Ruslan Illichov has led the Federation, founded in 2002, for more than 15 years, facilitating cooperation between the business community, government authorities, and international organizations. He also heads the Secretariat of the Joint Representative Body of Employers at the national level and serves as Head of the Directorate of the Ukragromash Association.
He has co-authored key government programs supporting Ukrainian production under the “Made in Ukraine” initiative, including mechanisms for local content requirements in public procurement (2021), grant support for businesses, and incentives for industrial investment (2025). He is also actively involved in supporting the recovery of businesses affected by the war.
He is a co-author of the Ukraine Modernization Plan (2015), the book Economic Revival through Ukraine’s Industrial Development, and a 2025 study on Ukraine–EU economic cooperation. He has authored more than 500 publications on economic issues.
Ruslan Illichov graduated from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv with a degree in Finance and Credit.
In the first half of 2026, Ukraine set an ambitious target: to increase manufacturing's share of GDP from 8.8% to 20%.
Since the summer, however, the conditions for doing so have become more challenging: strikes on production facilities and energy and logistics infrastructure are increasing risks. At the same time, protectionism and trade restrictions around the world are making access to foreign markets more difficult.
How can Ukraine preserve its industrial base and build new production capacity at home under these conditions? We will discuss this at KIEF 2026 during the panel discussion "Ukraine's Industrial Backbone".