On 5 November we celebrated Guy Fawkes Night at the British Embassy’s Underground Club, together with BBCC member – the Automotive Cluster.
Guests were greeted by Automotive Cluster Director – Lubomir Stanislavov, BBCC Chair – Miroslava Kostadinova, and DBT Regional Director, Europe Central & Country Director Bulgaria – Tim Buisseret.
Speacial thanks to all who came, and we’ll see you next time!
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What an inspiring morning at the British Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce’s seminar “AI: In Action – From Strategy to Impact”, held on 7 November at Megapark, Sofia. The session brought together business leaders, innovators and experts to explore how artificial intelligence is no longer just a buzz-word but a real force reshaping strategy, operations and decision-making.
A few highlights:
Why this matters: The conversation went beyond theory — we heard real-world insights into how AI is being integrated across business functions, what to watch out for, and how leaders can take action now. For CEOs, HR, operations and legal leaders alike, the message was clear: the time to move from strategy to impact is now.
A few “take-aways” worth sharing:
Thanks to the Lion’s Head and Wolf Theiss for organising a valuable morning of insight and connection, and to our lovely host Megapark.
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The British Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce was proud to support Bulgaria’s presence at World Travel Market 2025 in London!
In partnership with the Ministry of Tourism of Bulgaria, our Members and Partners Coordinator, Isabel Videva, assisted Bulgarian exhibitors in showcasing the country’s rich and diverse tourism potential to global industry leaders and professionals.
This collaboration represented an important opportunity to enhance Bulgaria’s international visibility, build new business connections, and highlight the wide variety of experiences our nation offers — from cultural heritage and eco-tourism to wellness, adventure, and gastronomy.
We were delighted to see such strong interest in Bulgaria as a travel destination and look forward to continuing to promote our country on the global tourism stage!
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Miroslava Kostadinova commented that the trade exchange between the UK and Bulgaria by the second quarter of 2025 amounts to 2.9 billion British pounds, and it will become more active after 2022. Bulgaria imports services such as tourism, finance and business services from London, and the United Kingdom is among the country’s 20 largest trading partners.
Watch the full interview here.
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On 6 November, British Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Ladies Forum, in the spirit of mutual respect, cooperation, and commitment to sustainable development, expressed their joint will to unite efforts for promoting the role of women in society, supporting female entrepreneurship, and fostering leadership.
Miroslava Kostadinova and Diana Miteva signed a memorandum binding the two organizations to support each other’s initiatives and develop new joint ones.
Objectives of the partnership:
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On 30 October, as part of the 10th Anniversary celebrations of the British Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce, the BBCC hosted a C-level business breakfast with the Deputy Prime Minister of Bulgaria and members of the Cabinet.
The event began with a welcome speech from BBCC’s Chair Miroslava Kostadinova.
Grozdan Karadzhov, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport and Communications, highlighted Bulgaria’s intention of joing OECD by the end of 2026.
Georgi Georgiev, Minister of Justice shared about the possiblity of removing Bulgaria from the grey list as early as the middle of next year.
Followed by the Ministers’ speeches, was a panel discussion, that explored the topic “Partnering for Progress: Government and Business in Bulgaria’s OECD Journey”. The panel was moderated by Diana Pazaitova, Board Member of BBCC, with the participation of:
– Georgi Georgiev – Minister of Justice
– Lozana Vasileva – Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food
– Georgi Angelov – Deputy Minister of Innovation
– Krasimir Nenov – Deputy Minister of Energy
– Lyubomir Yosifov – Deputy Minister of Interior
– Natalia Efremova – Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Policy–
– Ivo Marinov – Director of Foreign Economy Policy and International Cooperation, Ministry of Economy and Industry
The event finished with a Q&A session.
We want to express our gratitude to all speakers and panelists, and all who came and participated in the conference.
Special thanks to our Anniversary Patrons Shell, Danco Industry, Lion’s Head and BulStraight, and our Diamond Sponsor MY Synergy.
Thank you to Grand Hotel Millennium for providing the great atmosphere.
You can see pictures from the event by following this link.
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The British Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce (BBCC) recently hosted a thought-provoking online seminar titled “New Trends in Travel – Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats”, led by Mark Thomas, Managing Director of Jamadvice Travel Company and one of the most experienced professionals in the regional travel industry.
During the discussion, Mark outlined the current dynamics of the travel and tourism sector, exploring both the opportunities and the challenges ahead. The conversation touched on the evolution of consumer behaviour, the emergence of new outbound markets, and the need to rethink seasonality to make destinations more sustainable year-round. Participants also examined how connectivity, content, and cost continue to shape travel decisions and market competitiveness.
The event provided valuable insights for tourism professionals and businesses preparing for one of the most important global industry gatherings – World Travel Market (WTM) London 2025.
BBCC is proud to announce that its Member and Partners Coordinator, Isabel Videva, will be attending WTM next week, supporting Bulgarian exhibitors and the Ministry of Tourism at the national stand. Isabel will be on site to connect with BBCC members, explore partnership opportunities, and strengthen the presence of Bulgarian tourism on the international stage.
This engagement continues BBCC’s mission to promote collaboration between the UK and Bulgaria, helping its members expand networks, share expertise, and identify new business possibilities in the fast-evolving travel industry.
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Responding to the Chancellor’s speech at the Regional Investment Summit, Shevaun Haviland CBE, Director General of the BCC, said:
“These new investments must drive the partnership between government and business to a new level, as we work together to power up our regions.
“To boost economic growth, we have to leverage the skills, talent and innovation of every town, city and place. A thriving network of businesses across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, will ensure we can all prosper and hit our goal of becoming the fastest growing economy in the G7.
“At its heart, growth must be driven by local communities and the firms within them.
“Business has always understood this. Creating strong regions with powerful links between them creates more opportunities for everyone.
“Modern and efficient infrastructure is also a key part of this equation – transport networks, energy grids, digital connections and other utilities must effectively service businesses wherever they are located.
“That cannot happen without an effective and efficient planning system, that is sufficiently resourced and balanced so that this development is properly nurtured.
“Plans to cut the cost of regulation are also welcome, but firms must be consulted so any initiatives have maximum impact. Now is the time to boost growth, and changes like this can help to unleash the innovation of UK PLC.”
Steven Lynch MBE, Director of International Trade at the BCC, added:
“The truth is, history won’t remember another summit, but it will remember the engine that actually delivered growth and most importantly regional growth and investment. The Chancellor’s pledge that no region will be locked out of investment and most importantly that the government will slash red tape and regulations, is a really powerful announcement.
“There is now an opportunity to turn promise into progress. There was a clear understanding that the UK government must rebuild growth hand in hand with business, and place innovation and collaboration at the heart of growth.
“At the BCC, we have the reach, the relationships, and the trust of local business to help make this national ambition a reality.”
Chris Fletcher, Policy Director at Greater Manchester Chamber, said:
“Much of what the Chancellor announced today – particularly the intention to reduce business costs by cutting back on legislation and red tape – will be welcomed by the business community, especially if it helps to speed up the delivery of critical infrastructure projects. The investment commitments within the UK are also encouraging and should support the government’s broader growth agenda.
“However, with the upcoming Budget looming, many businesses remain anxious about the possibility of further tax increases and subsequent price hikes.
“While streamlining administrative processes is certainly beneficial, most businesses are more concerned with issues such as reducing employment costs to make hiring more affordable and driving steady, sustainable sales growth. Long-term investment is essential for the health of the national economy, and the government’s ambition in this area is commendable. Yet for many businesses, the immediate priority remains managing the everyday costs of operations.”
Source: British Chambers of Commcerce
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On 22 October, BBCC held its Annual General Meeting in Novotel Hotel Sofia.
The guests were warmly welcomed by H.E. Nathaniel Copsey, British Ambassador to Bulgaria. The event was opened by BBCC Chair Mrs. Miroslava Kostadinova, who highlighted the main development of BBCC for the past 12 months and expressed her gratitude to the members for their engagement with BBCC’s activities over our 10th Anniversary.
The General Meeting proceeded with a presentation by Desislava Miteva, BBCC Executive Director, of our results from the past year, and our plans for BBCC strategic development , followed by a vote for the presented financial results and 2026 budget. All proposed changes were accepted by BBCC Members.
The most anticipated part of the evening was the elections of seven board members, who had the opportunity to present their ideas on how they would contribute to BBCC.
As a result of the votes of all present BBCC members, we would like to welcome to the BBCC Board of Directors:
Congratulations to them! We wish them a productive mandate and we are looking forward to working closely with them.
We would like to thank the other Board Member candidates for their dedication and commitment:
We would like to express our deepest gratitude to Miroslava Kostadinova for her service on the Board as our Chair over the last two years and her dedication to BBCC and its members. We would also like to aknowledge and thank Evlogi Georgiev and Georgi Tonchev for their active participation in the Board. We trust they will continue to deeply engaged in BBCC activities going forward.
Finally, we would like to thank all members for joining the Annual General Meeting. We invite you to look through the photos from the event on our official Facebook page. Make sure you like and follow our social media channel so you stay posted with the latest BBCC news.
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At a special reception in Ruse hosted by the British Embassy Sofia, Ambassador Nathaniel Copsey addressed representatives of local authorities, businesses, the media, and the British community. In his speech, delivered in Bulgarian, he paid tribute to the proud past and dynamic present of Ruse — from the “Little Vienna” to its modern role as a centre of innovation, trade, and culture.
The Ambassador reaffirmed the United Kingdom’s commitment to working with Ruse — not only in business, but also in supporting local communities, celebrating shared heritage, and building lasting partnerships.
Plamena Gagova, the BBCC’s Regional Ambassador in Ruse, also helped with organising the reception and continues to foster closer collaboration between local businesses and the wider UK–Bulgaria community.
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