Metinvest, an international, vertically integrated steel and mining group of companies, announced the appointment of Yuriy Zinchenko as general director of the Ilyich Iron and Steel Works (Ilyich Steel). He will replace Volodymyr Boyko, who was named the honorary president of Ilyich Steel.

Metinvest’s supervisory board voted on 21 November 2012 to relieve Volodymyr Boyko of his responsibilities as Ilyich Steel general director and CJSC Ilyich-Stall’s chairman of the board in connection with his election to the Parliament of Ukraine. The board named Yuriy Zinchenko as Boyko’s successor in both capacities and Boyko the honorary president of Ilyich Steel; both of these appointments were effective starting 22 November 2012.

Yuiriy Zinchenko has over 20 years of experience in the metallurgy industry. As general director of Metinvest’s Khartsyzsk Pipe Plant, he proved an effective manager and competent in manufacturing metals and pipes. Under his direction, Khartsyzsk Pipe became a leader within Metinvest Group in the "Lean Program" adoption at Metinvest’s enterprises. The plant’s operational performance has also been notable; its output in 2011 was the highest in the last twenty years.

Pavlo Uzbek was named acting director of Khartsyzk Pipe; previously he was the plant’s first deputy general director and chief financial officer.

"The integration of Ilyich Steel into Metinvest Group more than two years ago helped the mill to overcome numerous problems. The integration has been a win-win: we have learned a tremendous amount from how Ilyich Steel organized work and the experience of Volodymyr Boyko has been especially valuable to us. His contribution to the development of the Ukrainian metallurgy is hard to overestimate. I am sure he will do a lot for the native plant and Metinvest", said Igor Syry, Metinvest’s CEO.