In late November, the BDO network’s Austrian office in Vienna hosted the launch of the BDO Leadership Academy, a leadership development programme for employees from Central and Eastern European countries.
The BDO Leadership Academy gathering brought together representatives from BDO offices across Central and Eastern European countries (CEE Cluster). Each country delegated 2-3 employees to participate. From Ukraine, three colleagues were in attendance, representing the fields of audit, IT audit and cybersecurity.
The programme commenced with a tour of BDO Austria’s modern office, which occupies an entire building, followed by an introductory meeting with a member of the management board. In the afternoon, participants continued their work at a loft-style venue, where they presented their offices and had the opportunity to connect more closely with colleagues from Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia, Montenegro and Slovenia, exchanging experiences and ideas for future cooperation.
Anna Chepurna, HR Partner, noted:
“The BDO Leadership Academy demonstrates a systematic approach to developing the leadership potential of our employees. The international format of the programme not only enhances managerial competencies but also builds a strong professional community within the BDO network, which is extremely valuable for the long-term development of the business.”
Further stages of the BDO Leadership Academy are already planned for 2026. The next offline meeting will occur in Prague in the spring, with a focus on team management.
Oleksandr Kononuchenko, Head of IT Audit:
“The meeting in Vienna left a very strong impression due to the combination of practical format and live communication. It was valuable to see how work is organised at BDO Austria’s office, to speak with a board member and to better understand how teams develop in different countries of the CEE cluster. Presentations of offices and informal conversations with colleagues from the Czech Republic, Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia and Slovenia provided many new contacts, ideas and topics for further cooperation. Such meetings truly broaden professional horizons and motivate us to move forward — I am eagerly looking forward to the continuation of the programme.”
In conclusion, the launch of the BDO Leadership Academy in Vienna confirmed that international training formats not only develop managerial competencies, but also strengthen collaboration. The participation of BDO in Ukraine representatives in the areas of audit, IT audit and cybersecurity enabled Ukrainian expertise to be integrated into the shared professional dialogue, expanded the network of contacts and generated themes for future joint work. The upcoming 2026 modules will naturally continue this trend and further enhance opportunities for employee development in an international environment. We welcome you to join us.
