A Memorable Evening of Elegance and Impact: BBCC Summer Black Tie Gala 2025

On a beautiful summer evening, the British Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce (BBCC) welcomed members, partners, and distinguished guests to the highly anticipated Summer Black Tie Gala, held at the elegant residence of H.E. Nathaniel Copsey, British Ambassador to Bulgaria. The evening celebrated not only the vibrant UK-Bulgaria business community, but also marked a milestone—the 10th anniversary of BBCC.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to H.E. Copsey and the British Embassy team for graciously hosting the event and to all our guests for joining us in celebration and support.

Among our official guests were Mr. Zhecho Stankov, Minister of Energy, who presented a special congratulatory plaquette to BBCC Chair Miroslava Kostadinova in honour of the Chamber’s decade of dedicated service to the business community. We were also delighted to welcome Mr. Georgi Angelov, Deputy Minister of Innovation and Growth, and Mr. Vassil Terziev, Mayor of Sofia.

Guests were warmly welcomed at the entrance by the elegant presence of a Range Rover Sport, graciously provided by Moto-Pfohe, setting a tone of sophistication from the very start of the evening.

The gala was not only an evening of networking and celebration, but also of culinary delight and entertainment. Guests were treated to a fresh oyster raw bar by Chef Nikola, Head chef of the British Embassy, a refreshing ice cream station with liquid ice by Hyatt Regency Sofia, and exquisite selections on cocktails at the Tanqueray gin bar and Glenfiddich whisky bar. Zornitza Family Estate and Aya Estate Vineyards made the lovely wine selection for the night. The mood was beautifully set by the enchanting sounds of Intro Quartet, who provided live music throughout the evening.

Capturing the glamour of the night, 3Frames were on hand to photograph the event, while the stunning photo wall and floral decor were brought to life by Perfect Candles Decor and Blossom Flowers.

This year’s gala was held in support of Teach for Bulgaria, an organization working tirelessly to ensure every child in Bulgaria has access to quality education—an initiative we are proud to champion. A special raffle with 2 exclusive prizes provided by H.E. Copsey and Lion’s Head was drawn to support the charity.

]We would like to express our sincere thanks to our generous sponsors, whose support made this extraordinary evening possible- our Anniversary patrons Danco Industry, Bulstraight, Lion’s Head and Epay, our Diamond sponsor My Synergy and Kambourov and Partners, the Gold sponsors Moto-Pfohe and Hyatt Regency Sofia. We would like to acknowledge our Drinks partners Tanqueray and Glenfiddich, Zornitza Family Estate and Aya Estate Vineyards. Your contributions help strengthen the ties between British and Bulgarian businesses and bring lasting impact to our community.

Here’s to the next decade of collaboration, growth, and shared success.

Photos from the Flower wall here. The rest of the photo HERE on Facebook page.

On 24 June, Ambassador Copsey was pleased to host fellow Ambassador and Deputy Head of Mission colleagues from EU countries. Together with the Head of the European Commission representation in Sofia, Mrs Yordanka Chobanova, they provided an update on the recent UK-EU Leaders Summit held in London on 19 May.

This was the first such Summit to take place since the UK left the EU. Agreements were reached to enhance joint working which will lead to closer and more pragmatic cooperation between the UK and EU.

The discussion here in Sofia highlighted the positive trajectory of the wider UK-EU relationship. It is based on shared values, mutual interests, and tackling common challenges. All present agreed that it only makes sense to work even closer together in an ever-changing world, and to strengthen our cooperation across a wide range of shared interests. They include security and defence, trade, and people-to-people links, the potential for increased youth mobility, to name but a few.

The group also discussed common support for Ukraine and for the security and stability of the Black Sea. These were some of the key areas of shared foreign and security policy interest.

Both the UK and the EU are now focused on delivering at pace on the agreements reached on 19 May. To operationalise and deliver the improvements foreseen at the Summit that would be of benefit to both sides.

The Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) and the British-Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce (BBCC) signed a partnership agreement at a ceremony held at the BTA National Press Club in Sofia on Monday.

The agreement was signed by BTA Director General Kiril Valchev and Chair of the Board of BBCC Miroslava Kostadinova.

Valchev noted that BTA is expanding its circle of partners among the chambers of commerce in Bulgaria by joining with BBCC, pointing out that this comes in a year when BBCC marks ten years since its establishment in January 2015.

On this occasion, he presented Kostadinova with the BTA news item from January 14, when then UK Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond visited then Bulgarian Foreign Minister Daniel Mitov and the Chamber’s creation was announced, along with some of BBCC’s landmark news items from the past ten years archived by BTA.

Expanding BTA’s Network of Business Partnerships

He also noted that this is yet another industrial chamber with which BTA has signed a cooperation agreement, recalling that BTA already has such agreements with the German-Bulgarian Chamber of Industry and Commerce, the French-Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the American Chamber of Commerce in Bulgaria, the Bulgarian-Romanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Bulgarian-Turkish Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Japan-Bulgaria Business Association, the Bulgarian-Saudi Chamber of Commerce, and the Bulgarian-Moldovan Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Valchev said these partnership agreements are part of BTA’s broader strategy to maintain cooperation with professional organizations, adding that the agency has more than 30 such agreements in various economic and industrial fields. “Under these agreements, we systematically receive information from these associations and chambers, with proper copyright arrangements for the materials provided to us,” he said. He added that this is how BTA ensures that all Bulgarian media outlets have better access to information about business in Bulgaria.

Media Cooperation with UK Agencies and Global Impact

He also highlighted BTA’s partnership with British news agencies. BTA has had long-standing cooperation with British agencies. “Reuters has been one of the main sources of information we distribute to all media outlets throughout our 127-year history,” he said. “We also have an excellent partnership with the UK’s national news agency Press Association, with whom we are jointly involved in two organizations: MINDS International and the European Alliance of News Agencies.” He further recalled that BTA, together with the UK’s national agency, continues to lead the World Congress of News Agencies, whose last meeting before the COVID-19 pandemic was held in Bulgaria.

Referring to the cooperation between BTA and BBCC, which includes 250 member companies, Valchev said this was an opportunity for them to feature in BTA’s news coverage, including in the agency’s English-language service, and to appear by name. “Unlike the practice in some other Bulgarian media, BTA names the companies in its news,” he said. He also noted that cooperation with the Chamber has intensified in recent years, citing the growing number of publications. “In 2017, there was one publication from the Chamber. Over the years, the number has grown, especially following the establishment of the specialized Economy Directorate. In 2024, we have had nine Bulgarian-language publications and another five in English. Since the start of this year, there have already been 14 Bulgarian-language publications and two in English,” he said.

Valchev noted that the ultimate goal of the agreement is for BTA to publish weekly items on BBCC’s activities or its individual members, presenting investments, new ventures in Bulgaria, and social projects.

Reaching the Bulgarian Community Abroad

Valchev added that the signing of the agreement with the Chamber comes not only in the year marking its tenth anniversary, but also during the month when British embassies around the world celebrate the King’s birthday – a tradition not tied to the monarch’s actual date of birth but observed in June.

“There is a large Bulgarian community in the United Kingdom; if we go by the statistics for permanent residence applications, we are speaking of over 300,000 to 400,000 Bulgarians living there. For them, BTA is a source of information; some of them are interested in working in Bulgaria,” he said. “Through our platform, British-Bulgarian companies in Bulgaria will be able to provide information about opportunities for those returning from the UK to work here,” he added.

Kostadinova thanked BTA for extending a hand in cooperation. “For the Chamber, it is extremely important to have a media partner like BTA, where we can rely on objective and comprehensive coverage of our activities. On our part, you can count on us to provide accurate information and be active so that BTA can attend as many of our events as are suitable for coverage,” she said.

BBCC’s Vision for the Future with BTA

“I am honoured to sign this partnership agreement with the Bulgarian News Agency and to put the beginning of a great cooperation. During its 10^th Anniversary year the British-Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce we add one important media partner with long standing traditions in making journalism at the highest modern professional standards. News about our activities and more specifically the important milеstone events planned for this anniversary year, will reach to Bulgarian and Uk audience. BTA will help us spread the news about our organisation and our members both in Bulgaria and in the UK and we will start working according to it in the near future,” Kostadinova added.

She expressed satisfaction that cooperation with BTA has become more active over the past year or two and thanked the BTA team for covering their events. “We are a platform that helps British companies in Bulgaria and Bulgarian companies that wish to work, or already operate, in the United Kingdom. It is important for the Bulgarian public to be informed about what we are doing, about important changes and developments in economic and business relations between the two countries, and about current news and processes taking place,” she said. “It is important for us to have a partner like BTA to help us spread this kind of information about our members, Bulgarian companies, and Bulgarian business,” she added.

Valchev presented Kostadinova with the commemorative medal and stamp issued for BTA’s 125th anniversary, as well as the postage stamp printed on the occasion of the 20th World Meeting of Bulgarian Media, held in May this year. She also received the latest English-language issue of LIK magazine, dedicated to Bulgaria’s participation in World Expos, which has also been released in Japanese.

In honour of King’s Birthday Week, British Ambassador H.E. Nathaniel Copsey hosted a delightful afternoon tea party at the Crowne Plaza. Guests, including the BBCC board, team, annual sponsors, and patrons, enjoyed an authentic British experience featuring exquisite cuisine prepared by the Honourable Artillery chefs and live music by the Honourable Artillery Company Band.

The British-Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce, with the valued support of the British Embassy and Vivacom, was honoured to host a Business Forum in Veliko Tarnovo on 5 June at Park Hotel Asenevtsi. The event was held under the patronage of the Veliko Tarnovo Municipality and brought together local and international businesses to explore trade and investment opportunities between Bulgaria and the United Kingdom.

The Forum opened with insightful remarks by Dr. Eng. Daniel Panov, Mayor of Veliko Tarnovo, followed by Yulia Likomanova-Mutafchieva, Deputy Regional Governor of Veliko Tarnovo. H.E. Nathaniel Copsey, British Ambassador to Bulgaria, delivered a warm address in Bulgarian and highlighted key areas of opportunity for UK-Bulgaria bilateral trade.

The UK Department for Business and Trade, along with the British-Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce, shared updates on initiatives and collaborations designed to support business growth and partnerships between British and Bulgarian businesses. 

A dynamic panel discussion followed, moderated by Ms. Hristina Trifonova, Regional Manager at Vivacom, featuring success stories from business leaders representing AREA 52, SGI Architects, Sinofoods, and Meat Borsa. Attendees also heard from Marian Nestorov, the first Bulgarian mayor of a British town, who provided an inspiring perspective based on his experiences in the UK.

We extend our appreciation to Assoc. Prof. Boryana Bratanova, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Modern Languages at the University of Veliko Tarnovo, for her contribution to the discussion on education-business collaboration.

The discussions concluded with a meeting with the Mayor of Veliko Tarnovo at his office where Sofia-based companies got the chance to learn  more about business opportunities in Veliko Tarnovo and the surrounding area. 

Special thanks to:

• Dr. Eng. Daniel Panov, Mayor of Veliko Tarnovo

• H.E. Nathaniel Copsey, British Ambassador to Bulgaria

• Mr. Alexander Daw, BBCC Regional Ambassador

• Ms. Hristina Trifonova, Regional Manager at Vivacom

• All our speakers, partners, and attendees

We look forward to building on the momentum of this event and continuing to support businesses on their journey to the UK market. Stay connected for updates on future initiatives and opportunities.

You can find photos from the event here.

On 3 June we had the pleasure to host a business dinner together with H.E. Nathaniel Copsey, British Ambassador to Bulgaria in Varna as part of his regional summer tour. The event brought together BBCC members and regional partners for an evening of insightful conversation and valuable networking.

Special thanks to Richard Crisp, BBCC Regional Ambassador for Varna, and Isabel Videva, Members and Partners Coordinator, for the support.

The evening provided a relaxed yet productive setting for open dialogue, fostering stronger collaboration across sectors. We’re grateful to everyone and to our members and partners in Varna — your support and engagement are what drive the BBCC community forward.

On 28 May 2025 BBCC in collaboration with Kambourov & Partners, hosted a comprehensive webinar on “U.S. Tariffs – Legal Framework and International Implications.” The event provided attendees with in-depth analyses of the legal foundations of U.S. tariff policies and their far-reaching effects on global trade dynamics.

Dennitsa Dimitrova, Managing Partner of Kambourov & Partners – Tax Consulting, shared her extensive experience in international taxation and provided a legal perspective on the imposition of tariffs. Sergey Srebrev, Manager of Indirect Tax and Global Trade at Kambourov & Partners, offered insights into the practical implications of tariffs on global trade operations and compliance. Special thanks to them for sharing their expert knowledge. You can find the presentation here.

Between 16-18 May, the BBCC Team and Board of Directors gathered together for a strategy brainstorming discussion. We had the pleasure to discuss the future scope of activities and initiatives for the BBCC, along with our priorities for the second half of 2025 and our plans for 2026.  We also had the chance to talk about the challenges that our members are facing and the needs they have and how we can best help and improve at the services we offer. 

Special thanks to our Board of Directors for sharing their valuable opinion and advice and for their ongoing support for the BBCC team. 

Special thanks to our member King’s Valley Medical & Spa Hotel for the professionalism and for the warm hospitality.  

On 15 May we had the pleasure to host our traditional Meet the Members event where we had pleasure to welcome a special guest – Chris Barton, Him Majesty’s Trade Commissioner for Europe who was at Bulgaria for his 4th visit. 

A heartfelt thank you to our sponsors, Wiser Technology and My Synergy, whose support was instrumental in making this event possible.

Shout-out to Novotel Sofia for being our gracious host. 

And last but not least thank you all our members who attended, bringing together our vibrant community for an evening of meaningful connections and collaboration.

Below is the link of companies that were presented: 

You can find pictures from the event here.

We’re excited to share the amazing news that BBCC’s incredible Executive Director Desislava Miteva has been nominated for the Top 100 Executives of 2025 by Career Show!

Her inspiring leadership, unwavering commitment to the development of the business relations between Bulgaria and the UK, and deep care for the BBCC team and members have made a real impact—and now it’s time to show our support. 💪

VOTE now and help us celebrate the visionary at our helm!