Arkadiy Dobkin
Arkadiy "Ark" Dobkin (born June 3, 1960) is an American entrepreneur and technology executive. He is the principal founder and chairman of EPAM Systems, a U.S.-based company that provides digital engineering and IT consulting services, and previously served as its chief executive officer.
After immigrating to the United States in 1991, Dobkin co-founded EPAM in 1993. He served as its chief executive officer for more than 30 years, during which the company grew from a cross-border start-up to a publicly listed multinational company. EPAM operates in more than 50 countries, employs more than 60,000 people, and has reported annual revenue exceeding US$5 billion.
Biography
Dobkin was born on June 3, 1960, in the city of Minsk, which was then part of the Byelorussian SSR in the Soviet Union, into a Jewish family. He attended School No. 50, which specialized in mathematics. His mother, Polina Dobkina, survived the Minsk ghetto during the Holocaust.
He earned a degree in electrical engineering from the Belarusian National Technical University in 1983. He began his career as a software developer at a state-run enterprise in Minsk and founded a private Software company in Belarus.
In 1991, Dobkin emigrated to the United States. In later InterViews, he stated that while seeking employment in the information technology sector, he worked for four months as a dishwasher in a local pizza restaurant.
After sending out more than 400 résumés, he secured a position as a software programmer analyst at Prudential Insurance.
EPAM Systems
From his early days in the United States, Dobkin aimed to build a software engineering company that would leverage technology talent from Eastern Europe, particularly Belarus. In 1993, he invited his former classmate Leonid (Leo) Lozner to join him in co-founding EPAM Systems. The company established initial operations in Princeton, New Jersey, and Minsk, Belarus.
In 2012, Dobkin led the company's initial public offering (IPO) on the New York Stock Exchange.
Between 2015-2021, EPAM, under the leadership of Dobkin, was recognized by industry analysts for its role in the development of digital platform and product engineering services. During this period, the company expanded its global delivery network, opening new centers across North America, Europe , Asia-Pacific, and Latin America.
In 2021, EPAM was included in the S&P 500 Index and appeared for the third consecutive year on Fortune's list of the 100 Fastest-Growing Companies.
Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, EPAM introduced relocation, and humanitarian support measures to support EPAM employees and their families in the region.
From 2023 to 2025, Dobkin emphasized artificial intelligence as part of EPAM's strategic priorities. During this period the company expanded presence in India, Latin America, and Central-Western Asia. Analyst reports referenced growth in services related to artificial intelligence
As of mid-2025, EPAM employed approximately 62,000 people across more than 55 countries, with projected 2025 annual revenue of US$5.4 billion.
In May 2025, EPAM announced that Dobkin would step down as chief executive officer after 32 years in the role to become Executive Chairman of the Board effective September 1, 2025. Longtime EPAM executive Balázs Fejes was named to succeed him as CEO.
Digital Platform and Product Engineering Segment
In its early years, the company operated with delivery teams based in Eastern Europe and competed with larger global IT companies. Dobkin focused EPAM on complex, engineering-intensive custom solutions for enterprise clients, rather than emphasizing cost-driven model.
By the mid-2010s and later, EPAM was recognized in industry reports as a leader in digital platform and product engineering services, including being named the sole Leader in The Forrester Wave: Digital Platform Engineering Services, Q2 2016. Forrester defined 'digital platforms' as a new generation of systems that support customer experience and digital transformation.
During this period major consultancies and IT providers such as Accenture, Deloitte, Cognizant and Tata Consultancy Services expanded their offerings in digital platform and product engineering services.
Central and Eastern Europe and Central Western Asia Talent Impact
In 2000s the global IT services delivery was commonly associated with hubs such as India. Over time, Central and Eastern Europe emerged as a region for software engineering services, including EPAM, opening its delivery centers there.
A notable development was the establishment of the Belarus High-Tech Park (HTP) in 2005. Dobkin participated in its early conceptual development, drawing on elements from India's technology parks. The park was created with the support from Valery Tsepkalo, then Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy in the Belarus Parliament, and Mikhail Myasnikovich, then chairman of the National Academy of Sciences. Tsepkalo became the park's first director, and EPAM its first resident. Similar technology park models and clusters were later developed in Ukraine ,Central Asia, and the Caucasus.
Dobkin also supported talent development through EPAM's educational initiatives, including trainings and university partnerships. These programs have been contributing to the EPAM workforce and to the regional tech ecosystem development, with alumni founding start-ups or joining innovation clusters in their home countries.
Crisis Management
Dobkin served as chief executive officer of EPAM during several global economic and industry downturns, including the dot-com bubble, the 2008 financial crisis, and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, EPAM reported that more than 60% its engineers were based in the region. The company implemented relocation or support programs to over 14,000 employees and their families. EPAM also announced its exit from Russia and established a US$100 million Ukraine Assistance Fund to support the humanitarian needs of its employees and their families.
Mass protests in Belarus (2020–2021)
Following the presidential election in Belarus in August 2020 and mass protests that ensued, Arkadiy Dobkin was among the group of Belarusian tech executives who signed an open letter calling for the release of political prisoners and the organization of new elections.
In 2021, the President of Belarus publicly accused Dobkin and EPAM of financing the protests. No evidence was provided to substantiate the claim. The accusations were reported as a part of a broader government narrative linking the tech sector to political unrest. In response, Dobkin stated that as the CEO of a public company he is subject to regular financial audits, and given his obligations to employees, clients, and investors, he had "never allowed for reckless or unlawful actions."
At the time, EPAM Systems Belarus was the country's largest IT employer with more than 10,000 employees.
Public Statements and Reaction to the 2022 Russian Invasion of Ukraine
At the onset of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Dobkin published a post on LinkedIn calling for an immediate end to the war but did not directly name Russia as the aggressor. This statement drew criticism from EPAM employees and members of the tech community in Ukraine for not directly condemning Russia.
In a March 2022 interview with Bloomberg, Dobkin explained that while he used the term "Russian aggression" in internal communications, he adopted more cautious language in public communications to protect EPAM employees across the region, including the 18,000 staff remaining in Russia and Belarus at that time.