Speakers
Rosen Plevneliev
Rosen Plevneliev is the fourth democratically elected President of the Republic Bulgaria. He was born on May 14, 1964 in the town of Gotse Delchev in the family of teachers.
From 1982 to 1984, he did his national military service at the military school for reserve officers in the town of Pleven and at the Computer Centre at the Bulgarian Army General Staff in Sofia.
From 1984 to 1989, he studied at and graduated the Technical University in Sofia , with a Computer Science major. As a student, he participated in the development of innovative products at the computer laboratory of the Technical University and the National Institute of Microprocessor Technology.
From 1989 to 1990, he worked as a research associate at the Institute of Microprocessor Technology. .
From 1990 to 1998 he worked as a partner and CEO of IRIS International Ltd and was in charge of the company’s activities in Germany. In this period, he managed activities related to the implementation of more than 80 construction projects in Germany. He participated in the implementation and completion of projects including the Reichstag, Commerzbank Frankfurt, Münich Airport and Düsseldorf Airport and others.
From 1999 to 2009 he managed the largest German investments in Bulgaria in the construction and real estate sector. He launched some of Bulgaria’s major international projects, including Sofia Business Park and Residential Park Sofia. As General Manager of Business Park Sofia, in 2008 he was given the Investor of the Year Award by the Bulgarian Investment Agency.
From 2004 to 2009, as one of the leading managers in the country, he was involved in active public activity - member of the board of directors of the American Chamber of Commerce in Bulgaria, member of the board of the Confederation of Employers and Industrialists in Bulgaria and member of the board of the "For Our Children" Foundation.
After the Bulgarian general election, held in July 2009, he was appointed Minister of Regional Development and Public Works. As Minister, he introduced a new approach to EU funds management for Bulgaria. He launched thousands of projects for the modernization of the Bulgarian regions. He designed a new long-term strategy and plan for road construction in Bulgaria.
In the Bulgarian presidential elections, held in November 2011, Rosen Plevneliev was elected President of the Republic of Bulgaria. On 22 January 2012 he was inaugurated as the fourth democratically elected Bulgarian president, for a five-year term in office.
President Plevneliev was awarded "Politician of the Year" in Bulgaria for 2011 and 2012.
He is bearer of the European personality of the year in Southeastern and Central Europe award in 2015, which was given to him for his enormous contribution to stabilizing and improving the relations between the European states and particularly those among the Balkan neighbors.
Full bio
Tomislav Donchev
Tomislav Donchev was born on August 6, 1973 in Gabrovo.
He holds a Master’s degree in Philosophy from Veliko Tarnovo Univesity St. Cyril and St. Methodius with a second major in Journalism. In 2006 he received a second Master's degree from the same University, this time in Business Administration. In 1998 Tomislav Donchev completed a training course in Political Science at the International Summer School of Political Science and International Relations in Poland. In 2001 he completed a training course in Support of High-Tech Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises and Research and Development Start-Ups at the Institute in Negev, Israel. In 2005 he completed a course in Business Mentoring at the Academy of Business Mentoring in Oxford, UK.
From 1995 to 2000 he worked as a volunteer, member of the management and staff of various NGOs in the field of Education and Science and was also collaborator of a sociological research agency.
From 1997 to 1999 he worked as a teacher at St. Cyril and St. Methodius High School of Humanities in the town of Veliko Tarnovo, where he taught psychology, logic, ethics, and philosophy.
From 1999 to 2000 he worked as editor at Radio Gabrovo.
From 2000 to 2004 he was Executive Director of the High-Technology Business Incubator -Gabrovo, and from 2004 to 2007 he was a program director at the Open Society Institute.
In 2007 he was elected mayor of Gabrovo. The main priority in his work as mayor was to attract external funding and develop quality project proposals, through which Gabrovo Municipality became one of the most successful beneficiaries in Bulgaria in terms of management of EU-funded projects in all areas of social and economic life. 21 proposals were prepared in only 2 years. Of them, 19 received funding.
In March 2010 he became Minister for Management of EU Funds in the government of Boyko Borissov.
From May 2013 to May 2014 was MP from GERB in the 42nd National Assembly.
From May to November 2014 he was a Member of the European Parliament from the EPP Group.
He was elected Deputy Prime Minister for European Funds and Economic Policies on November 7, 2014, by the 43rd National Assembly.
Ivan Totev
Dipl. Ing. Ivan Totev is born on 28.10.1975 in Plovdiv.
He is Master of Engineering with Diploma from Technical University Sofia, major Computer System and Technologies.
In May 2010 he is awarded Master Degree from the Faculty of Law at Plovdiv University "Paisiy Hilendarski", major Public Administration. He received excellent mark for his Thesis on "Regional policies of the European Union on security and stability. The Black Sea Synergy – the new EU initiative in the Black Sea region",
He starts his career in 1997 as a graphic designer in a Publishing House.
From 2001 to 2004 he works as Project Manager in a software company.
From 2004 to 2007 he is a Technical Director in a hotel complex.
In November 2007 he wins the majority vote, and is elected for Mayor of District East, Plovdiv. At the Parliament Elections in 2009 he is the leader of the list of Political Party GERB for 16th Election District Plovdiv. He is MP in the 41st National Assembly for the period July – August 2009.
From 12.08.2009 to October 2011 he is Governor of Plovdiv District.
With Resolution of the Council of Ministers from November 2009 he is elected as a member of the Government Decentralization Council, presided by the Minister of Regional Development and Public Works. The Council was established as consultative body of Government, and its task is to coordinate the implementation of the Decentralization Strategy and its program.
In October 2009 he is elected as representative of South Central District in the Monitoring Committee of Operational Program "Regional Development" and the Monitoring Committee of OP "Human Resources".
In September 2011 he was nominated as mayoral candidate of PP GERB and on 30.10.2011 he is elected as Mayor of Plovdiv.
Dipl. Ing. Ivan Totev is married with one child.
Tony Thompson
Antony (Tony) Thompson, a dual Irish and British national, is Country Manager for Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia. Mr. Thompson came to Bulgaria in August 2014 following four years working as Manager for Strategy and Operations at the Human Development Network, based in World Bank Group Headquarters in Washington, DC.
Tony Thompson joined the World Bank Group in 1992 as part of the Young Professional Program, working in the East Africa Human Development Department of the Middle East and North Africa Country Operations Department.
Since joining, Mr. Thompson has worked in several different capacities, including Operations Officer, Lead Financial Sector Specialist, Operations Advisor, and Sector Manager. Throughout his career in the World Bank he has worked extensively in financial sector, private sector development, and tax administration.
Mr. Thompson’s other areas of expertise include human development, health, HIV/AIDS prevention, and financial sector reforms.
Mr. Thompson holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honors) from the University of Ulster and a Masters of Business Administration (Honors) with a specialization in Finance from the University of Chicago. Mr. Thompson is married with three children.
Markus Piuk
Markus Piuk is partner with schoenherr and has more than 12 years of experience as a lawyer, mainly focusing on Corporate/M&A and infrastructure (including energy) related work in South East Europe. He specialises in capital markets, M&A, finance, tax law and compliance & white collar crime. Within schoenherr, he has a major contribution to the development of schoenherr’s network in South East Europe and today is in charge of the coordination of the offices in Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania, Serbia and Turkey. Markus has acted frequently for clients in the oil and gas, food/non-food retail and automotive industry, as well as the financial industry (such as RWE, Verbund, Daimler, Uniqa, Vienna Insurance Group, Talanx and OMV), advising them on their foreign direct investment in SEE. He also advises local businesses in this region on domestic and outbound investments. Markus has advised the Ministry of International Economic Relations of the Republic of Serbia on a Law on Financial Leasing. Markus has also been recently advising the Bucharest Stock Exchange on the introduction of a derivatives market. Further Markus has been advising the Ministry of International Economic Relations of the Republic of Serbia on the Law on Financial Leasing. More recently, Markus has been advising the Bucharest Stock Exchange in relation to the introduction of a derivatives market. Markus holds degrees from the University of Vienna (Mag. iur.), the University of Virginia (LL.M.) and ESADE Business School in Barcelona (MBA). He is admitted to the bar in Austria, Romania, Moldova, Bulgaria and Croatia. Markus is a frequent speaker on conferences regarding investments in South East Europe. Markus has published a number of articles on the laws of Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia and the Republic of Moldova in Austrian and international legal journals, including eastlex (Manz Verlag, Vienna, in German language). Most recently, Markus has authored the chapters on Romania and Serbia in Handbuch der Internationalen GmbH-Rechts (Zerb Verlag, Angelbachtal, in German language).
Personal references
- recent work experience includes advising
- the European Commission on the implementation of the renewable-energy directive (2009/28/EC) in the EU27
- the Government of the Republic of Montenegro in relation to the partial privatisation of the state-owned energy utility EPCG to A2A from Italy
- OMV Group on the sale of the Romanian liquefied gas business (Petrom LPG S.A.)
- the Government of Romania / SN Nuclearelectrica SA in relation to the selection of investors and the establishment of a joint company for the development of units 3&4 of the NPP Cernavoda
- Energias de Portugal on the acquisition of several wind projects and photovoltaic projects in South East Europe
- VERBUND on the acquisition of wind-projects in Bulgaria and Romania
Stamen Yanev
Stamen Yanev has been the CEO of InvestBulgaria Agency since January 2015. He was an attorney-at-law, specialized in the area of mergers and acquisitions, as well as in the field of investments. His professional career developed through some of the big international consulting companies. He received a Master's Degree in Law from the Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski" with Cum Laude. Yanev specialized European and English Law at the University of Cambridge, and European Law at the ASSER College Europe (Netherlands), the University College London (England), the European University Institute (Italy).
Plamen Panchev
Plamen Panchev is Chairman of the Board of Directors, Sienit Holding
Plamen Panchev has graduated at University of Forestry – Sofia in Landscaping. He is currently the Chairman of the Board of Directors at Sienit Holding, a leading company in the construction industry in Bulgaria. Sienit Holding AD has integrated multiple business processes and services in construction. The company’s aim is to find Bulgarian and foreign investors and to provide favorable conditions for the quick and efficient realization of their production, and storage and trading activities in all phases of the investment process.
Larisa Manastirli
Larisa Manastirli is the EBRD Director for Bulgaria since December 2015. Ms Manastirli has been with the EBRD for over 10 years. She joined the Bank in 2001 covering projects in the financial, infrastructure, agribusiness and power sectors and played a leading role in developing and implementing the special EBRD products and programs for the early transition countries. With growing tasks and exposures she covered a wider geography with particular involvement in Moldova, Ukraine and Armenia. In 2012 she joined the Black Sea Trade and Development Bank where she worked for five years on transactions in the financial sector, private equity and infrastructure in 11 countries of the Black Sea Region (Albania and Caucasus, Bulgaria, Greece, Moldova, Romania, Russia Turkey, Ukraine). During this period she was also sitting on advisory boards of various regional private equity funds. Larisa returned to the EBRD in early 2012 to lead the Bank’s office in the Kyrgyz Republic. In that capacity, she managed to significantly strengthen relationships with the government and development partners, raise the profile of the office and launch new initiatives as well as lead the team to deliver record high volume and number of investment operations. In her current position Ms Manastirli is responsible for the EBRD’s investments and operations in Bulgaria.
Larisa has BSs from the Moldovan Academy of Economic Studies and an MBA from the University of Wales. She is a member of ACCA since 2003.
Tommy Ver Elst
Tommy Ver Elst was appointed General Manager of Sensata Technologies Bulgaria in 2011 after Sensata acquired Belgian Sensor-Nite. He started his career in 2004 in the accountancy department of Sensor-Nite in Belgium. Gradually his responsibilities increased and he went through different functions as Logistic Manager and Supply Chain Manager. He entered the Bulgarian organization in 2009 as Operations Manager.
Tommy Ver Elst holds a Master’s degree in Economics and Finance from Hasselt University (Belgium).
Vladimir Gurdjieff
Vladimir Gurdjieff is the Head of Industrial Space and Land Development at the leading real estate consultancy and agency company in Bulgaria Forton an affiliate partner of Cushman & Wakefield. Prior to joining Forton in 2011 Mr. Gurdjieff has worked as Commercial Director at bERS – a 3PL provider and operator of a logistics park in Sofia, Bulgaria. Before that he was the Commercial Director and then Country Manager of the real estate portal City24.bg, owned by Alma Media Interactive Oy - the largest media corporation in Scandinavia. In the period between 2005 and 2008, he worked in the leasing sector being a sales manager in some of the largest financial institutions in Europe – UniCredit Bulbank and Raiffeisen. His professional career began in the business of construction materials.
At Forton Mr. Gurdjieff manages projects for establishing of new production and logistics facilities of international companies in Bulgaria, including build to suit projects. He also assists his clients in finding appropriate industrial space for rent. Very often industrial team at Forton provides comprehensive consultancy for logistics and industrial project is at phase zero. He is also responsible for transactions and further development of land plots both with industrial and investment purposes.
Among Mr. Gurdjieff’s clients are companies such as: Coca-Cola Hellenik, TNT, Tishman Management Company, Garanti Koza, Equinix, GlaxoSmithKline, Pentax, Nobel, Bulgarian Airways Group, Bulgarian Property Developments, Slam Clothing, Yazaki, Glorient Investment, Danfoss, Medina Med, Orbico and many others.
Vladimir Gurdjieff has Master's Degree (US: MSF / EU: MSc) from University of National and World Economy, with major in Finance. He is also Honours Bachelor of Economics (H.B.Econ) from University of National and World Economy, with major in Business and commercial management.
Georgi Stoev
Georgi Stoev is founder and managing partner of Industry Watch - research and consulting company focused on macroeconomic development and economic policy. Among the most important analytical products developed by Georgi Stoev and Industry Watch team are IT&BPO Destination Plovdiv, Regular Report on Cost of Labor, Financial Wealth and Housing Market, Investment Destination Plovdiv. Georgi Stoev is one of the economists who in the last 15 years insist hardly on low taxes, market oriented reforms and minimal state intervention in the economy.
Gavin Hill
Gavin Hill is Partner in Charge of Financial Advisory Department in Bulgaria. He has over 36 years experience in M&A advisory, out of which the last 17 years in Deloitte in Central Europe.
He is lead partner of the Deloitte Central European real estate financial advisory group and leads engagements for large companies, funds and private equity clients. He is a Member of The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and Member of Corporate Finance Institute and Chartered Institute of Management.
Maximilian Erhard
Maximilian Erhard is Manager of the Cluster "Vocational Education and Training" within the German-Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry since January 2015.
He holds a Diploma in Political Science from the Ludwig-Maximilian-University Munich and a Master of Science in International Energy Economics and Business Administration from Leipzig University and from the Moscow State University of International Relations, Russia.
In 2013 and 2014, Maximilian Erhard participated in the rotational program "Ausbildungsring der IHKs", a traineeship offered by the Association of German Chambers of Commerce and Industry. During this period, he worked at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Regensburg fuer Oberpfalz/Kelheim, the Association of German Chambers of Commerce and Industry in Berlin, the Korean-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Seoul as well as the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Koblenz.
After the traineeship and before taking office in Bulgaria, Maximilian Erhard worked at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Berlin in the department of vocational education and training.
Wojciech Pacholarz
Wojciech Pacholarz joined Adecco Poland as Key Account Manager in 2010. In January 2014 he relocated to Kiev (Ukraine) and worked at Adecco Ukraine as Operations Director. In January 2016 he was promoted to Country Manager of Adecco Ukraine. Since 2014 under an unstable economic and political environment in Ukraine his team managed to turn around the status of Adecco Ukraine into a profitable business unit. Since September 2016 he started on the position of Country Manager of Adecco Bulgaria.
Irena Joteva
Irena Joteva is Managing Director of HILL International Bulgaria, part of the Austrian consulting group HILL International GmbH with about 50 offices in more than 30 countries. HILL is a full-service partner with high-quality solutions in all matters of personnel search & selection, identification & development of key players and HiPo, leadership challenges, and corporate HR strategy. 25 years now HILL operates in Bulgaria.
Irena joined the company in January 2002, as a Psychologist. Two years later she became Head of Applied Psychology; in 2004 was appointed as Executive Director and five years after she stepped further as a Managing Partner. Since April 2015 she is a private owner of the company.
Irena has 17 years of overall HR experience and 15 years of experience in HR Management Consulting. Previously she worked as a Human Resources specialist at a manufacturing company.
She has a Master degree in Psychology from Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski and MBA in General Management from City University, Seattle, Washington.
Certified Coach, Erickson College International, ICF ACTP (Accredited Coach Training Program).
Since 2006 she is a lecturer at the Sofia University - Master program Labor markets and HR development.
She is a member of the Council of Women in the Business in Bulgaria.
Frank Jansen
CFO KBC Group Bulgaria; Executive Director, CIBANK
Frank Jansen was appointed as Executive Director and member of the Management Board of CIBANK in May 2008, following the acquisition at the end of 2007 of CIBANK by KBC Group – a Belgian bancassurance group. Frank Jansen has a Master’s Degree in Law and a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Antwerp. His professional career started as a manager of various retail and corporate branches of KBC Belgium. During the period 1999 – 2003 he took the positions of Director in CSOB Bank CR and Executive Director of Kredyt Bank Poland where he was responsible for credit risk management and consumer finance. From 2003 until his appointment at CIBANK he was General Manager for KBC France.
Stefan Stoyanov
Professional experience:
• 2016 to present – Deputy Mayor, Plovdiv Municipality
In charge of: Education; Business development; European policies; International relations
• 2016 to present – Deputy Chairman of Board, Plovdiv 2019 Municipal Foundation
• 2014 – 2016 – Chairman of Board, Plovdiv 2019 Foundation
• 2011-2014 – Leading the team during the application phase and bid in the competition of Plovdiv European Capital of Culture 2019.
• 2011 – 2015 – Deputy Mayor, Plovdiv Municipality
In charge of: Culture; Education; Tourism; Business development; European projects and innovations;
2005 – 2011 – Owner, Managing Director
PR, Publications, Media clipping
International accounts management in the fields of media monitoring, market analyses, BPO (business process outsourcing), online marketing. Development of online projects and media campaigns . PR and advertising campaigns .
2001 – 2005 – Journalist, Editor TV EUROPA
Dimitar Nikolov
Professional realization:
2006 – Manager of "KBC" Ltd. – Burgas
1998-2006 Executive director of "Pobeda" S.A.
Education:
Higher economic education – Economic University – Moscow
Professional diploma in management and Professional certificate in management – Open University and NBU (New Bulgarian University)
Master’s degree in financial management – SA Svishtov
Public Activities:
Deputy chairman of BTPP (Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry) – Burgas
Chairman of the Consultative business council – Burgas
Chairman of the Commission for economy and investments in the Town council – Burgas
Regional representative of KRIB (Confederation of the employers and industrialists in Bulgaria) for the Burgas district
Awards:
"Burg of the year" for 2005
Winner of "Dimitar Brakalov" prize – 2005 – for charity and contribution in the development of Burgas
Winner of the "Hermes" statuette of the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry for 2004 and 2005
Member of the University board of BSU (Burgas Free University)
Marital status: Married, 3 children
Born on 18.05.1967
Dobri Belivanov
Born on the 13th of August, 1946 in the city of Haskovo.
He graduated from engineering specialty at the Technical University of Varna and from economic one at the UNWE. His work experience is entirely in Haskovo. He has been deputy mayor of the city in the periods 1991 – 1995 and 1991 – 2001. In the period 2001 – 2007 he has been chief secretary of the Regional administration of Haskovo and from September 2014 to October 2015 he has been district governor of Haskovo. Mayor of municipality Haskovo since the 6th of November 2015.
Fluent in Russian language.
He is a master of sports in chess.
Plamen Stoilov
Professional experience
11.2011 – until now - Mayor of Ruse Municipality
08.2009 – 11.2011 – Regional Governor of Ruse Region
2007 – 08.2009 – Ministry of Emergency Situations, DG Civil Protection, Civil Protection Department – Ruse Region, Protection Engineering Inspector
2000 – 2003 – Security Service Military Police and Military Counterintelligence –Ministry of Defence, Regional Security Service Military Police and Military Counterintelligence – Varna, Military Counterintelligence Department, Sector Shumen, conducting the military counterintelligence in the units, sites and garrisons in Shoumen, Razgrad, Targovishte, Ruse and Silistra, Sector Chief
1991 – 1999 – Security Service – Ministry of Defence, Land ForcesDepartment, conducting the counterintelligence in the units and sites of the Bulgarian Army on the territory of Svishtov, Belene and Ruse garrisons, Operative - Senior Inspector, Officer at the Ministry of Defence
1988 – 1991 – Military Counterintelligence, Land Forces CommandDepartment, section Pleven, conducting the counterintelligence in the units and sites of the Bulgarian Army on the territory of Svishtov and Belene garrisons, Operative - Junior Inspector, Officer at the Ministry of Interior
1987 – 1988 - Higher Institute for Officer Training and Research at the Ministry of Interior – Sofia, 13-month training course for Military Counterintelligence operative, Officer at the Ministry of Interior
1984 - 1987 – 54th Engineer Regiment Svishtov, Headquarters – Ministry of Defence, Reconnaissance platoon commander, Preparation and implementation of parachute, diving and combat engineering tasks in the parachute engineering intelligence group under his command, Officer at the Ministry of Interior
Education
1999 – 2002 – D.A. Tsenov Academy of Economics - Svishtov
1980 – 1984 – Vasil Levski National Military University – Veliko Tarnovo
Degree
Master’s Degree in Industrial Economics
Transportation Engineer – road and bridge design, Bulgarian Army Officer
Foreign Languages
Russian and English
Family Status
Married, with one daughter
Petar Ganev
Petar Ganev is senior economist at the Institute for Market Economics (IME) in Sofia. His interests are in the fields of growth and the business cycle, fiscal policy and the role of government, free markets and inequality. He is also studying the history of the Austrian School of Economics. Ganev is a board member of the Bulgarian Macroeconomic Association and author of numerous articles in Bulgarian media. He is also responsible for the educational initiatives of IME.