Sonya Demireva takes the role of Administrative Director of the Council of Women in Business in Bulgaria in July

Sonya has a master’s degree in economics and finance, with a specialization in “Banks and Financial Institutions” at the University of National and World Economy. She has over 20 years of work experience as a manager in a large international company, UniCredit Bulbank.

Before the democratic changes in the country, Sonya was a chief accountant of large, structure-determining enterprises and organizations. For a short time, she was a research assistant in the Management of the National Economy section at the Bulgarian Academy of Science.

For the past 12 years, she was Director of Sales at UniCredit Bulbank. Working in an international, highly dynamic environment, she was responsible both for achieving high revenue targets, measured in hundreds of millions of euros, and for the implementation of new information systems, processes and products. All of this, of course, achieved with teams of people. Developing and motivating people and teams is her strength, and this is one of the main reasons why she has developed herself as a successful manager. She participated in the first process of a merger, unique for its time in the period of 2007-2008, of the three major financial institutions in Bulgaria – Bulbank, Biochim and Hebros Bank, accepting the challenge to lead the largest structure in the new financial institution – its branch network, consisting of nearly 2,000 employees. The biggest challenge she has faced was, of course, related to people – to be able to motivate, inspire and unite them. She has always strived to be a symbol of morality, dignified behavior, and an example of loyalty to the institution. Her support to others comes from showing the way in which goals can be achieved, showing energy and positive examples from her own experience. She approaches people and teams with love, understanding, and is ready to listen to what they say yet being demanding and uncompromising in following the policies of the institution, demanding to achieve the goals that have been set.

Sonya is referred to as “the talent of all time” in the Unicredit Group, but the greatest recognition she has received comes from her colleagues, who upon her recent retirement, took the initiative and published a book about her, “The Path of a Legend at UniCredit Bulbank”.

In her new role at the Council of Women in Business in Bulgaria, Sonya will work for the development of existing projects as well as for creating new ones in the organization.