Speaker

Born on May 14th, 1964. Graduated from the Technical University in Sofia. Until 2009 Plevneliev is a successful entrepreneur. Entered politics in 2009 as a Minister of Regional Development and Public Works. Elected President of the Republic of Bulgaria in November 2011.  As a president, he initiates the National Development Program - Bulgaria 2020. It sets long-term national priorities such as innovation, e-government, e-voting, modernization, connectivity, a dual system of education, long-term state planning, energy efficiency, liberalization, and diversification. He is the patron of the first innovation ecosystem and the first high-tech park in Bulgaria and the Balkans - Sofia Tech Park. Plevneliev is the patron of the ICT, Outsourcing, and Automotive industries in Bulgaria. 

Awarded the highest state awards and orders of honor of twenty states. Awarded “Person of the Year" for 2015 in Ukraine for his public and political activity in European and international terms. Awarded for a significant contribution to the IT industry development by the Bulgarian Association of Information Technologies. Doctor Honoris Causa of the University of Macedonia in Thessaloniki, Sungkyunkwan University in Seoul, and Baku State University. Member of the Trilateral Commission. Member of "Nizami Ganjavi" International Center in Baku. Member of the European Council on Foreign Relations. Member of the GLOBSEC International Advisory Board. Member of the Global Advisory Body for the National Strategic Institute at Tsinghua University. Honorary Chairman of the Emerging Europe Alliance. Partner for SEE of IMPROVATE – a global platform for improvement and innovation.