Last month, we announced the appointment of Oleksii Zhukovin as Senior Consultant and Project Manager. In this interview, Oleksii shares his professional journey, the career achievements he’s most proud of. He also has a message for our clients.

Who is Oleksii Zhukovin?

You can consider me to be a Swiss-army knife when it comes to stadium projects. I’ve been working for over 20 years in the stadium industry, in different countries, with construction, operations, safety and security, procurement, budgeting and pitch maintenance within my scope.

Can you share a bit about your professional background?

In my last job, before joining The Stadium Consultancy, I served as Director of Operations for SIS Pitches Eastern Europe, where I oversaw maintenance contracts for ten professional football pitches and led business development efforts. Before that, I also founded One Two One Two, an international EdTech microlearning startup. I led it from concept to a working prototype, secured placement in two innovation hubs, and signed the first paying client. This venture reflects my belief in combining sports industry expertise with innovative technology to modernize professional learning.

Prior to these roles, I was the Deputy CEO for Infrastructure and Development at FC Botev Plovdiv in Bulgaria, where I managed stadium development, introduced a new operational budgeting system based on financial responsibility centres, and implemented improved match-day procedures. A new UEFA category 4 stadium was commissioned with a new organizational structure and operational plan.

Going further back, I spent five years as Competition Operations Director at St. Petersburg Stadium for FC Zenit St. Petersburg, overseeing operations for events with up to 65,000 attendees, managing annual competition budgets, and leading teams of up to 1,200 staff. I also contributed to the UEFA Champions League Final bid book and was involved in the stadium’s operational setup for the 2018 FIFA World Cup and UEFA EURO 2020.

My earlier leadership positions included being Executive Director of FC Krasnodar Stadium, Stadium Director at Arena Lviv during UEFA EURO 2012, and senior roles at FC Metalist Kharkiv, where I developed commercial strategies, managed operations for events with up to 80,000 visitors, and contributed to Kharkiv’s successful UEFA EURO 2012 bid.

Over the years, I have developed strong skills in project management, business development, stakeholder engagement, and operational optimization. I am passionate about innovation, having introduced digital tools for incident management, staff accreditation, and operational efficiency in multiple venues.

In summary, my career has evolved from managing single venues to leading multi-stakeholder, international-scale projects, and from purely operational roles to strategic consultancy and entrepreneurship. Today, I focus on delivering world-class stadium projects, driving operational excellence, and integrating technology and education into the sports industry’s future.

What are some of the accomplishments in your career you are most proud of?

It is not easy to point out specific milestones, because most of my work has been about systematic operational efforts that build up their impact over time. But there are three moments that stand out for me personally.

One was with FC Methalist Kharkiv, when we qualified for the UEFA Cup group stage. This was an achievement that was the result of years of steady improvement, both on and off the pitch.

Another was leading the UEFA EURO 2012 preparations at Arena Lviv, which was considered the most high-risk venue in the pre-tournament phase. Delivering that project on time for the tournaments and to the standards of UEFA was a major test of both operational and crisis management skills.

I also should mention EURO 2020 in St. Petersburg. We hosted seven matchdays in total, five of them with only one day between games. Managing such a compressed schedule at a 65,000-seat stadium with COVID restrictions, while maintaining world-class standards for safety, logistics, and the fan experience, was an intense but very rewarding challenge.

Last but not least, it was the pitch maintenance in Batumi’s AdjaraBet Arena for the Nations League match in November 2024 between Georgia and Ukraine, where the team of SIS Pitches Eastern Europe delivered the pitch under extreme rainy conditions. I am truly proud of the team on duty that day.

What made you decide to work at The Stadium Consultancy?

At some point I realised that my level of expertise in the industry is quite unique. This made consulting the most logical next step for my professional growth. I know Ben from 2009, when he oversaw stadium monitoring for EURO 2012 in Ukraine, and since that we have been in touch. From the first days we established a nice cooperation with the TSC team because we share the same core values and a deep passion for stadiums.

What will you bring to The Stadium Consultancy?

My primary objective is business development and project management in the dynamic markets of the Caucasus and Central Asia. The market potential here is massive. As I had been more than 20 years on the client side of the business, I have in-depth understanding of local market needs and opportunities quite well. Together with my developed network, it makes a good click with The Stadium Consultancy’s business model.

What will The Stadium Consultancy bring to the Caucasian and Central Asia?

Our approach and level of expertise is exactly what is needed in this market now, as, on one hand, communities and football authorities need new infrastructure, but on the other, experience of the design, construction and operational teams is very limited. Overall, stadiums are not bringing the value they should bring due to the following reasons:

• The legacy infrastructure is mostly based on an outdated Soviet-era design and mindset.
• There is a lack of feasibility-based planning that leads to overbuilt or underutilized facilities.
• Delays and budget overruns are caused by inefficient procurement and poor project management.
• Stadiums often are not meeting UEFA or FIFA requirements, which can block the hosting of international events.
• Outside of matchdays stadiums are limitedly used, causing an unsustainable business model.

We are stepping to the region with the aim to fix this, and The Stadium Consultancy has a lot to offer to any client here.

Is there a message you’d like to share with our clients as you step into this role?

To all our clients and partners in the region, I’m thrilled to be back and deeply engaged in this market! The Stadium Consultancy is here to be your trusted partner for any stadium project, bringing the highest level of expertise and dedication. We are committed to helping you deliver your stadium its absolute maximum potential, ensuring long-term success and impact.