Solarplaza Summit | Bulgaria

Philippe Macé is the Chief Operating Officer at Becquerel Institute, an advisory firm specialized in solar photovoltaic and energy transition. With over a decade of experience in the solar sector, Philippe leads a multidisciplinary team covering every dimension of the industry: from economics, technology, industry and market dynamics to regulatory frameworks and sustainability impacts. He leverages this comprehensive expertise to deliver actionable insights and create value for clients through consulting engagements and applied research projects. Philippe has a double academic background, with a MSc in Industrial Engineering & Management as well as an MSc in Environmental Sciences & Management.

Atanas Dimov is a senior energy markets executive with over 20 years across the full electricity value chain: system operator, market operator, regulation, trading and balancing. He works on renewable integration, flexibility, storage and market coupling. His view is that the next phase of the transition is defined not by new capacity, but by integration, coordination and execution in real time.

Sevda Yontcheva is a stakeholder engagement strategist at CWP, advancing large-scale renewable projects across Southeast Europe. She works at the intersection of policy, industry, and communities to unlock investment, strengthen public trust, and accelerate the role of wind power in Europe’s clean and secure energy future.

With a background in mechanical engineering and previous leadership roles in construction across six European markets, Sebastiaan combines technical insight with commercial leadership to accelerate energy transition efforts globally. Sebastiaan drives international expansion and investor engagement for ion Ventures to scale clean energy solutions with a particular focus on Europe.

Rafał is a seasoned investment bank expert with over 25 years of professional experience in strategy consulting, mergers and acquisitions, debt advisory as well as equity capital markets. He leads the Energy and Infrastructure CEE Team at Jones Lang LaSalle where he specializes in cross border M&A transaction across the whole CEE region. By combining deep local market knowledge with international investors’ framework, he helps developers and investors securing the capital necessary to develop, build and operate renewable energy projects across the region. He focuses on onshore wind, BESS and solar PV technologies with over 3 GW of various projects transacted so far.

Vasil Bachvarov joined DSK Bank over a decade ago in the Project Finance department, following a strong background in deal advisory within EY’s Transaction Advisory Services business line. Since his early days at DSK, energy financing has been a central pillar of his portfolio, encompassing renewable energy sources (solar PV, wind, and hydro), traditional thermal power, and utility-scale battery energy storage systems (BESS). While his primary focus remains on structuring Bulgarian deals, he actively monitors regional energy trends and brings valuable experience from evaluating international opportunities. Currently, as Deputy of Energy and Structured Financing, Vasil is dedicated to driving DSK Bank’s leading role in advancing RES and BESS infrastructure across Bulgaria and the wider region, capitalizing on the strong momentum of private capital entering the sector.

Mariyana is Vice Chair of the Association for Production, Storage and Trading of Electricity (APSTE) in Bulgaria as well as Chief Operating Officer (COO) at International Power Supply (IPS) – an energy technology company with 36 years of experience in R&D and manufacturing of power conversion systems, battery energy storage systems (BESS) and micro-grid technologies. To date, Mariyana has over 15 years of experience in various leadership roles within business development and investment market research for wind, solar, energy storage and smart grids. In all her roles, she works tirelessly to bridge the gap between technology, regulation, and finance — and foster collaboration across sectors to accelerate the clean energy transition.

Valery Drenikov is Regional Manager for Bulgaria at GEN-I and Chairman of the Management Board of ATEB (Association of Traders with Energy in Bulgaria). With more than 10 years of experience in electricity trading and market development, he specializes in Southeast European power markets, cross-border trading, renewable integration, battery storage (BESS), balancing and ancillary services, and energy market regulation.

Borislava Piperkova is a Partner and Head of the Energy, Projects and Construction team at CMS Sofia. She advises investors, developers and financial institutions on renewable energy, BESS and infrastructure projects, with a focus on project development, acquisitions, financing and regulatory matters. Her experience spans energy, banking, corporate, commercial and real estate law, supporting clients across Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the US.

Severin Vartigov is an experienced energy sector professional with over 15 years in finance, capital markets, and project development. As Chief Commercial Officer at Enery, he leads commercial strategy, negotiates with offtakers, and supports the financing and development of large-scale renewable projects. Previously, he served as CFO of the Independent Bulgarian Energy Exchange and Deputy CEO of the Bulgarian Energy Holding, contributing to strategic decision-making, financial planning, and engagement with the European Commission on energy policy. Earlier in his career, he built strong expertise in corporate finance and capital markets, including structuring major bond issuances and developing partnerships with international financial institutions and investors.

Petya Dimova leads the energy trading strategy at Enery, spearheading the commercial optimization of renewable and storage assets across Central and Eastern Europe. With over a decade of experience in wholesale and intraday markets, she has built a track record of deploying advanced trading models that boost asset performance and flexibility. At Enery, Petya oversees market access, algorithmic trading, and the integration of battery systems, helping producers, storage owners and consumers alike turn opportunities into lasting value. She holds a degree in Economics and has deep expertise in market regulation, energy derivatives, and risk management.

Nikola Stoyanov has more than 20 years of experience in corporate finance, SME lending, structured finance and real estate investments. In Eurobank Bulgaria he served as Head of Project Finance and later as Head of Large Corporate and Project Finance. His working path met him with some of the most successful entrepreneurs in Renewables and Reals Estate. Over the past two years he was involved in new projects for the total amount of €2B.

Martin Garkov is an Associate at xFigure Finance, an independent advisory firm supporting renewable energy developers, investors, and lenders across CEE. He focuses on M&A and project finance across the renewable energy and infrastructure sectors and has advised on several of xFigure’s most notable recent transactions. Prior to joining xFigure, Martin worked in infrastructure private equity and investment banking. xFigure has advised on over 1.8 GW of completed and ongoing solar, wind, and battery storage mandates, providing clients with end-to-end support across origination, financial modelling, financing, and transaction execution.

Rosemary is a Lead Consultant at Clean Horizon with a strong technical and analytical background in the energy storage sector. Her expertise focuses on the profitability assessment of storage projects and conducting in-depth market analyses across various European countries. She specializes in dimensioning energy storage projects using optimization models to dispatch assets effectively on energy and ancillary services markets. Rosemary holds an engineering degree from Institut d'Optique Graduate School and a Master of Science in physics from Imperial College London, combining her academic foundation in science and engineering with practical commercial and regulatory insights to support project developers and investors.

Konstantin Stamenov is one of Bulgaria's leading experts on energy policy and industrial competitiveness. He serves as Chairman of the Bulgarian Federation of Industrial Energy Consumers (BFIEC) and Chairman of the Energy Committee of the Confederation of Employers and Industrialists in Bulgaria (CEIBG). Alongside his policy work, he is Authorized Representative and Director of Energy Resources at Stomana Industry, one of Bulgaria's largest industrial companies. He regularly engages with government, regulators, and European institutions on energy market reform, decarbonization, energy security, and industrial competitiveness, and is widely recognized as a leading voice on the future of Europe's energy-intensive industries.

Queen Mary, University of London and King's College London graduate, after post-graduate course at the Sorbonne, Elena began her career as a business analyst at American Express (UK). Before starting the "Evklips Energy" adventure, Elenagained valuable experience at Hewlett Packard Enterprise, where she worked as a financial analyst. The dream of a "greener future" becomes a driving force for the transition from large corporations towards the establish of company. To date, Evklips Energy is among the leaders in the construction of photovoltaic plants throughout Europe. In the last 6 years, the company has over 1 gigawatt of installed capacity. Evklips Energy is the investor and owner of 4 solar power plants in Bulgaria (18 MWp). With a team of over 250 professionals, Evklips Energy also offers full EPC services in Bulgaria.

Panu Matilainen is Market Origination Lead at Capalo AI, where he leads the company's long term offtake agreements across 11 countries. In this role, he works to secure the commercial partnerships that underpin Capalo AI's battery energy storage system optimization and trading business across Europe. Since joining Capalo AI, Panu has held several commercial roles, including Business Development Executive and Business Development Manager, before moving into his current position as Market Origination Lead. Across these roles, he has built a deep understanding of how technical energy market dynamics connect with commercial strategies. Before joining Capalo AI, Panu worked as a trainee at eSett in Helsinki, gaining early exposure to the Nordic energy market. Panu holds a Bachelor of Science in Technology from Aalto University.

Lucian Safta is Business Development Manager CEE at CJR Renewables, responsible for developing utility-scale wind, solar PV, and BESS opportunities across Central and Eastern Europe. With extensive experience in renewable energy, commercial management, tendering, and EPC contracting, he collaborates with leading developers and investors to deliver large-scale clean energy projects and accelerate the energy transition across the region.

Martin Slavov has nearly two decades of experience at EVN Bulgaria Group, holding senior positions across energy trading and market development. After serving as Senior Trader, Head of Trading and Chief Operating Officer at EVN Trading, he became Market Development Manager at EVN Bulgaria in 2026. He has also served on the IBEX Council and the Management Board of the Bulgarian Association of Energy Traders.

Yuri Katanov has over 20 years of experience in corporate finance, investment structuring and the delivery of large-scale energy projects. He has played an active role in landmark renewable energy initiatives across Southeast Europe and contributes to the transformation of the region’s energy sector by connecting renewable generation, battery storage, aggregation and balancing services with advanced digital energy solutions.

Martin Georgiev is Chief Executive Officer and member of the Board of Directors of Electrohold Trade. From May 2022 to March 2025, he was Chief Executive Officer of the National Electricity Company (NEK EAD) and member of the Board of Directors of ContourGlobal Maritsa East 3 thermal power plant. Before that, he held various management and consulting positions at local and international energy companies.

Dimitar joined the team of the Bulgarian TSO in 2007, and since 2019, he is Director of the National Dispatch Center. In 2021, he was elected and served a term as a Board Member of ENTSO-E. Over the years, Dimitar has been actively involved in all aspects of the operations of ESO, including the establishment of the Southeastern Europe Security Coordination Center in Thessaloniki, the process for integration of the Western Balkan countries into the single European electricity market, the connection of Turkey to continental Europe synchronous zone, and the feasibility studies for the interconnection of Ukraine. He has a significant contribution for developing and expanding the trans- European infrastructure and ensuring security of electricity supplies amid the energy transition.

Dinna Temelkova is a senior energy and infrastructure executive and Bulgaria’s Manager of the Year 2025. Most recently, she led Telelink Infra, expanding its capabilities in renewable energy, BESS and critical infrastructure, with a strong focus on large-scale project delivery, grid integration and the energy transition.