Vitaly Shmakov was appointed Acting General Counsel as of July 1, 2025. Previously, he was the Group Director of M&A and Strategic Transactions at VEON. 

Since joining the Company in 2016, he has held various roles, including Deputy General Counsel for Corporate, M&A and Strategic Transactions; Associate General Counsel; and Senior Legal Counsel. 

Prior to joining VEON, Vitaly was a Senior Associate for M&A and Corporate Law at Ashurst LLP, an international law firm based in London. He holds an LL.M in International Business and Trade Law from the NYU School of Law, an LL.M in Corporate & Financial Services from the National University of Singapore and is currently enrolled in an Executive MBA with the London Business School.