Keynote speaker

Chrissa Pagitsas

Chrissa Pagitsas is a keynote speaker and strategic advisor to senior executives and boards on the growth opportunities at the intersection of environmental, social, governance (ESG) and global business.
Chrissa is the author of the book Chief Sustainability Officers at Work (Apress, 2022) which explores the leadership strategies of Chief Sustainability Officers and Heads of ESG at Fortune 500 companies including BlackRock, Coca-Cola, Duke Energy, and Procter & Gamble.
Recognized as a "Green Bond Champion" by the Climate Bonds Initiative and a recipient of the US Green Building Council Leadership Award, Chrissa is responsible for market-transforming innovations including the first Green Commercial MBS in the US.

European Investment Bank

Pilar SOLANO

Pilar is Head of the Central and South Eastern Europe Department, in the Operations Directorate of the European Investment Bank (EIB) since 1 December 2022. She started her career in financial services in Barclays Bank and Deutsche Bank in London. In 2005 Pilar moved to Luxembourg and joined the EIB.

Since then, she has held a number of investment roles across Europe as well as in Developing Markets, delivering new business and monitoring portfolios, as well as through credit risk functions. Pilar also spent two years in the United States at the International Finance Corporation (IFC) in Washington DC, with a focus on the agribusiness sector. She studied in Barcelona (Spain), where she earned her BA and MBA degrees from ESADE Business School.

Speaker and Moderator

Marina Stefanova

Marina Stefanova is an associate professor at the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration in Sofia university ”St. Kliment Ohridski”. She is director of the Master's programme "Responsible and Sustainable Governance" and manager of ESG Lab and ESG Academy. Chairman of the Sustainability Specialists Association (former BAKSOS). Member of the Steering Committee of the Association of the Investor Relations Directors in Bulgaria and the Bulgarian Food Bank. Founder and director of the multimedia information-educational programme "CSR AdviceBox" of "Kauzi" Foundation. Member of the Advisory Council on Corporate Social Responsibility at the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy.

Speaker

Vanya Manova

Vanya Manova, Manager of Mastercard for Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Kosovo and Albania. She is responsible for the development of the company's local strategy: maintaining the growth of card and electronic payments in these markets, introducing Mastercard's innovations and technological solutions, creating stable partnerships with key stake holders, as well as the public and private sector.

Speaker

Polina Vidas

Polina Vidas is Marketing and Communications Director of Mastercard for Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Albania and Kosovo. Polina Vidas has been working in the field of marketing, advertising, communications, event management, psychology of consumer behavior and strategic planning for over 20 years. In addition to Mastercard and the partners in the company’s ecosystem of banks, merchants and innovative fintech companies, she has many years of experience with global brands such as Volkswagen, Coca-Cola, IKEA, Carlsberg, Heineken and Bulgarian start-ups, funds and NGOs. Since 2020, she has been dealing with Mastercard's local strategy and partnerships in the field of ecology and social support for SMEs and communities in need.

Speaker

Kremena Georgieva

Kremena Georgieva is Corporate Communications and Corporate Social Responsibility Manager at Kauflând Bulgaria. In her position she is responsible for the strategic planning and management of the company's public communications and its corporate social responsibility policy.

Kremena Georgieva has more than 15 years of professional experience in corporate communications, public relations and corporate social responsibility. She has previously held senior positions related to public communications management in two ministries - the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy and the Ministry of Environment and Water. She was also part of the communications team of Sofia Municipality. Kremena Georgieva has a PhD in persuasive communication and is a long-time lecturer at New Bulgarian University. She is a member of the Bulgarian Society for Public Relations Management Board.

Speaker

Jesus Caballero

Jesus Caballero - CEO of Sofia Airport, SOF Connect since June 2021 and Board Member Queen Alia International Airport, Amman He has had an extensive aviation background spanning more than 17 years in airport management, 12 of which as Managing Director/CEO. He has been a part of management teams of hub airports such as Madrid and Barcelona, and prominent tourists’ airports, namely Málaga. He served as CEO of Melilla airport and Seville Airport. Under his management, Seville Airport achieved and sustained consistent and strong passenger traffic growth and attained a vital role in tourism and development of regional industry. Being an Aeronautical engineer, Caballero’s professional interest scopes from specializing in airports, through air navigations systems to air transport management. He holds a Masters in Business Administration and Management from Chamber of Business, Commerce and Industry of Spain, and graduated in Executive Development Programme from IESE Business School, University of Navarra.

Speaker

Andrey Stoychev

With 10 years experience in environmental project management. Andrey Stoychev is a Msc engineer in water technology and Msc in organizational excellence. As BDM at ATAMIQ Andrey has a wealth of knowledge in sustainable solutions at different industrial sectors.

ATAMIQ as innovative partner of industrial enterprises is focused on providing sustainable solutions that help customers reduce their environmental impact with wide range of services including consultancy, supply and engineering of renewable energy solutions across all industries. With more than 25 years in the field, ATAMIQ has a deep understanding of sustainability and the challenges facing businesses in the ESG transformation.

Speaker

Vassil Jivkov

Prof. Vassil Jivkov, Ph.D, is chairman of the board of the Bulgarian Branch Chamber of Woodworking and Furniture Industry - organization with a 30-year history. He is head of the “Interior and Furniture Design” Department at the the University of Forestry from 2020. Prof. Jivkov began teaching at the university in 1992. In 2003 was appointed docent of Furniture Construction and since 2018 is a professor of Furniture Construction. Prof. Vassil Jivkov has been on the jury of numerous design contests and award ceremonies such as Dibla Desin Award, Bulgarian Furniture of the Year, Industrial Design – Cherga, Concept BG, Ecodesign and others. Prof. Vassil Jivkov participated in over 20 international conferences and seminars in Austria, North Macedonia, Poland, the USA, Slovakia, Ukraine and Croatia. He has over 90 scientific papers and reports published, over 40 of which abroad, as well as over 40 popular science publications. Member of the Board of Directors of the European Furniture Industry Confederation (EFIC – Brussels, Belgium).

Speaker

Kristina Eskenazi

Kristina Eskenazi is the Chair of the Health & Life Sciences Cluster and a member of the management boards of the AI Cluster Bulgaria, KRIB - Confederation of Employers and Industrialists in Bulgaria, and the Bulgarian Bioscience Society. She is also an AI expert for the Digital National Coalition.

In 2022, Kristina took a position as Director of Female Entrepreneurship at the first-of-its-kind Venture Build Studio-VenRize in the region. She is also the Chair of the board of the international association for female entrepreneurship in the Biotechnology field, "Global Digital Technologies Health Network - GRIT."

Kristina mentors and facilitates various entrepreneurship and startup culture events (Pitch2Pitch, AI & I, AI Girls). She is the national contact point for Horizon Europe in Cluster Health and a member of several European and international networks (EuropaBio, CEBR, European AI Forum, DIH.net, and EchAlliance, among others).

Speaker

Kalin Genchev

Kalin Genchev is a manager with more than 20 years of professional experience in the field of printing in Bulgaria. He graduated from the Technical University – Sofia with a degree in Industrial Management.

Since 2003 he has been a Chairman of the Board of Directors and Commercial Director of Billboard AD – one of the biggest manufacture of digital and offset printing products on the Balkan region.