Mrs. Ivelina Nikolova has more than 20 years of management experience in global companies offering technological and innovative solutions in the field of telecommunications, IT, electrical industry.
Her professional path is quite colorful and diverse, a combination of operational and strategic roles. Her career started in the accounting department of a local trading company, went through roles related to regional and global supply chain management in international companies, managing global distribution and sales operations in IT and service organizations, creating strategies and programs for customer satisfaction.
From the beginning of 2023, she is the executive director of Schneider Electric in Bulgaria, Albania, Kosovo and North Macedonia.
Her professional path is quite colorful and diverse, a combination of operational and strategic roles. Her career started in the accounting department of a local trading company, went through roles related to regional and global supply chain management in international companies, managing global distribution and sales operations in IT and service organizations, creating strategies and programs for customer satisfaction.
From the beginning of 2023, she is the executive director of Schneider Electric in Bulgaria, Albania, Kosovo and North Macedonia.
What is the main activity and portfolio of your company? What sets it apart from the competition?
Schneider Electric is a world leader in the creation and integration of industrial technologies, offering an extremely wide range of products, software and services related to the distribution, measurement and management of electrical energy, as well as integrated solutions for industrial automation. Schneider has in its portfolio everything - from switches and buttons, through the full range of solutions for power distribution and industrial process control, with the possibility of complete integration. Through the modern capabilities of IoT, cloud technologies and artificial intelligence, Schneider solutions automate information analysis and management of the entire system.
What sets Schneider Electric apart is its unwavering focus on innovation, customer care and commitment to sustainability in every aspect. Schneider is a proven and trusted partner for sustainability and efficiency, which are achieved through electrification and digitization of processes.
What sets Schneider Electric apart is its unwavering focus on innovation, customer care and commitment to sustainability in every aspect. Schneider is a proven and trusted partner for sustainability and efficiency, which are achieved through electrification and digitization of processes.
What investments has your company made in recent years? In what areas?
The company on a global scale has traditionally invested in development and sustainability. For us, what has been achieved in Bulgaria is a reason for great pride. A year ago, we expanded the smart factory in Plovdiv, and at the end of last year we opened an innovative and one-of-a-kind geothermal system in Bulgaria, which serves the heating and cooling needs of the enterprise. The goal of this investment is to eliminate the use of natural gas and switch to renewable energy sources.
At the beginning of this year, we launched a new investment - a second plant near Plovdiv. This is a large-scale green field project that will realize an even higher technological level of production management with minimized energy costs.
In connection with the realized investments and the positive impact on the local economy, Schneider was awarded in 2024. with the Investor of the Year award.
At the beginning of this year, we launched a new investment - a second plant near Plovdiv. This is a large-scale green field project that will realize an even higher technological level of production management with minimized energy costs.
In connection with the realized investments and the positive impact on the local economy, Schneider was awarded in 2024. with the Investor of the Year award.
What are the biggest challenges your company faces?
Like a large part of the business in Bulgaria, Schneider also faces the challenges of macroeconomic reflection of geopolitical problems in Europe and the Middle East. In addition to this is the internal political instability in our country that has lasted too long. On the one hand, mankind has hardly lived in more dynamic times, but on the other hand - for Bulgaria, time is hardly measured in periods from elections to elections, which puts on pause the creation of a vision for development and the pursuit of strategic goals, as well as access to European and international financial funds. As a counterpoint to the situation we find ourselves in, I would give neighboring Serbia, which, although not a member of the European Union, managed to create an economic vision and find the political will to launch a complete modernization and digitization of its electricity network - a move, which will greatly contribute to the country's energy stability and independence. So far, such bold steps are not visible on the horizon in our country. It is a pity that there is not even an indication of work in the direction of creating conditions for the utilization of the funds allocated by the EU, for example for the modernization of the energy network, or for the development of the electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
What does it mean to be a business leader in 2024? What are the principles you follow in your work? What is your biggest success or achievement as a manager to date?
For me, success has always been a team sport, and I'm glad to see this concept being promoted more and more and embedded in the theory of successful management for sustainable results. A strong and motivated team, made up of people who want and can, in which everyone is in their place, is the key to success. This may sound utopian to some, but for me it is a favorite part of my work as a leader of a business organization.
How do you motivate your employees? What is the employee of the future?
The employee of the future is already here and I have to admit that integrating another generation of employees into a relatively small organization brings its own challenges. Increasingly, employee motivation is tied to their identification with the company's mission, social responsibility and business ethics. In this connection, Schneider's purposeful efforts to place in his vision a positive impact on our surrounding environment - physical, social, business. Doing business with positive impact is a top value that is woven into our corporate culture and is a powerful motivator for employees.
Do you have a motto or a symbol that guides your relationships with customers and business partners?
Ethics, transparency and trust - these are basic principles that I follow in my relations not only with clients and partners, but also with my colleagues. These principles have always helped me build bridges, open new paths, create long-term and fruitful relationships.
Photo design source for the column: Schneider Electric Bulgaria
Article source: BASEL