Андрей

Andrii Safonyk
Country Manager | General Manager | COO
Kyiv, Ukraine | [відкрити контакти](див. вище в блоці «контактна інформація») | [відкрити контакти](див. вище в блоці «контактна інформація»)
Open to international relocation

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY
Senior executive with 20+ years of progressive leadership experience managing full country P&L, building
high-performance commercial organisations, and driving sustainable revenue growth for international
corporations worldwide. Proven General Manager and COO track record across automotive distribution
(Honda Ukraine — 32-dealer national network, de facto Country GM under Honda Motor Europe
governance), digital marketplace operations (BlaBlaCar / Busfor — Country COO, reporting to Paris HQ),
and B2B technology ventures. Deep expertise in distributor and dealer network development, national
sales strategy, HQ–local alignment, corporate governance and compliance, and leading organisations
through market disruption, currency volatility, and rapid growth phases. Experienced in managing
complex multi-stakeholder environments — international principals, government bodies, local partners,
and cross-functional teams. MBA (Edinburgh). Fluent English (C2), native Ukrainian.

CORE COMPETENCIES
Country / Multi-Territory P&L; National Sales Strategy; Distributor & Dealer Networks; HQ–Local Principal
Alignment; Multi-Channel Commercial Execution; Brand & Portfolio Management; Business Planning &
Forecasting; Budget & Investment Management; Leader of Leaders (50–500+); Crisis Management &
Business Continuity; Corporate Governance & Compliance; Competitive Strategy & Insights; Government
& Regulatory Affairs; KPI Governance & Performance Cadence; New Market & Vertical Launch.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
General Manager & Co-founder — Logistics Technology
V@S Logistics LLC, Kyiv, Ukraine 06/2022 – Present
• Founded and scaled a B2B logistics technology company from zero — full country P&L, strategy
definition, investor relations, and team building.
• Defined OKR framework across customer acquisition, revenue, and operational efficiency; managed
board-level reporting and resource allocation.
• Built cross-functional team covering operations, technology, sales, and partner success from the
ground up.

Co-founder — B2B SaaS Product & Commercial
SagaSoftPro Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine 02/2019 – Present
• Co-developed SAGASOFT (Order Management System for multi-tier distributor networks) and
CARGOCENTR (multimodal B2B/B2C logistics marketplace).
• Led enterprise B2B sales end-to-end: prospecting, demos, negotiation, onboarding; owned product
roadmap and key account commercial strategy.

COO — Country Operations & Business Development, Ukraine & CIS
BlaBlaCar Ukraine (formerly Busfor), Kyiv, Ukraine 11/2017 – 11/2021
Leading online travel aggregator for intercity coach & bus — Ukrainian and regional operations of BlaBlaCar
(Paris HQ). Operated as de facto Country GM with full end-to-end commercial and operational accountability.
• Served as de facto Country Manager: full P&L ownership, team of 50+, direct accountability for
revenue, partner network performance, and market KPIs.
• Led joint business planning with BlaBlaCar HQ (Paris): annual strategy, growth targets, commercial
execution roadmap, and quarterly performance governance cadence.
• Built and managed a 1,270-point commercial partner network (720 direct carrier contracts plus 550+
agent points) — nationwide multi-channel distribution structure analogous to FMCG or automotive
dealer networks.

• Owned B2B sales strategy, key account management, and partner acquisition and retention —
delivered double-digit GMV growth year-on-year.
• Led cross-functional country team: Sales, Key Accounts, B2B Operations, Technology, Call Centre —
4 direct department heads; led broader matrix organisation through influence.
• Launched new verticals: multimodal routes, luggage ancillary services, corporate travel — each as a
standalone go-to-market project with dedicated P&L tracking.
• Managed regulatory and government stakeholder relationships across Ukraine and Moldova during a
period of significant market and regulatory disruption.

Country Sales Officer → Country Sales Manager → Sales & BD Officer (de facto Country
GM / COO)
Honda Ukraine LLC, Kyiv, Ukraine 01/2007 – 06/2015
Honda Motor Co. official distributor for Ukraine — passenger cars, SUVs, motorcycles, and Acura premium
brand. Operated under full Honda Motor Europe governance with HQ reporting, brand compliance, and joint
business planning. Largest OEM distribution network in Ukraine at the time.
• Rose from Dealer Network Development Manager to de facto Country GM / COO over 8 years — full
ownership of commercial strategy, national sales execution, and distribution network across 32
authorised dealer points.
• Owned annual business planning process with Honda Motor Europe HQ: destination-setting, volume
targets, investment allocation, and corrective action plans — delivered commitments through the
2008–09 financial crisis and multiple UAH devaluation cycles without network contraction.
• Managed full HQ–local alignment: franchise standards compliance, dealer certification, brand
governance, and regular performance reporting to Honda Motor Europe (Amsterdam / London).
• Launched Acura premium brand in Ukraine from zero: dealer recruitment and certification, market
positioning, pricing architecture, event marketing — first deliveries completed within 9 months of
project start.
• Launched Honda Motorcycle business line in Ukraine — new P&L, dedicated dealer channel,
aftersales and parts infrastructure, and brand programme built entirely from scratch.
• Drove competitive positioning agenda: market share tracking, pricing strategy, portfolio gap analysis,
and benchmarking against Toyota, Nissan, Volkswagen Group, and Korean OEMs.
• Managed national pricing, dealer margin and incentive policies, consumer finance programmes
(partnerships with PUMB and OTP Bank), and fleet sales across 3 product categories.
• Led dealer CSI (Customer Satisfaction Index) programme — improved Ukraine ranking in Honda
pan-European CSI table by 8 positions over 3 years; built a culture of execution discipline across the
partner network.
• Honda Steering Committee Member — represented Ukraine at pan-European strategy sessions;
presented country business plans and investment cases directly to Honda Motor Europe HQ
leadership.
• Managed external stakeholder relationships: government and customs authorities, industry
associations (Ukrainian Automobile Association), fleet clients, and media.

Earlier Career — Automotive Distribution & Finance
Nissan Motor Ukraine / ILTA (Peugeot) / Ukrainian Industrial Bank, Kyiv, Ukraine 09/2001 – 12/2006
• Nissan Ukraine: Dealer Network & Business Development Manager — franchise network
reengineering, DOS standards compliance, Infiniti brand launch in Ukraine.
• ILTA / Peugeot: Senior Specialist — dealer management, sales planning, VIP retail.
• Ukrainian Joint Stock Bank: Currency Operations Economist — FX controls, NBU reporting, VIP client
management.

EDUCATION
MBA, General Management — Management and Marketing Business School, Edinburgh, Scotland |
2015–2016
Master, International Business Management — Kyiv National Economic University | 2001–2002
Bachelor, International Economics & Foreign Languages — Kyiv National Economic University | 1997–
2001

LANGUAGES & TECHNICAL SKILLS
Languages: English — Fluent (C2); Ukrainian — Native; Russian — Fluent; German — Beginner; Polish
— Beginner.
Tools: Salesforce CRM; Jira; Trello; Qlik; Microsoft Office (advanced); 1C; Axapta.
Other: Driving Licence — Category A & B.

VALUE PROPOSITION FOR INTERNATIONAL CORPORATIONS
I have spent my career building and running country-level businesses for international principals — from
Honda Motor Europe to BlaBlaCar Paris — navigating Ukraine's regulatory environment, currency
volatility, and market complexity while consistently delivering commercial results. Whether the industry is
FMCG, automotive, retail, technology, or B2B services, the core challenge is the same: align an
international headquarters' strategy with local market realities, build a distribution and commercial
organisation that executes with discipline, and grow the business sustainably. I have done this across
multiple industries and business models, leading teams of up to 500 people and managing partner
networks of 1,000+. I understand what headquarters expects from a country operation — structured
reporting, brand and standards compliance, P&L discipline — and what a local team needs to perform:
clear direction, fair commercial frameworks, and operational autonomy. I am ready to step into a Country
Manager or General Manager role and deliver from day one.