For the third consecutive year, one of the most successful initiatives of the CWBB – Leadership Academy, ended with an exciting ceremony. Forty ladies from Sofia and the country received their diplomas for graduating from the Mayor of Sofia Municipality – Mrs. Yordanka Fandakova, who is the patron of the initiative.

The event took place on April 26^th at the UniCredit Bulbank International Business Center in Sofia and gathered dozens of guests – graduates from the last edition of the Academy as well as from the previous two, members and friends of the Council of Women in Business in Bulgaria.

“ I have to admit that with every passing year for the whole team of CWBB the awarding of diplomas to the graduates from the Academy is becoming more and more touching and personal event. The reason is that we see how one of our ideas evolves and becomes a valuable tradition. And that is something we can be proud of”, said Dr. Eng. Boryana Manolova, Chairwoman of the CWBB and CEO of Siemens Bulgaria. She thanked the Mayor of Sofia – Mrs. Yordanka Fandakova for her support to the Leadership Academy over the years, as well as to UniCredit Bulbank, for their key support that made the training possible.

“The Leadership Academy is becoming a sustainable training program for female entrepreneurs”, said the Mayor of Sofia before awarding the graduates of the Leadership Academy 2016-2017. “ I congratulate the Council of Women in Business in Bulgaria for allowing employees of smaller companies who have no access to corporate programs to gain new knowledge and skills. Small and medium enterprises in Sofia are over 95% of the business in the city and they employ more than 70% of the working people”, she added.

At the ceremony, Tsvetanka Mincheva, a member of the Management Board of CWBB and Retail Banking Director at UniCredit Bulbank, announced the start of the fourth edition of the Leadership Academy. The terms and conditions for applying will be announced soon.

The Leadership Academy was launched in 2014 as a free lead training program focused on the professional development and growth of women in middle management positions or with a private business. Since 2014, the three classes have completed a total of 122 ladies. More details at womeninbusiness.bg