Ecommerce and Retail Summit 2023

Richard Lim

Chief Executive Officer, Retail Economics

Richard is Chief Executive Officer of Retail Economics, an independent UK economics research consultancy focused on the consumer and retail industry. He was voted as a Top Ten LinkedIn Voice for sharing his insights on the retail industry, has been named a top retail influencer by ReThink Retail, a top 100 retail influencer by Retail Tech Innovation Hub, and also appeared in numerous television broadcasts. He also sits on the Strategic Advisory Board at the University of East Anglia’s School of Economics, ranked in the top 10 departments in Economics in the UK. Richard has a wealth of experience in data analytics, retail insight, economics and consumer research.

Jack Stratten

Head of Trends, Insider Trends

Insider Trends helps the world’s biggest retail brands spot what’s coming next. As a leading retail trends consultancy, the company has advised C-level executives from many of the world’s biggest brands, delivering expert-led retail safaris, workshops and ideation sessions, presentations and keynotes all over the world.

Jack Stratten is a highly experienced retail trends speaker, writer and researcher who's worked with Insider Trends since its inception.

His field of interest is in all aspects of retail, from stores and supply chains to omnichannel and sustainability. Jack has delivered presentations, retail safaris and workshops to blue-chip brands including Nike, Johnson & Johnson, BNP Paribas, EE, Ikea, Shell, Aggregate Industries, Galeries Lafayette, Freeths, Marks & Spencer, Jaguar Land Rover, Costa Coffee, Diageo, Unibail Rodamco Westfield, Nespresso, Microsoft, The National Trust, Twilio and LVMH.

He is able to cut to the core of emerging retail trends, explaining why they’re important for brands in an easy-to-understand way.

Jack has been selected as one of RETHINK Retail's Top Retail Influencers of 2023, a group of the most influential and innovative thought leaders making an impact in the retail industry.

He is also a trusted retail commentator who has provided expert insights to a range of major media outlets, including the Channel 4 TV series – The Truth About Amazon: How To Shop Smart, and BBC and Radio 5.

Richard Kylberg

Head of customer success & CEO, Blink the design agency

"Moment of truth: creating engaging purchase experiences in the digital age"
Richard Kylberg is an international retail design authority and jury member of Frame awards. He is also the award-winning CEO and founder of Blink design agency. Blink is world famous for creating engaging purchase experiences to clients across the globe like Tesco, Albert Heijn and Target. Richard will share his insights on how to create engaging purchase experiences – blending retail, digital and service into engaging purchase experiences that people love to be part of, spend money at and return to.

Asen Tsekov

Owner and Founder, Vino Orenda

Ivan Panteleev

Partner and Chief Dynamics Officer, Xplora BG

Stefan Andonov

Merchant at Zoya.bg

Passionate about organic food and cosmetics. Ready to talk about the essence of organic products and discuss various topics from the industry with everyone I meet.
4 years ago I joined the Zoya.bg team with the idea that I want my work to be directly related to what I believe in: The food we consume must be free of chemicals and unknown ingredients.
Before that, my professional experience includes several years in a digital marketing agency and an attempt to develop a new outdoor advertising channel.
I graduated from the National High School of Finance and Business in Sofia and then continued my higher studies in Switzerland in the Hospitality and Tourism industry. 

Katarzyna Zubrzycka

Head of Merchant Sales & Acquirers for CEE, Visa

At Visa, Katarzyna manages a team responsible for relations with acquirers and retailers, and acceptance growth in the region of Central Eastern Europe (Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Croatia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia). She has over a dozen years of professional experience in sectors such as banking, cashless payments and loyalty programs, as well as in the FMCG industry. During her career, she has held a number of directorial positions with companies including Raiffeisen Polbank (formerly Polbank), POLCARD, and Premium Club. Most recently she was the President of the Management Board of Paymax S.A., a company offering solutions enabling card acceptance via a mobile payment app (phone / tablet) and mPOS Paymax card reader.

Ana Cholashka

Founder, Head of Design & Marketing, Vintage Summer

Ana Cholashka has over 15 years of business and marketing experience- she has been Account & Client Service Director at a BTL Advertising Agency, later turned Head of Marketing & Trade Marketing  for an international phone company and then started her own business as a young entrepreneur.
Studied Journalism, Marketing & PR in Bulgaria & Belgium.
She is one of the Founders of Vintage Summer and also Chief of Design. Vintage Summer is a self made clothing company with 10 years history starting everything from scratch and turning it into a successful business. Locally designed and produced.
She combines the creative and trade work behind the Brand as she designs all the collections and is also responsible for the marketing and social media planning.
Ana & her business partner Tina were voted as "Women of the Year 2022" (Grazia Magazine) in the Design Category.

Еvgeniy Galabov

Co-founder & CEO, DigiNovo

Join us to the Ecommerce & Retail Summit 2023, where we will explore the profound changes in our habits and consumption patterns that have emerged in the aftermath of the pandemic. The digital landscape has become our new reality, presenting both opportunities and challenges for traditional commerce. Evgeniy Galabov, a seasoned executive and entrepreneur, is joining us to discuss how the digital transformation of trade can provide a fresh perspective through remote customer service.
In 2018, Evgeniy co-founded IRZ Solutions, a pioneering technology company, creator and developer of DigiNovo. DigiNovo is an advanced platform designed to deliver an exceptional omnichannel customer service experience. With a career spanning over two decades in management roles across various industries, including e-commerce, industrial production, and overseeing large retail chains such as Technomarket Bulgaria, Evgeniy brings a wealth of expertise to today's discussion.

Georgi Malchev

Managing Partner, Xplora BG

Georgi Malchev has over 24 years of business, management and marketing experience - he has been a journalist, management consultant, chief operating officer, chief business development officer, board member.
Managing partner at Xplora (https://xplora.bg) - an integrated digital marketing agency. The agency has over 90 current clients in Bulgaria and Europe, including Schneider Electric for Bulgaria and for Israel, Nedelya The Cake Company for Bulgaria and for Romania, United Bulgarian Bank, DZI Insurance, Aladin Foods, Skoda, Tombou, Wienerberger, Neterra, Helecloud, dev.bg, TekExperts, Primexetc.
Managing partner at Xplora Academy (https://xplora.academy) - a platform for digital marketing courses.
He teaches digital marketing, communications and advertising at New Bulgarian University, International Business School and University for National and World Economy. Board member of IAB Bulgaria between 2016 and 202.
Georgi Malchev lives with #ExtremeOwnership and #LeadByExample - more at his personal blog https://malchev.net

Daniel Markov

Team Lead Google Performance, Xplora

Silviu Gugui

Country Manager, eMAG Bulgaria

Silviu Gugui is the Country Manager of eMAG Bulgaria. eMAG is a leading online retailer, founded in 2001 in Romania, now with subsidiaries in Bulgaria and Hungary, too. For more than 20 years, the company has been constantly investing in services based on technologies that help customers save time and money.
Silviu joined eMAG Romania in 2016 with demonstrated history of working in both Telecommunications and Electro-IT industries. Ambitious and goal-oriented, he believes that business needs constant investments to gain sustainable growth and lead the industry. His knowledge and skills in Coaching, Leadership and Team Management also help him develop a great team of professionals.
Silviu Gugui has completed an Accelerated Management Program at Yale School of Management.

Milena Dragijska

CEO, Lidl Bulgaria

Milena Dragijska has been managing Lidl Bulgaria since 2007, when the chain started on the Bulgarian market. Her career in Lidl Germany began as a regional sales manager for the Stuttgart and Karlsruhe regions, then she continued her professional development at the headquarters of Lidl, where she was responsible for various international projects for Lidl International.
She is a member of the Management Board of the German-Bulgarian Chamber of Industry and Commerce, the Management Board of the Council of Women in Business in Bulgaria, the Management Board of America for Bulgaria Foundation as well as the Management Board of the Bulgarian Business Leaders Forum, as well as Member of the Board, Association for Modern Trade.
 

Miloš Drača

Sales Director Public & Enterprise, Adriatics Region, SEE Microsoft

Miloš Drača has been in the tech industry for more than 15 years helping the biggest enterprises on their Digital Transformation journey. In Microsoft, Miloš specializes in Retail and CPG as Industry Executive for CEE business. As trusted advisor to biggest retailers and CPGs he is bringing to life customers Innovation agenda, helping enterprises become Data Driven, transforming jointly customer, consumer, and employees experience.

Today, Microsoft is largest Retail partner WW. Leading retailers are already using the Microsoft Cloud as a competitive differentiator, from using AI, ChatGPT services, transformative customer, and employee experiences, embracing IoT to leverage their supply chains for maximum customer impact etc.

Ivaylo Pavlov

Managing Director Bulgaria & Serbia, CCC Shoes and Bags

With more than 20 years of experience in the retail industry, Ivaylo Pavlov joined CCC Group in March 2022, as Country Sales manager, and year later he took the lead as Managing Director for the Bulgarian and Serbian subsidiaries.  

During his career, Ivaylo has held the key managerial roles in international companies, such us H&M, being directly responsible for Sales lead and OMNI Customer experience and holding roles such us Operations Manager for Greece, Bulgaria and Cyprus,  and Regional manager for H&M Bulgaria.

Wider leadership experience, that includes leading organizational changes within the markets, strong Performance management focus, coaching and change management transformation. 

Fully committed to the power of Leading by example, Ownership, Proactivity and Develop others. 

Nikolay Tzonov

Executive Director, Sport Depot

Nikolay Tzonov has over 18 years of international business, sales and marketing experience. He started working as researcher at the SAP Headquarter in Germany, soon after returned to Bulgaria to work for Sport Depot taking various sales and operational positions. Currently he is Executive Director for Sales and Marketing.

Sport Depot is the biggest retailer of sporting goods in Bulgaria and one of the biggest sellers of clothes and shoes in general. The webshop of Sport Depot is the biggest Bulgarian e-commerce plartform for sporting goods and one of the 3 biggest on the Balkans.

Nikolay is leading the expansion of the company to Greece and lately in Croatia and Slovenia. He is a strong believer in the internationalization of the Bulgarian business. For him the purpose of the company is to improve the well-being of the society through sport.

Zvezdelina Lacheva

Sales, Marketing & Innovations Manager, DS Smith Bulgaria

Zvezdelina is an experienced leader in the corrugated packaging and paper industry, with over 20 years of experience.
Known for driving business growth and achieving targets, she is a visionary leader in sustainable packaging solutions. Her commitment to environmentally friendly practices and passion for innovation have earned her industry recognition.
Zvezdelina fosters collaboration, empowers teams, and shapes the future of the packaging industry in Bulgaria through her leadership and dedication to sustainability.
 

Stanislav Stankov

Product Lead, Rush

With over 10+ years of SaaS product management experience, I've worn various hats, from co-founding an eCommerce app to managing product teams.
Currently, I'm leading the product development for a post-purchase automation startup - Rush - and advising other Shopify startups related to discovery and PLG motion.
My background includes building, nurturing, and growing performing distributed product teams. I've successfully launched several products from the ground up, turning ideas into actionable roadmaps, strategies, and product missions.
As a hands-on leader, I oversee end-to-end product management strategies, from conception to delivery and adoption. My responsibilities usually include leading a team of product managers, conducting market research, and crafting product or portfolio strategies.

Vesselka Voutkova

Director of Marketing and Sales, MBE Bulgaria

Vesselka Voutkova is the Director of Marketing and Sales at MBE Bulgaria - part of the international company for services in the fields of marketing and logistics for the needs of small and medium-sized businesses - Mail Boxes Etc. She has many years of experience in advertising and commercial communications, gained in leading technology companies. She held the positions of Corporate Communications Director at Vivacom, Regional Business Manager for Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa at Sony Mobile Communications, Germany and Communications Manager at Ericsson Telecommunications Bulgaria. She was responsible for the management and execution of dozens of international marketing campaigns. In her current position she takes care for the growth of the MBE business in Bulgaria and the establishment of the company as a preferred vendor of fulfillment solutions.
 

Maria Mangarova

Maria Mangarova, Director of Personal Finance Division at Postbank, formerly Sales And Marketing Director of BNP Paribas Personal Finance

Maria Mangarova is the Sales and Marketing Director (Chief Business Officer) at BNP Paribas Personal Finance. She has been working for the company for 17 years.
In her current position, she is responsible for all business and marketing activities of the company, including data and analytics, delivering strategic projects and development plans.
Her experience includes over 10 positions with a continuous evolution of scope and responsibilities, expertise in sales and marketing, implementation of new products and processes, and team leadership.
Maria is part of the international initiative of BNP Paribas Personal Finance's headquarters called "Leaders for Tomorrow," a member of the Women Leadership Program within the Group, and an active volunteer in the bank's sustainability program.

Vichren Bisset

Chief Commercial Officer and Board Member, euShipments

Vichren Bisset joined the team of euShipments at the beginning of 2019, after studying business management at universities in Bulgaria and the United Kingdom.
He has experience working with some of the largest couriers and fulfillment operators in the EU, as well as a wide portfolio of Bulgarian, European and Global eCommerce brands.
In his current role as Chief Commercial Officer and Board Member for the company, he is responsible for the most strategic relations with partners, subcontractors and clients, as well as the biggest and most important business development projects.
Since his start  in 2019 and thanks to his efforts until 2022 the company has reached over 450% growth in the number of processed shipments, and 410% growth in revenue.

Sirma Penkova

Journalist, Capital

Sirma Penkova has been a business journalist at "Capital" for ten years. In the last five years, she also covered the communication and media sector in Bulgaria. She is the editor of the annual marketing edition of "KMarketing Factbook".