Vitali Klitschko has a well-worn yet crowd-pleasing line he likes to use at conferences and business roadshows. The former world heavyweight boxing champion, who is now the mayor of Kiev, declares he personally will be “the bodyguard” of any investments that come into his city.
Enthusiastic applause – and endless requests for selfies with him – tend to follow. Though there are limits to the protection that even a bruiser of a mayor can provide in a national investment environment that is still evolving, reforms at the city level in Kiev give at least a fighting chance of improvement.
