business in Bulgaria

True leaders demonstrate their qualities in moments of great need. For Aksinia Triova, that moment came in 2020. The sudden death of her husband, Georgi Triov, was a personal and professional shock. For decades he had been the driving force behind Bulgarian Tea Company, building it from a small business into a national leader. Now Mrs Triova and her sons, Dimitar and Aleksandar, had to overcome their grief and decide what to do next.

Building a recognisable new brand on the highly competitive insurance market is difficult – but possible. Tsvetelina Mihaylova, Chairperson of the BoDs and CEO of Axiom IC, knows this well. Before joining Axiom in 2022, she has dedicated her entire professional life to building an outstanding expertise in insurance. Her professional career kicked off at Bulstrad Vienna Insurance Company, then she held various management positions at HDI Insurance, Tokuda Health Insurance and Bulgaria Insurance. Mrs Mihaylova also holds a Master's degree in Insurance and Insurance Management.

Valentina Ricanek's professional journey is a testament to the old wisdom that every crisis is an opportunity. An experienced IT/HR expert, in a planned but unexpected way she was given the chance to prove herself in a new professional field just as the COVID crisis began. Thanks to her perseverance and vision, NSF Consulting became a successful ambassador of Bulgarian products across Central Europe.

What goals did you set when you founded NSF Consulting?

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.

Environmental pollution has a dramatic effect on societies, but governments are still with eyes wide shut about innovative solutions to the problem. Metodi Mitev, a visionaire and a lobbyist with experience in waste management is on the mission to change this. With the Zero Waste project and the Center for Green Growth Association he is popularising an effective alternative solution – smart processing of RDF waste, biomass and sludge for production of carbon neutral hydrogen that is then used for electricity.

Anelia Miteva's career in HR goes beyond the traditional understanding of talent acquisition, training and consultancy. As the founder, managing director and inspirational leader of CATRO Bulgaria, she introduced on the local market some of the most advanced tools for encouraging creativity, adaptability and agility. As part of the Austrian leaders CATRO Personalberatung and dieBerater®, CATRO Bulgaria uses innovative know-how based on neuroscience that boosts productivity, supports professional growth and empowers clients to unleash their potential through smart HR solutions.

When the event management company Insight Events appeared on the market in 2015, it quickly established itself as a generator of creative ideas that are precisely planned and impeccably realised. The company organises and realises conferences, congresses, product launches, gala dinners and hybrid events, among other things – everything a business needs to prosper in our dynamic times. The creativity of Insight Events also stands out with its focus on a little developed niche – organisation of incentive trips for corporate clients.

When Sonia Kadieva founded the electricity trading company Energy Supply Ltd., the free electricity market in Bulgaria was just emerging. Today, full market liberalisation is still in the future, and public opinion is becoming increasingly skeptical about it. Against this backdrop, Sonia Kadieva's expertise is extremely valuable to both private and business electricity consumers who want to form an informed opinion about the matter – and make the most of the upcoming change.

What does the electricity trading business mean to you?

Leaving one's comfort zone and discovering a new world – this is the core of so many success stories. One of these belongs to Olena Shopova. After a career as an accountant and auditor in Ukraine, in 2010 she moved to Bulgaria and restarted her life. She worked at an accountancy company, mastered the nuances of the profession in Bulgarian conditions and of the Bulgarian language, and in 2017 she established her own company for accounting and tax services. Plameli Finance offers the full range of services in the field and is focused on working with foreign companies.

Top Rent A Car, a Bulgarian company that is the leader in the local car rental sector, won the prestigious True Leaders award during the 12th edition of the event organized by ICAP CRIF Bulgaria. Over 200 guests attended the ceremony, including managers of leading Bulgarian and international companies, and other key figures from the corporate world.

The debate about the future of offices is going on, but when they are designed by MoVe Architects, disagreement stops. Innovative, functional, comfortable, and outstanding, these spaces inspire employees to outperform themselves. The studio's founder, Viktor Banarev, shares more.

What current trends in office interiors has MoVe Architects incorporated into its work?

Bulgaria's real estate market is upsurging - each day thousands of buyers, sellers, investors, and tenants seek the best deal for them. In this dynamic environment there is one man with a clear vision of the conditions of the market who can help each party to make the most of the situation. Neycho Neychev is more than an expert in real estate.

this is what Advertise Me digital marketing agency does best for businesses, thanks to fine-tuned paid advertisement and social media marketing. Its team of skilled professionals are masters of tailoring strategies based on detailed analysis and understanding of the target audiences, and build campaigns that boost sales, optimise expenses and create value for their clients. The CEO of Advertise Me, Blagovest Petkov, shares more.

Digital advertising is everywhere. How does Advertise Me help its clients to stand out in this environment?

Iva Boyanova is much more than the founder and owner of the agency for digital marketing and advertising MAG Digital. She is an outstanding digital marketing professional, consultant and lecturer. She has years of experience in building comprehensive marketing strategies and online advertisement campaigns, and her expertise covers a wide spectrum of digital marketing services. Part of her practice includes working with companies such as the technological giant Xiaomi, Ficosota and others.

A graduate of San Diego State University in cognitive and behavioral psychology, and with a digital marketing certificate from the US, Evelina Dimitrova founded her company, Tidal Wave Marketing, with the goal to help brands not just make noise, but truly connect with people. In her practice, she combines her deep understanding of human behavior with digital marketing to create impactful online presences for all types of organisations and across industries.

How did your American education affect your professional growth?

When the SEO agency Reshenia.com stepped on the market, in 2007, digital marketing was in its infancy. But as the company employed professionals with experience in Internet projects dating back to 1997, the results were fast to come. Today, the team of Reshenia.com has been behind the success of thousands of digital marketing projects. The owner, Aleksandar Nenov, tells more.

Property deals are too serious, expensive, and complicated to approach them carelessly. The best way to make the most of them and of any situation that might unfold is with the help of experts such as Imoten Syvetnik (Property Adviser). The company offers highly qualified general, legal, financial, and commercial consultation. The guarantee for the high level of expertise is its founder. Dilyana Ivanova has years of experience and is a licensed mediator at the Chamber of Mediators in Bulgaria.

When you live, work or do business in the UK, sooner or later you will face a tax, administrative or immigration case. Vladisara Consult is a company that will help you in a timely, reliable manner, with the best outcomes for you. The company has offices in Bulgaria and London. Its sales manager, Angelina Gospodinova, elaborates.

For whom are Vladisara Consult services?

The well selected and built team is the foundation of any successful business. With the professionals at M&S Ivanova HR & Accounting each company gets competent help in dealing with this crucial task and more free time to focus on their core activities. Its manager, Tanya Ivanova, shares more.

What is the added value that M&S Ivanova HR & Accounting provides to employers who seek to hire new people?

The company focuses on three core directions: its own projects, construction of residential and infrastructure projects for other investors, and exterior reconstruction and overhaul. The outstanding quality of Imoti Inn projects is the reason why its founder, engineer Mina Georgieva, has won a number of prestigious awards – Builder of Year 2019, Misis Business 2020, Business Lady of the Year 2022 and 2023, and Brand of the Year 2024.

What are the most outstanding projects realised by Imoti Inn for almost ten years on the market?