Celebrate The New Year With St. Sofia Golf Club and Spa

Celebrate New Year’s Eve at St. Sofia Golf Club and Spa and enjoy a full festive programme.

At the price of 440 BGN, you can enjoy an overnight stay that includes:

• Festive New Year’s Eve dinner – a five-course menu with a package of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks
• Festive program with a folk dance formation, light show, DJ party with many prizes and surprises
• Overnight stay in a double room and the possibility of late check-out!
• New Year’s brunch on 01.01.2025
• SPA center with mineral pool, thermal zone with Finnish sauna, aroma sauna, steam bath, cryo cabin, hot and cold baths, relaxation zone and fitness.
• Free parking
• A glass of champagne for a New Year’s toast

Price without an overnight stay: 250 BGN

Learn more through the file attached below.

For more information and to reserve, please send an email to: events@stsofiagolf.com or marketing@stsofiagolf.com

It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Julian Spassov, a cherished member of the British Bulgarian Business Association. Julian’s contributions to the BBBA community were marked by his unwavering commitment to fostering collaboration between British and Bulgarian businesses.

As a respected professional, Julian brought a unique blend of expertise, enthusiasm, and warmth to his engagements within the association. His insight and dedication enriched countless discussions, helping to build stronger connections among our members and promoting a spirit of innovation and partnership.

Beyond his professional accomplishments, Julian was a person of exceptional integrity and kindness. He will be remembered not only for his impactful contributions to the BBBA but also for the friendships he forged and the positivity he shared with everyone he encountered.

During this time of loss, our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with Julian’s family, friends, and colleagues. His memory will remain a lasting part of the BBBA’s story, and his legacy will continue to inspire us as we strive to build bridges between our communities.

Rest in peace, Julian. 

Congratulations to our member, MY Synergy for being named one of the top 10 Healthcare IT companies in Bulgaria by F6S!

This prestigious ranking highlights their unwavering commitment to innovation and excellence in healthcare. MY Synergy’s dedicated team has worked tirelessly to develop cutting-edge solutions that enhance patient care and streamline healthcare processes.

As sustainability rapidly becomes a crucial element for businesses worldwide, ACCA recognises the importance of equipping both future and existing professionals in accounting and finance to meet its growing impact.  

The diploma syllabus, developed by the global ACCA Qualification team, is structured into four key sections: Sustainability, regulatory frameworks and ethics, Sustainable strategic planning, decision-making and measurement, Sustainability Reporting and Sustainability Assurance. Through this syllabus, students will gain a comprehensive understanding of sustainability frameworks, ethical considerations, strategic planning and decision-making and how to measure performance, sustainability reporting for investors and the interaction with the financial statements and finally how to plan and conduct a sustainability assurance engagement. 

The Professional Diploma in Sustainability is designed for professional accountants and auditors working in practice or business who seek a comprehensive understanding of sustainability – and an accreditation to prove it.

It is open to all ACCA members and future members, qualification holders of other IFAC member professional accountancy organisations, or individuals interested in gaining practical insights into how sustainability issues and regulations impact organisations.

For more information about the ACCA Sustainability Diploma you can access ProDipSust Professional Diploma in Sustainability | ACCA Global or contact the regional ACCA office representative: Mihaela Robu, Business Development Manager ACCA Southern Europe – mihaela.robu@accaglobal.com

On November 19, we held the Green Cities are GREAT conference for the fourth consecutive year. Тhe event was under the patronage of the Mayor of Sofia Vassil Terziev and we also had the pleasure to welcome as a guest speaker Seb Dance, Deputy Mayor of London. 

This year we focused on three main angles which cover interaction with government, municipalities and local agencies, sharing know-how from UK cities, and how can the business help in this transition (sharing best practices). Representatives of the municipalities of Stara Zagora, Gabrovo, and Bourgas attended the event, as well as experts from leading municipalities in the UK who shared their knowledge.

The event was opened by BBBA Chair Miroslava Kostadinova. We were delighted to hear welcome notes from Peter Dimitrov, Minister of Environment and Water, H.E. Nathaniel Copsey, British Ambassador to Bulgaria.  Vassil Terziev, Mayor of Sofia, also delivered a speech highlighting that the public transport is one of the main priorities of the municipality, the other is the partnership with the construction industry, as it is also a major source of carbon emissions. All highlighted the importance of such forums and the dialogue between business, municipalities and citizens in order to achieve green cities.

Special guest at the conference was the Deputy Mayor of London for Transport, Seb Dance. “London will have the cleanest air of any major city in the world by 2050, and by 2041, 80% of all journeys will be made by public transport, walking or cycling,” he said in his keynote presentation on ”The largest clean air zone in the world: lessons from London”.

Guests had the opportunity to hear presentations by:

• Rebecca Teasdale, Baringa on ” Greening Our Cities: The Importance of Collaboration and Partnerships in the Decarbonisation Journey”;
• Thomas Akkerhuis, Shell on ‘‘Shell’s Energy Security Scenarios with focus on green cities in Bulgaria‘‘;
• Teodor Iliev, MTK on ”Тhe Hydrogen Transition in Urban Transport”

We would like to thank our panel participants and our moderator Alex Daw, Green Buildings Council on the discussion on Urban Planning:

• Nadezhda Bobcheva, Deputy Mayor of Green Systems and Ecology of Sofia
• Tanya Hristova, Mayor of Gabrovo
• Anna-Marie Vilamovska, Business Development Manager, Hewlett Packard Enterprise operated by Selectium
• Chris Halligan, Norse Group
• Pru Ashby, Head of Sustainability, London and Partners

Special thanks our panel participants and our moderator Tim Buisseret, British Embassy on the discussion – Digitalization: 

• Daniela Alexieva, Manager, Innovation Systems Bourgas
• Dimitar Atanasov, Principal Software Engineer, Athlon
• Ian Thompson, Commercial Director, 3DEO 

And last but not lease we would like to express our gratitude to our panel participants and our moderator Liliya Goranova, SeeNext on the discussion – Clean Cities and Educated Citizens:

• Hristo Popov, CBO, Theoremus
• Mihaela Robu, Business Development Manager at ACCA Southern Europe
• Radostin Tanev, Deputy Mayor of Stara Zagora
• Galia Chausheva, Net Zero Neighbourhoods Lead, London Borough of Hounslow

We would like to thank Baringa, Shell, MTK, Athlon, Theoremus, ACCA, Hewlett Packard Enterprise operated by Selectium, SeeNext, ESG News and British Embassy Sofia for the support. And last but not least, we would like to thank all the guests for their engagement in delivering a lively discussion. Shout out to Vibe Systems for the technical support, Hilton Sofia for the warm hospitality, and Roy Hill for capturing the moment. Presentations from the event are available on request.

You can find photos from the event HERE.

Interested in starting a career in Economic Diplomacy?

The British Embassy in Sofia is looking for a new intern in their Commercial Department.

As an Intern you will have the chance to learn about the workings of a busy Commercial Section within Bulgaria and help with delivering the Embassy objectives. You will be required to work in close partnership with the team, to build and maintain relationships with key external and internal stakeholders and FCDO colleagues across the region.  The successful candidate should be a positive, proactive and strong team player.

To apply and read more about this opportunity, please click here.

• Major survey of UK businesses finds customs procedures remain the top barrier to exporting (cited by 45% of companies) 
• 40% of firms say geo-political events have impacted their business over the last year 
• 37% of exporters anticipate an increase export business over the next 12 months, but 91% of non-exporters do not expect to export 
• Most exporters are not familiar with new or upcoming trade changes 

Customs procedures continue to be the main export hurdle for UK companies, according to a major new survey of businesses by the British Chambers of Commerce Insights Unit, published during International Trade Week.  

Over 1,300 businesses took part in the online survey during July and early August. 

Top perceived trade barriers 

When asked what businesses (regardless of whether they export or not) perceive as the main trade barriers, 45% of cited customs procedures and documentation as the top answer. That’s slightly down on the 2023 figure of 49%. Other top barriers cited include export documentation (39%), regulations and standards (35%) and tariffs (33%).  

40% of companies say geopolitical events have significantly impacted their business in the last 12 months. Issues linked to the war in Ukraine, conflict in Gaza and Brexit are cited as the main events impacting trade. They include energy costs and shipping delays.  

37% of exporting businesses expect an increase in exports over the next 12 months, with 16% expecting a decrease. Manufacturers are the sector most likely to expect an increase in exports. 

When asked what most would do to encourage them to export, businesses cited a need to improve access to the EU market, simplify trade regulations and reduce bureaucracy, and provide greater export support. 

Worrying lack of awareness for incoming trade changes 

The survey shows awareness of incoming trade changes is low among firms who are actively doing business internationally. 65% of respondents are unaware of the Border Target Operating Model. Ahead of the UK joining the Asia Pacific trade bloc CPTPP in December, over half of respondents (53%) are unaware of the plans. 52% of firms have no knowledge of safety and security certificates needed from this month for imports from the EU.  

The launch of new biometric checks for foreign travellers, including Britons, entering the EU has the highest level of preparedness from business. 34% of respondents are not aware and 37% know some details or are actively preparing for the change, due later this year.  

William Bain, Head of Trade Policy at the British Chambers of Commerce said: 

“Though the picture has improved slightly in the last 12 months, customs procedures remain a significant stumbling block to trade for businesses.  

“Successful exporting businesses are crucial to a thriving UK economy. We need roadblocks lifted to allow more companies offering their goods and services on the global stage. 

“Our forecasts show the trading environment will continue to be challenging over the coming years, against a backdrop of geopolitical uncertainty.  

“We’re urging the Government to continue the implementation of customs simplification started by the last administration. Businesses also need to see a clear timetable for further trade digitalisation which will help reducing costs and border friction.” 

SiteGround has been honored with the Google Cloud DORA Award for Nurturing Team Culture of Performance and Innovation. This recognition places SiteGround alongside global leaders like GitLab, Uber, Vodafone, Virgin Media O2, and more, acknowledged by the awards for their industry excellence throughout the years. The SiteGround Google Cloud DORA Award is a testament to the hard work and dedication of SiteGround’s team, highlighting their efforts to continuously improve their operations, work processes, technology, and infrastructure for the benefit of their clients. 

What does DORA measure?

The DevOps Research and Assessment (DORA) team developed the Four Keys project, which helps organizations like ours track important aspects of our software development. This allows us to see how well we’re doing and find ways to make our software delivery and teamwork even better, ultimately enhancing our clients’ experience with our services. 

These four key metrics are: 
Deployment frequency
Change fail rate
Failed deployment recovery time
Lead time for changes

The DORA awards outline companies with exceptional results in the field, and SiteGround is proud to be recognized in the top performing organizations with a DORA award!

SiteGround Results on DORA key metrics:

• SiteGround’s Deployment Frequency

This measures how often SiteGround updates their software with new features or fixes. Frequent updates mean you’re always getting the latest improvements, product features, and fixes. 

Their current deployment rate of 6 times per day places SiteGround in the Elite group of companies – under 19% of all surveyed respondents with multiple deployments per day according to the DORA report for 2024. 

• SiteGround’s Change Failure Rate

This measures the percentage of updates that cause problems and need fixing. A lower rate means their updates are more reliable, giving you a smoother experience. SiteGround’s change failure percentage of just 0.75% ranks them at the forefront in this category, with a 5% considered Elite performance.

•  SiteGround’s Failed Deployment Recovery Time

If something goes wrong after a release or a change in production, this metric shows how quickly SiteGround can fix it and get everything back to normal. At SiteGround their failed deployment time is exceptional – only 8 minutes, with less than an hour considered Elite performance.

•  SiteGround’s Lead Time for Changes

This shows how quickly SiteGround can take a new idea or fix and make it live for you to use. Faster times mean they’re responding quickly to your needs. According to the DORA report for 2024, their lead time of 8 days places them on the verge of the High performers group with up to one week lead time for change. 

The 27th Annual FEBA Conference: Transforming Futures: Sustainability, Innovation, and Governance will take place from November 22-25, 2024, at the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Sofia University. This year’s program is packed with insightful keynote lectures, panel discussions, research seminars, and practical workshops focusing on the intersection of sustainability, innovation, and governance. The program is designed to foster collaboration, inspire innovation, and address the critical challenges facing global economies and societies today.

In part one of the conference, guests will have the chance to listen to the following speakers:

• Prof. Bindu S Ronald (LL.M., PhD, Symbiosis Law School, Pune, India)  (online)
• Prof. Mijalche Santa (Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje) (online)
• Prof. (FH) Dr. Armin KAMMEL, LL.M. (London), MBA (CLU) Ehrenprofessor (Donau-Universität Krems (online)
• Dimitar Kyumurdzhiev, Deputy Chairman of the CPC (online)
• Mila Nenova, InvestBulgaria Agency (IBA) (Bulgaria)
• Sophia Kassidova, head of the team for strategic development and green policies in the Bulgarian Development Bank (BDB) (Bulgaria)
• Zlatina Ruseva-Savova  Managing Partner Dinkov, Maximova, Ruseva-Savova (Bulgaria)
• Prof. Jacques Malherbe (Tax & Corporate Lawyer,  Simont Braun, Brussels, Belgium (https://simontbraun.eu/practices/ )
• Prof. Nadya Sokolova (FEBA, Sofia University, Bulgaria)
• Desislava Miteva, Executive Director of the British-Bulgarian Business Association (BBBA) (Bulgaria)

Part two will focus on Taxation Issues, and will include the following speakers:

• Prof. Jacques Malherbe (Tax & Corporate Lawyer, Simont Braun, Brussels, Belgium)
• Assoc. Prof. Dr. Svetla Bogdanova Boneva, Dean, Faculty “International Economics and Politics”, UNWE (Bulgaria)
• Lyubomir Tabakov, Attorney at Tabakov, Tabakova & Partners Law Firm (Bulgaria)
• Stoycho Dulevski (Chief Assistant Professor, UNWE, Associated Researcher, LEFMI, UPJV) (Bulgaria)
• Kameliya Marinova, International Tax, EY (Bulgaria) 

The Theoremus UK, Spanish, and Bulgarian business development teams attended the Smart City Expo World Congress (SCEWC) in Barcelona this week. The event brought together over 1,100 exhibitors and representatives from 850 cities worldwide.

Theoremus also had the chance to attend the Freeports & Investment Zones Reception organised by the Department for Business and Trade, where BBBA Ambassador in the UK, Hristo Popov had the chance to represent both the Theoremus group and the British Bulgarian Business Association.

This year’s edition of the Smart city expo in Barcelona was especially relevant to Theoremus, as they had the chance to connect their Spain subsidiary, THEOREMUS SWE, with key ecosystem stakeholders in the Spanish transport and waste logistics ecosystems, such as Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB) and Empresa Municipal de Transportes de Madrid, as well as with ETRA and FCC Medio Ambiente and others.

The event has given Theoremus a chance to align their commercial plans and activities around grant-funded innovation projects with key partners at EIT Urban Mobility, and also had the chance to reconnect with partners from the UK, such as London&Partners’ Stephen Tierney and Pru Ashby at the UK pavilion. Theoremus wants to thank Traian Urban, Pavel Vrba, Wiebke Müller and Antonio Mellado Extremera for the important discussions.

Later this month, Theoremus is sponsoring the event ‘Green Cities are GREAT’ hosted by the BBBA.