Follow Up: Financial Policy and Competitiveness of the Bulgarian Economy

On April 15, the British Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce (BBCC) and the American Chamber of Commerce in Bulgaria (AmCham Bulgaria) hosted an exclusive executive-level business breakfast with special keynote speakers—Dimitar Radev, Governor of the Bulgarian National Bank, and Temenuzhka Petkova, Minister of Finance at the InterContinental Sofia. The event brought together senior executives from member companies of both Chambers to engage in a high-level discussion on Bulgaria’s financial policy and economic competitiveness. The event offered valuable insights into Bulgaria’s fiscal direction, current budgetary priorities, and the country’s progress toward Eurozone integration.

The morning began with networking and registration, followed by welcoming addresses from Ivan Mihaylov, Chief Executive Director of AmCham Bulgaria, and Desislava Miteva, Executive Director of BBCC. Both highlighted the importance of public-private dialogue in navigating the evolving economic landscape.

Minister Petkova highlighted that Bulgaria has met all criteria for Eurozone membership and anticipates positive convergence reports from the European Commission and the European Central Bank, aiming for adoption of the euro by January 1, 2026. She emphasized the extensive technical work undertaken to align with the Eurozone’s requirements and the government’s commitment to restoring fiscal stability and combating the grey economy.

Governor Radev noted that Bulgaria’s macroeconomic position remains stable despite global challenges. He pointed out that the country’s banking sector exhibits strong capital adequacy, liquidity, and profitability, with fiscal indicators such as debt-to-GDP ratios among the strongest in the EU.
The event underscored the importance of political stability, Bulgaria’s integration into the Schengen Area, the OECD, and strategic positioning within the EU and NATO. Business leaders called for the government to play a more active role in EU dialogues and to restart the U.S.-Bulgaria Strategic Dialogue.

The moderated discussion, led by Lutchezar Bogdanov from the Institute for Market Economics, provided a dynamic platform for in-depth conversation and interactive Q&A. Participants had the unique opportunity to ask questions directly to Mr. Radev and Ms. Petkova, facilitating a transparent exchange of perspectives on Bulgaria’s monetary strategy, inflation control, and financial sector stability.

We thank all our members who participated and contributed to the discussion, making this event a success.

We extend our gratitude to our sponsors for their support: Visa, Credissimo, Top Hospital Service , Hewlett Packard Enterprise operated by Selectium, and ING.

You can find pictures from the event here.

Special thanks to the Diamond sponsor:

Special thanks to the Gold sponsors:

🌟 Reflecting on an Unforgettable BBCC IT Retreat at Hotel Rila, Borovets 🌟

We’re still buzzing from the energy and inspiration of the recent BBCC IT Retreat at the stunning Hotel Rila in Borovets! Great talks, meaningful connections, and a perfect mountain setting made it truly special.
Thanks to everyone who joined and helped make it such a success! Guests had the chance to hear an insightful presentation on How to prepare for a strategic deal by presentation by Martin Bochev and Steliana Kostova, EY Bulgaria.

You can find pictures from the event here.

A heartfelt thank you to all the participants, who made this event a resounding success.

Shout out to Hotel Rila for their hospitality. We’re excited to carry forward the connections and ideas sparked during this retreat into our future endeavors.

Special thanks to our partner:

This week, the BBCC had the pleasure of attending a special celebration at the Bulgarian Embassy in London, marking five incredible years of connecting investors, entrepreneurs, and innovators in the UK and Bulgaria.

Over the years, the London chapter has become a vibrant hub for ideas, support, and cross-border collaboration—fostering a strong community of angel investors and startups with Bulgarian roots and global ambitions.

A big thank you to everyone who has contributed to this journey so far—and here’s to many more years of growth, impact, and shared success!

We are thrilled to announce the launch of the application process for our first-ever Female Entrepreneurs Trade Mission to Leeds, taking place from September 23rd to 26th, 2025 — during the dynamic Leeds Digital Festival.
This unique initiative is designed to empower and connect Bulgarian female entrepreneurs with some of the UK’s most influential leaders in innovation, tech, and female-led enterprise. Alongside attending the festival’s inspiring lineup of events, our delegates will benefit from an exclusive, tailor-made agenda that opens doors to networking, collaboration, and growth opportunities in the UK.

Highlights of the Mission:
📍 September 23 – Arrival via London
📍 September 24 – Innovation, Investment & Influence
• Morning panel breakfast at Bruntwood SciTech, hosted by Bob Spence, featuring Katherine Megson (Bruntwood SciTech) and Charlotte Scott (Early Stage Start-up Investment)
• Afternoon access to Leeds Digital Festival events
• Fireside chat with Paul Johnson, legal advisor to ‘Lifted’ – a group supporting female founders with funding, hosted by TopTechYorkshire
📍 September 25 – Ecosystems & Inspiration
• Morning: Leeds Digital Festival sessions
• (TBC) Meeting with Amy Morgan, Barclays Eagles Lab Partnership Manager
• Afternoon networking drinks and panel at Avenue HQ with Sarah Kelly (MD, Avenue HQ)
📍 September 26 – Final Insights & Departure
• Morning panel discussion at the British Chambers of Commerce, London (guests and agenda TBC)
• Afternoon return flight to Bulgaria

🔗 Applications are now open!
This is a fantastic opportunity to grow your network, explore international business potential, and get inspired by the trailblazers of the UK’s female entrepreneurial scene.
Spots are limited – so don’t miss out. Apply today and join us for this empowering journey! Participation is free of charge for BBCC members, and 200GBP for non-members. Travel and accommodation are separately covered by delegates.
For more information and to apply, please contact office@bbcc.bg.

The Bulgarian semiconductor sector has taken a significant step towards fostering international collaboration through a high-profile discovery mission to Scotland. Organised by the British Embassy in Sofia and supported by BBCC, DBT, and BASEL, the delegation comprised academics, government officials, and business leaders from Bulgaria’s semiconductor industry. Over the course of the visit, they explored Scotland’s semiconductor ecosystem, engaged in key discussions, and built valuable partnerships with industry leaders.

The delegation held key meetings with the Scottish Government and DSIT representatives, discussing semiconductor strategy, policy reforms, and internationalisation. They visited leading industry facilities such as Clas-SiC Wafer Fab, Semefab, the Scottish Microelectronics Centre, Diodes Incorporated Greenock, and the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS), gaining insights into cutting-edge research and manufacturing advancements. A highlight of the visit was the NMI Conference in Glasgow, where Deputy Minister of Innovation Georgi Angelov participated in a panel on international collaboration, and Professor Asen Asenov delivered an insightful keynote speech on the future of semiconductors.

To celebrate the success of the visit, BBCC sponsored a drinks reception featuring exceptional Bulgarian wine by Bratanovi, reinforcing the strong cultural and professional ties between the two nations. This mission marked a crucial step in deepening Bulgaria-Scotland collaboration in the semiconductor industry, laying the groundwork for future partnerships. A heartfelt thank you to the British Embassy in Sofia, DBT, BASEL, and all participating organisations for making this initiative a success!

We are delighted to share the highlights from our recent “Meet the Founding Members” event, held on March 13, 2025, at the lovely atmosphere of Vivacom Art Hall . The evening brought together members and guests to celebrate the visionaries who established our Chamber.

The event commenced with a keynote address by our Executive director, Desislava Miteva, who emphasised the Chamber’s journey, the continuous support of our members and partners and their pivotal role in fostering British-Bulgarian business relations. This was followed by presentations from our 10th Anniversary Patrons Shell, Danco Industry, Lion’s head and Epay. After that followed an awarding ceremony featuring our founding members, who shared insights into the Chamber’s inception and its evolution over the years. Special thanks to Borislav Boyanov, Ivan Fratev, Barbara Page-Roberts, Mark Thomas, Nevena Tsatcheva, Tim Buisseret, John Munnery, Omourtag Petkov and Svilen Spasov who received awards for their contribution to the development of BBCC. We also acknowledged our past chairs Garry Levesley, Miroslava Alexandrova and Gilbert McCaul.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all attendees, speakers, and sponsors for making this event memorable. Your continued support propels our mission to strengthen the British-Bulgarian business network.

We look forward to welcoming you to our upcoming events and initiatives. Stay tuned for more details on our website and newsletter.

You can find pictures from the event here. Shout out to Roy Hill and 3Frames for capturing the moment.

On March 7th we had the honour of hosting our traditional Ladies Lunch in honor of International Women’s Day. The event took place at the elegant M Salon of the Grand Hotel Millennium Sofia.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all the remarkable ladies who joined us. Your presence and engaging conversations enriched the afternoon, making it truly memorable.

A special thank you to our host, the Grand Hotel Millennium Sofia.

We look forward to hosting more events that bring our community together. Stay tuned for upcoming gatherings, and thank you once again for your continued support.

The British-Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce, with the support of the British Embassy Sofia, Vivacom, and Nedyalko Apostolov, BBCC ambassador in Blagoevgrad, from Baker Tilly Bulgaria successfully hosted a Business Forum in Blagoevgrad under the patronage of the Municipality of Blagoevgrad. The event brought together key stakeholders from business, government, and education to explore opportunities for trade and investment in the region.

Key Highlights:
Insightful discussions on bilateral trade trends between the UK and Bulgaria, led by experts from the UK Department of Business and Trade and BBCC.
An engaging success stories panel featuring local business leaders sharing their growth journeys and best practices.
A forward-looking conversation on partnerships between business and higher education, with contributions from American University in Bulgaria and SWU “Neofit Rilsky.”
A discussion on local business opportunities with Mayor Metodi Baykushev and BBCC member companies.

A big thank you to all our speakers, partners, and attendees for making this forum a success! We look forward to seeing the new partnerships and business ventures that will emerge from this event.

BBCC’s Chair – Miroslava Kostadinova was invited by Bloomberg Bulgaria to speak about business and trade relations between Bulgaria and the UK. Miroslava Kostadinova highlighted on the Chamber’s impact and growth over the past 10 years, and reflected on the most challenging moments.

You can watch the full interview here.

A Night of Candid Conversations at “Tell a Fail” by BBCC IT Committee

The BBCC IT Committee’s recent event, Tell a Fail, delivered an evening filled with honesty, humor, and valuable lessons. Held on 20 Feb at Missia23, the event brought together industry leaders to share their experiences—not just of success, but of the failures that paved the way.

The panel discussion, expertly moderated by Georgi Tonchev, featured candid stories from Martin Dimitrov, Deyan Blagoev, Bob Spence, and Plamen Valchev. Each speaker took to the stage with refreshing openness, recounting their professional missteps and the hard-earned insights that followed.

From tales of ambitious projects that didn’t go as planned to lessons in leadership and resilience, the panelists illustrated how failures can transform into stepping stones for growth. The lively discussion not only entertained but also offered the audience practical takeaways for navigating challenges in their own careers.

We celebrated the lessons in failure together—because every “Oops!” brings us closer to “Wow!”

Stay tuned for more engaging events from the BBBA IT Committee! You can find pictures from the event here.