STRATEGIES FOR Е-COMMERCE SUCCESS

Alex O'Byrne

Co-founder at We Make Websites, Shopify

Alex is a co-founder at We Make Websites, the world’s most trusted Shopify ecommerce agency. He will show you how to use ecommerce design to increase your only sales. His style has been described as"clear and engaging"and"refreshingly open".We Make Websites create beautiful and effective ecommerce websites that increase sales. We Make Websites have delivered websites for The Economist, Steinhoff, Harper Collins, Pepsi, Finisterre, National Portrait Gallery, Skinnydip, Bluebella and over 500 other clients. Alex is an international speaker on the topic of ecommerce and has spoken at Google, General Assembly, Digital Shoreditch and Top Drawer.

Eva Vucheva

Co-Founder and CEO, Contento.tech

Eva Vucheva is a digital entrepreneur, currently Co-Founder and CEO of Contento.tech, ecommerce consulting company. Eva and her team have paved the way for e-commerce in Bulgarian, by bringing Fashion Days on the market in 2011. Until recently she was a Co-CEO of Fashion Days Group, a Naspers company and CEE’s leading fashion online store.

Vanya Manova

Country Manager for Bulgaria and Macedonia, Mastercard

Ms. Manova joined MasterCard in 2008 as an Account Manager. Over the past few years, she has driven the business in Bulgaria. She helped to position MasterCard as a strategic partner for key customers, non-traditional partners and local government institutions and regulatory bodies. Ms. Manova led the launch and growth of contactless in Bulgaria & Macedonia making MasterCard the ultimate leader in contactless within these markets. Ms. Manova works in the banking industry for more than 20 years. She started in 1995 as system administrator in Bulgarian Russian Investment Bank (nowadays CIBank). Prior to joining MasterCard, she was Head of the Bank Cards Department in DZI Bank (later merged with Postbank). She graduated at Sofia Mathematical High School and holds a Master’s degree in Computer Technologies at the Technical University of Sofia. Vanya has three kids.

Jesse Weltevreden

Professor of Digital Commerce at Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences / Director Research at Ecommerce Foundation

Jesse Weltevreden is professor of Digital Commerce at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences (AUAS). Weltevreden is also Director Research of the Ecommerce Foundation, an international non-profit organisation ‒ initiated by national e-commerce associations and e-commerce companies worldwide ‒ that produces key facts and research in the field of e-commerce. As manager of the Digital Commerce Research Group and Director Research, he coordinates and contributes to (quantitative) research projects of the AUAS and Ecommerce Foundation and research cooperation with external institutions and the industry. Weltevreden has published mainly about the implications of e-commerce for consumer behaviour, retailing, shopping locations, and mobility both nationally and internationally. His latest research projects focus on the role of digital marketing for future proofing town centres, cross-border e-commerce in Europe, digital transformation in the retail sector and corporate interference with consumer-to-consumer online interactions.

Georgi Malchev

Managing Partner, Xplora

Georgi Malchev is Managing Partner of Xplora.bg - integrated digital marketing agency with slogan Human Digital. It took only 12 months after its creation for the agency to become one of the leading digital marketing agencies in Bulgaria. The company won the pitches for full digital marketing of Toyota, Medix, Easycredit, Primex, and the social media and performance marketing of Microsoft Bulgaria, and 4 more companies. Clients for digital services are Nestle, BLD Homes, Whirlpool, Telus, Shedd and over 30 more companies.
Georgi has over 15 years of experience in marketing, communications and business development, as well in operations management - as business consultant, manager, director, COO, board member.
Georgi is advisor to several startups, among which TaxiMe, Esceo etc. He has experience as mentor at Eleven and Launchub, and keynote for Founder Institute, Start It Smart, Unistart. Georgi was partner in a startup that was part of Batch 3 of companies, supported and financed by Eleven.
Georgi is member to the Board of IAB Bulgaria. He leads the White Paper for Digital Marketing Case Studies. He teaches classes in marketing, advertising and communications at New Bulgarian University. He is moderator and keynote speaker at digital marketing forums and is member to the jury of advertising forums.
 

Rafael Campos

Global Head of Inbound Marketing and Inside Sales, VTEX

With a bachelor´s degree in business administration, Rafael is VTEX's Sales VP for EMEA Market and has been working with e-commerce for the last 10 years. During his career, he was appointed to the first country manager of VTEX, expanding the company to Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Uruguay and Ecuador. In 2013 he became a professor at Impacta for their MBA course in Brazil. Now he's responsible for VTEX's expansion to EMEA market leading the sales team.

Konstantinos Tovil

SVP, e-Commerce TBI Bank

Kostas has 16 years of experience in retail banking with focus in consumer finance and cards in companies operating successfully on several South Eastern European markets. He started his career in Citibank and has held executive positions in EFG Eurobank in Romania, Bulgaria and Greece. He is highly experienced in managing deposits, investment products and transactional banking. He had a leading role in establishing and managing the Affluent Banking Division in two banks. Kostas holds a Master’s Degree in Marketing and Business Administration from Middlesex University and a Bachelor’s degree in Applied Chemistry from Kingston University. He is also a member of the UK Royal Society of Chemistry.

Florin Filote

Marketplace Director, eMAG

Mr. Florin Filote is the head of eMAG Marketplace for more than two years. His former experience in companies such as Selgros (major cash&carry retailer) and Ecopack undoubtedly helps him to overachieve the eMAG Marketplace growth agenda. During his supervision the platform is about to develop to an impressive 10000+ participating sellers in the region till the end of the year. Now Florin Filote is ready to share what does it take to attract so many partners and how to scale a platform to such level. eMAG was founded in 2001 by Romanian entrepreneurs and is the local e-commerce market leader. The company has a strong presence in Bulgaria, Hungary and Poland which makes it one of the top e-tailers in the CEE region. For all these 16 years eMAG focuses and invests in constantly improving customer shopping experience. Clients benefit from added value services, such as 30-days return policy, opening the parcel at delivery, 24/7 call center, Pick Up and Return Service, loan financing through eCredit, or mobile app access. At eMAG customers can find a wide range of products, from IT, mobile phones, domestic appliances, electronics, books to children articles, auto parts and accessories, home and garden or sport equipment.

Hannu Vangsgaard

Digital Executive with a nuclear drive

Hannu Vangsgaard is an internet pioneer from Denmark with more than 20 years of experience from various roles in the digital arena. He is the former Head of Digital and E-commerce Manager in Denmark’s largest retailer, Dansk Supermarked. Hannu was also a Chief Digital Officer in a Danish top 3 advertising agency and he co-founded one of the first search marketing agencies in Denmark back in 1998. In Dansk Supermarked Hannu headed the e-commerce business from the very beginning with two interns, an empty office, a big bag of money – and an organisation that saw e-commerce as an annoying distraction from the real business, the 1,000+ brick and mortar stores. The next two years the e-commerce business grew from basically nothing to €40 million + in revenue and an e-commerce organisation counting more than 100 staff.

Martin Svoboda

Business Development Manager at Google

Martin is digital marketing evangelist, who is working with businesses from Central and Eastern Europe on three main pillars: 1) Becoming digital - integration of digital communication into mediamix 2) Growing via digital - opening new, especially export markets with his clients 3) Disrupting - helping startups and new companies to grow

Lyubomir Cholakov

Managing Director, Isobar Commerce, EMEA Center of Excellence, Isobar Commerce

Lyubomir Cholakov is Managing Director of Isobar Commerce Bulgaria. The company is part of the Dentsu Aegis Network group after Dentsu acquired the ecommerce solutions company Ecommera in the middle of 2015.
Isobar Commerce in Sofia consists of more than 170 software engineers, strategists, project managers, and maintenance team that implement and manage innovative multi-channel trading platforms for international brands such as Clarins, Speedo, Asda Direct, House of Fraser and any more.
Prior to joining Isobar Commerce, Lyubo Cholakov ran software development and system integration organizations in Eastern Europe for companies such as SAP, S & T, Printec and Infragistics.
He graduated MBA from Cotrugli Business School, has a Master's degree in International Economic Relations and Linguistics.

Simon Phillips

Head of Business Development, Javelin Group, Senior Manager, Accenture Technology

Simon Phillips, Head of Business Development, Javelin Group, Senior Manager, Accenture Technology Simon Phillips is a Senior Manager within Javelin Group’s Systems Integration division. Javelin Group, Digital Retail by Accenture Strategy, provides strategy consulting and digital transformation services to the world’s leading retailers and consumer brands and helps clients improve their competitiveness by anticipating and responding to the rapid changes in customer shopping habits and retail technologies. Simon is responsible for both winning and leading the delivery of complex global technology projects for leading retailers, brands and B2Bs across Europe and around the world.

Monika Miteva

Sales & Marketing Manager, DHL Express Bulgaria

Monika MitevaMonika starts her career in DHL Express Bulgaria back in 2000 as a Customer Service Agent. Throughout the years, she has been on various positions in Customer Service and later she moved to the Commercial Department. In 2006 Monika left DHL Express and joined the team of one of the leading telecom companies in Bulgaria. In the middle of 2007 she returned to DP DHL Group as a Commercial Director of Freight Division for Bulgaria and Macedonia. Since 2014 is Marketing and Sales Director in DHL Express Bulgaria and works for the company’s positioning as a strategic partner for both corporate and small/medium business, start-ups and online retailers. During her leadership, DHL Express develops and implements a consultation and support program for start-ups and existing online shops which aims to support the cross-border development of the domestic business.

Beate Lohrmann

E-Commerce Expert, Nielsen

Beate Lohrmann is one of Nielsen's most knowledgeable E-Commerce experts. Nielsen​​ is a leading global information & measurement company, providing market research, insights & data about what people watch, listen to & buy both online and in-store. Beate initiated and leads a global knowledge exchange on E-Commerce and Omni-Channel shopping and consults FMCG industry clients to accelerate their e-commerce growth.

Ivan Totev

Business Development manager, Speedy

Ivan Totev has approximately 20 years’ experience in Marketing, Communications and Business Development. From the last century he was working for some of the biggest advertising agencies as Saatchi, Bates, Ogilvy and Havas. He is a former GM of MWorld retail chain. He was consulting projects in Bulgaria, the Balkans and Middle East in business areas as Sales and Marketing, Retail, Mobile communications and Management. He is a mentor of Business Institute Bulgaria and the American University of Kuwait. He has MD in Bulgarian philology and Journalism.

Elena Gelemenova

Head of Monetisation of OLX and Shedd, Bulgaria

Elena Gelemenova is the Head of Monetisation of OLX and Shedd for Bulgaria. The company is part of OLX Group - one of the worldwide leaders in online classifieds. Elena has been with OLX for two years and is responsible for some key projects of the company: growing and managing the Telesales team, developing monetisation models and implementing product changes at the platforms. Before joining the OLX team, Elena has worked for pazaruvaj.bg, the online platform for price comparison of different products, where she gained a very useful experience at e-commerce. Elena has a Bachelor degree in Maths and IT sciences. She enjoys making all kinds of cakes and bakes, handmade cards, loves travelling and snowboarding.

Wolfgang Tichy

Partner, Schoenherr

Wolfgang Tichy is a partner at Schoenherr and member of the newTech team and the real estate practice group. He specialises in IT-law where he concentrates on drafting and negotiating software contracts and outsourcing projects, support contracts, hosting contracts and all aspects of e-commerce. Wolfgang is heavily engaged in the economic and technical apects of IT and new technologies, and his insights in these areas extend the legal aspects of these areas. In addition, Wolfgang advises on distribution law and distribution and franchise contracts, not only in IT matters. Furthermore he is engaged in real estate and construction law. Wolfgang is also responsible for litigation in all of these areas. He is a board member of the Vienna Federation of Young Industry (which is part of the Austrian Federation of Industry/ Industriellenvereinigung), member of the legislative committee of the Austrian Federation of Industry and member of the International Technology Law Association. He frequently authors articles in newspapers and lectures on the areas covered by his expertise.

Milen Kanev

Photographer, PixelBeez

Milen's passion for photography emerged in his school years as he passed through various photographic courses and seminars. From 2001 to 2005 he studied Photography at the New Bulgarian University. Over the years, Milen has worked on various projects as fashion and portrait photographer, event photographer, fodder stylist and food photographer. His desire to professionally engage in photography and to be responsive to market needs directs him to product photography. He has specialized in this field for 7 years and his interest in application of new technologies in the industry is growing.
 

Diana Angelova

eCommerce & Omnichannel Strategist, Decathlon Bulgaria

Diana Angelova is an Online Commerce and Communications Manager at Decathlon Bulgaria. She develops and implements the global strategy for synergy between physical and online stores. She has held leading positions in several international digital platforms, leaders in the service sector, which also represent some media groups such as Naspers and Rocket Internet.

Emil Iliev

Digital Marketing Specialist, IKEA Bulgaria

Experienced Project Manager with a demonstrated history of working in the marketing and advertising industry. Skilled in planning and executing initiatives to reach the target audience through appropriate channels (social media, e-mail, TV etc.) With expertise in various areas that support activities in inbound and outbound marketing activities (media planning, content development, advertising etc.). With a Master's degree focused in Brand Management, Advertising and Business Design from University of Finance, Business and Entrepreneurship - VUZF Sofia.

Dimitar Mihaylov

Founder, BB-Team

Ivan Alexandrov

CEO & Founder, ebag.bg

Ivan Alexandrov has behind his back 8 years experience in marketing and managing businesses. In 2015 he creates the online supermarket ebag.bg in partnership with Fantastico. eBag is the first online supermarket in Bulgaria which has diversity of over 10,000 products and still more to come. All the products are with the same regular prices as the physical supermarkets. For almost a year the project has become the biggest platform for online grocery shopping. Ivan is also Co-Founder of What if - digital creative agency, result driven and passionate about innovations in the fast growing digital world. The key benefits are the outstanding designs and detail-oriented campaigns which are realized in every project. Part of the agency' clients are Vinprom Peshtera, Vereya, Ficosota, Bella and other great brands operating at Bulgarian field and abroad.

Lenko Yordanov

Digital and Social Manager, Xplora