Kateryna Bannikova, PhD
Sociologist and Linguist · Organisational Culture, Human Capital, Modern Languages
Profile
Organisational sociologist and practitioner. My research examines how organisations and communities build, share and protect their values and culture: organisational culture, human capital, social capital, work and autonomy. Author of 50+ publications (305 citations, h-index 11, i10-index 12, Google Scholar). Two decades in people leadership, over ten years in technology and fintech and ten years in international cruise lines, give my research direct access to the field it studies.
Research interests
Sociology: values and organisational culture; social and cultural capital; collective memory and social capital in times of crisis; work, autonomy and value change; human capital and talent management; AI in HR and career development.
Hispanic studies: folklore as the symbolic language of regional identity in contemporary Spanish rural noir cinema and fiction.
Translation studies: culture-specific items (realia) in literary translation; human versus machine translation.
Current research
Symbolic practices of corporate valuesDoctor of Sciences projectPeople's Ukrainian Academy; consultant Prof. K. Mykhaylyova. How organisations articulate and display their values; content analysis of corporate value declarations. Articles in preparation.
Buying back timeBSA 2027How workers save to leave paid employment early for rest, study or new work; forgone income as a measure of the value placed on temporal autonomy.
España Profunda2026–2027MRes, University of Liverpool. Regional myth and folk belief in contemporary Spanish rural noir cinema.
Realia in literary translation2026–2028People's Ukrainian Academy. Human vs machine translation of culture-specific items, English–Ukrainian; case study of Ann Napolitano's Hello Beautiful and its Ukrainian translation (2025).
Academic appointments and teaching
Senior Lecturer, Department of Sociology2021–presentKharkiv University of Humanities "People's Ukrainian Academy", Ukraine (teaching online from the UK). Teaches Sociology of Organisations, International Human Resource Management, Organisational Culture and Talent Management. Designs curricula and study plans; supervises student research. Course guides with Prof. K. Mykhaylyova: International Human Resource Management (2026); Organisational Culture (2026); six further guides in preparation.
Language teacher, private practice, UKEnglish, Spanish and Russian.
Education
MRes, Modern Languages and Cultures (Hispanic Studies)2026–2027University of Liverpool. E. Allison Peers Master's Scholarship. Supervisors: Dr Abigail Loxham, Prof. Diana Cullell.
PhD, Sociology (Special and Sectoral Sociology)2018V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University. Thesis: organisational culture as a factor in human resource management in international companies.
Graduate Diploma, Sociology2011Kharkiv University of Humanities "People's Ukrainian Academy".
MA, Management of Organisations2005O. M. Beketov National University of Urban Economy in Kharkiv.
MA, French Language and Literature, with distinction2002V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University. Qualification: philologist; translator of French and English; teacher of French, English and Spanish.
BA, French Language and Literature2001V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University.
Scholarships and awards
E. Allison Peers Master's Scholarship in Iberian and Latin American Studies, University of Liverpool2026
Erasmus Mundus doctoral exchange scholarship, Cardiff Metropolitan University2014
Erasmus Mundus doctoral exchange scholarship, University of Bordeaux I2013
Selected publications
50+ publications; 305 citations, h-index 11 (Google Scholar, October 2026). Titles originally in Ukrainian or Russian are given in English translation. Full list on Google Scholar.
Monographs and chapters
- Bannikova, K. and Mykhaylyova, K. (2026) Human Capital in Modern Society: Evolution, Challenges and Institutional Resources in the Context of Transformations (collective monograph). Kharkiv: PUA Publishing.
- Bannikova, K. and Mykhaylyova, K. (2024) Organisational Culture as a Tool for Shaping Human Capital in Times of Uncertainty. Vol. 1: Organisational Culture: Theory for Practical Applications. Kharkiv: PUA Publishing.
- Bannikova, K. (2019) The Potential of Organisational Culture in the Management of Human Resources of International Companies. Kharkiv.
- Bannikova, K. and Mykhaylyova, K. (2016) The role of organisational culture in the development of an organisation's human capital. In: Problems of Human Capital Development in the Modern Social Field of Ukraine. Kharkiv: People's Ukrainian Academy.
Journal articles
- Bannikova, K. and Mykhaylyova, K. (2025) Modern talent management technologies: corporate analysis of practices and innovative methods in different regions of the world. Periodicals of Engineering and Natural Sciences, 13(2), 459–472.
- Bannikova, K. (2025) Artificial intelligence in career coaching: tools, effectiveness and sociological implications. Research Bulletin of KhUH "People's Ukrainian Academy".
- Danilkova, A., Bondar, V., Bannikova, K. et al. (2024) Using data and analytics to optimise human resources processes. Data and Metadata, 3.
- Bannikova, K. and Mykhaylyova, K. (2023) Effective global recruitment strategy: cultural competence. Review of Economics and Finance, 21(1), 592–598.
- Bannikova, K., Fryz, P., Voronova, N., Bondarenko, A. and Bilozub, L. (2023) Digital transformations in culture and art: new opportunities and challenges. Amazonia Investiga, 12(61), 348–358.
- Verbivska, L., Pashchuk, L., Bannikova, K. et al. (2023) Strategies of economic development: micro-, macro- and mesoeconomic levels (the Ukrainian case). Calitatea, 24(192), 352–359.
- Vykhliaiev, Y., Bannikova, K., Bazyl, O., Voichenko, O. and Trinko, O. (2022) On the formation of "soft skills" as the equivalent of professional competencies: a forecast of educational trends. Journal of Higher Education Theory and Practice, 22(18).
- Bannikova, K. (2022) Studying the role of HR in fostering innovation and creativity at work in cross-cultural settings. Habitus.
- Mykhaylyova, K. and Bannikova, K. (2017) Organizational memory as a mechanism of formation and development of organizational culture. IOSR Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 22, 9–15.
- Bannikova, K. (2016) Impact of organizational culture on human resources management in a company. Social Technologies: Current Problems of Theory and Practice, 29–35.
- Bannikova, K. (2015) Organisational culture: essence and basic characteristics under globalisation. Grani, 18(10), 118–124.
Professional writing
- Author of The Success Blueprint, LinkedIn newsletter on organisational design, people strategy and the future of work.
Conference presentations
Freedom at Work: Workers, Employers and the Limits of Autonomy2027BSA Annual Conference 2027 "Freedom and Hope in the Current Global Context" (submitted).
Crisis Social Capital as Temporary Infrastructure of Collective Memory2026BSA Annual Conference 2026 "75 Years of Sociology", University of Manchester.
The Fragility and Adaptability of Crisis Social Capital in the Context of War2025BSA Annual Conference 2025 "Social Transformations", University of Manchester.
Microdynamics of Social Capital in Crisis: Trust, Reciprocity and Everyday Solidarity2025V Congress of the Sociological Association of Ukraine.
The Role of the University in Forming Graduates' Strategically Important Competencies2017Academic Career in Higher Education: Motivation and Demotivation, Kharkiv.
Media
From HR on cruise ships to hiring for tech companies2024Revolut, employee story (LinkedIn).
Revolut Insider podcast: Starting anew2024Interview, Revolut Insider (YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts).
7 ways to win the IT talent war2021CIO. Expert comment as Head of Recruitment, DataArt.
In-demand job-hoppers2021Forbes Kazakhstan. On DataArt's new development centre in Almaty.
What makes an ideal employee2020Red Bull Ukraine, video interview.
Knowledge exchange and service
Oral interpreting (Ukrainian–English)2025–2026Including for the Mayor of Liverpool during a visit by a Ukrainian delegation (September 2026).
Admissions consultantApplicants to UK, US and European universities.
Invited webinar on job hunting in the international labour market2022Students and graduates of People's Ukrainian Academy.
Tutor / PhD Coach, The Brilliant Club, UK2025Selected following assessment centre.
Professional experience
Lead People and Talent Partner, CEO Office, InvestEngine, London2026–present
Co-founder, Head of People and Talent, AI career-platform start-up, UK2025–2026
Head of Technical Talent Acquisition; Lead HR Business Partner, Revolut, London2023–2025
Global Head of Talent Acquisition and Head of People Partners, DataArt, London2019–2022
Head of People and Talent, Ciklum, Ukraine2018–2019
Lead HR Business Partner (Director level), EPAM Systems2016–2018
HR Director, TOA Technologies (later acquired by Oracle), Ukraine2013–2014
HR Director, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings; Holland America Line10 years
Professional qualifications
SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP)SHRM
Global Talent Management Leader (GTML)Talent Management Institute
ICAgile Certified ProfessionalICAgile
Accredited EPI TeacherBath Spa University, 2026
TESOL/TEFL Certificate (120 hours)World TESOL Academy, 2025
AI Product Manager Professional CertificateIBM, 2025
Memberships
British Sociological Association · Sociological Association of Ukraine · Association for Language Learning · Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD)
Languages
Ukrainian, Russian: native · English: IELTS 8.5 · French: TEF C2 (CCI Paris Île-de-France), DELF B2 · Spanish: DELE B2 (Instituto Cervantes, 2026) · Italian: CELI B1 (Università per Stranieri di Perugia)
References
Available on request.