Banks and the Business

Dimitar Radev

Governor of the Bulgarian National Bank

Sergey Guriyev

Provost and Professor of Economics at the Institut d'études politiques (Science Po) in Paris. Former chief economist at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development

Sergei Guriev joined Sciences Po as a tenured professor of economics in 2013 after serving as the Rector of the New Economic School in Moscow in 2004-13. In 2016-19, he was on leave from Sciences Po serving as the Chief Economist and the Member of the Executive Committee of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). In 2022, Sergei Guriev was appointed Sciences Po’s provost. 
Professor Guriev’s research interests include political economics, development economics, labor mobility, and contract theory.
Professor Guriev is also a member of the Executive Committee of the International Economic Association and a Global Member of the Trilateral Commission. He is also a Research Fellow and the Leader of the Research and Policy Network on Populism at the Centre for Economic Policy Research, London. He is a Senior Member of the Institut Universitaire de France and an Ordinary Member of Academia Europeae.

Zdravko Maric

Former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance at Republic of Croatia

Zdravko Marić is a Croatian economist and politician who served as the Minister of Finance from 2016 and a Deputy Prime Minister from 2019, until his resignation from both positions in 2022. He was the first non-partisan holder of the office in Croatia's post-independent history.
Mr Marić was since 2012 Executive Director for Strategy and Capital Markets in the company Agrokor in Croatia.
From 2008 to 2012, Mr Marić served as State Secretary in the Ministry of Finance and from 2006 to 2008, he was Assistant Minister for Macroeconomic Analysis and Planning, in the same Ministry.
Between 2001 and 2006, Mr Marić worked as a Research assistant at the Institute of Economics in Zagreb.
In 2000 he graduated In Finance from the Faculty of Economics and Business of the University of Zagreb. He holds a Master’s degree and a Doctor’s degree from the Faculty of Economics and Business of Zagreb University. He also attended the executive education program in Management at Young Global Leaders School of Klaus Schwab at Harvard University. 

Petia Dimitrova

Chief Executive Officer and Chairperson of the Management Board of Postbank and Chairperson of the Board of the Association of Banks in Bulgaria

Mrs. Petia Dimitrova is Chief Executive Officer and Chairperson of the Management Board of Postbank (under the legal name Eurobank Bulgaria AD). She joined the team of Postbank in 2003 as Country CFO for the eight affiliated companies of Eurobank EFG Group in Bulgaria. In 2005 was appointed Procurator of the Bank. In 2007 she was appointed Executive Director and Member of the MB of DZI Bank. After the legal merger of DZI Bank and Postbank she became Executive Director and Member of MB of the unified bank. In 2012, Mrs. Dimitrova became Chief Executive Officer and Chairperson of the Management Board of Postbank.

Under her leadership, Postbank completed in just a few years three successful deals; the acquisition and integration in a record short-term time of Alfa Bank - Bulgaria Branch, followed by Piraeus Bank Bulgaria. In 2023 Postbank has successfully completed the deal for the acquisition of the commercial enterprise and the activity of BNP Paribas Personal Finance, the Bulgarian branch of BNP Paribas Personal Finance S.A., France. As of June 2023, the branch's activities are transferred to the Postbank family and it continues to work on the Bulgarian market under the brand PB Personal Finance by Postbank. These deals are steps to strengthen its position as a systemic for the bank market and to expand its customer base. Mrs. Dimitrova began her career in 1996 at the Consular Department of the US Embassy. Then, in 1998-2003, she worked at PricewaterhouseCoopers as Senior Manager and Senior Auditor.

She is a chartered accountant, qualified ACCA member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) in London, UK. Mrs. Dimitrova has an Executive MBA in General Management from the University of Sheffield, UK and holds two Master Degrees in Finance and Banking and Tourism from the University of National and World Economy and Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski. In addition, she is a graduate of ALBA Leadership Development Program, Harvard; holds a Certificate of Merit from Georgetown University Leadership Seminar, Washington D.C. and graduated Management and Social Development of NGOs at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and University of Macedonia, Greece. She also holds certificates for successful completion of the program "Harvard Business School" in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2023, and Said Business School, University of Oxford in 2022. Mrs. Dimitrova has acquired her professional qualifications in UK, Greece, Holland, Belgium, USA and Bulgaria, and has participated in various prestigious international trainings, seminars and conferences.

Mrs. Dimitrova is Chairperson of the Board of the Association of Banks in Bulgaria. She is a Member of the Management Boards of "Atanas Bourov" Foundation and Endeavor Bulgaria Association. She also is a Chairperson of the Board of Directors of Hellenic Business Council in Bulgaria, Vice President of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Bulgaria, member of the Management Board of CEIBG and Member of the University Council of the American University in Bulgaria. Petia Dimitrova is a Member of the Industrial Advisory Board - CITY College, International Faculty of the University of Sheffield, Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO), Young Global Leaders Forum, part of the World Economic Forum, Gerson Lehrman Group Accounting Council London, UK, Fellow Member of the Chartered Management Institute, UK and Cofounder of the Public Council of Women in Business.

Mrs. Dimitrova has received many awards, including the prestigious recognition "Mrs. Economy" in "Mr. and Mrs. Economy" competition organized by CEIBG and Economy Magazine (2015, 2018); award by "Atanas Bourov" Foundation for Banking and Financial Management (2017); the Special "Banker of the Year" Awards by Banker weekly in 2012, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2020 and 2022; "Woman of the Year" in Business category by Grazia magazine (2014); two Silver Stevie Awards – "Female Executive of the Year in Europe, the Middle East and Africa" and "Female Executive of the Year – Consumer Services with up to 2,500 employees" (2013); "Banker of the Year 2012" by Banker weekly; "Mrs. Economy 2012" for her contribution to the development of the banking sector; one of the Young Global Leaders honorees for 2012, distinguished by the Forum of Young Global Leaders part of the World Economic Forum; International Faculty Distinguished Alumni Award from The University of Sheffield (2011); Businesswoman of the Year (2010); the Grand prize in the Bulgarian annual contest for young managers "Next generation" (2009) by Capital weekly; and many others.

Under her leadership Postbank won nearly 100 prestigious international and Bulgarian awards, including gold in "Excellence in Customer Centricity or Customer experience" category in one of Europe's most prestigious competition in the banking sector – The Retail Banking: Europe 2019 Awards. Also "The Best Retail Banking in Bulgaria" award in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022, "Best Consumer Digital Banks, Bulgaria 2021" award and "Best Mobile Banking Apps, Bulgaria 2021" award from the London-based World Finance Magazine, "Bank of the Year" 2019 and 2021 at the Annual Bank Awards, Best Employer Awards, and many more. Postbank was distinguished as a Top Employer in Bulgaria with a certificate from the international independent Top Employers Institute. The award is given for its innovative vision and high standards in implementing globally recognized employer practices in human resource management, care for people, working conditions, employee personal and professional development programs, among others.

In 2021, for the tenth time, the prestigious global magazine for capital markets, asset management and investment Global Custodian named Postbank as the best custodian bank in Bulgaria. Also in 2021, Postbank was awarded for the seventh time with the high distinction of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development - the award for "The most active bank in Bulgaria in trade finance for 2020".

Petar Andronov

Executive Director and member of the Board of Directors of KBC Group

In 2021 Petar Andronov joined the Executive Committee of the Belgian KBC Group as executive director and CEO Business Unit International Markets, thus assuming responsibility for the Group’s business in four of its core markets – Bulgaria, Hungary, Slovakia and Ireland. Within his new assignment Mr. Andronov became also responsible for KBC Asset Management and hence Chairman of its Board of Directors. Since 2021 he took over also the chairmanship of the supervisory boards of all banks and insurance companies in the 4 mentioned countries.
Petar Andronov’s career path involves series of positions in the BNB and in the private banking sector. During 2002 – 2007 he was Chief Director Banking Supervision Department at the Bulgarian National Bank. Over the period 2005–2007 Petar Andronov was observer and member at the European Banking Committee and at the Committee of European Banking Supervisors of the European Commission. At the same time he was also an observer and member of the Banking Supervision Committee at the European Central Bank. On behalf of the Bulgarian authorities he led the negotiations in the domain of banking for Bulgaria’s accession to the European Union.
Petar Andronov’s career at KBC Group started in 2007 when he was appointed Executive Director of CIBANK. Later in March 2008 he became CEO of the same bank. As from the acquisition of UBB by the Belgian financial group KBC in June 2017 up until May 2021 Petar Andronov was Chairman of the Management Board and CEO of UBB AD(created out of the merger between CIBANK and former UBB).
From  March 2011 till May 2021 Petar Andronov also acted as  Country Manager of KBC Group for Bulgaria in charge also of the insurance group DZI.
Over the period 2008 - 2021 Petar Andronov was Member of the Management Board of the Association of Banks in Bulgaria, serving two mandates as its Chairman – from 2015 til 2018 and from 2018 until 2021.
From 1995 till 2016 Petar Andronov has been lecturer initially at the UNWE, and later at the High School of Insurance and Finance and at New Bulgarian University/the International Banking Institute. Since 2017 he is member of the Board of Trustees of the University of National and World Economy, and from 2020 of Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski as well..
Petar Andronov is five-times winner of the Banker of the Year award, as well as of the Manager of the Year and Burov Prize for bank management, Mr. Economy and many others.
In 2015 he was decorated an Officer of the Order of the Crown of the Kingdom of Belgium.

Miroslav Vichev

Chief Executive Officer, BORICA

Miroslav Vichev  is a Chief Executive Officer of the payment and card operator BORICA. He has over 30 years of experience in the field of information technology for the banking sector. Before joining the company, he held a number of leadership positions - Head of "Applied Systems" at the Bulgarian Postbank, Director "Management Consulting and IT" at Deloitte & Touche, Head of "Consulting Department" at Microsoft Bulgaria, IT Director at HVB Bank Biochim, CEO of DSK Bank. He was also a member of the Supervisory Board of the "DSK Rodina" pension company, member of the Board of Directors of the "Cash Service Company AD" and a member of the Board of Directors of OTP Bank (Russia), Deputy CEO of "Information technologies and Operations" of OTP Bank (Hungary). In 2021 Mr. Vichev has been awarded as "Manager of the year" in the most prestigious business contest in the country. He is a former graduate of the Technical University of Sofia.

Tzvetanka Mintcheva

CEO and Chairman of the Management board of UniCredit Bulbank

Tzvetanka Mintcheva started her career as a trainee in UniCredit in 2001, in Retail Division of Bulbank Bulgaria, moving through a wide range of roles during her early years, from various execution and managerial functions within the Retail network and Head Office team. Since 2007 Tzvetanka has been involved in the coordination and development of alternative distribution channels, being recognized for her significant contribution and the introduction of innovations in Retail and other areas of the bank. 
In September 2013, she was appointed as a Head of Retail Division, and a Member of the Management Board.
In 2017 she was appointed as a Head of Global Banking Services Division within UniCredit Bulbank successfully implementing multiple strategic and transformation projects.
From March 2020 till June 2021 she holds the position of Deputy CEO of UniCredit Bank Romania. Tzvetanka Mintcheva has a degree in economics and an MBA in international business from MIB School of Management in Italy.
Since September 2021 she holds the position of CEO and Chairman of the Management Board of UniCredit Bulbank.
Since September 2021 she is a member of the Management Board of the Council of Women in Business in Bulgaria.
In March 2022, Tsvetanka Mincheva was appinted as a Deputy Chairperson of the Management Board of the Association of Banks in Bulgaria.

Atanas Pekanov

Official Deputy Prime Minister for the management of European funds

Asen Vasilev

Deputy Prime Minister EU Funds Management and Minister of Finance in the Government (2021-2022) of Kiril Petkov

Vladislav Goranov

Minister of Finance in the second (2014 – 2017) and third (2017 – 2020) government of Boyko Borisov

Tamas Hak-Kovacs

Chairman of the Management Board and Chief Executive Officer of DSK Bank

Mr. Tamas Hak-Kovacs is Chairman of the Management Board and Chief Executive Officer of DSK Bank, since November 2020. Previously, since 2012, he has been Chairman of the Management Board and CEO of JSC OTP Bank, the Ukrainian subsidiary of OTP. Before that Mr. Hak-Kovacs worked as Chairman and CEO of the Commerzbank subsidiary in Hungary (2000-2007).
From 2007 he led the Commerzbank subsidiary in Moscow and from 2010 headed a division of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) Commerzbank.
Mr. Tamas Hak-Kovacs graduated from the Budapest University of Economic Sciences, MA in Finance and Accounting. He also studied at the University of Saarland, Saarbrücken, Germany, at the University of Vienna, Austria and at the International Institute for Management Development, Lausanne, Switzerland. Since 2004 he holds the Chartered Financial Analyst® designation.

Filip Genov

Co-founder and Managing Director, F27

25+ years in banking, innovations and technology, Founder & MD of Sophia Lab, the leading digital transformation and acceleration think tank in Southeast Europe
Founder & MD of the first banking & FinTech VC operation in the Southeast Europe
Founder and Chairman of the Advisory Board of the FinTech and InsureTech Summit, the biggest industrial forum in the Southeast Europe
Member of the Vienna Initiative, CEE&lead expert on financial instruments for innovative and fast growing companies
Co-Founder of the Strategic Center for Artificial Intelligence for Southeast Europe, based in Sofia
Served on the Executive Committee of the Factors Chain International and Strategy and R&D aide to the Executive Committee of CEDEC
Created and managed three 500+ million euro financial businesses
MBA from NYU Stern School of Business, the London School of Economics and Political Science and HEC Paris