But don’t be fooled by his looks.

Konstyantyn Striukov is in charge of the Ukrainian entertainment television channel of the world famous music giant MTV.

He catwalked his way to the general manager’s post a few weeks back with a stunning portfolio in advertising business.

Having worked for 11 years in one of the largest media agencies, Starcom, he has accepted a challenge to reform MTV in Ukraine.

“I come from the generation of people for whom MTV is something big and kind,” said Striukov with a winning smile. “I didn’t watch much of Ukrainian MTV before because I simply didn’t like it. When I was offered a job, I decided to change the channel radically to fit an international version.”

First of all, he kicked out a cossack from the MTV logo, changed the program wheel (a running order of programs and music blocks) and borrowed MTV Italy’s design.

Laid back, confident and charming, Striukov makes an impression of an experienced captain who will steer his boat out of any storm.

And it looks like he will have to swim against a few currents to keep his ship afloat.

The times have been rough for  MTV in Ukraine. The channel has twice failed to launch due to obscure reasons connected with competition, finance and licensing.

The project finally took off a year ago under the guidance of flamboyant music producer Yevhen Stupka. He left the channel before it got to celebrate its first birthday, however.

Striukov inherited the world brand with a 0.05 percent rating, while local M1 and Ru Music channels ran far ahead. He is nevertheless upbeat and optimistic about its future.

 “We are repositioning from a local Ukrainian channel to a world music giant. MTV is cool and charismatic and we show world famous programs that no one else does – it’s our competitive advantage,” said Striukov.

He joked that days are not long enough to make all the changes. He wants to replace completely locally produced shows with new ambitious projects, which he still keeps in secret.

In November, the popular American programs “Room Raiders” and “Boiling Points” will air in Ukraine. In the first show, a single man or a woman will pick a date by inspecting the contestants’ rooms.

In the second show, unaware young people will be set up in annoying situations, similar to the tricks in the old famous “Candid Camera.”

Poor service in a restaurant, “coincidental” meetings with an ex-lover  while out on a date, and unprovoked rudeness from a total stranger are likely to get the blood boiling.

Both famous and infamous Paris Hilton will be looking for a best friend in her new show on MTV “My New BFF” in December.

Striukov is hoping to lure younger viewers in to his target audience, which is overall estimated to be from 14 to 32 years old, with these programs. For older adults like himself he recommends a program showing behind the scenes music video production: “Making a Video.”

Original Ukrainian production, both music and shows, gets more than 50 percent of MTV time. Ukrainian artists do not have ‘to pay for play,’ which means they can run their videos for free. Other Ukrainian music channels usually ask musicians to cash out in order to make it on air.

While tunes on the house and the MTV brand could have induced artists to work with MTV in any other country, the Ukrainian music market seems to play by its own rules.

Striukov said that MTV’s competitors can refuse air time to fledgling Ukrainian artists if the latter appear on MTV.

As an example of such rivalry, he described a bizarre incident with the Ukrainian band Quest Pistols.

The scandalous trio playing what they call “aggressive pop” won the Best Ukrainian Act and a chance to show off at the MTV Europe Music Awards in Liverpool this November.

“But three days ago, they called to say that they have turned down the award and couldn't explain why,” said Striukov. “I have assumed that it had to do with competition.”

In an official press release later, the band came up with a no-less scandalous excuse. The Pistols decided to go to India instead of one of the most important music events of the year.

“At a time of the world crisis, we are calling on the people to think less about materialistic culture,” they said in a press statement.

As a result, international viewers will not get a chance to watch Ukrainian artists on MTV international channels, summarized Striukov.

Nevertheless, he believes that the MTV world brand will soon move mountains in Ukraine. His personal background is also set to inspire.

A son of a crane operator and a mechanic, he graduated from the State Polytechnic University with a degree in computer science.

Yet out of a profession in informational technology, he made use only of its first part – information. Starting as a witty designer in a small newspaper, he moved on to the fields of advertising and stayed there.

If the new MTV Ukraine has at least half the charisma of its leader, it may as well get more eyes fixed on the screen.