MasterZoo appoints new CEO

MasterZoo, Ukraine’s largest pet retail chain and part of Suziria Group, a leading player in the country’s pet care market, has announced a new stage of business development alongside the appointment of Oksana Kyrychenko as CEO.

Kyrychenko has over 20 years of experience in retail and customer service, including leadership roles at national chains. She is an expert in strategic and operational management as well as digital business transformation, says MasterZoo. Since 2017, Kyrychenko has worked at “Apteka Dobrogo Dnia,” one of the top ten pharmacy chains in Ukraine, where she held senior management positions and was appointed CEO in 2021. Under her leadership, the chain more than doubled in size and placed a strong focus on advancing the culture of preventive healthcare in Ukraine.

In addition to Kyrychenko, MasterZoo has strengthened its leadership team with a new Chief Operating Officer, Chief Marketing Officer as well as heads of digitalization and e-commerce.

“Retail is one of the most competitive and demanding industries, requiring strategic thinking, operational discipline, and flexibility,” said Oksana Kyrychenko, CEO of MasterZoo. “Ukraine’s pet retail market is extremely dynamic: it is becoming increasingly competitive, with shifts in both players and their activity. Although market growth has slowed compared to previous years, it still holds significant potential, as only 17% of Ukrainian households own dogs and 28% own cats, whereas in most European countries this figure exceeds 30–50%.” MasterZoo wants to be at the very heart of shaping a culture of responsible pet care — providing access to quality products and helping pet parents better understand their companions’ needs.

Kyrychenko will focus on MasterZoo’s strategy for 2025–2026 with following priorities: Digital transformation and a full e-commerce relaunch to deliver a fast and convenient omnichannel experience, expansion of MasterZoo’s ecosystem and services, broader assortment through an expanded portfolio of exclusive brands and the development of private labels, and educational mission — increasing investment in staff training on pet care and veterinary basics to strengthen in-store expertise and enhance the quality of customer consultations.

Despite Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, MasterZoo continues to expand: in 2025 alone, the company opened eleven new stores (in Kyiv, Odesa, Irpin, Vyshneve, Ukrainka, and Sofiivska Borshchahivka) as well as two grooming salons. As of August 2025, the chain operates 200 stores across 38 cities and 17 grooming salons in seven cities.  In financial terms, MasterZoo is outpacing the market, reporting 21.7% year-over-year growth compared to the industry average of 15%.