Board Members of Japan - Bulgaria Business Association
Vladislav Mihov
Vladislav Mihov graduated in law from Sofia University and started his career within the international tobacco company RJR in 1992. In 1999 the company was acquired globally, and this is how the new international tobacco company JTI was created, where he has been working for ever since on different local and international positions. Since 2012 Mihov is the Country Manager of JTI Bulgaria, the Bulgarian market entity of the group.
JTI Bulgaria is one of the founding companies of the Japan – Bulgaria Business Association and Vladislav Mihov is the Chairman of the Managing Board. In his view the Japanese business will play an increasingly important role in business and public life in our country and the Association will work to develop business relations between the two countries, as well as to promote the good practices of responsible business in Bulgaria.
Dr. Stamen Bankovski
Dr. Stamen Bankovski General Manager, Astellas Pharma for Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania began his professional career more than 25 years ago. He graduated in Medicine in 1995, and later obtained a degree in Economics. He gradually climbed the career ladder starting as a medical representative, passing through various positions in the field of Marketing and Product Management at middle and senior management level and reaching the role of CEO responsible for several countries. Among the companies he passes through are names like Abbott Laboratories and Sanofi. In 2014, Dr. Stamen Bankovski joined Astellas Pharma as a Country manager for Bulgaria. In 2017 he took the position of Executive Director for Hungary, and from the end of 2017 is General Manager of Astellas for Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania. Astellas is one of the three founding companies of the Japan-Bulgaria Business Association at the end of 2020, and Dr. Stamen Bankovski is one of the board members and was also elected as Deputy Chairman of the first board of the association. The main goals and efforts of the association, according to Dr. Bankovski, will be aimed at promoting the development of a sustainable business environment for Japanese companies in Bulgaria, favorable cooperation between them and the successful attraction and promotion of new investments coming from Japan.
Todor Kesimov
Todor Kesimov joins Takeda in 2012 as Business Controller for Bulgaria. A year later he becomes head of Finance and Logistics for Romania and Bulgaria. In the period 2017-2018 Todor leads Takeda’s Finance department for the Balkan region. Since the beginning of 2018 Todor is General Manager of Takeda’s representative office in Bulgaria. Currently, after Takeda acquired Shire at the end of 2019, Todor Kesimov is General Manager of Takeda Bulgaria EOOD.
Takeda is one of the founders of Japan – Bulgaria Business Association which was established at the end of 2020. Todor is a of the member of the first Management Board of the newly established association. The main priorities of Mr. Kesimov are, among others, the association to unite the companies representing Japanese business in Bulgaria and to be the platform for collaboration aiming to improve economic climate in the country, as well as to attract more Japanese investments in Bulgaria.
About Us
The business relationships between Japan and Bulgaria started in 1927 with exchange of official letters related to merchant ships and implementation of the MFN clause in this regard.
Contact Details
Address: A 9-11 Maria Luiza blvd., 1000, Sofia, Bulgaria
Mobile Phone: +359 882 42 12 38
Fax: + 359 2 423 28 87
Email: office@jbba.bg