Olga Balytska

Olga is a well-known expert (with substantial successful practical experience in the realization and management of projects) in construction and land law, engineering, transport and social infrastructure. She holds a record of more than 20 years of accomplishment with leading multinational and domestic companies and supports the realization of big investment projects on the regional and national scales.

She has been repeatedly elected as Chair of the Real Estate Committee of the European Business Association. Olga also leads the Association’s special committee on the land market as well as Ukraine Recovery Committee (more details below).

While she was a member of the Kyiv City Council (2015-2020), she initiated structural reforms on the local and pan-Ukrainian level in such areas as: land use regulation, construction, protection of rights of disabled people and other groups of people with limited mobility, parking space reform, bringing property relations out of the shadows, the renovation of the obsolete housing fund, the development of grassroots democracy, etc.

She is the author of the unique reform on the share participation process in the City of Kyiv. As a result of this reform, Ukraine climbed 105 positions in the Doing Business ranking in the category of “Receiving approvals for construction” and 4 positions overall in the ranking.

A team of attorneys-at-law led by Olga won a case in the European Court of Human Rights concerning the illegitimacy of a "moratorium" on the sale of agricultural land in Ukraine.

Currently, in addition to the above, Olga is actively involved in the implementation of ESG-principles in Ukraine according to the best world practices.

In addition, as part of her legislative efforts, Olga works on legislative initiatives relating to compensations for the demolished property, in particular, proposals to the draft law on compensations for certain categories of real estate properties damaged and demolished as a result of military actions and sabotage acts caused by the Russian Federation’s military invasion.

Olga is also a co-author of the draft law on Residents Self-Organisation Bodies, which has been supported by the Kyiv City Council and submitted to the Parliament for consideration.

Olga actively participates in business activity of Ukraine, as well as economic recovery. On February 17, she was elected to the Supervisory Board of Center of Economic Strategy (more details here).

In June 2022, Olga has been elected as Chair of the Ukraine Recovery Committee of the European Business Association, which was specially created to drive development of a regulatory framework and identify potential partners for the post-war recovery of Ukraine. On this position Olga will work on achieving strategic goals of post-war reconstruction and development of Ukraine, as well as ensuring recovery and progress of our country towards sustainable economic growth and technological advancement, within the frame of Ukraine’s path of integration with the EU (more details here).

In addition, Olga is a co-chair of the European Business Association land market ad hoc committee established in early 2019. The committee is currently working to eliminate gaps in the effective law and develop a European model of the land market in Ukraine.

Olga works with the Mayor of the City of Kyiv on an ad hoc basis. She is the advisor to the Mayor of the City of Kyiv on urban development. Olga has been appointed to oversee recovery of the City of Kyiv. Olga is currently putting together a team and is preparing for the development of the Recovery Plan of the City of Kyiv. In particular, she is raising finance, uniting mayors of leading European capital cities, developing concepts, etc.

Professional Certification or Membership in Professional Associations:

• Advisor to the Mayor of the City of Kyiv on urban development
• Chair of the Ukraine Recovery Committee of the European Business Association
• Chair of the Special Committee of the European Business Association on the Land Market
• Member of the Supervisory Board of the Centre for Economic Strategy
• Cofounder of NGO “Office for City Development”
• Affiliated member of the Association of Engineers-Consultants of Ukraine
• Member of the working group on a strategy for the development of the City of Kyiv until 2025
• Attorney-at-law
• Member of the Ukrainian Bar Association
• Master of Law, Kyiv National University named after Taras Shevchenko

Public activities:

1. Olga is the founder of NGO “Office for City Development”. As the head of this NGO, Olga co-authored the draft law on Residents Self-Organisation Bodies, which was supported by the Kyiv City Council and submitted to the Parliament for consideration.
2. Together with representatives of Ukrainian business, Olga established HelpUkraine.Center charitable foundation. The foundation works with the Ernst Prost Foundation in Germany and co-ordinates humanitarian and financial aid to Ukraine during the war. In addition, she co-established Humanitarian Ukraine charitable foundation that provides targeted humanitarian aid to territorial communities, internally displaced individuals, the Armed Forces of Ukraine (including territorial defence forces), law enforcement authorities, etc.
   As of June 2022, the Foundation supplied over 5,137 tonnes of humanitarian aid to Ukraine.
3. In late April 2022, thanks to Olga's efforts, CESVI mission (led by Piersilvio Fagiano, General Manager), one of the most widely recognised Italian organisations with extensive experience working in conflict zones, visited the town of Bucha (Kyiv Region). CESVI mission aims to identify and address the key needs of Bucha, from providing the psychological help needed to rebuilding of the destroyed housing. In addition, Olga contributed to establishing a twin city relationship between Bucha and the city of Bergamo (Italy).
4. Olga is the Member of the Supervisory Board of the Centre for Economic Strategy. Members of the above Supervisory Board include, inter alia, Ivan Mikloš, former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of the Slovak Republic (2002-2006, 2010-2012), who is assisting in the development of the post-war recovery plan of Ukraine as a member of the Strategic Council for the Implementation of the Slovak Recovery and Resilience Plan.
5. Olga provides pro bono assistance to Vozdvyzhenka residents self-organisation body (the City of Kyiv) in its activities. The assistance is provided for the purpose of establishing greenfield recreational areas (public gardens, parks), constructing the engineering and transportation infrastructure, preventing unlawful developments, etc.
6. Olga is a public figure, the founder of Spunbond foundation, which provides aid to Ukrainian citizens during the war in Ukraine, including the provision of vital and essential medicines, drugs, specialised medical equipment, and other humanitarian aid.