Business Still Under-Pressure As Inflation Eases

Reacting to the latest inflation data from the ONS, Alex Veitch, Director of Policy at the British Chambers of Commerce, said:

“Today’s news that consumer price inflation continued to ease in July is encouraging. However, this comes off the back of months of high prices which have hit business hard. Many firms have yet to see the cost of raw materials fall. 

“Businesses tell us that confidence is improving slightly as inflationary pressures ease. However, our latest quarterly economic survey showed most companies reported no improvement to sales, cash flow, or investment. 

“High interest rates are now of real concern to firms. Investment across all sectors is suffering because of the cost-of-borrowing. Businesses need to be confident that interest rates have reached their peak.”

On 28th September PwC’s Academy Mini MBA will start for the 19th consecutive time. The programme consists of 9 connected modules and takes about 4 months to complete. It is aimed at all levels in all lines of business, owners of small and medium-sized enterprises, and those who are considering starting their own business. 

The main benefits for the participants in the programme are:

• Development of the most important business skills
• Clear understanding of organisations, their structure, and management methodology through specific          mapping technique and sequence of modules
• Opportunity to acquire valuable knowledge that can be used in everyday business activities
• Analysis of concepts such as strategy, competition, finance, marketing, and leadership as well as technical areas such as accounting, project management and others.
• Learning a methodology for analysing their own organisation as well as others
• Learning from experienced local and international trainers in various fields

If you want to find more information, you can visit our website or contact us at: bg_pwcacademy@pwc.com

If you want to apply for the Mini MBA programme, fill in the registration form. 

Early bird registration is open until 31 August 2023.

Community Liaison & Events Officer

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Community Liaison & Events Officer, to be based in the British Embassy in Sofia.

This is a full-time permanent position. We strongly encourage any internal candidates who are interested in the role to apply, including current employees, interns and spouses/partners of UK-based staff at Post. If you decide to apply, please make sure to identify yourself as a current employee/intern or spouse/partner of UK-based staff in the application form.

The Corporate Services Team at the British Embassy in Sofia is looking to recruit a full time Community Liaison & Events Officer (CLO) to join the Corporate Services Team.

The CLO supports the well-being of all staff at Post, with the primary function as advocate for all diplomats and their families, provides support and advice on family and community issues, assists in the areas of information gathering, welfare and communication.

The Officer will be supporting the Corporate Services Team in organising events and gatherings and acting as a back-up of the Events Manager.

For further details on this vacancy and information on how to apply, please follow the link on the FCDO Local Staff Vacancies Homepage.

Application Deadline: 27th August 2023

Driver / Clerical Assistant

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Driver/Clerical Assistant, to be based in the British Embassy in Sofia.

This is a full-time and permanent position. We strongly encourage any internal candidates who are interested in the role to apply, including current employees, interns and spouses/partners of UK-based staff at Post. If you decide to apply, please make sure to identify yourself as a current employee/intern or spouse/partner of UK-based staff in the application form.

The Driver will be expected to provide safe and timely transport services to all passengers in official vehicles to and from scheduled appointments and also during Ministerial visits, trips to the countryside and abroad. As Clerical Assistant, the successful candidate will support the Corporate Services team with purchases, deliveries, logistics around Embassy events and other ad hoc tasks.

For further details on this vacancy and information on how to apply, please follow the link on the FCDO Local Staff Vacancies Homepage.

Application Deadline: 27th of August 2023

Winners to Be Celebrated During Event in Rome on 13 October

Droxic was named the winner of a Bronze Stevie® Award in the Company of the Year – Business or Professional Services category in The 20th Annual International Business Awards® today.

The International Business Awards are the world’s premier business awards program. All individuals and organizations worldwide – public and private, for-profit and non-profit, large and small – are eligible to submit nominations. The 2023 IBAs received entries from organizations in 61 nations and territories.

Winners will be celebrated during a gala banquet at the Cavalieri Waldorf Astoria Hotel, in Rome, Italy on Friday, 13 October.

More than 3,700 nominations from organizations of all sizes and in virtually every industry were submitted this year for consideration in a wide range of categories, including Company of the Year, Marketing Campaign of the Year, Best New Product or Service of the Year, Startup of the Year, Corporate Social Responsibility Program of the Year, and Executive of the Year, among others.  This year’s competition also featured a number of new categories to recognize organizations’ and individuals’ achievements in sustainability initiatives.

Droxic won in the Company of the Year – Business or Professional Services category for small companies.

Receiving this acknowledgment holds significant meaning, especially following the celebration of our 10th anniversary last year. This award is attributed to the company’s recent accomplishments and continuous advancements over the past two years. Among these achievements is the company’s recognition in 3 categories, in Bulgaria, at the prestigious Techbehemoths awards. This includes Mobile App Development, Web Development, and UX/UI Design.

Additionally, Droxic proudly introduced its internal training program, known as the Droxic Academy. Droxic Academy effectively trained an impressive 100% of participating Front-End developers. Beyond technical expertise, Droxic fosters a culture of learning by encouraging its development team to enhance their software-related skills and explore new areas. For instance, one of the company’s software developers established Bulgaria’s first YouTube channel dedicated to electric vehicles (EVs).

To sum up, all these milestones are what convinced the judges to perceive us as high achievers. Here is one of the comments:

“ Droxic’s strength lies in its ability to build long-term relationships with every client, ensuring high-quality services and trust. ”

Stevie Award winners were determined by the average scores of more than 230 executives worldwide who participated in the judging process in June and July.

“Nominations to the IBAs get better every year, and this year’s class of Stevie winners is the most impressive yet,” said Stevie Awards president Maggie Miller.  “The winners have demonstrated that their organizations have set and achieved lofty goals.  We congratulate them on their recognized achievements, and look forward to celebrating them on stage in Rome on 13 October.”

Details about The International Business Awards and the lists of Stevie Award winners are available at www.StevieAwards.com/IBA. 

The first speaker at TEDxVitosha: COUNTDOWN ’23 has been revealed! We are excited to welcome Katharina Gangl in Sofia!

It all started with a book. At the age of 14, Katharina read “The Global Trap” by Hans-Peter Martin. Growing up in the countryside of Austria, she was sheltered from the unfairness in the world. She vowed to help solve the world’s problems.

Katharina Gangl became a behavioral scientist. Sometimes we want to behave in a certain way – to lose weight, recycle, behave in a more sustainable way, but we struggle. Katarina customizes solutions to trigger behavioral changes. Now a University teacher, Katharina addresses openly the impact of our economic system on the environment and society.

Leading the Research Group at the Institute for Advanced Studies, Katharina advises the Austrian Chancellery, crafting campaigns to reduce energy consumption and restore trust in public authorities. Katharina’s unwavering commitment to making a difference has earned her a spot at the table where positive change happens.

Open your mind, open your heart, watch, and listen! Get inspired by Katharina and her ideas worth sharing! Join the Countdown!

Get Your Ticket

We are thrilled to introduce the newest addition to the BBBA team, Gabriela Aleksandrova.

With a passion for organizing events and a background in Public Relations from New Bulgarian University, Gabriela is well-positioned to create meaningful and lasting impression in her role as an Events and Communications Trainee.

Eager to forge connections, Gabriela is excited about the opportunity to meet both our members and partners, fostering valuable relationships along the way.

You can connect with her on LinkedIn here.

Kempinski Hotel Grand Arena Bansko welcomes its new General Manager – Rene Detzen. Having worked in Germany, Malta, Azerbaijan and Russia, Rene Detzen brings more than 18 years of experience in the hospitality industry to his new position.

He began his career at Kempinski in 2005, working as a waiter at Kempinski Hotel Airport Munich. In 2007, he became the Assistant Food and Beverage Manager at the iconic Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin in Germany. Three years later, he moved to the Kempinski Hotel San Lawrenz Gozo in Malta, where he held the position of Food and Beverage Manager.

In 2012, Mr. Detzen became the Food and Beverage Director of Kempinski Hotel Badamar Baku in Azerbaijan. The following year, again in the same position, he moved to Kempinski Hotel Baltschug Moscow and stayed there for one year. His career path continued with a change to the luxury hotel brand Rocco Forte Hotels, where he spent over seven years. He worked for Hotel Astoria Saint Petersburg as Executive Assistant Manager in charge of food and beverage, followed by a promotion to Hotel Manager. In 2022, Rene Detzen joined the Kempinski family again as Hotel Manager of Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten Kempinski Munich for one year before moving to Bansko.

Mr. Detzen holds a Diploma in Hospitality Business Administration. He is a German national and in addition to his mother tongue, he speaks fluent English. Rene Detzen is married and has two children.

Rene Detzen is taking over his new position from Christian Ruge, who served as the General Manager of Kempinski Hotel Grand Arena Bansko for almost four years. Mr. Ruge will continue his professional career with Kempinski as General Manager of Sindhorn Kempinski Hotel Bangkok in Thailand.

Internship Scheme 

An exciting opportunity has arisen for 3 interns, to be based in the British Embassy in Sofia.

This is a 9 months full-time temporary position. We strongly encourage any internal candidates who are interested in the role to apply, including current employees, interns and spouses/partners of UK-based staff at Post. If you decide to apply, please make sure to identify yourself as a current employee/intern or spouse/partner of UK-based staff in the application form.

Our Internship Scheme is designed to immerse you into the day-to-day activities of a diplomatic mission, introducing you to the key functions of an embassy and giving you the foundation for a career in diplomacy.

On this scheme you will rotate between three teams within the embassy, spending roughly three months in each, developing expertise in political engagement, public diplomacy and corporate projects.

For further details on this vacancy and information on how to apply, please follow the link on the FCDO Local Staff Vacancies Homepage.

Application Deadline: 22nd August 2023

Community Liaison & Events Officer, AO 

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Community Liaison & Events Officer, to be based in the British Embassy in Sofia.

This is a full-time permanent position. We strongly encourage any internal candidates who are interested in the role to apply, including current employees, interns and spouses/partners of UK-based staff at Post. If you decide to apply, please make sure to identify yourself as a current employee/intern or spouse/partner of UK-based staff in the application form.

The Corporate Services Team at the British Embassy in Sofia is looking to recruit a full time Community Liaison & Events Officer (CLO) to join the Corporate Services Team.

The CLO supports the well-being of all staff at Post, with the primary function as advocate for all diplomats and their families, provides support and advice on family and community issues, assists in the areas of information gathering, welfare and communication.

The Officer will be supporting the Corporate Services Team in organising events and gatherings and acting as a back-up of the Events Manager.

For further details on this vacancy and information on how to apply, please follow the link on the FCDO Local Staff Vacancies Homepage.

Application Deadline: 27th August 2023

THREE POINT PLAN TO UNLOCK NET ZERO 

New report by the BCC and Lloyds Bank finds three key changes needed to help business hit Net Zero:

Government should review its support and advice to SMEs on moving to Net Zero

Large businesses and institutions must continue to drive behaviour change in their supply chains

Government should demonstrate commitment and consistency in its Net Zero plans 

The recommendations are the result of a six-month deep dive by the organisations into the reasons holding firms back from reaching Net Zero. 

It followed an earlier BCC survey of more than 1,000 businesses, 96% SMEs, which found that nine out of 10 don’t fully understand what the Government’s target of making the UK Net Zero by 2050 means for them.   

There was also a substantial divide between firms with more than 50 employees and those with fewer than 50, in terms of understanding and progress.   

A total of 56% of the bigger firms had a ‘complete’ or ‘some understanding’ of the Net Zero target, compared to just 35% of the smaller ones.   

Almost twice as many firms with more than 50 employees (36%) had developed a plan for reaching Net Zero compared to those with fewer than 50 (19%).   

The research also showed that planning for the future skills needed to help businesses make the transition to greener and more sustainable operations has taken a backseat. Fewer than one in 20 firms (4%) had carried out a written assessment of the green jobs or skills they will need in-house over the next 10 years.   

One in five businesses (21%) also thought that, on balance, green technology will decrease the productivity of their company, while only 10% thought it would provide a boost.  Reasons cited by respondents included the cost of green technology and the lack of available EV charging infrastructure. 

However, the survey also showed most firms were using new technology or adopting greener policies even if their overall understanding of reaching Net Zero was incomplete.   

The research showed that:   

More than two thirds of SMEs (69%) have installed LED lighting   
More than a third (34%) are investing in greener vehicles  
Just under a third (30%) are using solar panels 
Almost half (46%) are using recycling and waste reduction practices
Over a quarter (28%) use renewable energy providers or tariffs   

In response to the findings, the BCC and Lloyds Bank brought together businesses in Chambers from Liverpool, Glasgow, North-East England, West & North Yorkshire and Birmingham to analyse what needed to change to get Net Zero back on track. 

It found a lack of consistency in Government actions and messaging is holding many smaller firms back, when cost and fears of betting on the wrong technology are big issues. 

Shevaun Haviland, Director General of the BCC, said:  

“All the businesses we spoke to understand the devastating impact climate change is having on our planet, and that sitting this out is not an option. 

“But many smaller firms feel lost in a fog of conflicting information and are reluctant to invest in new technologies when they fear betting on the wrong horse. 

“Mixed messages from Government on the importance of Net Zero are only compounding the problem, as well as a ‘stick’ heavy approach to enforcing change. 

“As other countries and trading blocs pour billions into low-carbon technology there is a real danger we will get left behind. 

“But in the midst of a cost of doing business crisis, firms are reluctant to sink their money into Net Zero technologies and energy efficiencies when the commercial pay-off appears uncertain. 

“Yet if we get this right then it will be a huge opportunity for UK Plc. To do that we need a coherent system of free support and advice made available for firms across the country. 

“Larger corporates also need to help the smaller businesses in their supply chains kickstart their Net Zero journey.  

“And, most importantly, Government needs to develop a long-term strategy which it can demonstrate it will stick to.  That means supporting the development, and investment in, the infrastructure and skills needed to make Net Zero happen.” 

Paul Gordon, Managing Director, Relationship Management at Lloyds Bank said:  

“SMEs are the lifeblood of the UK economy and will play a critical role in our sustainable transition. Despite a challenging external environment and cost, time, and resource pressures, our research with the BCC shows that businesses are taking steps towards Net Zero, particularly where the commercial benefits are clearer – for example, reducing energy consumption to lower costs. 

“This report highlights the need for clarity from Government on the support available and reinforces the need to remove the barriers for investment such as greater EV charging infrastructure, giving SMEs the confidence to invest.  

“The private sector also has a significant role to play including ourselves as financiers along with business organisations and industry bodies, to continue to support SMEs with our knowledge and best practice to help them choose the right transition investments for them.  

“At Lloyds Bank, we are here to help, offering practical advice and financial support to firms, both as they develop their Net Zero strategies and for every step along their journeys, as we build a more sustainable future together.” 

Dear Friends / Family / Colleagues

As our small team of 8 prepare for the long weekend of August 12 / 13 and the peaks of VIHREN and an overnight stay on the peaks! I wanted to share with you some images of our recent training climb of Vitosha.

We recently took the Zheleznica – Cherni Vruh (Black Peak) route on a very hot Sunday in July. What was so rewarding on this day (aside from the great weather!) was that 9 of the 13 climbers were new to the ‘Bulgarian 56 Peaks’. Re-enforcing the message from my Ted Talk (see link below), and the story of the ‘Pied Piper of the Bulgarian Mountains’ 

A great day of walking, great scenery and great chats with friends both new and old!

The 56 Peaks hiking weekends for 2023

Saturday August 12th / Sunday August 13th  [FULL / 8 MAX ALLOWED]

Saturday August 26th / Sunday August 27th

Saturday October 14th / Sunday October 15th

Saturday November 18th / Sunday November 19th

As a reminder from my previous email these are all 2 day trips with overnight stay in the mountains. The reason for this approach is two-fold:

1. Most remaining peaks are more than 2 ½ hours drive from Sofia
2. 2 full days in the mountains will allow multiple peaks to be reached over a weekend.

As yet we have not identified the peaks for all these weekends nor the routes to be taken.  As experienced multiple times now over the past +15 months, the Bulgarian Mountain weather may still eliminate one or more of the weekends if the weather gods are not kind to us. However, we remain eternally positive that by the end of 2023 we will be well on the way to completing the 56 Peaks.

Perhaps you are getting fit in 2023, perhaps you support the charity we are climbing for (see links below), perhaps you are new to Bulgaria and have received this email from a friend, or perhaps you simply want to explore the wonderful scenery that Bulgaria has to offer.