Yuriy Atanasov

Yuriy Atanasov
Юрій Атанасов
Born1964 (age 61–62)
Nikopol, Ukraine
Citizenship Ukraine
EducationDnipropetrovsk Metallurgical Institute, TRIUM EMBA
OccupationBusiness executive
Known forCEO of steel manufacturer company Centravis

Yuriy Atanasov (born 1964) is a Ukrainian businessman and industrial executive. He is the co-owner and chief executive officer of Centravis, a Ukrainian manufacturer of seamless stainless steel tubes headquartered in Nikopol, Ukraine. He has led the company since September 2009. The company's customers include major industrial and automotive manufacturers, as well as the American aerospace company SpaceX.

Biography

Atanasov was born in 1964 in Nikopol, Ukraine. He studied at the Dnipropetrovsk Metallurgical Institute, graduating in 1986 with a qualification in engineering and economics. In 2009 he earned an MBA degree from the NYU Stern School of Business by completing the TRIUM Global Executive MBA program.

Atanasov comes from a family involved in the Ukrainian metallurgical industry. His father, Vasyl Atanasov, established the family business together with his wife, Iryna, and their sons Yuriy and Serhiy. The business initially operated under the name UVIS, formed from the first letters of the family members' names. It was subsequently developed into Centravis.

On 22 September 2009, Atanasov was appointed chief executive officer of Centravis Production Ukraine. At the time of his appointment, he was already one of the company's principal shareholders and headed the boards of directors of Centravis Production Ukraine and its holding company. During Atanasov's tenure, Centravis continued developing its international operations and diversifying its export markets. The company became an important supplier of stainless steel tubes for automotive fuel systems, including to BMW and Volkswagen. It also expanded its business in the United States and Japan.

In September 2026, Atanasov discussed the impact of changes to European Union steel import quotas and the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) on Ukrainian stainless steel producers. He also addressed the suspension of production at the company's Uzhhorod facility and the difficulties of maintaining industrial operations in Nikopol amid the ongoing war.

Awards and recognition

In September 2026, Atanasov received the Stainless Steel Executive of the Year 2026 award, presented by Steel & Metals Market Research (SMR) at its International Stainless & Special Steel Conference in Offenbach, Germany. The seven-member selection committee unanimously selected him for the distinction, which was presented for the nineteenth time.

References

  1. 1 2 "Yuriy Atanasov: Profile" (in Ukrainian). Forbes Ukraine. Retrieved 2026-11-07.
  2. ↑ "Yu. Atanasov has been appointed General Director of CJSC "Centravis Production Ukraine."" (in Ukrainian). РБК Україна. 2009-09-24. Retrieved 2026-11-07.
  3. ↑ Volodymyr Fedorin, Ihor Orel (2024-12-22). "How to sell to SpaceX, Samsung and Volkswagen: Centravis CEO Atanasov on company transformation, global competition and the founder's role" (in Ukrainian). Forbes Ukraine. Retrieved 2026-11-07.
  4. ↑ Artem Ilyin (2023-12-20). "We have to do our homework: Centravis co-owner on exports, artillery attacks on Nikopol and new production in Uzhhorod". NV (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2026-11-07.
  5. ↑ "Yuriy Atanasov — Speaker". Kyiv International Economic Forum. 2026-10-26. Retrieved 2026-11-07.
  6. 1 2 Artem Ilyin (2021-05-13). "Family Business: How a Ukrainian Company Became a Supplier to BMW and Volkswagen and Entered the Japanese Automotive Industry". NV (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2026-11-07.
  7. ↑ "Yuri Atanasov appointed head of Centravis Production Ukraine". Коммерсант (in Russian). 2009-09-24. Retrieved 2026-11-07.
  8. ↑ "Almost no one agreed to move to Nikopol: Centravis CEO Atanasov on the closure of production in Uzhhorod and €2.5 million in CBAM charges". Forbes Ukraine (in Ukrainian). 2026-09-22. Retrieved 2026-11-07.
  9. 1 2 Maya Kalyna (2026-09-26). "Centravis CEO and Co-owner Receives International Award and Warns of EU Quota Risks to Ukrainian Manufacturing" (in Ukrainian). Delo.UA. Retrieved 2026-11-07.
  10. ↑ "Stainless steel executive of the year award goes to Yuri Atanasov at SMR conference". Stainless Steel Club. 2026-09-23. Retrieved 2026-11-07.