Maxim Timchenko is Chief Executive of DTEK Group, having led the company since its foundation in 2005. Under his leadership, DTEK has grown to become Ukraine’s largest private energy group, with a presence in 24 countries. Timchenko has played a critical role in preserving power supplies to millions of Ukrainians in the face of russian attacks since 2014. Since the full-scale invasion in 2022, Timchenko has directed the rebuilding of destroyed energy infrastructure and fast-tracked new, more resilient energy assets in pursuit of greater energy security – including Ukraine’s largest windfarm and battery storage project. In total, DTEK has invested €2.2 billion over the past four years – more than any other company during the war. A leading proponent of Ukraine’s integration into Europe’s energy system, he has long championed deeper cross-border energy connections, market reforms at home and partnerships with international businesses to channel foreign investment towards Ukraine. In 2026, Timchenko was awarded an Honorary Fellowship of the Energy Institute for his leadership in keeping Ukraine’s energy system running during wartime. TIME named Timchenko one of its TIME100 climate leaders in 2025. Timchenko is a member of the World Economic Forum’s Electricity Governors Community and serves on the supervisory boards of UN Global Compact Network Ukraine and the American University Kyiv. He was named Leader of the Year at the 2024 Global Good Awards and has been named one of Ukraine’s 10 most influential CEOs by Forbes Ukraine. LinkedIn named him a Top Voice for his insights on energy security. Timchenko holds a degree in Production Management from the Donetsk State Academy of Management and studied Economic and Social Studies at the University of Manchester. He began his career at PwC in 1999, rising to the position of senior auditor before joining Ukraine’s SCM Group in 2002, from where he founded DTEK.