Follow Up: From Stand to Standout: Mastering the UK & Global Trade Show Circuit

On 28 May, the BBCC, together with our member Easy Exhibit, hosted an interactive workshop “From Stand to Standout: Mastering the UK & Global Trade Show Circuit”

The session brought us together for practical, hands-on insights on how to turn trade shows and international exhibitions into real business opportunities. From crafting the perfect 10-second hook to mastering follow-up strategies that convert conversations into partnerships, the workshop is packed with actionable takeaways.

A huge thank you to our fantastic speakers Zdravka Kambourova and Othmane Boumzebra for sharing their expertise and experience with the audience today. 

On 21 May, Diana Pazaitova, Managing Partner at Fama Consulting and BBCC Board Member, spoke at the PACE Annual Summit 2026 in Madrid, alongside fellow public affairs professionals from Czechia, Germany, Italy, Portugal, and Romania – all gathered at the Senate of the Kingdom of Spain.

The panel on the state of lobbying regulation across Europe made one thing clear: the regulatory landscape is shifting fast, and those who do not engage proactively and effectively in shaping it based on values will find themselves shaped by it.

Key takeaways:

• Transparency frameworks are spreading — but implementation gaps remain wide
• Harmonisation at EU level is increasingly inevitable, yet politically complex
• The profession must lead on standards, not just expect lawmakers to impose them

The discussions on lobbying regulation, geopolitical developments, and especially the evolving role of AI in public affairs highlighted how rapidly our profession is transforming – and how important transparency, ethics, and cross-border collaboration have become.

“It was a pleasure to contribute to the conversation and exchange perspectives with peers from across Europe”, says Diana.

We were delighted to have the British Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce represented at the prestigious 2026 President’s Lunch at the House of Lords. A huge thank you to our Board Member, Gilbert McCaul, and our London Ambassador, Dennitsa Dimitrova, for attending this fantastic event on our behalf. It was a privilege to hear from the BCC’s new President, Andy Haldane CBE (former Chief Economist at the Bank of England), who shared an inspiring vision for boosting global competitiveness, unlocking economic growth, and supporting businesses to thrive.

Gathering on the iconic House of Lords terrace provided an invaluable opportunity to connect with fellow Chamber leaders and strengthen our cross-border relationships within the BCC Global Network. The insights and connections forged will directly benefit our members as we continue to bridge business opportunities between the UK and Bulgaria. Thank you to the British Chambers of Commerce team for organising such a memorable afternoon!

Kitchen59 features a rooftop pool that forms part of the overall stay experience, offering guests a quiet space above the city during the summer months.

The pool becomes available from 1 June and is accessible as part of the hotel stay, providing a comfortable setting to unwind alongside a busy business schedule. Its rooftop location offers a sense of privacy and separation from the city below, while remaining closely connected to Sofia’s main business areas.

Integrated naturally into the hotel’s contemporary lifestyle concept, the rooftop pool complements a stay focused on comfort, balance, and convenience. It is among the features that distinguish Kitchen59 within Sofia’s 4-star hotel segment for professionals visiting the city.

Book your stay here.

One of Bulgaria’s largest solar parks is now fully operational. Built on the former Silistra airport site, the project transforms disused land into a source of environmental and economic value. A $300 million investment, St. George is the first Rezolv Energy project to be brought onstream.

Rezolv Energy announced the commissioning of the St. George solar park in Silistra, Bulgaria, the first of the company’s large-scale projects to come onstream. St. George has been delivered at speed, reaching full operational status in under three years from Rezolv Energy’s acquisition of the development rights.

The 225 MW solar park is one of the largest in Bulgaria and represents a major step forward in the country’s clean energy transition. Built on a 165-hectare brownfield site – the former Silistra airport – the project demonstrates how large-scale renewable energy projects can deliver both environmental and economic value through the repurposing of under-utilised land. It will be operational for at least the next 30 years.

A total investment of approximately $300 million, St. George comprises nearly 400,000 solar panels and will generate around 313 of electricity annually. This represents a significant contribution to Bulgaria’s installed solar capacity and will support the country’s energy security and decarbonisation objectives. 

The project also includes a 90 MW / 240 MWh battery energy storage system, supported by a grant under the European Union’s NextGenerationEU programme. The storage system will enhance flexibility and support grid stability by enabling energy generated during peak sunlight hours to be deployed when it is most needed.

The project has been delivered alongside leading Bulgarian and international partners. Sofia-headquartered Solarpro, Eastern Europe’s leading technology integrator, and CMC Europe acted as engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) partners. Green Solar Energy, another Bulgarian company, delivered the high-voltage works required for grid connection. 

The construction of St. George was underpinned by a long-term Virtual Power Purchase Agreement (VPPA) with Ardagh Glass Packaging-Europe (AGP-Europe), an operating business of Ardagh Group. The VPPA – one of the first of its kind in Bulgaria – will supply 110 GWh of renewable electricity annually to AGP-Europe over a 12-year period.

The construction phase was also supported by €90 million in debt financing from the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and Raiffeisen Bank International.

Alastair Hammond, CEO, Rezolv Energy, said: “St. George began as a vision to transform a disused brownfield site into a flagship renewable energy project that could make a meaningful contribution to Bulgaria’s energy security and climate goals. Today, that vision has become reality. Importantly, it also marks Rezolv Energy’s transition from builders to operators and long-term custodians of critical clean energy infrastructure.”

Jaroslava Korpanec, Head of Central and Eastern Europe, Infrastructure at Actis, said: “Delivering a project of this scale in less than three years is an outstanding achievement. St. George sets a benchmark for how large-scale renewable energy projects can be brought onstream efficiently in Central and Eastern Europe.”

Alexandar Sabanov, Mayor of Silistra, said: “Green energy production represents the future of Europe and the world. The fact that the municipality of Silistra will host a solar power plant of this size places us in a prominent position on the national map. I would like to extend my sincere thanks to the team at Rezolv Energy for choosing Polkolvnik Lambrinovo as the site for the implementation of their large-scale project.”

PwC’s Academy is are excited to present their new and updated programme – Budgeting and planning essentials.  

If you are involved in the planning and budgeting process in your organisation, including preparing, reviewing or analysing plans and budgets, this training is the right fit for your professional development. The programme will help you understand the key concepts, challenges and best practices in planning and budgeting in accordance to corporate objectives.  

On 25 – 26 June 2026 expect topics such as: 

• Introduction to planning 
• Strategic planning 
• Responsibility accounting 
• How to prepare an effective budget? 
• Methods of preparing budgets: what are they when they should be used 
• Human aspects of budgets 
• Preparation of budgets for each main element of financial statements 
• Evaluation of results 

You can learn more about the programme and contact the PwC’s Academy team at the link here: https://www.pwc.bg/en/pwc-academy/portfolio/accounting-and-finance/budgeting-and-planning.html   

From 3 Tbps to 7 Tbps in two years: NetIX’s global platform continues its rapid growth

NetIX, the global data exchange platform from the Neterra group, has surpassed 7 Terabits per second (Tbps) of daily peak traffic across its network. The company has doubled its capacity in under two years, solidifying its position among the world’s top 10 largest Internet Exchanges.

The growth has been steady and measurable: 3 Tbps two years ago, 4 Tbps in December 2024, 5 Tbps in November 2025, 6 Tbps in March 2026 and now 7 Tbps. This trajectory reflects rising global demand for scalable, high-performance connectivity.

The NetIX Global Internet Exchange (GIX) platform connects networks to more than 50 Internet Exchanges and over 10,000 visible networks through a single port, cross-connect, and contract. The service reduces latency, expands reach, and optimises costs for its customers.

“Reaching 7 Tbps is an exciting milestone for us, but equally, it’s a reflection of the trust and collaboration we share with our partners and customers,” said Elaine Dixon, Marketing and Partnerships at NetIX. “As our platform continues to grow, so do the opportunities for every network connected to it, too. Each new member brings additional value to the ecosystem, benefiting all participants through increased reach and traffic exchange. We firmly believe in working alongside Internet Еxchanges as partners rather than competitors – together, we are building a stronger, more efficient, and more connected global Internet.”

“Our traffic growth is driven by sustained investment in capacity, resilience, and intelligent traffic management,” said Dean Belev, VP of Connectivity at NetIX. “The NetIX platform is engineered to scale efficiently, maintaining low latency and high availability as demand accelerates.”

NetIX continues to expand its platform, onboard new IXPs, and increase capacity to meet growing global demand.

• SME share of public procurement hit a six year high in 2025, at 21% of all direct spend (£45.2bn) 
• Central government was significantly behind its new SME procurement spending targets last year, averaging 8.4 percentage points below the required levels.   
• Local government continues to be the part of the public sector spending the most with SMEs, £29.1bn in 2025.  
• Local government has seen sustained year-on-year growth in SME spending since 2020, while central government has fallen. 
• Procurement varies sharply by sector, with SMEs receiving 33% of direct spending in education, training and recruitment – but only 3% in defence and aerospace.  

Direct public sector procurement spend with SMEs hit a six year high of 21% last year, according to the latest report by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) and public procurement intelligence provider Tussell.  

The BCC and Tussell’s SME Procurement Tracker – now in its fourth year – is the market’s definitive benchmark of direct government spending small and medium sized businesses across England. 

The report, which gives the first indication of the impact of the Procurement Act, reveals absolute public spending directly with SMEs was £45.2b in 2025. That compares to £43.9b in 2024, and £32.3b back in 2020. As proportion of spend, SMEs now account for 21% of overall direct spend, up from 19% in 2024. It has also bucked the running average of 18% since 2020. 

Local government in England continues to be the SME spending success story. In 2025, local authorities had the highest share of spend (34%) and the highest absolute spend with SMEs (£29.1b). In comparison, the NHS share of SME spend was 16% last year, broadly flatline since 2020. Meanwhile, central government’s share in 2025 was 10% (£6.4b) below where it was in 2020 at 13%.  

The data also shows that central government has a long way to hit new SME spending targets. The BCC and Tussell findings show that on average, departments are 8.4 percentage points below target. The Department for Education is performing the best, spending 10% above target, while the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology spend with SMEs in 2025 was 28% below target. (-28%) 

Public sector procurement spend with small and medium sized firms varies across different sectors. 33% of spend in education, training and recruitment sector was with SMEs – while the spend in defence and aerospace was just 3%.  

Jonny Haseldine, Head of Corporate Governance and Business Environment Policy at the British Chambers of Commerce said: 

“SMEs reaped the benefits of the Procurement Act last year, with public sector spend hitting an all-time high.  

“That was good news for firms across England wanting to have their slice of the procurement pie. More businesses are now benefiting from crucial government contracts.  

“However, peel back the headline and there are still real areas of concern. While local government continues to lead by example, central government spend has fallen back since 2020, with many departments now struggling to get anywhere near their own targets. 

“Procurement spend can be a lifeline for SMEs currently navigating choppy waters. The BCC’s Great British Supply Chain project is working to source, build and deliver infrastructure projects, building on the Chamber involvement in projects such as Hinkley Point C and Sizewell C.  

“It’s crucial that every part of the public sector accelerates its commitment to supporting our amazing small and medium sized businesses.” 

Gus Tugendhat, Founder of Tussell said:  

“For the fourth year running, we are proud to hold government accountable for its SME procurement ambitions. 
 
“This year, direct public sector spend with SMEs reached a record 21% – equivalent to £45 billion spent with small businesses in 2025. However, most of this progress was driven by Local Government, which directed more than a third of procurement spend to SMEs. By comparison, Central Government and the NHS remained flat at 16% and 10% respectively. 
 
“We welcome the introduction of new three-year ministerial targets for SME spending, many of which are ambitious. Our research shows that reducing average tender values, as Local Government has done, is one of the most effective ways to increase SME participation. Government must also be willing to back smaller suppliers, rather than continuing to rely on incumbent prime contractors. 
 
“Tussell will continue to track performance against these targets and assess whether they lead to meaningful progress.” 

Read the full report here

The recent “Trade Opportunities in Bulgaria and the UK” business forum, hosted by the British Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce (BBCC) at the Vizualiza Residence Hotel, successfully highlighted Plovdiv’s growing status as a premier regional economic hub. Bringing together diplomats, municipal leaders, and industry experts—including British Ambassador Nathaniel Copsey and Plovdiv Mayor Kostadin Dimitrov—the event mapped out an optimistic blueprint for bilateral investment. Discussions underscored how Bulgaria’s positioning within the European market makes it an increasingly attractive destination for British businesses looking to expand outside the capital. Ambassador Copsey noted that Bulgaria’s strategic alignment within the EU, NATO, and Schengen makes it an exceptionally secure and attractive destination on the global trade map.

Building directly on these introductory insights, the forum’s first major presentation and panel went into the granular economics of bilateral trade. Tim Buisseret from the UK Department for Business and Trade, alongside Elena Yordanova, Deputy Executive Director of the BBCC, delivered a comprehensive breakdown of current market trends, detailing how local enterprises can navigate and scale within the British market. This macro overview transitioned into local reality during a dedicated success-stories panel featuring representatives from innovative local entities like Trakia Hub, Next Logistic, EasyPay, and Vivacom. These industry leaders shared firsthand experiences of bridging Bulgarian operational excellence with international standards, mapping out actionable strategies for supply chain integration, digital commerce, and regional logistics.

While the morning heavily prioritized trade volumes and corporate synergy, the final portion of the forum turned its attention toward the foundational human capital supporting this growth. A closing panel highlighted the vital link between industry and higher education, featuring representatives from Plovdiv University “Paisii Hilendarski” and the Medical University of Plovdiv. Highlighting the international reach of Plovdiv’s academic ecosystem, the discussion included insights from three British students completing their medical degrees locally. Their inspiring reflections on their love for Bulgaria, the warmth of the Plovdiv community, and the caliber of knowledge they have acquired provided a moving testament to the strong cultural and educational ties that underpin the broader economic partnership.

On 20 May we had the pleasure to host a fantastic “Meet the Members” event at the new event venue at Megapark Office Complex !

This high-impact evening was all about introducing our newest members, discovering business synergies, and opening doors for new UK-Bulgaria partnerships. Following a series of sharp, insightful company presentations, members connected over a networking cocktail.

A special thank you to the brilliant companies that took the stage and welcome aboard to BBCC:

• Atmix
• AYA Estate Relais & Châteaux
• CyberOne
• KG Consulting
• Nordic Recruitment & Consulting
• Nova Broadcasting Group
• Ratola
• VRC Jobs
• World Aviation Solutions