Irina Gorovaya
Ukraine- Early Life and Family
- Education and Early Career
- Career in Banking
- Show Business and Entrepreneurship
- Education and Ongoing Projects
Early Life and Family
Irina Gorova (née Dragan) was born in Kyiv, Ukraine, to a family of scholars. Her mother, Olga Dragun, held a high-ranking government position in the Ukrainian Securities and Exchange Commission. Her father, Anatoly Dragun, was a renowned biologist and geneticist who taught at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv and later worked in the United States at Johns Hopkins University and the University of Maryland. Her younger brother, Vadim Dragun, moved to the United States at age 15 and currently works in artificial intelligence development at Amazon's headquarters in Seattle.
Education and Early Career
Irina graduated from Kyiv Specialized School No. 114 in 1994 and enrolled in the Faculty of Economics at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. During this time, she married Yuri Gorovy, known professionally as UGO. Her first job was at the restaurant "Vechirni Kyiv," where she worked from 1994 to 2000, rising from cashier's assistant to chief accountant.
Career in Banking
After graduating from university, Irina began her career in banking. She held various positions at Legbank (2000-2004) and Nadra Bank (2004-2006). From 2006 to 2011, she worked at the International Mortgage Bank as Head of Retail Sales Management.
Show Business and Entrepreneurship
In 2010, Irina and her then-husband, Alexei Potapenko, known as Potap, founded the production center MOZGI Entertainment. Irina became responsible for the management and financial aspects of their joint venture. Their first signed artists were the group "Potap and Nastya." During this period, Irina became the producer of the television show "Zirka + Zirka" (Star + Star).
Over the years, MOZGI Entertainment expanded into various sub-companies, including MOZGI Production (video production), MOZGI Studio (sound recording), MOZGI Shop (merchandise store), MOZGI Ideas (creative agency), and MOZGI Event (event management). In 2018, Irina and Potapenko became CEO and General Director of the MOZGI GROUP, respectively.
Irina also has experience as a film producer, having co-produced the Ukrainian comedies "Crazy Wedding" and "Crazy Wedding 2" in collaboration with FILM.UA. She is also involved in concert organization and sales and serves as an executive producer for music videos.
Education and Ongoing Projects
Irina is continuously pursuing education. She graduated from Kyiv-Mohyla Academy with an MBA in 2019 and remains an active student. She is also a member of CEO Club Ukraine, Board, and the Aspen Institute Kyiv.
