Team
The people you will work with
Three managing partners, each leading one practice. We have run people functions for groups of tens of thousands of employees, sat on boards, chaired board committees and advised founders and their successors.
We never name clients. The companies listed below are where we worked, not whom we advised.
Advises business families on governance, succession and the move to professional management. Former HR director in energy and manufacturing, independent board member, PhD in Economics.
- Family charters and councils
- Succession planning
- Separating ownership and management
- Board nominations and remuneration
Practice
- Founded SVP Advisory in 2018. Since then: 30+ clients and 160+ projects across Europe, the Middle East and the CIS.
- Family charters and councils for 8 business families; succession plans for 20+ clients; 5 companies moved to professional CEOs and independent boards.
- Built the HR function for a UHNW family office with €1.2bn+ in assets, 2020–2021.
- Sectors: EV charging, solar, IT integration, construction, food production, healthcare, higher education.
Career highlights
- MUBADALA–TAQA JV, Uzbekistan, Country HR Director, Compliance Officer, Corporate Secretary, 2023–2026: 95% retention of mission-critical talent.
- AKFA Group, Global HR Director, 2020–2023: IPO readiness for a prospective London Stock Exchange listing; 375 variable pay plans.
- ENERCON JV, Country HR Director, 2018–2020: built the HR function from zero; VR and AR training cut training costs by 30%.
- Inter RAO, HR Director, 2011–2018: 47,000 employees in 12 countries, a $1.1B people budget, labour productivity up 4x.
- Rosatom (AEP), HR Director, 2007–2010: 180,000 employees.
Earlier career
King's College London, pre-doctoral researcher, 2010–2011 · OMZ, Deputy CHRO, 2005–2007 · Gazprom-media, HR Director, 2003–2004
Board and governance
- Independent Non-Executive Director, Supervisory Board of an IT systems integrator in Central Asia, since 2024.
- Founded and chairs its Nomination and Remuneration Committee: succession plan for 12 key roles including the CEO; management layers cut from 8 to 4.
- Board member, PAO Mosenergosbyt and PJSC Saratovenergo, 2015–2018; chaired the Nomination and Remuneration Committee of both.
Education
- London Business School · Executive MBA, 2024
- Finance University under the Government of the Russian Federation · PhD in Economics, 2020
- King's College London · Postgraduate study in Organisational Behaviour, 2011
- Saint Petersburg State University · Master's in Psychology, 2003
Develops C-level teams: how the top team works together, leads and makes decisions. Former HR leader at Mastercard and GE, certified executive coach.
- Executive team effectiveness
- Executive coaching
- Leadership capability
- Senior career transitions
Practice
- Leads the C-level team practice at SVP Advisory: team effectiveness, executive coaching, leadership capability.
- Supports senior leaders through career transitions: relocation, career pauses and role changes.
- Executive and team coach and organisational development consultant since 2021. EMCC member.
- Visiting Lecturer, GBSB Global Business School, Barcelona: Team Effectiveness, Project Management.
Career highlights
- Mastercard, Regional HR Business Partner, Russia, CIS, Israel and Turkey, 2017–2021: coached the leadership team and Country Managers.
- GE, Regional Organisation and Talent Development Leader, Russia and CIS, 2012–2016: advised the CEO and management team.
- GE Capital, HR Leadership Program, London, 2010–2012: diversity project across 16 countries.
- GE Money Bank, Senior HR Manager, 2005–2010: 10 regions, 1,050 employees.
Education
- IMD · Executive MBA, 2022
- Tavistock Institute of Human Relations · Coaching for Leadership, psychodynamic approaches, 2021
- Academy of National Economy under the Government of the Russian Federation · Master of Management, Finance, 2008 · Specialist in Economics, 2003
Organisational designer and HR consultant. Runs strategic HR audits and builds management structures for industrial groups and holdings, drawing on board, CEO and turnaround roles.
- Strategic HR audit
- Organisational design
- Group management structures
- Turnarounds
Practice
- At SVP Advisory since 2018.
- Strategic HR audit across 15 domains, from strategy alignment and organisational design to rewards, people analytics and risk.
- HR maturity diagnostics on a five-level scale, followed by a change roadmap. Frameworks: HR Maturity Model, Value Curve, ERRC.
Career highlights
- Elektromashina, Head of Organisational Development, 2023–2025: took a loss-making plant to breakeven; revenue and profitability up 2.5x.
- Defa Group, Advisor to the President on strategy and HR, 2016–2023: grading, two LTIP programmes, a corporate university.
- OMS holding, HR and OD Director, 2013–2015: 55,000 people in the holding, 6,000 in the division.
- Colliers International FM, CEO, 2013–2015: 450 people, Class A real estate.
- ChTPZ, Chelyabinsk Pipe Plant, Corporate Director, 2012–2013: 35,000 people; administrative staff cut from 8.6% to 5.5%.
Earlier career
Planar-Svetotekhnika, Executive Director, 2018–2020 · Giprokislorod, Deputy CEO, 2015–2016 · Trest-Gidromontazh, HR Director, 2015 · SevZap NTC, Deputy CEO for HR, 2009–2012
Board and governance
- Member of the Board of Directors, Defa Group, 2016–2023.
- Set up Board and Management Board processes at Elektromashina, 2023–2025.
Education
- Institute of Directors (IoD) · Certificate in Company Direction
- St Petersburg State University of Engineering and Economics · Business valuation management, 2013
- Saint Petersburg State University · Specialist in Political and Economic Psychology, 2003
- Project Management Institute · Project management
Start with a confidential conversation
Tell us briefly about the family, the business and the decision ahead. What you share stays between us.
Arrange a conversationPrefer to write first? Message Sergey Puchka on LinkedIn or on Telegram @BestHRD.