, I aim to dismantle stereotypes and empower women to navigate challenges confidently. Together, we can redefine success and cultivate a supportive ecosystem for aspiring entrepreneurs.
EU Today: What advice would you offer to young women considering entrepreneurship?
Alona Lebedieva: Believe in your abilities and persevere through challenges. Seek mentors, cultivate networks, and embrace opportunities for growth. Uphold integrity and resilience, knowing that every setback is a stepping stone to success. By supporting one another and championing diversity, we pave the way for inclusive prosperity.
Alona Lebedieva
EU Today: Thank you, Alona, for sharing your inspiring journey and invaluable insights with us. Your unwavering commitment to excellence and empowerment sets a commendable example for aspiring entrepreneurs everywhere, particularly women navigating the complexities of Ukraine’s business landscape.
Alona Lebedieva: It’s been a pleasure. I hope my journey inspires others to pursue their ambitions fearlessly and contribute positively to our shared future. Together, we can achieve remarkable milestones and drive meaningful change.
