Assoc. Prof. Krasimira Hristova, MD, PhD, is an expert in non-invasive imaging diagnostics of cardiovascular diseases, with over 25 years of clinical experience. She is the Medical Director of the Cardiovascular Disease Center in Sofia, a state-of-the-art facility for high-level diagnostics and treatment, and a reference center for General Electric, the global leader in medical technology manufacturing.
You do not always have to be narrowly focused to become an outstanding professional – often it is the ability and willingness to look beyond the boundaries of a single field that allows you to help people more effectively. The personal and professional story of Loreta Filipova is a case in point.
An overachiever from the start, she attended a foreign language high school in Sofia while also taking acting classes. After graduating, she continued to pursue both passions, enrolling in university to study law and acting simultaneously.
With the rapid advancement of technology, modern marketing is enjoying a boon of new ways to improve product visibility, refine messages, analyse the right audiences and manage the brand. Nelly Paeva is a Bulgarian entrepreneur who is giving companies in the local market yet another tool to improve their results. Her company, Healthix, is a leader in the development of neuroscience in Bulgaria by offering neuromarketing through LORETA – a high-tech method for analysing brain activity.
In the days of overtourism, selfies and Airbnbs there are still hardcore travellers who want to leave the comforts of home and explore new places, people and cultures, even if it often means sleeping in a tent in a remote mountain village. This is what Olivier Meissel has done. He cycled across Bulgaria three times to make a documentary inspired by his father. The senior Meissel, a retired history and geography teacher, had become a tour guide. In 2001 he was asked to organise tours in Bulgaria. He did this for ten years, developing a deep passion for the country.
How to invest your money wisely and make the most of the ever-changing economy, even in times of volatility and uncertainty, is a question that many people ask today. Natalia Petrova is one of the few people in Bulgaria who knows the answer. The CEO of Concord Asset Management, the largest non-bank asset manager in Bulgaria, she has over 20 years of experience in asset management, capital markets, equity and bond trading, UCITS products and services, and is a licensed investment advisor, broker and dealer in government securities.
The official web page of the Embassy of Ireland in Sofia is the only embassy page I've seen over the past at least 20 years that, instead of a formal CV of the ambassador noting past experiences and positions held, posts... a poem! And not just any poem, but one by the great Irish poet John O'Donohue:
Responsible diesel vehicle owners are already familiar with AdBlue® – the additive that reduces harmful emissions and enhances fuel efficiency by optimising engine combustion. Remarkably, this high-performance solution is not only produced in Bulgaria according to the strictest manufacturing standards – it has become a market leader thanks to the vision and initiative of a woman, Krassimira Hristova.
For Amitabh Vardhan cinema is not just a form of entertainment. It is a passion. As the managing director and CEO of Cine Grand since 2010, he has dedicated himself to creating and crafting the ultimate cinema experience for viewers. Mr Vardhan's previous experience has prepared him well for the task – his professional background spans several countries, including India, the US, the UK, Romania, and Serbia, and a number of industries such as consumer goods, services, hospitality, and real estate.
Before coming to Sofia as His Majesty's Ambassador, Nathaniel Copsey was the chief speech writer for the foreign secretary. As he covered the full range of UK foreign policy's issues, he had wide access and connections to the British and international media. With a background as an academic, latterly a professor of politics, Nathaniel Copsey focused on Europe, particularly the EU and Eastern Europe. He was involved in both the 2015 renegotiation of the EU treaty and the subsequent referendum in 2016.
From prehistory to modernity, humanity has explored the nature of metals and has tamed them, putting them at the centre of entire industries and creating astonishing pieces of craft and art of them. Nedyalka and Dimitar Mitkovi have dedicated their lives and creative spirits to making exquisite pieces of wrought iron.
Excellent organization, flawless work processes, timely reaction and visible results: these are just some of the reasons why Sky Prime is one of the hot names in the Bulgarian market right now.
The fragrance diffuser lets another puff of delicate aroma in the elegant waiting room. Sitting on the comfortable sofas, people leisurely check their phones, while sipping water or fresh coffee. The impression of being in a luxury retreat shared area would be perfect if not for the laminated protective coverings on their shoes and the assistants calmly calling the people, one by one, by their names.
How clean is really clean? During the Covid-19 pandemic, thousands of companies and individuals around the world were anxious to get the answer right. Many of them found it in the products of a global company that has been a pioneer in the field since its establishment in Germany in 1935: Kärcher. Its distinctive yellow equipment for cleaning provides excellent results for a wide range of spaces and sites – from homes to industrial facilities to public spaces and culture sites.
With a wide-ranging experience in Berlin, Brussels, Kinshasa, Rabat and Seattle, Irene Maria Plank seems like the perfect diplomat who can with equal ease discuss serious political issues and sample wine, analyse classical music and discuss religion, travel through remote mountain ranges and tend to her cats. Her tenure in Bulgaria started in 2023, but this is not her first time here. Frau Plank was already in Sofia the year before, serving as an interim chief of mission.
Psychoanalysis and film making are connected in more than one way. They were born at approximately the same time and are based on dreams and the unconscious. There is hardly a person who has not tried to decipher either their own dreams or a movie. It is not surprising, then, that there is a whole field in modern psychology dedicated to film psychoanalysis.
Travelling and discovering different cultures and landscapes is one of life's greatest joys; the cliché that it is one of the most sensible investments one will make is absolutely true. Tatyana Dimitrova knows this well. About 30 years ago she was brave enough to establish a travel agency. Today, Randevu Travel is a widely recognised brand with a broad portfolio of services and covered destinations in Bulgaria and abroad, and scores of loyal, satisfied customers.
Our entire civilization is built on industrial production and commerce, but few of us are aware what it takes to build a factory or a warehouse. For most of us, industrial facilities are just a fact of life, churning items that we need in our everyday lives, from our cars to food and clothing, gadgets and cosmetics.
The planet is getting warmer and humanity is increasingly aware of the dangers, but the war in Ukraine and the crisis of energy supplies that ensued put to the test the efforts for adopting new green policies. For a number of political and economical reasons, in 2022 Bulgaria seemed particularly vulnerable to changes in the global energy sector. What is the outlook for the country's energy supply for 2024 and beyond? We decided to discuss the topic with a woman with unique insight in the field.
Christina is now back on these pages owing to her participation in the Business Lady Excellence 2024 event in Sofia at the end of March.
Business Lady Excellence has a 15-year history of connecting leading personalities from Bulgaria, Europe and the Americas. Its main aim is to gather together inspiring women from business, politics, culture, technology and social life, and to foster expanded business and personal development.
The clients of Parichkova Design Lab are different and so are the interiors that they have commissioned to the studio. But all of these people invariably are pleasantly surprised when they enter the finished interior and see that the space, up to the tiniest of detail, is just like the 3D interior design project prepared by the studio.