Wojtek Mlodziejewski

Senior

Registration: 03.11.2022

Specialization: Project manager

20+ years experience in the executive leadership of multinational teams. Includes experience in project management, M&A, capacity building, project monitoring, business development, aid coordination, debt restructuring, and negotiations, company valuations, reforming transitional economies, restructuring industries and companies in Central and Eastern Europe, Eurasia, and the Middle East. Selected achievements have included: Leading the largest EU Technical Assistance project in Europe. Formulating the strategy and implementation plans for the Ukrainian coal industry as part of the nation’s energy sector strategy. Identifying foreign investors and preparing the marketing program for the new ports and for the various industry hubs in Saudi Arabia. Leading the DFID economic reconstruction project in Iraq. Heading the Enterprise Development and Privatisation Departments for the UN administration of Kosovo. Managing PHARE, EAR and TACIS projects for the European Union and investment banks in Bulgaria Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, South Africa and Zambia. Leading World Bank Pilot Privatisation Projects in Bulgaria and Armenia. Managing international projects in Kazakhstan. I have consistently demonstrated my ability to engage with and forge connections at senior levels, including company presidents and CEOs, government ministers. I adopt a calm and diplomatic manner during conflicts and volatile situations and am able to resolve issues through quiet persistence and focusing on the core common objectives of the parties involved. I am also known for my ability to analyse and interpret complex information, simplify multi-faceted tasks, and overcome difficult obstacles through innovative approaches and identifying alternative approaches. I am able to leverage a substantial international network of high level business and political leaders and have proven my ability to secure investments of major global enterprises.

Management of the company Consulting Team Lead Project Management

Portfolio

Ministry of Energy & the Coal Industry of Ukraine

Project Manager

Royal Commission for Jubail & Yanbu (Saudi Arabia)

Adviser on Foreign Direct Investments

VM Technologies (South Africa)

Partner

Skills

Project management

Team lead

Consulting

Management of the company

Work experience

Adviser on Foreign Direct Investments

04.2018 - 11.2018 |Royal Commission for Jubail & Yanbu (Saudi Arabia)

Jubail is a city on the Persian Gulf coast of Saudi Arabia which is home to one of the largest industrial cities in the world, an area covering 700 square kilometres. It is also one of the key sites for Aramco, the Middle East's largest and the world's fourth largest petrochemical company. Yanbu is a port city on the Red Sea coast of western Saudi Arabia. The purpose of the Royal Commission is to develop and manage the cities and ports of Jubail, Yanbu and Jazan. This includes development of hubs for Mining and Minerals Processing, Food Processing, Chemical Production, the Automotive Industry and Multi-Modal Logistics services. The role encompassed identifying foreign investors and preparing the marketing program for the new ports and for the various industry hubs. Identified and introduced leading global investors – Macquarie Bank (Australia), Hutchison Ports (Hong Kong), Royal VOPAK (Netherlands), KGHM Mining (Poland) – to the Chairman and Chief Executive of the Royal Commission. Macquarie Bank wished to invest in the renewable industry on the Red Sea coast, VOPAK included the development of tank farms in Yanbu and Jazan on the agenda of their annual board meeting and Hutchison were interested in negotiating with the Commission and offered to enlist several clients into the developments. Contributed to negotiations to develop elements of the Arabian Peninsula railway land bridge for the Port of Yanbu development which would avoid potential blockades of Hormuz, significantly reduced the transit time from Europe and the US to the Gulf and enable mineral deposits in the Arabian Peninsula to be unlocked. Contributed at working party meetings for the design and development of the road transport infrastructure and road system for the multi-modal logistics hub. Represented the Commission at the IMARC Mining Conference in Melbourne in November 2018.

Expert – Committee for Eastern Cooperation

since 11.2013 |Polish Chamber of Trade & Industry (Poland)

Have advised on investment feasibility, financing options and identifying business partners for agribusiness and food processing projects undertaken by Polish investors in Eastern Europe, Central Asia and Central Africa, including partnerships between regional and local authorities and private investors. Invited to participate in the inter-governmental commissions, including meetings of several Ministers and their key advisers (Ministers of Finance, Economics, Agriculture, the Heads of Customs, the Head of Tax Offices etc). Participated in Poland-Georgia and Poland-Kazakhstan Commissions.

Partner

11.2012 - 12.2017 |VM Technologies (South Africa)

South African mining services company providing dust prevention, wood fire proofing, dust explosion prevention, fire-fighting technologies with a presence in South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, and Mozambique. Presented the technologies to the Royal Commission Canada which was seeking ways to prevent dust explosions in the Canadian sawmills.

Business Development Consultant

01.2011 - 10.2013 |Crim Soyuz Centre (Ukraine)

The Commercial arm of one of the Institutes of Ukraine’s Academy of Sciences. Developed the strategy for the commercial development of an alternative energy project: “Helio-Air-Pressure Tornado Electric Power Station”. Identified and negotiated with investors willing to allocate €3.5M for the construction of the first 3 MW power station. Engaged with EU agencies on renewable energy policy. Located sites for pilot projects. Formulated the business plans for elements of the program. Secured finance for the development of the pre-production prototype of a 3 MW new generation wind powered power station

Project Manager

03.2009 - 06.2011 |Ministry of Energy & the Coal Industry of Ukraine

nvited to manage the largest EU technical assistance project in Europe and develop the strategy for Ukraine’s coal mining sector. Included undertaking financial and technical evaluations of the mines and their infrastructure, coordinating supplies of steam coal with the demand of Ukrainian power stations, conducting environmental assessments of the mines and surrounding areas, evaluating the local and regional transport infrastructure in the mining regions, and evaluating the capacity of ports. Developed the strategy and implementation plan for the Ukrainian coal industry to facilitate the opening of new mines by private sector investors, accelerate the closure of the non-performing state-owned mines and develop plans to reorganise the sector. Turned around the initially non-performing Technical Assistance project by leveraging senior connections from South Africa, the UK and Canada and by forging links with senior government and military officials to generate the necessary support and momentum. Developed and secured Government approval of the program to privatize the coal industry as part of the Government’s Economic Reform package. Attracted investors through direct approaches and information disseminated via my global commercial and political networks. Conducted workshops and seminars across the mining industry and various Government agencies on work safety, mining technologies, water supply, local infrastructure, labour issues and investment opportunities. Advised the Office of the State President on the development of a package of radical economic reforms including the privatisation of the economy, reforms of the justice system, the closure of non-performing industries, and accession to the EU. The Economic Reforms Program for 2010-2014 was completed and approved by the Ukrainian Parliament.

Adviser

06.2007 - 02.2008 |BCEOM / European Agency for Reconstruction (Montenegro)

BCEOM is a French based global engineering consulting firm. Advised on the privatisation of Montenegro’s railways which led to a new government-approved strategy. Assessed the commercial potential of the country’s transport infrastructure which led to a proposal so privatise the port of Bar and the engagement of a commercial operator of the port. Instrumental role in the introduction of concession policies for the railways and the development of PPPs in the transport sector. Developed plans for the development of the transit market and the port of Bar which led to Government negotiations with foreign investors interested in developing and operating ports in Montenegro.

Resident Advisor

08.2005 - 08.2008 |World Bank & Government of Serbia

Advised the Privatisation Agency of Serbia on the restructure and sale of major Serbian government-owned companies. Included setting the strategy and monitoring the most complex M&A projects financed by the European Union and other donors and administered by the World Bank. Identified foreign investors for major government-owned enterprises which led the sale of several large enterprises in the vehicle manufacturing, tourism, real estate, copper mining and smelting complex sectors. Oversaw the largest divestment projects undertaken by Serbian Government. Included the sale of GENEX (one of the largest industrial conglomerates in Eastern Europe), and the sale of the country’s largest agribusinesses, a copper mine and a smelter. Exceeded the expected sales price of a government owned mobile phone operator by €350M through a two stage process involving an initial closed envelope tender followed by a televised auction involving the three best offers. Elevated the capabilities of the Privatisation Agency by mentoring senior staff to enable them to identify and access potential foreign investors, forge partnerships between private investors and the government sector. Oversaw the selection of World Bank regional development experts. Contributed to the development of the Agency’s annual budgets and for new programs financed by the EU and the World Bank.

Project Manager

09.2004 - 11.2004 |Department for International Development / Maxwell Stamp (Iraq)

Maxwell Stamp was an economics and business consulting company. Managed a structural economic reform project to support the Iraqi Government in developing and implementing pro-poor economic reform programmes with the IMF and World Bank, to: Improve the country’s capacity to develop and implement co-ordinated economic reform. Elevated the quality of the country’s fiscal, monetary, financial, and balance of payments data. Enhance the understanding of the key barriers facing Iraqi enterprises. Promote new investment and business opportunities in Iraq to coalition country investors including the UK, Poland, Kuwait, Jordan, Holland and the US. Negotiated the participation of the IMF and World Bank experts in the economic reconstruction of Iraq.

Project Leader

06.2004 - 08.2004 |Government of Kazakhstan / JE Austin Associates / Michael Porter LLC

Led the Competitiveness Cluster Development Project commissioned by the Government to formulate and execute strategies to develop the non-mining sectors of Kazakhstan’s economy. Managed the project team that established seven industrial clusters in Kazakhstan and developed the PPP policy for the non-mining sector. The focus was on exporters and small to mid-sized enterprises in the logistics, tourism, food processing, timber processing and furniture manufacturing sectors.

Project Manager

10.2002 - 12.2003 |Meinl Capital Advisers Investment Bank (Serbia)

Restructured and privatised four large holdings in socially owned metals processing, engineering, construction and manufacturing sectors. This was the first time in Serbia that social holdings were successfully dismantled and sold. Involved overcoming issues associated with the country’s legal framework by forcing the sale of subsidiary companies as groups of assets, with the approach replicated in further privatisations.

Director

10.2000 - 12.2002 |KPMG Washington / United Nations Mission in Kosovo / EU / USAID (based in Kosovo)

As Head of Privatisation and Enterprise Development Directorates for the UN administration of Kosovo, oversaw the commercialisation and pending privatisation of all 450+ socially owned enterprises in Kosovo across all sectors. Established and managed the international Regional Business Development Teams. Oversaw the administration of all industrial companies of a commercial nature under direct UN administration. Coordinated the allocation of international aid for the economic development of Kosovo. Promoted investment opportunities in Kosovo to potential investors in Europe which led to investments in building construction, timber processing, textile, battery manufacturing, metal processing, and aerospace companies. Evaluated the credit lines for local companies. Prepared the participation of the delegation from Kosovo in the Vienna Economic forum involving politicians and business people from Southern Europe and Central Asia Through private contacts, facilitated the first official meeting of the occupational authorities and the Government of Yugoslavia to negotiate the economic and commercial relations between Serbia and the United Nations administration of Kosovo. Developed the concession policy for the cooperation between the State and the private sector Arranged the first post-war official visit of Serbian business people to Kosovo. Selected by Heidrick & Struggles (London) as the sole candidate for the role of Chief Executive KPMG International in Washington DC to oversee the expansion of the global network of the firm’s management consulting business

Project Manager

06.1999 - 09.2000 |European Union Phare Program (Lithuania)

The Phare program is one of the three pre-accession instruments financed by the European Union to assist applicant countries of Central and Eastern Europe in preparation for joining the European Union. Managed the restructure and sale of a chain of petrol stations, a pharmaceuticals business, an oil and gas company, a shipping line, and a milk processing factory.

Project Manager

11.1997 - 03.1999 |Raiffeisen Investment Bank (Bulgaria)

With Power of Attorney from the Government, restructured companies and their debts and orchestrated the privatisation of six of Bulgaria’s 26 largest companies. Included a copper mine, a group of 17 zinc and lead mines, two major holiday resorts on the Black Sea, a meat processing plant, and a textile factory, with all companies sold to private investors. Was offered the role as the Bank’s Chief Executive with responsibility for Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Kaliningrad. Was also offered the role of Chief Executive of the EBRD Post-Privatisation Investment Fund created for Bulgaria.

Educational background

Structural Reform & Corporate Governance

Harvard University

Master of Science

Warsaw University of Natural Sciences

Master of Business Administration

University of Stellenbosch, South Africa

Diploma in Geo Economics

Global Edulink, UK

Languages

EnglishProficientPolishProficientBelarusianIntermediateUkrainianIntermediateBulgarianIntermediateSerbianIntermediateCroatianIntermediateAfrikaansElementarySpanishElementaryItalianElementary