The First Edition – 2025
Strategic Intent
The inaugural Sofia Compliance Forum in 2025 was designed with a clear foundational objective: to introduce the broader professional community to a more structured conversation around compliance and to initiate a sustained public–private dialogue on pressing governance and financial crime topics.
At that stage, the focus was deliberately educational and thematic. The ambition was not yet to challenge decision‑making structures at board level, but rather to build a common language and shared understanding around what compliance is, what risks it addresses, and why it matters beyond regulatory formality.
In that sense, the first edition served as a platform to open the conversation.
Programme Structure
The 2025 programme was structured in clearly defined thematic blocks.
Agenda
Agenda of the Sofia Compliance Forum in Bulgaria
the event will be held in a bilingual format (English and Bulgarian) with live translation
9:00 - 10:00
Registration
10:00 - 10:15
Welcome note
- Anton Petrov – CCO Fibank
- Svetozar Popov – CRO Fibank
- Julian Mihov – PwC
10:20 - 11:00
Compliance Standards & Ethics within the Organization
Moderator – Julian Mihov – PwC
- Ivan Dimitrov – Cargotec / Hiab
- Dimitar Koychev – DSK
- Mihaela Prakova – United Group
- Mariyan Kanev – eMerchantPay
11:05 - 11:20
Presentation: Europe ESG Compliance Landscape
- Tsvetelina Kuzmanova – Cambridge Institute for Sustainability
11:25 - 12:00
Sustainability: requirement or business opportunity
Moderator – Ivan Simeonov – Fibank
- Pavel Pirinski – PwC
- Tsvetelina Kuzmanova – Cambridge Institute for Sustainability
- Emil Velichkov – ESG Manager, Bulgarian bank
12:00 - 13:00
Lunch break
13:00 - 13:20
Economic Crime: From Global Threats to Practical Solutions
- Katarina Pranjic – LNRS
13:20 - 13:40
Navigating through the changing fraud landscape
- Jeny Rasheva Light – Director, PwC
13:40 - 14:15
Financial fraud and Cybercrime
Moderator – Jeny Rasheva Light – Director, PwC
- Martin Bakardzhiev – Visa
- Vladimir Dimitrov – Head Cybercrime, GDBOP
- Simeon Petkov – ALSAS
- Tsonyo Atanasov – ChargebackHelp
14:20 - 14:30
AML enforcement and prevention in practice in Bulgaria
- Rositsa Tosheva-Ivanova – Prosecutor
14:35 - 15:10
Discussing the Bulgarian practices in AML
Moderator – Oleg Temnikov – Partner, Wolf Theiss
- Aleksander Popov – Director Gambling, NRA
- Rositsa Tosheva-Ivanova – Prosecutor
- Vasilena Goranova – Head of Compliance, Paynetics
- Boyka Zagorova – Head of Compliance, International Asset Bank
15:10 - 15:20
Coffee break
15:25 - 15:40
The Future of Sanctions: Evolving Landscape and Compliance Challenges
- Denitsa Rabain – Chair CEE Chapter ACFCS
15:45 - 16:20
Reflecting on the presentation and elaborating on the Bulgarian perspective
Moderator – Simeon Petkov, ALSAS
- Denitsa Rabain – Chair CEE Chapter ACFCS
- Ralitsa Karagyozova – ION
- Radomir Dukov – Anti-financial crime consultant
16:25 - 16:40
Technological solutions that help us tackle financial crime (focus on AML and sanctions)
- David Hannan – Oracle
16:45 - 17:20
Reflecting on the presentation
Moderator – Venera Dracheva – Fibank Cyprus Branch
- Katarina Pranjic – LNRS
- David Hannan – Oracle
- Jakub Florek – AML Analytics
- Faisal Islam – Complytek
17:20 - 17:30
Closing remarks from organizers
17:40 - 19:30
Cocktail
Speakers
Feedback
Feedback consistently highlighted that the Forum felt intellectually serious, balanced, and different from traditional compliance conferences.
The success of the first edition confirmed two key insights:
There is a genuine need in Bulgaria and the region for a senior‑level compliance platform.
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