BFA Team

Silvia Kabaivanova

Chairman of Bulgarian Fashion Association since September 2019

Summary of relevant skills and experience
▪ Integration of the cluster members into relevant international value chains in order to increase their level of competitiveness and export capacities
▪ Support for the participation of SMEs in international trade fairs and exhibitions
▪ Operational support in the innovation process and technology transfer, providing technical assistance and support for the development of new R&D projects
▪ Organization of events and marketing activities.

Over 18 years’ experience as a CEO of Fashion.bg Ltd.

Fashion.bg Ltd. is a SME owning several fashion media websites, acting as online communities of fashion designers, manufacturers and brands. The company offers business consulting and marketing
services in the field of online marketing, advertising and IT.

▪ Strategic planning and management of Fashion.bg Ltd, business-to-business links, SME support and consultancy
▪ Financial management and planning
▪ International cooperation and business-to-business relations;
▪ Initiating, drafting and management of a project, carried by Fashion.bg Ltd. in the field of innovation and funded by the National Innovation Fund.
▪ Partnering with trade fairs and exhibitions – Munich Fabric Start, Fashion World Tokyo, TexTailor Expo, TMT Expo, White Label World Expo, Gitex Dubai, Milano Unica, Premiere Vision Paris, Pitti Uomo, Jacket Required London, Techtextil, Panorama Berlin, Fashion SVP, etc.

Editor-in-chief of www.fashion.bg – a fashion magazine and web community of more than 4000 Bulgarian fashion manufacturers and brands.

Editor-in-chief of Be Global Fashion Network – an online magazine for ethical fashion business and a network of fashion designers, brands and tailors from Europe, USA and Japan.

3 years’ experience as Expert Marketing and Development of
Men’s Fashion Cluster, Ruse (Bulgaria)
Responsible for PR, Marketing and Internationalization of Men’s Fashion Cluster. Organizing international conferences and events.

Dean Manev

Vice Chairman of BFA

Over 12 years’ experience as Sales Director in а Factory for production of high quality men’s suits.
▪ Creating partnerships with B2B customers
▪ Building and trainings of Marketing and Sales Teams.
▪ 5 years of experience as Director of Men’s Fashion Cluster –training of young business entrepreneurs (startups).
▪ More than 5 000 individual and corporate meetings
▪ Visit of 200 International Fashion Fairs in New York, Las Vegas,
Amsterdam, Berlin, Milano, Paris, Copenhagen, Dusseldorf, Moscow etc.
▪ Using TOC principles in Sales and Marketing since 2012 (international trainings in Tel Aviv, Frankfurt, Washington, Cape Town, Leesburg, Berlin, Las Vegas)
▪ Main speaker in a number of International Conferences – Italy, The Netherlands, England, USA, Germany, France, Belgium, Austria, Czech Republic etc.
▪ Speaker in Press Conferences and TV broadcasts
▪ Leader of business delegations in EU countries – meetings with Mayors, Ambassadors, Trade Organizations, Associations, Groups and Business activists
▪ Bachelor in Business Administration
▪ Master in Marketing

Milen Dobrev

Vice Chairman

Over 14 years’ experience as Executive director of Ruse Chamber of Commerce and Industry
▪ Strategic planning and management of the Ruse Chamber of Commerce and Industry, business-to-business links, SME support and consultancy
▪ Financial management and planning, reporting to the Managing Board and the General Assembly
▪ Carrying out activities and tailoring services to the membership companies from the region;
▪ Participation / membership to regional and local policy-making councils
▪ International and cross-border cooperation and business-to-business relations;
▪ Business and investors support; Regional economic development;
▪ Planning, organization and coordination of events (workshops, forums and conferences; PR and marketing events);
▪ Initiating, drafting and management of national and international projects, carried by the RCCI in the field of innovation & entrepreneurship support, economic development, investment promotion (more than 25 competed projects, funded by: Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs, CBC Romania Bulgaria 2007-2013, FP7-SCIENCE-IN-SOCIETY-2013-1, Leonardo Da Vinci – Transfer Of Innovation, etc.)

Over 6 years’ experience as a Chairman of Business and Innovation Centre INNOBRIDGE
▪ Overall management of the EU BIC accredited organization, in supporting the development and growth of innovative entrepreneurs, startups and SMEs from the Ruse region, Bulgaria
▪ Virtual incubation services design and coordination