M3 COMMUNICATIONS - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Honorary Chairman of the Board
Alan joined St. James's Corporate Communications as Development Director in 1982 and then became Deputy Chief Executive and Head of Financial Public Relations at Charles Barker City, one of London's oldest financial PR companies.
In 1988, he moved to Hill & Knowlton, at that time the world's largest international PR company, as a Managing Director of their UK office and European Practice Head of Financial PR. Working extensively on international PR projects, he became Deputy Chairman with specific responsibility for business in Central and Eastern Europe.
In 1997, UBS appointed him Head of Corporate Communications at their investment bank in London until the merger with Swiss Bank Corp when he left to establish Alan Ogden & Company Ltd.
A founder member of Pro Patrimonio [the Romanian National Trust], and author of several travelogues about Eastern Europe and histories of S.O.E., Alan is a senior international adviser to Hill & Knowlton Strategies'.
Job Titles:
- Journalist, Communications Expert
Anna Tsolova is one of the most prominent Bulgarian TV journalists. For more than 21 years now, she has been working in the field of what she calls "public speaking". For 19 years she worked as a journalist in the two largest private national television channels in our country. She has nearly 15,000 interviews, reports and films, created in her work as an author, TV presenter, reporter and producer of news and news programs. In 2018, Anna Tsolova launched the project "Speak in order to be seen". Shе now teaches and passes on her knowledge and experience to her clients. Anna continues to create video products, but in the field of corporate visual content.
Job Titles:
- Media Expert, Entrepreneur
Dr. Martin Zahariev has worked in the fields of media, telecommunications and tourism as a journalist, editor, radio and TV presenter and producer for the past 25 years. He has been also working as a magazine publisher and entrepreneur in various media and as part of innovative technology projects for a long time now. He graduated with a degree in Law from Sofia University and specialized in Media Management in the USA and England. He started his professional career as a host of various programs on Radio Vitosha, Darik Radio, BNR, as well as the program "Every Sunday" on BNT. He worked as Secretary-General of the State Telecommunications Commission between 1999 and 2001. In the period from 1993 to 2008, he created and published some of the leading magazines in Bulgaria - Union Media, Egoist, EGO, Playboy, Rhythm, Motor Show, Bulgaria Air, Hello!, BBC Knowledge, BBC Good Food, BBC Top Gear, Auto Bild, Grazia, Glamor. Martin Zahariev created and managed the radio networks Retro Radio from 2001 to 2008 and Radio Gong from 2004 to 2008, as well as the company Digital Radio, specialized in the delivery of digital media content and streaming services. He was the TV producer of the shows "Fort Boyard", "Alaminut" and "Before noon", airing on bTV. He was an MP in the 42nd National Assembly, elected as part of the civil quota, and a Member of the Committee on Culture and Media, as well as a Member of the Committee on Transport, Information Technology and Communications. In the 43rd National Assembly Martin Zahariev acted as an adviser to the same two committees. Since 2016 he has been Executive Director of the National Board of Tourism (NBT) and in 2018 was elected Deputy Chairman of the Board of directors of NBT. In 2020 Martin Zahariev was elected Deputy Chairman of the Public Council of BNT. He is married with two children.
Dr. Solomon Passy is a Bulgarian scientist, politician, and innovator, founder and President of The Atlantic Club of Bulgaria. He was Minister of foreign affairs in the period 2001-2005 and Chairman of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in 2004. Solomon Passy has represented Bulgaria at the UN Security Council (2002-2003) and has been its Chairman. In 2008, he was nominated by the Bulgarian government for Secretary-General of NATO. Dr. Passy was Chairman of the Parliamentary Committees on Foreign Affairs (2005-2009) and on Foreign Affairs, Defense and Security (2001). He was MP in three National Assemblies and is the first Vice-President of the Atlantic Treaty Association (ATA) from a non-NATO country. Dr. Passy chaired the Transparency and Accountability Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of OSCE (2006-2009). He has a doctorate and international scientific work in mathematical logic and computer science.
Acad. Dr. Grigor Gorchev, MD, PhD, DSc is a world-famous doctor with three specialties - obstetrics and gynecology, oncology, and surgery. He is Director of the Scientific and Research Institute and Honorary Rector of the Medical University-Pleven. Prof. Gorchev is the only obstetrician-gynecologist who is a Corresponding Member of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and is the holder of the highest state award - the Stara Planina Order, first degree. He has numerous specializations, conducted in Italy, France, and the USA, and has been honoured with many awards - Honorary Citizen of Tryavna, Honorary Citizen of Pleven, Honorary Sign First Degree by the Bulgarian Medical Association for his contribution to the medicine development, Medical Man of the Year 2004 of Forum Medicus Newspaper. Prof. Gorchev was presented twice the honorary title Physician of the year - in 2006 and in 2011. Being the first certified console surgeon, he is a pioneer in the introduction and development of a new type of surgery in the clinical practice - robot-assisted surgery in gynecology. In 2008, prof. Gorchev performed hysterectomy with the robotic system da Vinci for the first time ever in CEE.
Irina Vasilevska is a lawyer with 17 years of experience in the field of telecommunications, of which more than 10 are on leadership positions. She has participated in complex projects related to some of the largest acquisitions on the telecommunications market in Bulgaria (2013 - Telenor Group and 2018 - PPF Group). Irina Vasilevska is a professional in the field of law, regulations, personal data protection, risk management, PR, and information security. In the period 2017-2018, she was Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Bulgarian-Norwegian Business Group and Member of the Board of Directors of the Bulgarian Business Leaders Forum. She is an adventurer who likes to challenge the limits.
Job Titles:
- Deputy Chair of the Board
- Deputy Chair of the Board / Director of Administrative, Legal & Financial Affairs Department
- Director of Administrative, Legal & Financial Affairs Department / Deputy Chair of the Board
- Legal Adviser
Ivanka Velkova is the Legal Adviser of M3 Communications Group, Inc. She joined the team in July 2007.
Jacqueline Wagenstein holds a master's degree in Culturology and Philology from the Sorbonne and a PhD in Human science from Inalco and New Bulgarian University. In her career, she has been a curator of European festivals and an active partner in the teams of various cultural institutes, including the French National Book Center and the International Bureau of French Publishing. Since 2005 she has been Director of Colibri Publishers. She was Deputy Chairperson of the Board of the Bulgarian Book Association, working in the "International Activity" Department, and a Member of the Advisory Board of the National Book Center. Jacqueline is Director and founder of the one-of-a-kind Cinelibri film and literature festival. She is the creator of the media platform ArtAction and of the cultural events space KazaLibri.
Job Titles:
- CEO, Managing Partner J. Crawford Associates, Inc
- Honorary Deputy Chairman of the Board / CEO, Managing Partner J. Crawford Associates, Inc
J. Crawford excels in business transformations and custom-tailored target marketing.
J. Crawford expertise delivers exponential payback and transforms companies into benchmark profit performers through proven marketing practices, Customer focus, cost containment, and results management.
Job Titles:
- Associate Professor of Sociology
- Communication Lecturer
Katia Mihailova is an associate professor of Sociology. She teaches Sociology at the University of National and World Economy, Communications and social mediation at the University of Library Studies and IT and Scientific research methodology at the National Academy of Theater and Film Arts "Krastyo Sarafov". Katia Mihailova defended her doctoral dissertation in Journalism in 2006 at Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski". She is a scholarship holder of the Japanese "Sasakawa" Young Leaders Program. Katia Mihailova specialized in Communications at Open University in London in 2003 and at Goldsmiths College in London in 2009. She is the author of the monographs "Medi@ Elections" (2019), "Medi@ Society" (2016), "Television for Children" (2011). Katia Mihailova is the compiler and editor of the collection "Young Science of the Arts" (2010, 2012).
Job Titles:
- Deputy Chair of the Board
- Deputy Chair of the Board / Managing Director
- Director of the Biggest Department
- Managing Director / Deputy Chair of the Board
Kristina Radkova is Director of the biggest department at the company - the PR and Clients Services department since 2019.
She joined M3 Communications Group, Inc. team in 2011 as Account Assistant in HeadLine, M3's media monitoring agency.
In 2013 she was promoted to the position of Account Executive and two years later she became one of the few team members of the company to switch departments as she was promoted to Account Executive in the PR and Clients Services Department of M3 Communications. Higher position: Account Manager follows in 2017 and as of 2019 she is a PR Director.
Kristina has a Bachelor's degree in Public Relations and a Master Degree in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski. Prior to working at M3 Communications Group, Inc. she has 2 years of valuable journalist experience in the daily financial newspaper Pari (now Capital Daily/Capital magazine).
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Director of Graphic Design & Video Department / Member of the Board
Job Titles:
- Leader
- HR and Coaching Expert
Maria Shishkova is an internationally renowned leader in the field of management consulting, strategic services at a Board of directors level, recruitment and development of high-level managers. She is Global head of AIMS International, which is present in 50 countries, for one of the key fields of the organization - talent management. Maria Shishkova is an exclusive representative for Bulgaria of Dale Carnegie Training - a company with almost 120-year history with direct operations in 100 countries. She is a master trainer, business coach, and Managing Partner of AIMS Human Capital & Dale Carnegie Training in Bulgaria. In her rich 25-year management and consulting experience, she has led projects for more than 200 international companies in 10 countries. Maria Shishkova holds numerous awards, including Woman of the year, Best starting operation of Dale Carnegie, and others. She has been a member of the jury at Forbes Business Awards since their first edition in Bulgaria. Her broad interests and social engagement are also demonstrated through her contribution to society as Chairperson and Member of the Board of Directors of the Bulgarian Business Leaders Forum, Chairperson of the Bulgarian Association of Management Consultancy and Member of the Board of the American Chamber of Commerce in Bulgaria.
Maxim Behar - CEO, Chairman, Founder
Job Titles:
- CEO
- Chairman of the Board
- Founder
Maxim Behar is the founder, the soul and the heart of the company since its launch in 1994. He meets each client always in person and actively participates in all company's projects.
Many influential persons not only in Bulgaria call him "an institution" and "communications guru" and without any doubt he is one of the leading opinion makers in the country.
Maxim is Immediate Past President of the largest PR community in the world - ICCO (International Communications Consultancy Organisation) and also Chairman of Hill+Knowlton Strategies Czech operation.
The Indian Business Communications Association named Maxim recently "Communicator of the Decade" and the readers of the most influential Bulgarian magazine "Manager" voted him "Manager of the Year".
Maxim Behar is also Honorary Consul General of the Republic of Seychelles in Bulgaria.
Job Titles:
- Deputy Chair of the Board
- Managing Director / Deputy Chair of the Board
Milena Georgieva is an associate professor of molecular biology and holds a master's degree in Cell Biology and Embryology. Her scientific interests and research are in the areas of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Epigenetics, and Modern Biomedicine. She is the author of over 50 scientific publications in peer-reviewed international journals. She leads and takes part in a number of research projects of national and international funding agencies. Milena Georgieva is a scientific consultant at the international Enago academy, which aims to support scientists from around the world with advice on academic development. She promotes science in Bulgaria by participating in radio and TV programs. She is also a regular guest speaker at prestigious forums, such as the Sofia Science Festival, the "Just Be" Festival, the Medicus-Nestle Forum, and many others. Milena Georgieva is also a speaker at the TED conferences.
Neyko Genchev is a publisher, author of specialized publications and books, translator from English, compiler, editor, and consultant on the topic of specialized software. He worked for 12 years as a professional musician. Neyko Genchev is a composer and poet, and he is also engaged with graphic design and books' technical layout. He has created the layout and the covers of more than 5000 titles. Neyko Genchev is the owner and manager of Faber Publishing House, which has over 3,300 published books, as well as more than 10,000 prepared and printed editions for both local and international clients. Neyko Genchev is a university lecturer, co-founder and President of the Institute for Applied Museology, and Vice-president of the Association of Bulgarian Academic Publishers. He is a public figure, initiator, supporter, and participant in numerous projects related to Bulgarian culture and historical heritage - festivals, exhibitions, national meetings, and conferences.
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Financial Expert, Entrepreneur
Nikolay Vassilev is Managining partner of Expat Capital, the largest independent asset management company in Bulgaria. He was a member of two governments of Bulgaria, serving as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport and Communications, and Minister of State Administration and Administrative Reform. Before this, Nikolay Vassilev had been Senior Vice President at Lazard Capital Markets in London and Associate Director at UBS (UBS Warburg Dillon Read) in the Tokyo, New York, and London offices, working in the area of equities and emerging markets. He was also a tax adviser at Coopers & Lybrand in Budapest, Hungary. Nikolay Vassilev holds a master's degree in International Economics and Finance from Brandeis University in the USA with an exchange program at Keio University (Tokyo, Japan), as well as two bachelor's degrees from the State University of New York in the USA and the Budapest University of Economic Sciences in Hungary. He is also a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charterholder.
Job Titles:
- Journalist, Entrepreneur
- Radio Journalist, Co - Founder
Petar Pountchev is a Bulgarian radio journalist, co-founder of the first private electronic media in Bulgaria - Radio FM+. He studied at a French lyceum in Damascus, at the French High School in Sofia and graduated with excellence from Lomonosov Moscow State University. Petar Pountchev is a long-time radio host and reporter, as well as a co-founder of the late night radio show of the Bulgarian National Radio's Horizont program. He is the author of the books "The First Seven: Private Radio in Bulgaria" (1997) and "You are here" (2018). In 2007, he accepted an offer from a major Irish media company to head its business in Ukraine. Two years later, he became Managing director of Radio 3 in Belgrade, Serbia. Petar Pountchev is a co-founder and a lifelong Honorary member of the Serbian Radio Association - RAB Srbija.
Job Titles:
- Media Expert, University Lecturer
Prof. Lubomir Stoykov, D.Sc., is a culturologist, art critic, journalist, PR manager, and media expert. He is a lecturer at the University of National and World Economy, Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski", the National Academy of Arts and Plovdiv University, where he teaches Culture and media, Public relations, Fashion theory, Image-making, Fashion marketing, and advertising, Lifestyle journalism and more. He is the founder and Head of the master's programs in Public Relations at the University of National and World Economy and in Lifestyle Journalism at the Faculty of Journalism and Mass Communication at Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski". Prof. Stoykov is the author of 20 scientific and journalistic books. He has taught over 3,000 students, graduates, and PhD students in Fashion Design, Media, Public relations, and Journalism. Prof. Lubomir Stoykov is the founder and Chairman of the Academy of Fashion and is a Member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), the Metropolitan Museum in New York, the International Association for Media and Communication Research (IAMCR) and others. He is Honorary Chairman of the Bulgarian Academic Communications Association.
Job Titles:
- Banker, Endurance Aficionado
Stefan Ivanov is a banker with over 20 years of experience from across the globe. He is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Challenger Capital Management - an investment banking boutique focused on Bulgaria and Eastern Europe. Previously he worked in senior roles with Citibank in London, Brazil, South Korea, Tunisia and most recently as CEO of Citibank in Bulgaria. During his tenure the bank topped the rankings in Bulgaria in client satisfaction, return on equity and revenue to expense ratio. Prior to that he was trading derivatives with Banque Paribas and the AMEX in New York. He is an alumni of Harvard Business School and holds an MBA from Cornell University as well as a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration from the American University of Bulgaria.
Stefan is an aficionado of endurance challenges and has participated in numerous marathons and ultra-marathons, swam across the English channel and together with his son Maxim - rowed across the Atlantic ocean in a boat they built in their garage and called Neverest (meaning "Never rest until you reach your Everest"). Their ocean crossing was dedicated to the cause of stimulating more people to take a decision to donate their organs for transplants after death in order to save lives.
Stefan is married to Zhenie and has two children - Maxim and Lara.
Job Titles:
- Entrepreneur
- Managing Director of Katarzyna Estate Wine Cellar
Tsvetelina Nikolova is Managing director of Katarzyna Estate Wine Cellar and Platinum Brands, a distribution company for wines and spirits. She holds a bachelor's degree in Political science and a master's degree in International economic relations from the University of National and World Economy. Tsvetelina Nikolova works actively to build a better image of Bulgarian wines around the world. She is the initiator and author of various projects related to the recognition of Bulgaria as a producer of quality wine both in the country and internationally and is among the ten finalists in the competition "Manager of the Year" in 2015, 2016 and 2017. Tsvetelina Nikolova is a Master of Science in Wine management from OIV (France).
Job Titles:
- Journalist
- Media and Banking Expert
Valentin Panayotov is a prominent journalist and publisher, who has moved up the entire career ladder in the Bulgarian daily press. He is one of the founders of "Money" newspaper and its publisher until 2010. Valentin Panayotov has realized one of the most successful business partnerships in the new Bulgarian press - with the large Scandinavian publishing group Bonnier. Valentin Panayotov is the founder of the Union of Publishers in Bulgaria and the Union of Employers - today's Confederation of Employers and Industrialists in Bulgaria. He was also a Member of the Board of the Association of Industrial Capital and of the Bulgarian Business Leaders Forum. Since 2010, Valentin has been Chairman of the Board of Bank of the Year Association, a non-governmental organization that works with banks, studies various aspects of the market in Bulgaria, organizes profiled events, and presents the popular Bank of the Year awards.
Valeri Zapryanov is an absolutely experienced journalist, who founded and managed many successful media outlets. He started his career as an editor in the Blagoevgrad newspaper "Pirinsko delo" and then worked at "Rabotnichesko delo" and "Duma". In 1992, he founded "Standart" newspaper that immediately took a leading position among the prominent Bulgarian media. Three years later, Valeri Zapryanov became Director of Channel 1 at the Bulgarian National Television (BNT). He was editor-in-chief of "Sega" magazine and founded "Tema" magazine and the daily newspaper "Presa". In the last couple of years, Valeri Zapryanov was a Member of the Board of Directors of BNT. He is a "Panitza" award holder for his news reports from Sarajevo. Valeri Zapryanov was Deputy Chairman of the Union of Publishers as well as Chairman of the Bulgarian Media Union.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Team Leader
- Member of the Board / Team Leader of HeadLine
- Team Leader of HeadLine / Member of the Board
Viktoria Popova is the Team Leader of HeadLine Ltd., media monitoring company, part of M3 Communications Group, Inc.
She started her career path in the company in March 2022 as Media Analysis Assistant, after which she became Media Analysis Expert and since November 2023 - Team Leader of the team of HeadLine.
Viktoria has a Bachelor`s degree in "German Philology" and a Master`s degree in "Digital Media and Video Games" from Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski. Prior to working in the company, she worked not only as a teacher, but also as a writer and editor in an online media.