Mykhailo Zaichenko, Director of Doka Ukraine LLC, spoke with LDaily about working in an international construction company, the difficult situation in the labor market, regional priorities for orders during wartime, the current state and prospects of the industry, as well as how the company responds to specific challenges brought on by the war.
LDaily: What prompted your move to Doka Ukraine?
M. Zaichenko: When planning the next step in my career, I was looking at options within an international company with a strong reputation — a place where I could learn a new business model while applying my previous experience. Doka fit those criteria perfectly, and I’ve been working here since December 2021.
LDaily: How did the adaptation period in your new role go?
M. Zaichenko: I managed to visit the company’s headquarters in Austria for training and to meet my colleagues. After the winter holidays, I met with several clients and visited different regions. And then the full-scale invasion began. So, the adaptation period turned out to be overshadowed by circumstances none of us could have anticipated.
LDaily: What were your first management steps in the new company?
M. Zaichenko: Before the full-scale invasion, I had a couple of months to draw conclusions and plan certain initiatives, but then the situation began dictating completely different priorities. Naturally, the first step in any new company is building a team. This isn’t the first time I’ve stepped into a director’s role, so I know how important it is for people to understand our goals and priorities, and for the leader to be surrounded by a real team — one that shares common values and is ready to take on ambitious challenges.
LDaily: Doka is an international brand with a powerful reputation. How would you assess Doka Ukraine’s position on the Ukrainian market today?
M. Zaichenko: The company entered the Ukrainian market 26 years ago — that’s a long history with its own traditions. I believe Doka Ukraine has strong potential. Alongside a large number of loyal clients who know and value our solutions, we also have the opportunity to attract new customers — there are new client categories and market segments we can develop. On top of that, we’re constantly introducing new products to offer our clients.
LDaily: Such as?
M. Zaichenko: In 2023, Doka completed the acquisition of the American company AT-PAC — a strong player in the field of modular scaffolding. These products have naturally complemented our existing solutions and have already proven successful both globally and here in Ukraine, where we’ve managed to implement some very interesting projects with their help.
LDaily: What strategic priorities are you setting for yourself over the next 1–2 years?
M. Zaichenko: Given the high level of uncertainty, we are considering different development scenarios. Naturally, for all companies operating in construction, the main one is proper preparation for Ukraine’s reconstruction. Everyone in the industry knows that financing alone is not enough — you also need other critical resources: people, materials, transport, equipment. Starting from the Group’s top management in Austria, our company takes the issue of reconstruction extremely seriously: we participate in relevant initiatives organized by governments and business communities in our countries, we streamline processes, strengthen our team, and make investments. But of course, when, how, and in what form reconstruction will take place depends on how the situation develops regarding the end of the war. In the meantime, until the conditions for large-scale reconstruction are in place, the construction business is finding ways to operate under current circumstances. For us, the main focus is improving the client experience, which in turn will strengthen our market position and allow us to increase our market share.
LDaily: Do you feel a shortage of qualified personnel?
M. Zaichenko: Absolutely — and this affects not only our company, but even more so our clients. Both the construction sector and the security and defense sector have similar personnel requirements, which creates a certain competition for human resources. Many construction specialists, both in trade and engineering roles, have been mobilized into the Defense Forces, and often construction projects are delayed simply because there aren’t enough people on site. But it’s not just about builders — it’s also difficult to find professionals in other areas, for example in finance and accounting. The labor market is dynamic right now and constantly presents new challenges.
LDaily: How has the war affected your market, and how has the company adapted to these changes?
M. Zaichenko: The war has had a very strong impact on the construction market. In the first months, construction practically came to a standstill, and it was a difficult period both for us and for other players in the sector. Even after other industries started to resume activity, in construction it often felt like many investors were still waiting for the war to end before continuing ongoing projects or starting new ones. It wasn’t until the summer of 2023 — when it became clear that the active phase of the war would not end quickly — that construction activity began to recover in earnest. But the real estate market has changed significantly: new segments have emerged, such as recreational properties in the Carpathians, and demand for residential real estate in western regions has grown sharply. Developers began working on these new projects, and our construction clients also started executing them.
LDaily: What key infrastructure or construction projects are currently priorities for your company in Ukraine?
M. Zaichenko: Right now, there are many projects tied to the current situation, and not all of them can be discussed openly. For example, there are projects to build reinforced concrete structures at energy infrastructure sites to protect critical equipment from enemy strikes. Over the past year and a half, a significant number of such facilities have already been built, and the stable power supply in most regions is, in part, the result of these efforts.
In addition, work continues on infrastructure projects, and in Kyiv, many transport infrastructure facilities are under construction or being restored. However, the bulk of such projects will only be implemented after the war ends.
LDaily: Which technological innovations do you consider the most promising for the construction industry in the coming years?
M. Zaichenko: The most promising are those innovations that will help reduce the need for labor on construction sites — a shortage that exists now and, in my view, will remain after the war is over. Large-scale reconstruction projects will require a huge number of workers, and even with people returning from the Defense Forces, it won’t be enough, especially once the borders are open. In fact, even before the full-scale invasion, there was already a shortage of labor. Construction work is tough, requires skill, and is dangerous, dirty, and physically demanding. That’s why technologies that can make it easier, increase efficiency, and reduce the demand for manpower will, in my opinion, have strong potential. And we already have such technologies and are continuously developing them.
LDaily: Do you see potential for localizing production in Ukraine?
M. Zaichenko: Potentially, yes — especially if we look at our solutions in a broader context, taking into account both the engineering and logistics components, which are very important in our business. Our projects use thousands of different formwork components: the main ones are manufactured directly at Doka’s plants in Austria or Slovakia, while others are purchased from suppliers in various countries. This means I see both the opportunity and the resources to move the production of certain items to Ukraine — not only to meet the needs of our domestic market, but also to supply Doka divisions in other countries.
LDaily: How do you see the future of the construction sector after the war?
M. Zaichenko: It’s difficult right now to fully predict what the market will look like after the war ends, or what the broader situation in Ukraine and the world will be. That’s why companies are closely monitoring developments and responding accordingly. At the moment, there is extremely high activity in western Ukraine. Still, I believe that in the majority of Ukraine, within its internationally recognized borders, there will be lasting peace and an acceptable security environment that will allow for the development and reconstruction of industrial centers — many of which have traditionally been located in the central and eastern parts of the country. I expect Kyiv will retain its status as the cultural, social, industrial, and business hub of the country, continuing to attract significant investment. The rapid growth we’re now seeing in western cities such as Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Uzhhorod will slow somewhat compared to the current pace, though the region will still maintain greater importance than it had before the full-scale invasion.
We place great hopes on Ukraine’s Euro-Atlantic integration, which will enable the attraction of foreign investment across various sectors of the economy. This, in turn, will require the development of transport and energy infrastructure and its integration into the European network. Doka has vast experience and expertise in building bridges, tunnels, engineering structures, and projects of the highest complexity — and I will be glad to have the opportunity to apply these capabilities in Ukraine.
LDaily: Where are your projects currently concentrated?
M. Zaichenko: We currently have many projects both in western Ukraine and in Kyiv. Projects related to the protection and restoration of energy infrastructure are taking place in all regions.
LDaily: How many people work at Doka Ukraine, and how do you keep them motivated during wartime?
M. Zaichenko: Our team now has 35 employees. Naturally, we provide our staff with competitive salaries, full compliance with labor laws, and alignment with international HR practices. Beyond that, the best motivator for a committed employee — and those who remain on our team are exactly that — is the understanding that their work matters. Construction is particularly interesting in this sense, because the results of our efforts remain for many years. Another important factor is that in times of high uncertainty, as we are experiencing now, people seek at least some stability. Because of this, there can be resistance to changes in processes and approaches. At the same time, to overcome current challenges and achieve our ambitious goals, change is necessary — and we have been successfully implementing it through intensive communication and leading by example from the management team.
LDaily: Do you ensure safety on construction sites? And how is the situation with this in the market overall?
M. Zaichenko: Safety solutions are an extremely important topic for Doka, but unfortunately, in Ukraine, construction is still one of the most dangerous industries. In my view, this is largely due to certain practices and habits that have developed in the sector over many years. I have to admit, it’s not always easy for us to offer clients safety-related systems and components — such as platforms, protective screens, fall protection, and so on — because they are often seen as unnecessary costs. Some builders also don’t always follow the instructions for using formwork systems, which can lead to accidents. That said, I’m confident the situation will improve as more Western companies enter the Ukrainian construction market. I’ve personally seen similar changes in other industries I’ve worked in. It’s clear that large-scale reconstruction, supported financially by our partners, will bring a significant number of European companies into the market. This will positively influence not only safety standards on construction sites, but also construction technologies, project management, and payment discipline in the industry. Even now, under the difficult conditions of war, the market has improved in many ways because some weaker, unreliable players have had to leave, while stronger, more resilient companies — those that take a responsible approach to workers, clients, and suppliers — have remained.
LDaily: But surely there are still gaps in safety at the legislative level?
M. Zaichenko: Regulation is an important part of ensuring safety, but it’s not the only one. Government intervention is necessary, but it also carries risks — including corruption risks. When it comes to improving safety standards, I place greater hopes on construction companies themselves and on project owners, and I know of plenty of positive examples. In Europe, safety wasn’t always at the high level it is today. But leadership from the best market players, along with their persistence, changed the overall culture. I’m confident that, working together with our European colleagues, we will go through this process much faster.
