You're reading: Lozhkin resigns, Ihor Rainin takes over as Poroshenko’s chief of staff

Borys Lozhkin resigned as President Petro Poroshenko's chief of staff on Aug. 29.

Ihor Rainin, governor of Kharkiv Oblast, takes over as Poroshenko’s chief of staff.

Lozhkin moves on to be head of the National Investment Council, a state body set up by Poroshenko in December 2014.

“The media were writing that Lozhkin was tired, but I, on the opposite, feel very inspired to do a huge job to make Ukraine a Mecca for investments,” Lozhkin said on Aug. 29, speaking about his resignation to the National Council for Reforms.

Borys Lozhkin (R) announces his resignation as chief of staff and presents his successor, Kharkiv governor Ihor Rainin at the President’s Administration on Aug. 29. (Alyona Zhuk)

Before coming into public service in 2014 as Poroshenko’s chief of staff, Lozhkin was in media business, owning a number of popular publications that included Forbes Ukraine and Vogue Ukraine.

Lozhkin sold his business, Ukrainian Media Holding, to Serhiy Kurchenko, an oligarch close to then-President Viktor Yanukovych, in 2013. The sides have never disclosed the price, but various analsyts said the deal could be worth $500 million.

Commenting on his results as the chief of staff for Poroshenko, Lozhkin said that he achieved “more than it may seem.” He credited the authorities with “bring the positive dynamic back in the Ukraine’s economy,” citing the anticipated 1.5 percent growth of GDP in 2016.

Lozhkin’s replacement, Rainin, 43, is a Kharkiv politician. He was in opposition to Yanukovych’s regime in 2010-2014. He heads a Kharkiv branch of Poroshenko’s party, Petro Poroshenko Bloc.

Poroshenko appointed Rainin governor of Kharkiv Oblast in February 2015.

At a joined press conference with Lozhkin on Aug. 26, Rainin said that he was coming to the institution that had been “functioning well,” which puts additional responsibility on him.

President Petro Poroshenko’s new Chief of Staff, Ihor Rainin. (Courtesy of Solidarnist Party)