women leaders Bulgaria

With more than 20 years of experience in the IT sector, Rumyana Mitreva has seen plenty of change – and has learnt to be part of it. From a young girl curious about how technology works to a leader of large teams working on advanced concepts, products and services, she has honed her ability to create new solutions and lead teams to successful results, while also thinking about the foundations of humanity's endless striving for technological perfection and its deepening dependency on technology.

Founded 13 years ago, investment company Match More builds more than exceptional residential buildings. It has created a comprehensive process in which investment goals, architectural and construction quality, and residents' satisfaction form a single whole – one with its own signature, vision for development and responsibility to clients.

Access to information and the ability to choose among the best medical specialists in Bulgaria are just some of the many benefits offered by the i-Health app. The innovative concept developed by Svetlana Sabotinova as part of the SANOMA portfolio provides exceptional opportunities for both Bulgarians and international residents in the country to select the best diagnostic and treatment options for themselves and their loved ones.

Antonia Troullous represents a new generation of women leaders who move confidently between borders, professions and roles without being defined by any of them. Her career spans law, education, recruitment and business, with companies operating in both Bulgaria and the UK. What connects these different fields is her ability to recognise opportunities, bring people and institutions together and turn knowledge into practical results.

Berlitz has been teaching languages and shaping approaches to communication for almost 150 years. Today, Berlitz combines its long-established methodology with new technologies and approaches to meet the needs of a changing world.

In Bulgaria, this next chapter is led by Michal Nadzon, who took over the Berlitz franchise in 2025. An economist by education, he has more than 15 years of experience in the language training industry and has managed Berlitz in several markets across Central and Eastern Europe.

Desislava Slavcheva is an IT consultant and culinary expert who works with and for people who appreciate delicious, well-prepared and beautifully presented food. Her many years of experience organising themed dinners and events, her attention to detail and her colourful travels around the world inspired her to create the SoGood by Desi Slavcheva brand, offering a collection of gourmet products that make cooking easier for today's busy lifestyles and turn every meal into an enjoyable experience.

Creating a new fashion brand is a challenge – and Tanya Ian is handling it brilliantly. This year she is celebrating the tenth anniversary of Tanya Ian Exclusive and launching a new brand, AURAË PARIS.

How have you changed as a designer over the years?

As technology, creative industries and international business become increasingly interconnected, success depends not only on ideas and expertise, but also on understanding people, cultures and the environments in which relationships are built.

Engineer Natalia Varbanova joined the family business Tisina LTD in 2007. Today, Tisina LTD is a recognized manufacturer of cast iron castings for the machinery, energy, agricultural, transport, construction, road construction, and other industries.

Your father founded Tisina in 2001. What changes did you introduce when you joined the company?

Attorney at law Elena Ficherova has almost 20 years of professional experience as an investigator, legal adviser and expert within the Ministry of Interior and state anti-corruption bodies, accumulating a valuable insight into the state and its institutions. After a critical situation forced her to defend her own rights and reputation in court, Ms Ficherova decided to establish her own legal practice. It was a challenging time, in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, but working with people whose lives depended on her inspired her to give her best.

Lora Andreeva has over a decade of experience in Ingram Micro Bulgaria. She partners closely with business leaders to shape the people agenda, driving talent development, leadership growth, employee engagement, and organizational transformation.

How did Ingram Micro's Sofia office manage to transcend the limitations of traditional operational and customer support functions and to become one of the company's key technological and expert hubs in Europe?

A family-owned company with strong traditions in construction and real estate investment management, and an excellent reputation for its functional, well-executed buildings, IZLAK has been creating strong partnerships and bringing positive change to the urban environment and the lives of hundreds of people for 15 years. Veronika Goranova tells us more.

IZLAK has been on the market for 15 years. Why do clients choose you?

Millions of years ago, a rain of meteorites supposedly brought gold to Earth. Some of the deposits settled in what is now the Rhodope mountain range, around Krumovgrad. A couple of millennia ago, the Rhodope's ancient inhabitants found gold and started digging… In modern times, the remains were further explored to breathe new life into an ancient trade forgotten for centuries. DPM Krumovgrad started investing in a place called by locals Ada Tepe, or Golden Island. It found a promising gold deposit and, following a bumpy road, in 2019 opened the first mine in Bulgaria for over 40 years.

Investing in people’s development and growth, nurturing their potential and guiding them toward realizing their competencies are all signs of good HR practice – one that is capable of uniting care for people with care for a company's success. Branimira Neshovska knows this well, as her professional career exemplifies these principles.

At the age of 14, Dony Vasileva was living in a small village near Yambol when she discovered that she had been adopted. By 16, she had started a family, and by 20 she already had three children… Today, she is an established author and founder of the food supplements brand DONY HEALTH. She is a graduate in applied lin- guistics, political science and diplomacy, speaks five languages and is grandmother to three grandchildren. A truly incredible life!

Mihaela Georgieva is an entrepreneur in the property and insurance sectors. After many years in senior management positions in France and Bulgaria, specialising in marketing and commercial development, she founded and now manages AGENZIA GROUP – a digital platform offering integrated services in real estate, insurance, lending, interior design and renovation works. She completed her higher education in France before specialising in international business development and sales in the US and the UK.

With its valuable natural assets, economic potential and location on the border with Greece and Turkey, Haskovo and the region are becoming increasingly attractive for real estate investment. Mira Saкaliyska, with her agency Imoti Mira, is the professional who helps every investor find the most suitable property on the local market and turn it into a successful business.

How has "Imoti Mira" developed over the two decades since it entered the market, and what is your strategic focus today?

"We do not learn for school, but for life" – in times of an uncertain economy, rapidly developing technologies and global instability, the University of Telecommunications and Posts offers an education that embodies the idea of the old Roman saying and gives its graduates an excellent start in life. UTP works in close collaboration with business, offers specialisations with development prospects and is increasingly attractive to both Bulgarian and international students. Much of these achievements are due to its rector; a woman who is a true leader in the field of education – Prof.

You do not have to work in heavy industry or a high-risk environment to get literally sick from your job. Being behind a desk for 8+ hours can have the same effect. Eng Vladislava Kirova not only knows this very well – she can also help both companies and their staff.

Julie Yordanova proves that attention to detail and aesthetics can set standards in a traditionally "male" industry. In less than two years she has gone beyond established advertising practices and has built her own working model, which brought her clear recognition in this specific and competitive environment.