“Women are the most dynamically developing economic force in the world. Leveraging better their potential will determine the well-being of companies, countries and regions in the future,” said Ms. Boryana Manolova, chair of the Women in Business in Bulgaria and CEO of Siemens Bulgaria, in connection with her participation in the international economic summit Global Female Leaders 2015, Berlin, held in late April.

The summit was joined by over 300 female senior-level executives from around the world. During the conference, they discussed global trends in areas such as the role of female leaders in restoring credibility in the economy; how to motivate the next generation of leaders by creating a good working environment; how men and women can work together to bring about change, and others. Topics at the forum were discussed through the prism and challenges facing women working in a dynamic environment, the new face of energy, trends in consumer behavior, and digital transformation.

Upon returning from the summit, Boryana Manolova shared a KPMG study of the 10 myths that exist in the corporate world for women and their career development. According to the study, contrary to the myth that women are less ambitious and do not aspire to senior leadership roles, the ambition of women for career development is no different than that of men, as their ambition grows with their experience. Another myth is that childrearing prevents women from rising to managerial positions. The study shows that childrearing can slow a career down only if it is prolonged and if during that time women do not keep in touch with their colleagues. In several posts on its Facebook page, the Council of Women in Business presented all other myths from the KPMG study shown at the summit in Berlin.

The Council of Women in Business in Bulgaria is a public-benefit non-profit organization. Its members are leading managers and representatives of companies and organizations in the country. The goals of the Council include sharing best practices and programs to promote the professional development of women in small and medium businesses and their rise to managerial positions; developing and promoting professional values ​​in civil society, education, science, culture, engineering and technology; supporting young professionals and talents to reach their potential in Bulgaria, and supporting disadvantaged young people in their education.