Women Reality in TECH :: True & Inspiring Stories of Successful Women (Part 1)

#1

#Inspiring #Successful #Charming #Leaders

WR TECH Women in Tech Matter

“YOU CAN ONLY WIN IF YOUR WILL TO SUCCEED IS BIGGER THAN YOUR FEAR OF FAILING” “YOU NEED TO BE READY TO STEP OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE AND TAKE ON NEW CHALLENGES” TAKING CARE OF FLOWERS IN THE HEYDAY OF YOUR IT CAREER “WHEN YOU BELIEVE IN YOURSELF, YOU CAN DO ANYTHING.” AN EXPERIMENTAL PHYSICIST WHO DECIDED TO BECOME A SOFTWARE DEVELOPER

YANA PAPARDOVA:

A story about success ambition, positivism and a lightsaber

DIGITAL FINANCE IS A CATALYST FOR CHANGE in partnership with

w r t e c h . i o

Fintech:: Възходът

134

Fintech:: Възходът

Възходът::Fintech

135

CONTENTS #1

12 08

08. “WHEN YOU BELIEVE IN YOURSELF,

YOU CAN DO ANYTHING.”

LUISA ARANGO - PRINCIPAL CONSULTANT AT LUXOFT

12. “YOU CAN ONLY WIN IF YOUR WILL

TO SUCCEED IS BIGGER THAN YOUR FEAR OF FAILING.”

DESISLAVA AVRAMOVA - DEVELOPMENT MANAGER AT SAP LABS BULGARIA

*short version 2 | WR TECH

18. A STORY ABOUT SUCCESS -

AMBITION, POSITIVISM AND A LIGHTSABER*

YANA PAPARDOVA - HR MANAGER AT SCHWARZ IT BULGARIA

24. А SENIOR BUSINESS ANALYST

WITH AN INTEREST IN BIOMEDICAL INFORMATICS

IRINA TONCHEVA - SENIOR BUSINESS ANALYST AT ACCENTURE

66

28

78

60

28. “YOU NEED TO BE READY TO STEP

OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE AND TAKE ON NEW CHALLENGES” LYUBOMIRA PETROVA – CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER AT ULTRAPLAY

32. “HARD WORK, DEVOTION, A

CONSTANT DEVELOPMENT OF SKILLS AND BROADENING YOUR KNOWLEDGE IS THE RIGHT WAY TO SUCCESS”

38. A PERSON OF NUMBERS, ACCURACY,

GOALS AND PRINCIPLES

PETYA NENCHEVA - HEAD OF AGILE PRACTICE AT FOURTH

44. ONE CURIOUS BUSINESS ANALYST AND SURFER WHO TAKE PART IN MISSIONS FROM TIME HEROES DILYANA KOVCHAZLIEVA - BUSINESS ANALYST AT IMMEDIS

MIRYANA MARKOVA - VP PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AT AIOPSGROUP

WR TECH | 3

CONTENTS #2

74

70 50

50. DIGITAL FINANCE IS A CATALYST FOR

CHANGE

ELITSA TASKOVA - PRODUCT OWNER AT NEXO

56. AN EXPERIMENTAL PHYSICIST WHO

DECIDED TO BECOME A SOFTWARE DEVELOPER

CHRISTINA BEDDA – SOFTWARE DEVELOPER AT LUXOFT

4 | WR TECH

60. RESPONSIBILITY, INITIATIVE AND

DIPLOMACY - THE KEY INGREDIENTS OF ONE SUCCESSFUL DIRECTOR OF SALES

MAGDALENA GAMISHEVA - DIRECTOR OF SALES AT CLICO

38

24 66. AN AMBITIOUS TRAVELLER, KEEN

ON THE HEALTHY LIFESTYLE

MARIA MARINOVA - BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT LEAD AT TSD SOFTWARE PART OF TSD GROUP

70. A COMBINATION OF LOVE FOR

COSMOLOGY AND ASTROPHYSICS AND A PASSION FOR TECHNOLOGIES JOANNA SEYMENAROVA – EXECUTIVE PRODUCER AT IMPERIA ONLINE

74. A PROFESSIONAL WHO

SUCCESSFULLY PRIORITIZE HER TASKS TO BUILD A PLEASANT WORK-LIFE BALANCE EMILIJA ZAFIROVA - ENGINEERING MANAGER AT AXWAY

78. TAKING CARE OF FLOWERS IN THE

HEYDAY OF YOUR IT CAREER

PAULINA DRAGOEVA - QA TEAM LEAD AT ACCENTURE WR TECH | 5

CONTENTS #3

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK: @devstyler.io

56

32

6 | WR TECH

CONNECT WITH U EDITORS@DEVSTY

44

US: YLER.IO

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER: @DevStyleR1

TEAM PUBLISHER/EDITOR IN CHIEF: IVA ABADJIEVA EDITOR IN CHIEF: KATE BASSETT EDITORS TEAM: NIKOLETA YANAKIEVA NICOLE NIKOLOVA DESIGN: MONIKA MIHOVA VISUAL PRODUCTION: IVAN KIREV SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT: MOMCHIL CHERNEV KATYA DASKALOVA BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER NADIA TODOROVA

Published by:

Concept Services Bulgaria LICENSED BY INNOVATION CENTER INC.

Address:

Sofia 1612, bul. “Tsar Boris III”, № 81, 2nd floor, office 5

Edition:

Tel.: 0894 77 2258, Tel.:. 0896 88 0937 EDITORS@DEVSTYLER.IO Reprinting the materials is done only as long as the publisher allows it. The edition is not responsible for the information in the advertising and PR publications.

The rights and/or the responsibility for the photos in the edition belong to the ones who provide them. If it’s not expressly mentioned, the photos are provided by the companies or by personal archives.

18

Copyright Copyright@2019 Innovation Center Inc. All rights reserved. Title is protected through a trademark registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

WR TECH | 7

“When you believe in yourself, YOU CAN DO ANYTHING”

Luisa Arango, a Principal Consultant at Luxoft, USA, was the first person to open an Excelian office in Mexico and move to the United States the same year. Professionally, she is a financial engineer with an MBA. In 2017, she launched a blog “Finanzas Mujeres” (Finance for Women) using The Medium Platform.

Luisa Fernanda Arango Arcila works as a Principal Consultant at Luxoft USA. This lady started her career at the company a year and a half ago. She has been the first person to open the Excelian office in Mexico. Speaking professionally, Luisa is a finance engineer, who also has an MBA. For the last nine years, she has been working with Murex projects for consulting groups, financial institutions, and banks in Mexico, Colombia, and now in the USA, including BBVA, Santander, Accenture, Bancolombia, and KPMG. Luisa has experience supporting trading desk, risk, and back-office processes. She creates pre-sales presentations and conducts workshops and trainings.

Luisa established the blog “Finanzas Mujeres”(Finance for Women) , in 2017 using The Medium Platform. Luisa always focuses her message on women in

the finance sector because she believes that women need help to become financially independent. Luisa likes the phrase, “The value of the money is made by our decisions” because she thinks it is important to talk about the experience of leading finance as a woman. What inspired Luisa to become an IT Ambassador was the ability to speak about her career, about her experience, and her blog.

Her advice to us is to be focused and believe in ourselves. Luisa thinks that when we believe in ourselves, we are capable of anything. She also shares that it is good to create habits that allow us to lead by example, learn, talk with other women and share our journey. According to Luisa, it is important to make our ideas heard, as sometimes we feel very shy when we talk, but we need to express ourselves and gain confidence that we can lead a good team.

“I ALWAYS FOCUS MY MESSAGES TO WOMEN ABOUT FINANCE, BECAUSE I THINK WE NEED HELP TO BE INDEPENDENT. FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE SHOULD BE A PRIORITY FOR EVERYONE, BUT THERE IS A HUGE DIFFERENCE, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT WOMEN. ”

Can you tell us about yourself and your experience?

Hello, I am Luisa. I am from Colombia, I am 33 years old, and I am a mother. Professionally, I am a finance engineer, and I have an MBA. For the last nine years, I have been working for Murex projects for consulting groups, financial institutions, and banks in Mexico, Colombia, and now here in the USA, including BBVA, Santander, Accenture, Bancolombia, and KPMG. I have experience supporting trading desk, risk, and back-office processes. I create pre-sales presentations and conduct workshops and training. I design new financial products and make the configuration inside the product environment to meet the client’s needs.

I also support upgrade projects – when you need to migrate from one version to another – and currently, I am most experienced in the Market and Credit Risk area. I started my career at Luxoft 1.5 years ago, and I was the first person who opened the Excelian office in Mexico. This year, I have moved to the USA and continued working for the Murex practice.

From your experienced perspective, how do the worlds of business finance and womanhood overlap?

I started the blog “Finanzas Mujeres”, Finance for Women, in 2017 using The Medium Platform. I always focus my message towards women on finance

WR TECH | 9

projects / in management positions?

I think that first of all, we need to promote the teaching of leadership and business management for women. We need to create more focus groups like “She Code” that promote programming among women, providing them the opportunity to learn IT skills and to be more involved in IT projects. In most cases, when we are children, our parents do not teach us how to use a computer or tell us to study programming. We start learning over our journey. We can run initiatives that encourage women to join programming careers and get involved in creating startups, apps, etc.

“WE CAN RUN INITIATIVES THAT ENCOURAGE WOMEN TO JOIN PROGRAMMING CAREERS AND GET INVOLVED IN CREATING STARTUPS, APPS, ETC.”

because we need help to become financially independent. Financial independence should be a priority for everyone, but there is a huge difference, when you talk about women. A financially independent woman is better for the world, as she can make better decisions, contribute to society, choose the life that she wants, and make a difference. I like the phrase, “The value of the money is made by our decisions”, and it is important to talk about the experience of leading finance as a woman.

What does a fully diverse and inclusive workplace look like to you?

For me, a fully diverse and inclusive workplace is a workplace where everyone is treated equally and with respect – men and women are equal. An inclusive space allows professional and personal development. Men and women should have the same capacities, rights, and opportunities. Luxoft does not have barriers; I do not feel any barriers between men and women in the Vendor Solutions practice.

Luisa can you tell us what inspired you to become an ambassador, and how do you want to develop your role in the future?

I was inspired to become an ambassador because I can speak about my career, about my experience, about my blog. In this role, I would like to lead by example, show that we have a voice, and share my personal experience on managing personal finances. Women are transforming the finance industry with our work and our leadership, and there are more women involved in IT careers, women who are interested in studying and working in IT. It is good to encourage these women to join us and be more involved in these projects. I think more women must be included, and it is important to listen to their perception of the IT and finance industries and how we can manage our work and life. I would like to share information on how to work in financial IT and how we can win a space here, as well as how to become a financially independent woman.

Can you share any personal experiences in which equal gender representation resulted in new success?

In the United States and Canada, the number of women working in Vendor Solutions is only 15%, but in the Mexico office, we have more women – 50% – working for the Vendor Solutions practice than in other parts of Luxoft. This is a good example, this number of women working in the VS practice shows we have a good profile and that we lead by example. My teammates are super talented, and they are always looking for something new to learn that will generate ideas. All of us, Latin-American girls, some of those are moving to Mexico from Colombia to work. It is a good example that our office in Mexico is growing with female employees. When we have such a space, it allows us to become an example on other fronts and attract more talent.

10 | WR TECH

What do you think Luxoft could do to increase the number of women in IT

What advice do you have for women aiming for leadership roles?

You need to be focused and believe in yourself. When you believe in yourself, you are capable of anything. It is good to create habits that allow us to lead by example, learn, and talk with other women and share our journey. It is important to make your ideas heard, as sometimes we feel very shy when we talk, but we need to express ourselves, gain confidence that we can lead a good team. We should not be afraid.

How do you manage your professional and personal lives to be successful in both?

In 2020, I became a mom. I have a 9-month old daughter. With the pandemic and working from home, it was challenging to manage our time and stay with the baby. As a mother, you have to be very organized. You have to create a

Favourite clothes?

Sport clothes.

High heels or flat shoes?

Low shoes. hich typical female quality or household responsibility W does not apply to you?

I don’t like to make up. hat is THE thing that you must have in your bag when W going out?

Cellphone. avourite lipstick colour?

F I don’t use lipstick.

good schedule, establish a routine with your baby, and be patient, as no day is the same. You need to prioritize things, as you cannot cover everything at once, and when you can get by the computer, you need to be very focused. We also need to take care of ourselves, as when becoming a mom, we often forget about ourselves as women. Every day is a new challenge, and I am constantly looking for the best way to get things done. I think that every day must be lived, and you need to make sure that every minute with yourself or your family counts.

What has inspired you recently?

One book that inspired me this year was “Educated“ by Tara Westover. I identified my self with the protagonist of this story in 100%. Tara shares her story of how education transformed her life, allowed her to change her mentality, and to grow and reach heights she had never thought of before. She had problems with her family and religion-based issues, but when she decided to start her education, she found another world that she was not aware of. I love the way she created the story and explained how she found her own voice: “My life was narrated for me by others. Their voices were forceful, emphatic, absolute. It had never occurred to me that my voice might be as strong as theirs.” Your life cannot be narrated by someone else; don’t let others speak for you. I believe that we must all find our own voice and make ourselves heard. For me, education is crucial for men and women. Without it, we are lost. It is the only tool we have to break barriers.

WR TECH | 11

12 | WR TECH

“YOU CAN ONLY WIN if your will to succeed is bigger than your fear of failing”

Desislava Avramova is a Development Manager at Sap Labs Bulgaria. She is a brave, positive, communicative and adventurous woman. The company she works for is extremely active in the area of diversity and gender equality. They have regular initiatives and activities for attracting and developing women in their careers.

Desislava Avramova is а Manager at SAP Labs Bulgaria, an adventure-seeker and an adrenaline-sports lover. She thinks that we need to feel as good in our comfort zone as outside of it so that we can see how easy it gets to make an achievement.

Combining her personal and professional life was easy for her, because right from the beginning she turned her hobby into her job. She loves what she’s doing, and she does not put any limits or hard stops on these two parts. Her recommendation is to stay curious and always set goals so big that you can’t achieve them until you grow into the person who can.

SAP Labs Bulgaria is very active in the area of diversity and gender equality because it has regular initiatives and activities for attracting and developing women in their career. Desi thinks that in most cases, by nature, women are very caring and family oriented and this is how they drive their business too. It happens on a subconscious level and it gives

great results. She also adds that we should not forget that each skill, quality, and characteristic of an individual is a product of many complex influences and experiences throughout our whole life and in most cases, it has nothing to do with our gender.

And the “charm”, by no doubt, always works.

The biggest inspiration in her professional life is her team. There is no bigger booster for her than their success and growth, professionally and personally.

However, she shared with us that it was not always sunny. Sometimes her team had to go through very difficult moments together but at the end of the day the good stuff, the mutual respect and support is what remains in their memories. Her strong will, great communication skills and ability to influence, motivate, energize and inspire people brought her to the position of Development Manager at SAP Labs Bulgaria. She likes to pave the roads in areas which are not so well explored and settled and lead her team through this amazing journey.

“YOU NEED TO FEEL AS GOOD IN YOUR COMFORT ZONE AS OUTSIDE OF IT AND THEN YOU SEE HOW EASY IT GETS TO MAKE AN ACHIEVEMENT. THERE IS NOTHING TO FEAR BUT THE FEAR ITSELF.”

WR TECH | 13

avourite clothes?

F Those which fit for the occasion. igh heels or flat shoes?

H High heels - you need to go a bit up to see the big picture.

Which typical female quality or household responsibility does not apply to you?

Emotional outbursts and cooking simply do not resonate with me somehow. hat is THE thing that you must have in your bag when W going out?

A Credit card and cash.

Favourite lipstick colour?

Natural lips colour.

“I THINK THAT MALES AND FEMALES HAVE STRENGTHS WHICH COMPLEMENT EACH OTHER VERY WELL. “

Can you share something specific about you that we can’t find on LinkedIn? I am a fan of sports which make your heart beat fast and your blood run cold such as balloon rides, submarine diving, aquaplaning, all-terrain vehicles racing, swimming among stingrays, mantas and sharks or horse and camel rides. You need to learn to take risks and the consequences of your decisions. You need to feel as good in your comfort zone as outside of it and then you see how easy it gets to make an achievement. There is nothing to fear but the fear itself.

Have you encountered any challenges in your career in connection to being a woman?

Of course, I did. One of the most memorable cases was about 10 years ago. I was already a Global Leader of a unit and there was an escalation with a very important customer. They insisted on having an on-site workshop in their premises with the presence of the manager on our side to speed up the decision-making. I was the first to arrive in the meeting room as I wanted to make a technical check of the equipment and be sure that all works as expected. Then all the rest joined, and I suggested that we are complete, and we could start. Right at this 14 | WR TECH

moment the manager from the customer side looked at me and said “Well miss, we cannot start because we are expecting the Global Leader to join and he has not arrived yet. But if you don’t mind in the meantime you can bring us one more pot of coffee”. I guess that he perceived me as the coffee or the facility lady. You can imagine how awkward it got when I explained that “he” is “she” and it is actually “me”. But this did not prevent us

from signing the deal and doing a great job together.

Do you know how many women work in your position?

Not enough.

Do you think that the problem of gender inequality is still relevant in Bulgaria and globally?

I think that this is a big topic and we can-

not give a straight answer right away. I can say that in Bulgaria and globally we have made huge steps in providing equal opportunities for all genders. The matter gets very complicated when it comes to the point of psychological perceptions, prejudices and ideas which are driven by families, societies, and religions. We still have a long way to go.

Which policies does your company encourage regarding gender diversity?

My company is very active in this area.

We have regular initiatives and activities for attracting and developing women in their career. We also strive for gender parity year over year.

cating all this. In most cases, by nature, women are very caring and family oriented and this is how they drive their business too. It happens on a subconscious level and it gives great results. But we should not forget that each skill, quality, and characteristic of an individual is a product of many complex influences and experiences throughout their whole life and in most cases, it has nothing to do with their gender. And the “charm”, no doubt it always works.

Do your male colleagues treat you differently?

I truly believe that the way people treat you depends more on who you are as an individual and not on your gender. The determinator of the professional relationships is a quite broad blend of skills you have, and your gender is not in the list.

How do you combine personal and professional life? Do you have any rules that you follow?

It is very easy for me because I turned my hobby into my job. I love what I do, and I do not put any limits or hard stops on these two parts. I think that this significantly decreases the stress levels and increases the satisfaction. I surround myself with people with similar vision and attitude towards life and business and thus I get support and understanding. It definitely helps.

Do you think that a woman’s appearance and charm affect their professional success? (example: does it make communication easier?)

I think that males and females have strengths which complement each other very well. Indeed, women are good at structuring, organizing, having a plan, setting the direction, and communi-

Which sources do you follow and can you recommend some of them to our audience? (example: podcasts, pages, influencers, vloggers, etc) I am very curious and I am open to all sources so I would not recommend any in particular. My recommendation is – Stay curious and always set goals so big that you can’t achieve them until you

grow into the person who can.

Can you share some key moments from your career?

I guess that the game changer in my career happened when I was driving an IT Security related Project in a bank as a side-hobby project while my real job there was related to Project Management of finance projects. One day my manager at that time came to me and said “Look, I see that the job you are doing for the IT Security topic is outstanding and you do it with such eagerness and fluency that it is amazing. I would like you to take over the role of a Head of our IT Governance Unit. What would you say?”. No need to say that I was scared but excited too. I have always thought that I can take over a unit like Risk Management or Bad Credits unit etc. but I have never considered changing the domain. When I slept over it, I realized that being offered the chance to do something which you love doing in your free time is the offer of your life.

The other great thing which came into my career was the opportunity to work in multinational companies and manage global teams all around the world. This made me realize that the sky’s the limit and that there are indeed cultural differences but there are more similarities among the people from all around the world.

If we could turn back in time what is the

WR TECH | 15

“I T PEOP ON W A

advice you would give to yourself?

I would have advised myself that I can only win if my will to succeed is bigger than my fear of failing. Young professionals should know that God loves the brave. There is absolutely no guarantee for success for anything in life and you need simply to learn to take risks and go for the things you really believe are worth the effort.

What inspires you in your professional and personal plan?

The biggest inspiration in my professional life – this is my team. There is no bigger booster for me than watching them succeed and grow, both professionally and personally. I cannot even find the words to express how rewarded and satisfied I feel when I look back and see all those people who grew from junior to senior roles in my teams and all along the way we have celebrated marriages, new-born babies, first baby teeth, first school days, first teenage love of their kids and many other memorable events. Well, it was not always sunny. Sometimes we had to go through very difficult moments together overcoming devastating divorces, loss of beloved people and sickness times. But at the end of the day the good stuff, the mutual respect and support is what remains in our memories.

In the personal aspect the biggest inspiration for me comes from my beloved friends. They are my rock and my safe 16 | WR TECH

place. We brainstorm ideas and dreams together. I also get huge inspiration and wisdom from the lectures of some gurus and wisdom teachers. It is always motivating and energizing to see the success stories of people around you too.

What are your hobbies?

Apart from the list of extreme sports I like walking in the park with good company, swimming, reading and spending time with loved ones.

Tell us more about your experience.

During the last 13 years I have been taking leadership and senior leadership

positions in areas like IT Governance, ITSM, SLM and Reporting On-boarding, Presales, Solution Architecture, User Acceptance Testing, Validation and Operational Readiness Review, Project Management and Development. I have the unique opportunity to work in great companies and build high performing teams. I like to pave the roads in areas which are not so well explored and settled and lead my teams through this amazing journey. We are creating brand new products and services and we are delighted to serve our customers’ business needs.

TRULY BELIEVE THAT THE WAY PLE TREAT YOU DEPENDS MORE WHO YOU ARE AS AN INDIVIDUAL AND NOT ON YOUR GENDER”

WR TECH | 17

18 | WR TECH

All the female qualities apply to her, although she has a lightsaber by her DESK AND SHE IS NOT AFRAID TO USE IT Yana Papardova, the HR manager of Schwarz IT, is a colorful, positive and ambitious person who is also a big fan of the Japanese language and some of their favorite creations - anime and manga. Getting, giving positive feedback and seeing how successful projects come to life is all Yana needs.

Yana Papardova is the HR manager of Schwarz IT Bulgaria. From first sight, you can tell she has a positive, ambitious and colourful personality. She is a big fan of the Japanese culture and language and some of their most beloved creations – anime and manga. Yana often gets inspiration from K-pop videos, which shows in the small details of her style.

She firmly believes that one of the key attributes of the ‘HR people’ is the right combination of mindfulness, empathy, sensitivity, and the ability to look beyond the surface. Yana is very conscious about all issues that arise from gender inequality, and despite the fact that this

topic is widely discussed and tackled in business, there is still a way to go in order to reach the right balance. Yet, she has her two cents at Schwarz IT Bulgaria, as one of the company’s main missions is to bring more women to the IT realm.

Otherwise, Yana loves giving (and getting) positive feedback, and seeing how successful projects come to life is her inspiration in work. Her stepping into the realm of Human Resources a bit like ‘a strike of luck’ – but her successful track so far proves that this was not only by chance, but a combination of hard work, creativity, passion, and lots of sleepless nights.

“GETTING POSITIVE FEEDBACK AND SEEING SUCCESSFUL PROJECTS COME TO LIFE IS ALL I NEED.”

WR TECH | 19

Favorite clothes?

Watch a K-Pop video if you haven’t.

That’s how you’ll get a pretty good idea of my wardrobe. I love it when people have character and are bold enough to show it. I express mine through my style, which is usually full of colours and accessories.

High heels or flat shoes?

If the occasion calls for it, I would even wear cowboy boots! I am now dying for an occasion to wear a new flower earpiece I got. It’s huge, shiny and looks like it came straight out of a Chinese royal wedding and I love it.

Which typical female quality does not apply to you? think there is any specific ‘work’ or ‘quality’ that pre-defines genders. I am what I am, with all my flaws and good qualities - an independent and strong personality with a vulnerable heart which often melts when good things happen.

What is THE thing that you must have in your bag when going out?

Another bag. A bigger one!

Favorite lipstick color?

To be honest I accessorise so much that it’s best not to go overboard with the lipstick as well.

Can you share something specific about you that we can’t find on LinkedIn? I am a big fan of Japan and some of their most beloved creations – anime and manga. This interest refers to my general interest in the Asian action/ fantasy genre. I’ve been obsessed with it for the last 15 years and now it feels just as much a part of me as anything else. You can easily spot my footprint around our offices. I have printed a huge wallpaper from The Shire in our green room. There are big stickers around the office with Son Goku, Monkey D. Luffy and Spirited Away. I had a lightsabre next to my desk.

It did wonders when I had to persuade people to agree to what I was proposing.

Have you encountered any challenges in your career in connection to being a woman?

Almost every woman has. However, I feel like I’ve been more blessed than others.

The biggest challenges I’ve faced were usually connected with trying to keep the right tone. There are certain expectations – a woman can’t be too assertive 20 | WR TECH

or aggressive in her opinions. She might be labelled as hysterical or unstable. But if you are trying to prove your point you can’t afford to be too timid. I have had cases in the past when I hadn’t been able to balance it out, and this was seen as unprofessional. “You are too emotional”, someone would tell me. “Are you stressed?” Or, my favourite, “She must be on her period”. All of these comments have taught me that being too expressive is not a good wager for a woman. A sure weapon remains in polite and cool indifference. Though that might label you as frigid. But it will give you results.

Do you know how many women work in your position?

Quite a lot. My profession falls under one of the social mindsets. A teacher, a nurse, a hygienist, a shop assistant, someone from Human resources – when you think of the role you imagine a woman. It’s one of the few places where you can see the gender prevails but if you look at the social status of the listed positions it’s not exactly something to be

envious about.

Do you think that the problem of gender inequality is still relevant in Bulgaria and globally?

It’s just as relevant now as it has always been all over the world. A dent has barely been made in the evening on the scales and it is in no way equal for every place in the world. It starts with uneven access to education. Around the world, women still have less access to education than men. When girls are not educated at the same level as boys, it has a huge effect on their future and the kinds of opportunities they’ll get.

Then there is job segregation. In most societies, there’s an inherent belief that men are simply better equipped to handle certain jobs. Most of the time, those are the jobs that pay the best. There is also a huge lack of legal protection in many countries against domestic sexual violence or domestic economic violence.

These places become unsafe and without protection, women frequently have to make decisions that compromise and limit their goals. Thankfully this is not the case in Bulgaria but there are societies where women still do not have the right to choose - no matter if it concerns their education or personal life, including when to become a parent. There are so many problems in the world, some of them more pressing than others. But we shouldn’t let ourselves forget that we still have many issues to tackle, deep issues, rooted in the cultures, which are going to require time and systematic efforts to deal with.

What policy does your company follow in terms of promoting diversity?

It is one of our missions to do our best in providing more and more women the opportunity to develop in the area of information technology. It all starts at school, so we are trying to promote it as a career path as early as possible.

We have a target of having 50 – 50 in percentage when it comes to both genders. We are steadily climbing our ladder and we are now over 30%. Women at Schwarz IT also take managerial and leadership roles.

Of course, the ladies need to feel comfortable that they can also be dedicated parents and not miss out on their career development. This comes with flexibility and promoting work-life balance at Schwarz IT Bulgaria. It also comes with a bonus for having a baby.

Do your male colleagues treat you dif-

ferently?

I did mention I have a sword by the desk, so you can imagine everyone treats me with respect – male or female. Joke aside, Schwarz IT Bulgaria is a great place to work if you want to feel valued for your professional qualities, if you want your achievements to be recognized, or be given equal opportunities.

Do you think that a woman’s appearance and charm affect her professional success? (example: does it make communication easier?)

It certainly does - especially in the beginning when appearance is the first thing we notice. People are very visual creatures and we are prone to open up more easily to the people we find attractive. That can be dangerous at times though – you don’t want to only be successful because of just your looks and charms. You want everything you have to offer to your profession and organization to be recognized – your efforts, your ideas, your code, your coaching methods, your personal touch. Right?

How do you combine personal and professional life? Do you have any rules

that you follow?

In this pandemic year finding the balance for many has proven to be quite a challenge. I don’t think many of us had realized how reliant we were on changing location and the scenery in order to switch off or to distract ourselves. I am one of the few people you will meet, who tells you that they hate travelling. And yet, a few months in the first lockdown, I found myself desperate and ecstatic to find myself as far as a new neighbourhood.

I’ve always had one refuge and that’s reading. The moment I get my hands on a good fanfiction from a favourite book or movie I “disappear” from the world.

During the pandemic it feels like I’ve done that a lot and I know that no matter the times a good book will always make me forget about everything else. My current obsession is a Chinese production, called “The Untaimed”. Do check it out.

Which sources do you follow and can you recommend some of them to our audience? (example: podcasts, pages, influencers, vloggers, etc.).

I am completely in love with the podcast WR TECH | 21

22 | WR TECH

Star Talk, led by Neil deGrasse Tyson. As an astrophysicist he has a certain knack of talking about the known universe in a very accessible way. And you don’t just learn about stars. You learn how deep the deep actually is, what is real back, what is real nothing and how far can you actually go with large numbers. Next, you might hear about aliens, dark matter or why the sky is blue. If you don’t remember a few physics classes from high school, you are in for a ride.

What is your personal philosophy as a successful HR professional?

Always go the extra mile and never assume things about people. This might sound like a cliché – yet, we still do it on a daily basis. Because, let’s face it – quite often, ‘HR people’ need to overcome some sort of drama – be it personal, professional, or both. People come with their own issues, emotional baggage, mood swings, burdens. We, as HRs, need to be mindful and go beyond the specific issue. We have to learn to read between the lines, to listen, be flexible, and develop an ability to empathize.

When I say “going the extra mile”, I mean mostly the ‘small details’. Greet the people around you, give a compliment, do your research, be prepared for a meeting, check your facts, ask for feedback before making a decision. It’s all those little things that can be very easy to overlook while we are swarmed with a pile of tasks for the day. It’s easy to say “I’ll just wing it on the fly” or “I probably already know everything about this case”.

It’s the perseverance in being thorough that gives the best results.

In your experience, which benefits/ perks drive the highest employee satisfaction and engagement?

There are so many new studies coming out, tracking the change of life we have had over the last year. In brief, the skills needed in many roles have an increasingly short shelf life, owing in part to more-frequent and disruptive technological breakthroughs. Positions filled today will require up to 10 new skills within 18 months. So, a company looking towards the future needs to hire for potential, not so much as for experience.

Second, we need to move beyond the ping-pong table and the free drinks as the usual incentives. It’s critical that companies understand how candidates view them, the researchers say, and if necessary, find ways to boost those perceptions.

So here at Schwarz IT Bulgaria we are

trying to do exactly that. We are taking a lesson from our retail business which is exceptional at figuring out the consumer’s expectations and we craft positions accordingly. We are working towards expanding our academies in more and more technologies. Opening up amazing opportunities for good professionals to return back home to Bulgaria. Tipping the scales towards gender equality and more women getting interested in IT. Our company tries to understand and refer to things that matter most to people - and combine them with strategic foresight and teamwork - locally and globally.

What motivates and inspires you the

most in your professional life?

Getting and giving positive feedback, and seeing successful projects come to life are all the motivation I need.

When people leave with a smile and are light-hearted after our meeting – this makes me just as happy and engaged.

Deep down in my core I am a genuine people pleaser and that can be a good thing to have in my profession. It makes my work easy and satisfying.

I was a regular student, just like many others, when I was choosing a profession. It was some kind of stroke of luck that I got the chance to step into the field of Human resources. Now I can’t imagine doing anything else.

WR TECH | 23

А Senior Business Analyst with an INTEREST IN BIOMEDICAL INFORMATICS Irina Toncheva is a Senior Business Analyst and Team Lead of the Business Analysis Department at Accenture, Bulgaria. She has been working for 9 years in the IT sector in the field of Business Analysis. Irina is the woman who believes that communication is facilitated when people are positive and smiling, regardless of gender.

24 | WR TECH

Irina Toncheva is a Senior Business Analyst and Team Lead of the Business Analysis Department at Accenture, Bulgaria. She has been working for 9 years in the IT sector, more specifically in the field of Business Analysis.

She is the woman who believes that communication is facilitated when people are positive and smiling, regardless of their gender. Irina shares with us her strong interest in biomedical informatics and adds that she really hopes to work on a software product for medical purposes in the future. When asked if the problem of gender inequality is still relevant in Bulgaria and around the world, Irina answered that in her opinion this topic is not so relevant in our country, unlike some other countries in the Middle East and North Africa, where this is still quite a pressing problem.

Irina shares that the company she works for has an internal “Inclusion and Diversity” program that promotes diversity in all countries. She added that many initiatives are being organized to integrate women and people with different needs.

Irina adds that her colleagues of the opposite gender perceive her as an equal colleague and because of that she has never felt different. For her, as for many other ladies who are parents, it is still a challenge to combine personal and professional life especially with two small children. Irina calls on everyone to look at the UN goals on their official website and to support some of them if they want.

“I THINK THAT COMMUNICATION IS FACILITATED WHEN PEOPLE ARE POSITIVE AND SMILING, REGARDLESS OF THEIR GENDER.”

WR TECH | 25

Share something about yourself that we can’t find on Linked In. I have an interest in biomedical informatics and I hope that one day I will work on a software product for medical purposes.

Have you ever faced challenges in your career regarding the fact that you are a woman?

No. Do you know how many women work in your position?

No. Do you think that the problem with gender inequality still exists in Bulgaria and globally?

In Bulgaria, I don’t think it is relevant. However, in some countries, such as the Middle East and North Africa, this issue is still quite relevant.

Which policies does your company encourage regarding gender diversity?

The company has an internal “Inclusion and Diversity” program to promote diversity in all countries where Accenture is represented. Numerous initiatives are organized for the inte26 | WR TECH

gration of women, people of different sexual orientations, disadvantaged people, intercultural, ethnic, religious and racial inclusion.

How do you get along with men in your company? Do they treat you differently?

They perceive me as an equal colleague, I have never felt different.

Do women’s appearance and charm help you be successful in a professional way?

I think that communication is facilitated when people are positive and smiling, regardless of their gender.

How do you balance your work with your personal life? Are there any rules that you follow?

Sometimes it is challenging, especially with two small children at home.

Which sources would you recommend to us? (podcasts, webpages, influencers, youtubers, etc.)

I urge your audience to consider the goals of the United Nations and, if they wish, to support one of them: https://bit.ly/3gySTfb

Favourite clothes?

Something black.

“THE COMPANY HAS AN INTERNAL “INCLUSION AND DIVERSITY” PROGRAM TO PROMOTE DIVERSITY IN ALL COUNTRIES WHERE ACCENTURE IS REPRESENTED”

igh heels or flat shoes?

H High heels.

Which is THE thing you never go out without?

Wet wipes. avourite lipstick colour?

F Something nude. hich is the feminine quality/duty that you don’t posW sess?

Gossip.

Which cause are you currently supporting?

I am buying products with a cause from darpazar.bg

WR TECH | 27

“You need to be ready to step out of your comfort zone and take on new challenges”

Lyubomira Petrova is a Chief Marketing Officer at UltraPlay, Bulgaria, who tells us that she did not choose her career because the career chose her. According to Lyubomira, one of the most important characteristics of a successful Chief Marketing Officer is adaptability, because it is at the heart of the company’s successful story.

Let’s meet Lyubomira Petrova, a Chief Marketing Officer who has been working at UltraPlay for more than 4 years. Lyubomira shared with us that she hasn’t chosen her career simply because her career chose her.

During her 3rd year at university, while obtaining her bachelor degree in Media and Journalism she gained a lot of professional experience. Then she was introduced to the Public Relations niche which caught her interest.

Right after university, Lyubomira started working as a PR specialist in the gaming industry and 8 years later she is still in the industry, with grown expertise as a marketing professional.

She says that one crucial characteristic of a successful Chief Marketing Officer is adaptiveness because being adaptive is at the heart of every success story in a company. She also added that we need to be ready to step out of our comfort zone and take on new challenges. As a marketer in a leading IT and iGaming company such as UltraPlay, Lyubomira shares that the sources she follows are a lot. On

one hand, she needs to stay on top of the marketing trends that are extremely dynamic. On the other hand, the iGaming and IT industries are also at a fast pace of development especially now.

Lyubomira also adds that in the IT industry, innovation is strongly present in product development and implementation. This requires every professional to follow the innovative approach in presenting their message to the company’s target audiences.

Lyubomira thinks that the problem of gender inequality is still relevant in Bulgaria and globally, however, she is also optimistic about the change which is happening with every single initiative or discussion on this topic.

Lyubomira is currently participating in several initiatives in the industry, such as Global Gaming Women, All-in-Diversity. She recently talked in a Diversity and Inclusion discussion panel that happened on International Women’s Day this year. Lyubomira strongly believes that everyone is capable of achieving a positive change in society or in its own world, by doing things wholeheartedly.

“BEING ADAPTIVE IS AT THE HEART OF EVERY SUCCESSFUL STORY IN A COMPANY.”

28 | WR TECH

WR TECH | 29

avourite clothes?

F Business casual. igh heels or flat shoes?

H Depends on the occasion.

What is THE thing that you must have in your bag when going out?

My cell phone.

Can you share something specific about you that we can’t find on LinkedIn? I used to play volleyball for over 10 years. I have been a team captain of my hometown volleyball team during high school and enjoyed this period of my life wholeheartedly. I have always been a sports person. Now, this once semi-professional hobby of mine turns into long hours of playing volleyball on the beach during summertime.

Have you encountered any challenges in your career in connection to being a woman?

On the opposite. I have been lucky to start my career and be mentored by women leaders, but still, I find that men have always been the supporting and uplifting part of my career development.

This is also the case in my current position at UltraPlay. I have been with the company for over 4 years and I grew a lot both personally and professionally.

A great part of my journey goes to the Founder and the CEO of UltraPlay who believed in me in the first place and have given me so many different projects to express my knowledge and skills.

Even though the gambling industry I have been in from the very beginning of my career up until now can be described as a masculine one, it has changed a lot in the past few years. Now, we see many women leaders in the C-level positions and in the Board of Directors who lead their companies to new heights and set standards in our industry. I believe it is a matter of your skills and knowledge that can describe who you are as a professional and a leader, not your gender.

Do you know how many women work in your position?

Generally, I believe positions don’t matter that much. What’s more important is the real voice that these professionals 30 | WR TECH

have in their position. A leader could be anyone in a business organization who is aligned with its mission and vision and leads the way to his or her colleagues.

Any contribution to the company’s culture and well-being can be appreciated by the team and placed into the success story of the business.

Brown: “If we accelerate women in these key industries, we can absolutely change society: • Finance power and influence • Tech shaping our future • Politics shaping policy • Media the storytellers”

Do you think that the problem of gender inequality is still relevant in Bulgaria and globally?

Yes, I do, unfortunately. But I am also optimistic about the change which is happening with every single initiative or discussion about this topic. I am participating in several initiatives in our industry, such as Global Gaming Women, All-in-Diversity, and recently talked in a Diversity and Inclusion discussion panel, organized by Hipther Agency, that happened on International Women’s Day this year. I am privileged to have this opportunity to meet and discuss these issues with like-minded people, but we have to remember that we are there, because someone else couldn’t, and we have to talk on their behalf. So, I am also grateful for you asking me this question as it means there are still things to be done, and we have the platform to discuss them. As Melinda Gates said in the Unlocking Us podcast by Brene

Which policies does your company encourage regarding gender diversity?

For UltraPlay’s understanding being diverse means recognizing, valuing, and taking account of people’s different backgrounds, knowledge, skills, and experiences. It is also about using those differences to create cohesion and an effective workforce.

At UltraPlay we make sure each and every person at the company is supported no matter the background, which also reflects in how people do their job, what is their commitment to the company’s business, to our clients, and the internal initiatives we regularly do. We constantly support a wide variety of initiatives, but I must say that we have been enlarging our commitment to the Corporate Social Responsibility program of the company field in the last year.

Do your male colleagues treat you differently?

Well, yes, but in a positive way. Let’s say they don’t allow me to lift heavy suitcases, which is very appreciated from my side. We used to travel a lot for industry’s exhibitions and conferences all around the world with long flights, changing flights. I am thankful for having amazing colleagues who do the heavy work. :) Do you think that a woman’s appearance and charm affect their professional success? (example: does it make communication easier?)

Yes, but I believe that a man’s vision and charm affect his professional success.

This is a very special trait of the people who achieve their goals in general.

Charismatic people have something in common for sure - they communicate more easily and effectively.

nization of my daily and weekly priority tasks in both fields.

Which sources do you follow and can you recommend some of them to our audience? (example: podcasts, pages, influencers, vloggers, etc.).

As a marketer in a leading IT and iGaming company such as UltraPlay, the sources I follow are a lot. On one hand, I need to stay on top of the marketing trends that are so dynamic. On the other hand, the iGaming and IT industries are also at a fast pace of development especially now. COVID-19 truly accelerated the digital transformation in terms of how we spend our time as individuals and professionals. This situation also

opened so many new channels for us to stay connected, to have new resources of information, and to share knowledge and experience with one another.

But let’s mark a few sources that give me inspiration in both spheres: The Akimbo podcast by Seth Godin.

Each episode tells a story of a person, a business, a customer, or a certain moment in time and breaks down the lessons into how we (and our products) connect to people.

Brene Brown’s “Unlocking us” and “Dare to Lead”, as well as Simon Sinek’s “A bit of Optimism” - check them out.

I do follow a lot of media in the iGaming industry such as iGaming Business, as well as their podcast, which will be sup-

How do you combine personal and professional life? Do you have any rules that you follow?

One year ago I would have probably had a better answer to give you. But with the COVID-19 pandemic and the total transformation of our everyday life, such as working from home, shopping from home, educating children at home, socializing at home, and so on and so forth, I would say that we have been put in a challenging position simply as individuals.

If there is one rule I continue to follow, that is keeping my schedule on paper.

This gives me better structure and orga-

WR TECH | 31

being an editor in the University newspaper. It was an exciting time. Then I was introduced to Public Relations and it caught my greatest attention. It’s the moment I decided this is going to be my thing. Right after university, I started as a PR specialist in the gaming industry and 8 years later I am still in the industry, with grown expertise as a Marketing professional. It’s always been my thing to communicate, build brands, promote key messages to target audiences, and have an interest in the tech side of things. The IT industry is dynamic, exciting and it offers many challenges in terms of building a strong employer branding that attracts the company’s talents.

What are the things that inspire you the most personally and professionally?

Making an impact with your work and the relations one can make in a company or industry. I strongly believe that anyone is capable of achieving a positive change in society or in its own world, by doing things wholeheartedly.

ported by UltraPlay throughout 2021. Asia Gaming Brief has a strong focus on the Asian market and its developments in terms of gambling regulations, eSports developments, and last but not least is a long-term partner of UltraPlay.

In terms of the IT industry, I am following the trends concerning the employer branding sphere, so I follow the leading media channels covering this sector in Bulgaria - DevStyler, Dev. bg, HiComm, and many others.

What are the most important characteristics of a successful Chief Marketing Officer?

If there is one thing to mention, this should be adaptiveness.

We have all experienced the global pandemic, and we still have to think about new ways to engage with our customers. I believe every business had its own challenges to overcome in the past year. Being adaptive is at the heart of every success story in a company. Let’s just give you an example from my current role. For a long period of time, we planned our marketing activities around the industry’s exhibitions and events as they were mainly filling our sales pipeline. This is not the case now, as there are no face-to-face events for over a year now. In order to overcome these challenges, we dived deep into the online channels our target audiences now visit and use on a regular basis. By knowing who your customers are, what they need at the moment, and how we can actually answer their requirements and support their businesses, we can both answer our challenges - theirs as our clients, and ours as a business.

You also need to be ready to step out of your comfort zone and take on new challenges. I say this from personal experience, due to the fact that three years ago I started as a PR specialist at UltraPlay and became the head of the marketing department at the company. And you really have to love your job, take responsibility for the processes, your team, and the results you are gaining.

What made you choose to develop a career in the IT industry?

As there is a saying - it chooses me. Up until my 3rd year in the university, studying Media and Journalism, I experienced the Journalist profession in several national media, and also

32 | WR TECH

What are the main things that differentiate the classic PR and Marketing from the PR and Marketing related to the tech field?

In my opinion, there are two areas in which marketing is established as a leading factor in an organization. On one hand, creating and positioning the company’s products and services in order to establish the brand as reliable and competitive.

In the IT industry, innovation is strongly present in product development and implementation. This requires us to follow the innovative approach in presenting the messages to the company’s target audiences.

On the other hand, employer branding is essential in our work.

The industry is very competitive in terms of reaching out to the talents a company wants and needs. I believe that people today choose their next career according to the spirit, culture, and development opportunities that a company offers. In this regard, successful employer branding is among the main priorities of marketing and HR professionals in an IT organization.

Възходът::Fintech

41

“Hard work, devotion, a constant development of skills and broadening your knowledge is THE RIGHT WAY TO SUCCESS”

Miryana Markova, a VP Professional Services at AIOPSGROUP, loves to travel, meet new and different cultures, and learn about their past and present. According to Miryana, the gender inequality continues to be a global problem. She thinks that the key to success is hard work, dedication, continuous improvement of skills, increasing knowledge and a certain amount of luck.

Let’s also greet Miryana Markova, who is working for AIOPSGROUP as a VP Professional Services. She describes herself as a travelling-lover, who enjoys meeting new cultures and getting to know everything about their past and present.

She said that she loves challenges and mysteries– solving technical and organizational problems gives her a lot of energy.

Miryana told us that her career in the IT field began years ago when she was a sophomore at the university. She adds that her working atmosphere has always been very dynamic and each day she learns something new. That’s exactly what made her work in the IT sphere for 20 years. According to her, this tendency hasn’t changed a lot. Her opinion is that

technologies are improving very fast and you should constantly study and adapt to them in order to keep on track.

Miryana shares that the teams she’s worked with always included International members from different parts of the world with various cultures and perspectives. She adds that tolerance and respect have always been part of her work. That’s exactly why she has never faced any problems concerning being a woman. When it comes to gender inequality, Miryana shares that during the last two decades there has been huge progress regarding this topic, but unfortunately nowadays it remains a problem all around the world. To her, the key for solving this problem is changing the point of view of society. She thinks ev-

erything begins at home and work – a woman is and should be treated as an equal partner who has her own duties and rights.

To Miryana, appearance is never a factor for accepting someone. She wouldn’t go to a Business meeting dressed in shorts or a T-shirt, but apart from that, what matters the most in order to be successful is to have the right knowledge and skills. In order to achieve a balance between her personal and professional life, Miryana prioritizes her tasks daily and never puts off anything for the last moment. For her, the key to success is hard work, dedication to what you’re doing, constantly improving skills and expanding knowledge… and a little bit of good luck too.

“SENIOR MANAGERS HAVE STRATEGIES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ORGANISATION AND ADD CONSTANT IMPROVEMENT, IN ORDER TO REACH MAXIMUM EFFECTIVENESS. THEY AREN’T AFRAID OF MAKING DECISIONS AND SUPPORT THEIR TEAMS IN HARD TIMES.”

34 | WR TECH

WR TECH | 35

Share something about yourself that we can’t find on LinkedIn. I love travelling and getting to know new cultures, their past and present. Some of the most exotic places I’ve visited are Angkor Wat, Cambodia, Easter Island (Chile) and Petra in Jordan.

Have you ever faced challenges in your career regarding the fact that you are a woman?

No, or at least, if it happened, I didn’t realize the reason was being a woman.

The teams I’ve worked with have always included international members from different parts of the world, with different cultures and perspectives. In those teams, we’ve always tolerated and respected each other.

Do you know how many women work in your position?

The percentage of women in senior roles globally is around 25-29% Do you think that the problem with gender inequality still exists in Bulgaria and globally?

There’s been huge progress in the last two decades, but unfortunately, the issue with gender inequality still exists globally. There are still countries, where the educational access for young girls is limited or they are discriminated against or abused. To me, the key for fixing this

problem is changing the perspective of society. Everything begins in the family or at work–a woman IS and should be seen as an equal partner, who has his rights and duties.

Do women’s appearance and charm help you be successful in a professional way?

I don’t know. I never thought that appearance is something we should judge someone on. Of course, I wouldn’t go to a business meeting dressed with shorts and a T-shirt, but outside of that what matters the most are your knowledge and skills.

How do you get along with men in your company? Do they treat you differently?

As a professionalist, the atmosphere in AIOPSGROUP is very open and one of the main values is teamwork. Our experience is proof that we can only succeed if we are together and in our workplace there is no separation in any aspect.

How do you balance your work with your personal life?

The balance between my work life and personal life is extremely important to me. In order to achieve it, I prioritize my duties and never leave the not so urgent things for the last moment, I delegate and rely on the help of my colleagues.

“TECHNOLOGIES KEEP IMPROVING DYNAMICALLY AND IN ORDER TO FOLLOW THEM, YOU HAVE TO CONSTANTLY STUDY AND ADAPT.” Favourite clothes?

Comfortable pants or jeans. igh heels or flat shoes?

H Flat shoes.

Which is THE thing you never go out without?

At the moment a mask and a sanitizer. avourite lipstick colour?

F I don’t use lipstick.

Which is the feminine quality/duty that you don’t possess?

I don’t enjoy shopping.

Which cause are you currently supporting?

In the last few years I’ve been participating in initiatives supporting centers for accommodation of children with not so well backgrounds.

36 | WR TECH

Which sources would you recommend to us? (podcasts, webpages, influencers, youtubers, etc.)

I like TED Talks because of the variety of topics. I follow Richard Branson’s post, as well as those of Bill Gates and Satya Nadella.

Which policies does your company encourage regarding gender diversity?

In AIOPSGROUP we create a working environment focused on respect and tolerance between the employees without considering gender, ethnic or race background. In the company, there are people from different countries and cultures–Bulgaria, USA, Serbia, Bosnia, India, Maroco; our clients and partners are from huge international companies.

Around 25% of the employees are women and the ones on management level are 50%.

How did your professional development in the technological sphere begin? What inspired you to choose this path?

I started working in the IT sphere when I was a second-year university student. By the time, the technological companies in Bulgaria weren’t that much and most of the workers were students and young people. The working atmosphere was very dynamic, everyone was encouraged to share knowledge, everyday we learned new things, which I enjoyed the

most and that’s why I’ve been working in the area for 20 years. This trend hasn’t changed, technologies keep improving dynamically and in order to follow them, you have to study constantly and adapt.

As being a woman what is the key to developing such a successful career in the IT industry? Are there any secret recipes for success?

I wouldn’t say so. Success relies on hard work, dedication to what you’re doing, constant self-improvement of your skills and expanding your knowledge. And of course a little bit of good luck.

Which are the main qualities that a successful Vice-President Professional Services should possess in the tech sphere?

Senior managers have strategies for developing the organization, they constantly improve it in order to reach maximum efficiency. They aren’t afraid of making decisions. Every Senior Manager should support its teams and should be focused on constructive actions, not on mistakes and failures.

What recharges you in a professional and personal plan?

I love adventures and mysteries – solving technological and organizational problems gives me energy.

WR TECH | 37

38 | WR TECH

A person of numbers, accuracy, GOALS AND PRINCIPLES

Petya Nencheva is Head of Agile Practice at Fourth and has 12 years of experience in the project management field. She has been leading a highly effective global team of Scrum Masters at Fourth for more than a year now.

Strive for excellence, accuracy, achieving goals and following certain principles are the first things that come to mind and describe Petya Nencheva. Her combined interests and love for mathematics and communication with people prompted her career in the IT sector. She has a total of 12 years’ experience in managing projects related to the development of new products and services, as well as improving processes and implementing new practices. Petya has been successfully leading a highly effective global team of scrum masters for more than a year now.

She tells us that she has mainly worked for international companies where she faced many cultural differences. In addition, Petya shares that nowadays having a woman take a management role is rather rare. Nevertheless, in Bulgaria, women have the freedom to choose and follow their own career path, especially in the IT field.

Petya claims that she is proud to be one of these women on a management role in a leading IT company not just in

Bulgaria but globally. In her opinion applying a personal approach combined with the right preparation, showing assertiveness, and speaking clearly and concisely are prerequisites for effective communication.

Petya is leading the Scrum Masters at Fourth. To take care of each member of her team, she has frequent 1-1 meetings, clearly communicated goals, individual career development plans and respective trainings. Petya also works with the management team to provide the needed policies and process- es for success.

She says that one of the main rules for the Scrum ceremonies is time-boxing. For her, a successful leader must be able to develop a working strategy for achieving organizational goals. According to Petya, a strong team should consist of motivated and hardworking people. There is no recipe for team effectiveness, yet results come when people feel supported, have opportunities to learn, grow and develop and receive honest, timely and constructive feedback.

“IN BULGARIA, WOMEN HAVE THE FREEDOM TO CHOOSE THEIR CAREER PATH, ESPECIALLY IN THE IT FIELD”

WR TECH | 39

pants from all over the world, creates and develops many initiatives about equality, education and support, as well as deep understanding, acceptance and tolerance.

How do the men colleagues in your company accept you? Is their attitude towards you different?

Wonderful! To be honest, I’ve never received anything but respect and a positive attitude. I think that men in our company are great professionals. and hope that they accept me because of my qualities and achievements.

Do your feminine appearance and charm help you be successful in a professional way? (for example: does it make com- munication easier?)

Your favourite piece of clothing?

A leather jacket, a denim jacket, a raincoat, a woolen jacket, a snowboard jacket.

High heels or flat shoes?

Depends on the case, but when I can I wear heels.

What’s the thing in your bag you never go out without?

My phone. It has everything I need.

Your favourite lipstick colour?

Red. Which typical feminine quality is foreign to you?

Nothing human is alien to me. A womanly characteristic I don’t have is extra time to get ready - I’m like a soldier in the morning and I am the first one to walk out the door.

Which cause are you currently supporting?

Women and children in unequal positions.

Have you ever met any challenges in your professional life related to the fact that you are a woman?

Yes, I’ve mainly worked for international companies and I’ve faced many cultural differences. It is not so common for a woman to hold a management role in many countries.

Are you aware of how many women have the same job as yours?

To be honest, I’m not. I’ve never thought about how many women take a certain position. What is important for me are the skills and competencies the person has and makes use of.

40 | WR TECH

In your opinion, does the issue of gender inequality still exist in Bulgaria?

I think that in Bulgaria women have the freedom to choose their career path and how they progress, especially in the IT Sector. Here what matters most are the person’s capabilities and not their gender. I’m proud of the number of women having a leadership role not just in Bulgaria but worldwide.

Which policies does your company encourage regarding gender diversity?

At Fourth, the Diversity and Inclusion committee operates on a global level.

This organization, which has partici-

That’s an interesting question. I would lie if I said that charm didn’t help, but to me personally having an individual approach, good preparation, a positive way of speaking and a lot of confidence and assertiveness is what matters at the end of the day.

How do you balance your personal life with your professional one? Is there a certain rule that you follow?

It takes a lot of planning, replanning and flexibility to combine them. I could say I’m constantly looking for the balance between my work and my personal life - I try to plan at least 2 weeks ahead (just like sprints in Scrum) and allocate my time so that I have “undisturbed” hours with my family as well as quality me time. Thus, I make sure I am effective

and productive in my day-to-day job.

Tell us something about yourself which we cannot learn from LinkedIn. Something specific.

I’m a person of numbers, accuracy, goals and principles. I have always loved mathematics and the logic that math could attribute to everything - that’s why I used to study finance. Another passion of mine is communicating and working with people and the opportunity to achieve goals - not alone but with the help of your team.

Which sources that you follow would you recommend to our audience? (podcasts, webpages, influencers, you- tubers, etc) https://hbr.org/ - Harvard Business re-

view is my source of inspiration regarding business news, current management practices and trends, as well as objective point of view on the economic and market environment around the world - that’s my source of truth. https://www.agileit.com/news/ - interesting IT news https://www.youtube.com/user/AgileMikecohn - Agile & Scrum guru What does it mean to be the Head of Agile managing processes on software developing (Agile Practice) and the Scrum Methodology - what’s the everyday work of the person with that role?

The very basis of that role is People Management, which to me means helping people grow by creating an environment where they would be effective, motivat-

WR TECH | 41

the duration of the meeting, but rather paying attention to how useful the discussion and decisions made during the meeting are. Aligned decisions and clearly defined next steps are what makes a meeting effective.

ed and successful! I take care of Scrum Masters at Fourth and my team is global – most of the team is situated in Sofia and the rest is spread between London (UK), Austin (Texas), Cape Town (South Afri ca) and lviv (Ukraine).

What advice would you give about effective Scrum meetings?

What’s important for any meeting not just a scrum one is good preparation, clear understanding of the meeting’s goals, as well as alignment of the participants’ expectations. One of the main rules for Scrum cere- monies is for them to be time-boxed. It is important for meetings to have the needed focus, yet my advice is not focusing too much to

42 | WR TECH

How did the COVID-19 Pandemic prove the need of implementing flexible processes - did the changing situation require adaptiveness? How does it answer the needs of the clients in such challenging times and can the lack of opportunities for planning become a catalyst for implementing Agile?

Yes, undoubtedly being adaptive and flexible during times of change, especially when your clients pause and then restart their business several times a year, is one of the main reasons why we are a global leader and keep growing. At Fourth, we faced the changes together with our clients by keeping out partnerships - together we found solutions for each and every customer.

And yes, in such uncertain times when you can’t plan, the Agile processes give you the chance to adapt to the situation.

In your organizational processes, you just change priorities and can successfully achieve results - that’s the magic of Agile practices.

What distinguishes the effective leader and what are the practices which help

the team feel like a family - even at times you have to work remotely?

The effective leader can develop a strategy on achieving the goals of the compa- ny. The effective leader has to present this strategy clearly to her/his teams and create conditions for the successful achieving. In remote working conditions it’s important to take time for informal communication so that you can minimize the lack of social interaction in the workplace. For example, our team has Team coffee twice a week as we drink coffee together and talk to each other via online video call. This helps us keep the spirit of teamwork.

What’s important for creating a strong team - how does personal development of the teammates and their stimulation to grow contribute to improving the product?

In order to have a strong team, the people in it should be motivated and hardworking. There isn’t a single recipe for that but in my experience it can be achieved with a good personal attitude towards everybody, giving everyone the opportunity to express themselves, sup porting them to study and develop and especially giving them honest and con structive feedback on time.

Where and how should the borders between your personal life and work should be put as everything happens at the same place? Can you give some advice?

Yes, it is very important to set boundaries and more importantly, to create the right habits. Not so long ago, a colleague of mine and I developed an educational session on Time Management and remote working. Here are some of the ideas we have discussed: • create workplace at home with comfortable equipment; • create a daily routine - wake up at the same time, work at certain hours, start your day with an activity a take time to rest; • communicate through different channels and look for the most effective method for yourself; • Use technologies for prioritizing your tasks, in order to manage your time - Eisenhower Matrix, eating the Frog Technique, etc.; • Manage the things that distract you social media, etc; • Take time for yourself - sport and relax, even at home.

Възходът::Fintech

57

44 | WR TECH

One curious Business Analyst and surfer who take part in missions from TIME HEROES Dilyana Kovchazlieva is a Business Analyst at Immedis. She studied “Computer science and technology” at Varna’s Technical University. She started an internship as a QA specialist for a famous gaming company and for a short period of time she became a full-fledged programmer. After that Dilyana became a leader of a QA team and a project manager in order to reach the role of a Business Analyst at the Fintech company Immedis.

Meet Dilyana Kovchazlieva, a Business Analyst at Immedis, who shares that she loves surfing and supports all kinds of initiatives related to the environment, kids and animals. She also takes part in Time Heroes missions.

Dilyana studied “Computer science and technology” at the Technical University of Varna. Ever since her first year there, she’s been practising hard what she’s learned in the practical sphere. She went through a variety of internships for programmers with no data, frontend and .NET programmers, but admits that clear programming is not her thing.

She starts an internship as a QA specialist for a famous gaming company and for a short period of time she becomes a full-fledged programmer. After that she became a leader of a QA team and project manager in order to reach the role of a business analyst at one of the Most Innovative Fintech company - Immedis.

According to Dilyana, the problem with gender inequality still exists in some

places and is expressed in different ways, while there are places where people have more interesting things to do than discriminate against others.

She thinks that the faster people realise that a person is not identified by his gender, race, colour or religion, the sooner we’ll have more interesting things to talk about.

Dilyana has the practice to express her opinion freely, and help others. She has many different interests and shares that she is very keen on her free time. Dilyana often follows the trial error method in her life. According to her, a person can not perform his work efficiently without the support of his colleagues.

She shares that one of the most important qualities of one Business Analyst is to be able to think in a way that she/he can find the right solution, which will be considered both with the effectiveness of a product and with the value of the work, as well as with the desires of the customers and end-users.

“MY EXPERIENCE HELPS ME UNDERSTAND AND WORK WITH MY COLLEAGUES BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT A PERSON CAN NOT DO ANYTHING ON HIS OWN”

WR TECH | 45

“YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO HEAR OTHERS, BECAUSE SOMETIMES YOU ARE JUST NOT RIGHT”

Share something about yourself that we can’t find on LinkedIn. I go surfing. And yes, in Bulgaria there are conditions for Hawaii-style surfing.

You should try out!

Have you ever faced challenges in your career regarding the fact that you are a woman?

No. At the beginning of my professional career, I’ve faced challenges related to being younger than most of my colleagues, which is common, but this taught me how to prove myself and never fall on my back.

Do you know how many women work in

Favourite clothes?

Bikini. Wearing a bikini means that you are in a good place.

High heels or flat shoes?

Low ones, or if I can- without any.

Which is THE thing you never go out without?

Practical - a phone, keys and money.

Favourite lipstick colour?

I don’t wear any.

Which is the feminine duty that you don’t possess?

I don’t like ironing.

Which cause are you currently supporting?

Everything related to the environment, children and animals. I basically help wherever, whenever and however can. Events and projects of Akasha Surf School, Surfrider Foundation and Less Plastic BAG are my top three. I frequently take part in missions from Time Heroes.

46 | WR TECH

your position?

No. I don’t even know how many men there are.

Do you think that the problem with gender inequality still exists in Bulgaria and globally?

Each global problem is firstly a problem in the perception of the world and oneself to each individual - here and globally. It’s colorful. In some places the problem still exists and is expressed in different ways, while there are places where people have more interesting tasks than discriminating against each other. The faster people realise that a person is not identified by his/her gender, colour, religion or race, but by what she/he does and her/his attitude towards herself and others, the faster we’ll start talking about better things.

Do women’s appearance and charm help you be successful in a professional way?

Wouldn’t that be discrimination to men?

Vision and charm may help you rearrange on a queue at a shop, for example.

But at work, where your professional skills are what matters the most, I don’t think someone would seriously rely on such things and as we all know - they don’t last forever.

How do you get along with men in your company? Do they treat you differently?

I wouldn’t say I’ve felt a different attitude from my colleagues towards me, just because I’m a woman. Even without realizing, a person teaches others how to treat him everyday - both in a professional and personal way. I share my opinion freely and that helps me show others what’s important to me. In that relation, I think I’ve taught my colleagues to treat me perfectly.

How do you balance your work with your personal life? Are there any rules that you follow?

I don’t follow any strict rules in my life.

I myself am a person with many diverse interests and I’m very keen on my time off. I’m very glad the company I work for helps us maintain the balance between

both. Personal life and space of everyone are valued, the feeling of control doesn’t exist and when we are at work we feel free and motivated to contribute to the work process maximally.

Which sources would you recommend to us? (podcasts, webpages, influencers, youtubers, etc.)

I follow the surf world but the list there is infinite. I’m also interested in Psychology (Jordan Peterson, Alan Watts, etc), History, music, travelling, literature, cinema and many other things. Naturally, I’m a curious person, but I’m very chaotic in the way I find information and I can’t be very concrete. This matters both for my personal and professional interests. Very often things I learn in my personal life and sports help me with my work later.

A Bulgarian podcast with amazing indi-

WR TECH | 47

viduals has been released soon and I hope they last - Beach bar podcast and Wildtalks. Keep on that way! You are wonderful!

What inspired you to join the IT industry?

I’m a person who loves knowing how to do my work and to multitask. I didn’t enter the sphere with an aim. I was interested in solving problems, to create solutions, which could give benefits to people and have a price. That’s what first led me to programming.

How did you realize that clear programming is not your thing?

In my life I’ve always been led by the trial and error method.

That’s what happened with programming. In many companies there is a particular task a programmer should perform. His job can be very isolating.

The entire analysis on why that has to happen, how it will work out with the rest of the environment, where it is and what value that would give to the end user, who will use the product, is the work of the business analysator, which I enjoy much more.

How did the different internships you took part in, contribute to your professional development?

The different internships and positions I’ve gone through, helped me to communication with my teams. I know how a programmer or a QA thinks, what problems they can face and that ease my communication with them. My experience so far helps me to understand and work with my colleagues, because I believe that one cannot do anything alone.

Which are the must-have qualities of a successful Business Analyst?

One Business Analyst should be able to satisfy the customers and find the right solution that will be consistent with the effectiveness of the product and the cost of the production.

That’s why it is required to look at both the details and the entire picture at the same time. Communication is another quality of great importance. The Business Analyst is the connection between everyone - managers and programmers, QAs, other operative teams - she/he should be in constant touch with them. This requires the ability to express yourself on a high level, to be aware of what and why you are doing all the time.

Last but not least - you should be able to hear others, because sometimes you are just not right.

“IN MY LIFE, I’VE ALWAYS BEEN LED BY THE TRIAL AND ERROR METHOD - THAT’S WHAT HAPPENED WITH PROGRAMMING”

48 | WR TECH

Възходът::Fintech

65

DIGITAL FINANCE IS A CATALYST FOR CHANGE

Elitsa Taskova is a Product Owner at NEXO, who has been part of its engineering team from the very beginning. Elitsa runs key projects such as Nexo Exchange, Earn on Crypto & Fiat and is not enslaved to stereotypes. She believes that when we know that we are important in every moment of our work, then gender is irrelevant.

A coding aficionado with a university degree in Engineering, combined with the invaluable encounter with the multidisciplinary cognitive science. Imagine all these qualities put together in a professional who holds a leadership position at an innovative company. Here she is, Elitsa Taskova — Product Owner at Nexo, Bulgaria. She has over eight years experience in creating and managing software products for major fintech companies. Elitsa has been part of the engineering team since its very beginning and leads key products such as the Nexo Exchange and Earn оn Crypto & Fiat.

Elitsa holds the belief that the most valuable characteristics she has acquired during her academic years are discipline, holistic thinking, confidence and flexibility — mandatory skills for the dynamics in the crypto industry. She strives to plan her workday before it even begins and sets realistic goals — the only way to gain more than a few productive hours. Her personal discipline is the key to a balanced lifestyle.

She is convinced that when you are forging the path of limitless, deflationary finance, there should be only one team as the goal is of utmost importance. As driven as she is, Elitsa adds

that in Bulgaria the IT environment is still dominated by men but this can be changed easily with more focused education programs and resources, shared professional experience, mentoring and personal example. According to her, the problem with gender inequality has not been relevant in progressive companies for a long time. In addition, mass digitization as well as the COVID-19 effects have significantly reduced inequality on a global scale. Elitsa takes pride that in the Nexo team everyone feels like one big family because being through thick and thin creates a strong community. Everyone in her team shares the belief that when you purposefully fight for one idea and you put your heart and soul into the endeavour, gender doesn’t matter. So, when the team’s heart is at the right place, everything’s possible.

In her free time, Elitsa likes to read non-fiction literature, to explore new ideas and to keep an active lifestyle. She tends to often challenge herself, convinced that fortune favors the brave. For experienced professionals like her, the biggest motivation is to be on the top of the game, stay ahead while using the latest technologies to create impactful products.

“I ATTEMPT TO DEVELOP “HUMANISTIC” QUALITIES - THEY HAVE NO GENDER”

50 | WR TECH

WR TECH | 51

Tell us something about yourself we can’t find on LinkedIn. I’ve studied programming for a while, graduated in Engineering and got short and yet extremely valuable experience with the multidisciplinary cognitive science. Perhaps it is that mix of interests and experience that led me to the shoes of Product Owner at Nexo at the time when the company was just starting.

Joining Nexo was true serendipity and since then I aspire to constant progress at a tremendous speed.

My team and I are responsible for the Nexo Exchange platform which allows immediate exchanges between 100 crypto and fiat pairs, one-stop-shop for the NEXO Token and other crypto and fiat currencies, as well as other key products — Earn on Crypto & Fiat which allows customers to generate passive income from their assets in the most secure way.

I am proud that I’ve been part of the development of what Nexo stands for today — one of the leading crypto companies in the world with signature products that redefined the crypto ecosystem. We created it here in just three years and busted the myth that a Bulgarian company cannot stand side by side with the global visionaries we read about every day. I hope you do realize the significance of our 52 | WR TECH

success - we have built and positioned an entirely new business niche with our own products here in Bulgaria, currently managing assets that are worth $15 billion.

In my free time I like to read specialized literature, to exchange ideas with my friends – face to face!, and to be nonstop on the move.

Have you ever faced challenges in your career for being a woman?

Challenges are questions such as these about shoes and clothes and ‘women-only pros’ sections — they are the ones deepeding the divide between coworkers, where in reality there is no such thing.

I strongly believe that no matter how you describe yourself, if you truly believe in your ideas and expertise, combined with strong motivation, you can bring them to life and I’m surrounded by like-minded people. Nexo makes you feel you’re always on the right track, mistakes make you ‘anti-fragile’. This inspires us to strive for greatness beyond the familiar notion of ‘good and safe’. This is the only way we can achieve what we aim for — the Moon.

Talking about challenges, honestly, I live and breathe for them, as we all know —

fortune favors the brave. In my opinion this is the only way to grow both personally and professionally. One big step ahead can elevate you all the way to the moon. This is exactly what we do on a daily basis — we tackle challenges and excel ourselves every single day.

Do you happen to know how many women hold a position similar to yours?

Many of the leadership positions are led by women, contrary to popular belief that finance and technologies are areas favoured by men. This also confirms my personal conviction that there’s no gender divide when we work for something bigger than ‘just a job’. Every day all my colleagues leave their mark in history — we push the industry forward and attract more and more like-minded people who have the same goal — a decentralized financial world where sharing economy and digital finance are a catalyst for change.

The IT environment in Bulgaria is still dominated by men and, of course, there are a number of reasons for this. However, this can change in the right context and with the necessary resources — education, sharing professional experience, mentoring and, last but not least, personal example. Both individually and

High heels or flat shoes?

Flats, of course. That’s the work of evolution. We even walk barefoot at the office as we value our comfort and freedom.

Which is THE thing you never go out without?

A book. I am currently skimming through ‘the crypto bible’ which was published in Bulgaria, thanks to my colleague George Manolov.

Which is the feminine quality that you don’t possess?

I’m not a slave to stereotypes — one of the reasons I’m in crypto. Even I strive to further enhance more humane qualities.

What cause would you support?

I’d support any cause which breaks the status quo with a constructive purpose in mind. as a company, we are debunking this trend. The results are at hand — more and more women join us ambitious to unleash their full potential at Nexo.

Do you believe that the problem with gender inequality still exists in Bulgaria and globally?

It’s been a while since progressive companies haven’t faced this issue. Mass digitization which was accelerated by COVID-19 has reduced the unnecessary gender inequality globally. Nexo’s trifold priority is expertise, experience and enthusiasm and the numbers speak volumes — we’ve increased our transactions five times in less than six months reaching $30 billion, while managing assets of over $15 billion, and our NEXO token spiked 3000% growth compared to last year. All this is achieved only with the right people — top professionals.

Having this in mind, I wish all companies were like ours.

What policies does your company encourage regarding gender diversity?

We pride ourselves with zero discrimination policy — that’s why our team is so diverse. Colleagues of all ages are buzzing around the office. Speaking about my female colleagues, it doesn’t matter whether or not we have children.

When schools were shut down due to COVID-19, we set up on the premises a daycare corner for our colleagues’ kids which we jokingly call ‘#cryptodaycare’.

It is fascinating (and noisy) to share the workspace with the next generation of

crypto enthusiasts.

How do you get along with your male colleagues? Do they treat you in a different way?

Nexo has that authentic family vibe.

Supporting one another is a way of work — we’ve been through thick and thin together and this forges an unbreakable bond. Gender really doesn’t matter when one has a clear purpose, and puts blood, sweat and tears in the game. This may seem too ambitious but I’m sure it applies to the entire Nexo team.

How do you achieve a work/life balance? Do you follow any rules?

Personal discipline is the key to achieve work - life balance. In terms of my work life in Nexo, first, we take into account our internal schedule and our individual needs and then decide when, where and how to work. That is how we achieve great results and pure productivity. I’m not saying that I am disciplined enough not to spend 10 hours in a row on the computer but I do my best and I have all the prerequisites to achieve my own balance.

Which info sources would you recommend?

I get my regular updates from Twitter, Reddit and various newsletters such as The Block, Coindesk, Decrypt, Robinhood Snacks and Morning Brew. I highly recommend the podcasts The Pomp, What Bitcoin Did and Unchained. Following the pulse of the Bulgarian IT sec-

tor is vital, so of course Devstyler and for local crypto chats — Sofia Crypto Meetup and other groups.

Which specific skills and knowledge from your education – bachelor in telecommunications and master in cognitive science, do you use at your current position as a Product Owner?

Academic institutions provide only what you are willing to take. Personally, in those years I built discipline, holistic thinking, the confidence to cope in a new environment, and adaptability — mandatory skills for the dynamics in the crypto industry. This happens only if you stay enthusiastic about your area of expertise and hungry for knowledge from other fields. Undoubtedly, 21st-century knowledge is a mix of applied academic theory, practical experience and, above all, critically selected information from the sea we all have access to — the internet. Unfortunately, Product Owner-related university curricula are still rare to find but I believe that the profession will become a separate discipline in the future.

What inspired you to pursue a career in fintech?

The biggest motivation for a professional is to ride the wave of innovations and strive to work with the latest technologies in order to create meaningful products — this is what crypto is all about.

We prove every day that financial tools are not necessarily exclusive, ineffective, complex and clumsy. This makes the WR TECH | 53

“EVERY DAY, BOTH MEN AND WOMEN LEAVE THEIR MARKS ON HISTORY, PUSH THE INDUSTRY FORWARD AND ATTRACT MORE AND MORE LIKE-MINDED PEOPLE WHO HAVE SIMILAR GOALS”

crypto sector even more attractive — we are all equal here and we can bear the fruits technology brings. We’ve already witnessed the advantages crypto brings in our everyday life, however, there is more to see — greater social importance where we put our financial freedom to work for the greater good.

Which is the most important professional quality you’ve developed as a result of your experience in the tech industry?

First and foremost I’m proud that there is a Bulgarian company which takes over the world and I have the opportunity to play an active role in this crusade. In this story, you don’t need to be in California, New York or London to get to the top of the game and to better the lives of millions of people. Getting to know

54 | WR TECH

the personal stories of numerous people from across the world builds a certain empathy. Regardless of context, environment, education and career path, the instinct to strive for more stability, more freedom and social wellbeing is deeply rooted in us. This is what binds us all together at Nexo and makes our mission close to our hearts.

How and where should work/life boundaries be drawn given that everything happens at one place? Can you please give us some examples and tips?

Boundaries appear once you accept your own vulnerabilities. And this is a feeling I do not appreciate. We have to be patient with ourselves in order to find our own rhythm, bearing in mind that it might be completely different in two, three

or five years. We live in a hectic world which provides us with limitless possibilities, and if we want to enjoy them we have to accept our own limitations. My personal barrier is when I feel like not being the best version of myself. Then I take a breather to rethink my habits. So far, what works best for me is to plan my workday before it begins and set realistic goals, so I can achieve several productive hours, keeping in mind that the plan might change in a heartbeat. I’ve started planning my leisure time with the same enthusiasm and got convinced how important it is to pass the same level of responsibility and attention to detail to our personal lives, too, in order to feel fulfilled and satisfied.

Възходът::Fintech

133

An experimental physicist who decided to become A SOFTWARE DEVELOPER Cristina Bedda has been a Software Developer at Luxoft, Italy, for almost a year and a half. She obtained a doctorate degree in physics and years later, having the experience of an experimental physicist at CERN, she decided to change her career path and entered the IT industry.

Cristina Bedda has been a Software Developer at Luxoft, Italy, for almost a year and a half. She obtained her PhD in Physics and after years of experience as an experimental physicist at CERN she decided to switch her professional pathway and move to the IT industry.

She has always been interested in scientific and computer technology subjects.

As a physicist, Cristina started to develop code to analyze the data from the experiment she was working on and to test hardware functionalities. When she decided to change the industry, Cristina realized coding was that part of her job that she enjoyed the most. Therefore, she decided to apply for IT positions, even though she knew that she would have to learn a lot.

Cristina thinks it is very important to keep the discussion about having a diverse and inclusive workplace going. She said that a lot of work in this direction has been done in the last few years, but there is still more to do to overcome stereotypes. She hopes that she can be part of this change to see more women in the IT industry soon.

In the past, Cristina has been struggling to keep the right balance between her personal and professional life. She worked until her tasks were entirely

56 | WR TECH

completed, neglecting her personal life which caused her a lot of stress. Nowadays Cristina knows that if we want to stay proactive we have to leave our brains to rest and disengage ourselves from work. In that way, we can restart the next day with a fresh and clear picture. Cristina advises everyone not to be afraid to go for a career in the IT industry if it is something that we are really interested in. She tells us not to listen to our inner voice if it is saying that we are not good enough. Cristina thinks that instead of doing this we have to look back at what we have already achieved, and motivate ourselves even more.

Cristina adds that projects in the IT field can change very fast, and everyone is learning new stuff every day, so we have to keep a positive and proactive attitude all the time. She shares that she has had the chance to work with very confident and passionate women who were not afraid to speak up and raise their voices when it is needed. In fact these females were the ones who really inspired Cristina to gain more self-confidence and overcome her inner insecurity.

Nowadays, Cristina hopes that everyone will find their inspiration to develop and succeed in both personal and professional plan.

WR TECH | 57

Favourite clothes?

Jeans and t-shirt. igh heels or flat shoes?

H Low shoes absolutely. hich typical female quality or household responsibility does not apply to W you?

Cleaning. hat is THE thing that you must have in your bag when going out?

W My phone. avourite lipstick colour?

F I don’t wear makeup often, maybe light red.

Can you tell us about yourself and your experience?

My name is Cristina, and I’ve been a software developer at Luxoft Italy for almost a year and a half. I have a PhD in physics and, after a few years in academia working as an experimental physicist at CERN, I decided to move to the IT industry.

What influenced you to start a career in IT? I have always been interested in scientific and computer technology subjects. As a physicist, I started to develop a code to analyze the data from the experiment I was working on and started testing hardware functionalities. When I decided to change industry, I realized coding was the part of the job that I enjoyed. Therefore, I decided to apply for IT positions, even though I knew that I would have to learn a lot!

What inspired you to become an ambassador?

I think it is very important to keep the discussion about having a diverse and inclusive workplace going. A lot of work in this direction has been done in the last years, but there is still more to do to overcome stereotypes, and I hope I can be part of the change. I really hope to see more women in IT soon and that people (including me) start recognizing the role of unconscious biases in their decisions.

What advice would you give to people interested in raising their awareness of D&I? I would suggest taking some of the tests related to unconscious biases that can be easily found online. For example, I took one related to the association between gender and humanities and scientific careers, and it made me really think about 58 | WR TECH

the subject and how hard it is to get over our inner biases.

What advice would you give to a young woman considering a career in IT? I would just say to not be afraid and go for it if it is something that you are interested in. Don’t listen to the inner voice saying that you are not good enough and instead look back at what you achieved.

From my still limited experience in IT, projects can change very fast, and everyone is learning new stuff every day, so just keep a positive and proactive attitude.

How do you manage your professional and personal lives to be successful in both?

In the past, I struggled to keep a balance between my personal and professional lives. I couldn’t define a border between them, and I would just work until my task was completed, neglecting my personal life. Of course that leads me to a lot of stress, and I learned that, most of the time, it is better to leave your brain the time to rest and disengage from work. It allows you to restart the next day with a fresh, clear picture.

Who is a role model for you? Who do you look up to and why?

There are a lot of stories about successful women and men that can inspire us, but I don’t think it is very easy to connect ourselves to role models that are very far from our daily lives. I’ve had the chance to work with very confident and passionate women that were not afraid to speak up and raise their voices when it was needed. They really inspired me to follow their footsteps and overcome my inner insecurity. I really hope everyone can find someone to inspire themselves like this.

“WHEN I DECIDED TO CHANGE THE INDUSTRY, I REALIZED CODING WAS THE PART OF THE JOB THAT I ENJOYED, THEREFORE I DECIDED TO APPLY FOR IT POSITIONS, EVEN THOUGH I KNEW THAT I WOULD HAVE TO LEARN A LOT!”

WR TECH | 59

Responsibility, initiative and diplomacy - the key ingredients of one SUCCESSFUL DIRECTOR OF SALES Magdalena Gamisheva is a Director of Sales at CLICO Bulgaria. She is an experienced Product Manager with a demonstrated history of working in the information technology and services industry. Magdalena is skilled in Business Planning, Sales, Enterprise Software, DC Products, and Partner Management, as well as a strong project management professional.

Magdalena Gamisheva, a Director of Sales at CLICO Bulgaria, is a remarkable lady who loves the sea and fulfils the culinary desires of everyone around her. She thinks that success depends on many factors. Regarding the problem of gender inequality, Magdalena says that it is not so relevant in Bulgaria.

She thinks that, every manager running a company should evaluate the qualities of her/his candidates and employees, based on their competencies, and not on the their gender. Magdalena adds that although we have grown as a society, we still define certain responsibilities as typical female or male hence we should work towards developing and stimulating professional characteristics in people, regardless of their gender. According to her, a woman’s vision and charm sometimes help. However, she definitely can’t say that someone would make a key

decision just because a woman is standing in the front.

She shares with us that it is difficult for her to separate personal from professional life because she is constantly considering everything. In addition, she says that this characteristic attributes to the fact that she enjoys her work and accepts it as a constant inspiration.

Magdalena is a professional, but also a perfectionist she wants everything to be impeccable in the best way possible.

She adds that for her the working day has no time frame.

Her advice is to find something that takes us away from the daily routine for a while and makes us live in the present.

Magdalena shares that she is pleased to work with such a great team and can’t wait for the numerous exciting days that await them.

“CLOSING A DEAL IS LIKE A GAME OF CHESS - YOU THINK A FEW STEPS AHEAD.”

60 | WR TECH

WR TECH | 61

Share something about yourself that we can’t find on LinkedIn. I have a dog - a Czechoslovakian wolfhound, who has recently become part of our family and fills our lives with lots of laughter, games and smiles. I love the sea, I love to drive, and I don’t want to sound immodest, but I am a good driver;)… And last but not least once a week I fulfill the culinary desires of the team :) Have you ever faced challenges in your career regarding the fact that you are a woman?

It sometimes happens during the initial contacts with foreign companies. There is a lack of trust, even a hint of underestimation, but once you respond with professionalism, experience and knowledge, you can very quickly change this attitude.

“MY WORK BRINGS ME INSPIRATION AND I TRULY LIKE IT”

62 | WR TECH

Do you know how many women work in your position?

Yes, and this motivates me even more to develop myself as a professional to improve my knowledge every day. According to Eurostat, 42% of the management positions in Bulgaria are held by women.

Another study on “The best countries in Europe for women’s work”, assessing economic equality, women in leadership positions and attitudes towards motherhood, ranks Bulgaria first. I believe that success depends on many factors, so the

second study is more comprehensive.

There is still work to be done as a society, but we are in the right direction and we will achieve it step by step.

Do you think that the problem with gender inequality still exists in Bulgaria and globally?

In some regions of the world it is especially relevant. Perhaps, in Bulgaria, not so much. In my opinion, every manager running a company should evaluate the qualities of his/her candidates and em-

ployees, based on their competencies, and not on the basis of gender. And although we have grown as a society, we still define some responsibilities as typical female or male. We should work towards developing and stimulating professional qualities in people who have a passion and desire for development, no matter if they are men or women.

Do women’s appearance and charm help you be successful in a professional way?

You know what they say: “By clothes they receive, by mind they send.” Viewed in this light - yes, sometimes it helps, but I definitely can’t say that someone would make a key decision just because a woman is standing in front.

What policies does your company follow regarding encouraging diversity?

We are definitely looking for diversity in appointments, because we want CLICO to be a place where different people build a team and work together without prejudices and dividing lines between them. We want to have freedom for personal and professional development.

How do you get along with men in your company? Do they treat you differently?

You have to ask them. :) I don’t feel any different attitude.

How do you balance your work with your personal life? Are there any rules that you follow?

Perhaps combining personal and professional life would be easier if I could switch off myself from work during my spare time. It’s hard for me because I’m constantly thinking about everything.

But I attribute this to the fact that my work brings me inspiration and I truly like it. Also, the perfectionist in me wants everything to be perfect.

Which sources would you recommend to us? (podcasts, webpages, influencers, youtubers, etc.)

Darknet Diaries, the blogs of our vendors, and they are not plenty, given the rich portfolio of CLICO, Gartner (both the rankings for various solutions and analyzes for future focus solutions), SANS institute, of course, and Bulgarian - Internet speaks, The voice of Capital, Money speaks. In the rest of my free time I prefer to be accompanied by a good book.

WR TECH | 63

What does the profession of Director of Sales in a company offering IT security solutions look like? How does your work day go? What inspired you to focus on the technology industry?

It is the combination of many qualities, some of which are responsibility, initiative, diplomacy, organizational and commercial skills, finding new customers and maintaining the satisfaction of the current ones, supporting the team. We need constant updating of knowledge and awareness of new trends - “lifelong learning” is our daily routine. This is one of the reasons to focus on the technology industry. It is undergoing rapid development and there is a constant need for new solutions that support the business, as well as those that protect it and contribute to its security and smooth operation. A successful cyberattack inflicts a lot of visible and invisible damage on the company, and sometimes leads to direct losses for the business, which are recovered, if at all, for months or even years.

“WE NEED CONSTANT UPDATING OF KNOWLEDGE AND AWARENESS OF NEW TRENDS - “LIFELONG LEARNING” IS OUR DAILY ROUTINE“

Favourite clothes?

A dress.

High heels or flat shoes?

Low. Which is THE thing you never go out without?

My car keys - the freedom to reach any destination.

Favourite lipstick colour?

Lip gloss.

Which is the feminine quality/duty that you don’t possess?

Murmuring. I always face challenges instead of running from responsibilities. It helps in life and especially at work.

Which cause would you support/ Are you currently supporting?

More books at small libraries, making them modernised.

64 | WR TECH

What qualities are required for someone to “close” a deal successfully? Do these qualities depend on gender?

Not by gender, but by experience. Closing a deal is like playing chess - you should think a few steps ahead. You anticipate all the factors that could tip the scales and make timely decisions.

But the most important thing is to prepare your homework and be sure that what you offer to the client is the right thing for them. So they will have one less headache and be more calm with the investment he has made. Of course, sometimes you may not succeed, but analyzing everything that happened and went wrong will help in the future.

How and where should boundaries between the working day and the life after that be created, when everything happens in one place? Can you give some good practices and tips as an example?

Personally, I can’t set a limit, but I don’t want it anyways. When work excites you and is close to your nature, you have no desire for putting any boundaries. The working day has no time frames, but you should think of different ways to achieve your goals. Tips and good practices... um... I would tell everyone - find something that takes you away from the daily routine for a while and makes you live here and now, to quench the storm of incoming thoughts and worries. For some, it’s sports, walking, spending time with loved ones, reading, music, or doing anything (dolce far niente). For me, yoga turned out to be a practice for unloading - time for myself, time without thoughts, time for the here and now.

What does it mean to be a director at CLICO Bulgaria? How does your workday go?

The CLICO team is growing, even during the last difficult year we hired several new colleagues. The results of the company and the trust of our customers are a marker for the success of the whole team. My working day is constant - getting up before 6, going to bed late at night (and sometimes it haunts me in my dreams). You are constantly thinking in different directions - both over the common goals and the way to achieve them, and in depth for a specific challenge you are facing. I am pleased to work with such a cohesive and purposeful team and I am sure that many more exciting days await us.

WR TECH | 65

66 | WR TECH

An ambitious traveller, keen on THE HEALTHY LIFESTYLE

The ambitious Maria Marinova has been a part of the TSD Software team for more than 7 years. At the beginning she started as a junior QA analyst at the main office of TSD in the IT field. Due to her quick progress she became a software developer. Maria is currently a key figure in the eDiscovery-focused business line of TSD. She is working as a Business Development Lead.

Meet Maria Marinova, а Business Development Lead in the eDiscovery line of TSD Software, part of TSD Group. She has been part of the TSD team for over 7 years and has walked a long way on her career path in the company.

Maria started as a junior QA analyst at the main office of TSD in Troyan without any previous experience in the IT field. However, she quickly picked up speed and started to get herself trained as a software developer. Building up vast technical skills as well as rich industry-specific expertise, Maria assumed a position in the Business Development department of the company. In her opinion, women’s appearance does not affect their professional success.

She thinks that being positive, openminded and approaching business contacts with a smile will always help in our communication. Maria is quite ambitious and some time ago she used to find it really challenging to separate her professional life from her personal life.

She is very thankful to her partner for being so supportive all the time. For the

past couple of years, she has been trying to find the balance and now she dedicates more time to activities, weekend trips, personal time. This is helping her personal life and also makes her more productive at work.

Outside the IT industry when Maria is not working on developing new business ideas, she enjoys reading thriller books, experimenting in the kitchen, climbing high peaks, and visiting various beautiful places in Bulgaria and abroad. Those are the things that get Maria re-charged with energy and enthusiasm for marking further achievements in her career.

Today, with a number of successful projects behind her back, Maria proudly takes the position of a Business Development Lead, being a key responsible figure in the eDiscovery-focused business line of TSD and leading efficient communication with some of the global clients of the company.

Maria’s colleagues have praised her with a “diploma” for being a “Restless Hard Worker” due to her inspiring dedication to her profession.

Can you share something specific about you that we can’t find on LinkedIn? I like traveling and one of the main things that I like to do when I’m on a trip is to try the local cuisine. I enjoy trying food from all around the world, and I also love cooking them.

Have you encountered any challenges in your career in connection to being a woman?

I don’t think any of the challenges I have had in my career are related to the fact that I am a woman.

Do you know how many women work in your position?

I don’t have the statistics for that, but I believe there are a lot of bright women in similar positions to mine.

What policy does your company follow in terms of promoting diversi-

“I THINK THAT BEING POSITIVE AND OPEN AND APPROACHING YOUR BUSINESS CONTACTS WITH A SMILE WILL ALWAYS HELP IN YOUR COMMUNICATION, BUT THIS IS APPLICABLE TO ANY PERSON, NO MATTER THE GENDER”

WR TECH | 67

“I LIKE TRAVELLING AND ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS THAT I LIKE TO DO WHEN I’M ON A TRIP IS TO TRY THE LOCAL CUISINE.” ty?

TSD has always supported and promoted diversity in any of its aspects. For example, the company has welcomed a significant number of employees, both in technical and non-technical positions, no matter their background in terms of education or previous working experience. What the company actually considers important is the motivation, personal qualities, and attitude of the employees, and this approach has proven to be quite successful within TSD. Do your male colleagues treat you differently?

Definitely not.

Do you think that a woman’s appearance and charm affect her professional success?(example: does it make communication easier?)

No. In my opinion, women’s appearance does not affect their professional success. I think that being positive and open and approaching business contacts with a smile will always help in communication, but this is applicable to any person, no matter the gender.

How do you combine personal and professional life? Do you have any rules that you follow?

I am quite ambitious, and some time ago, I used to find it hard to separate my professional life from my personal 68 | WR TECH

life. I’m very thankful to my partner for being so supportive all the time. For the past couple of years, I’ve been trying to find the balance. Now I dedicate more and more time for different activities, weekend trips, personal time, and this is helping my personal life, but I’m also more productive in my work.

Which sources do you follow and can you recommend some of them to our audience? (example: podcasts, pages, influencers, vloggers, etc.).

Since my work is mainly focused on software solutions in the legal sector, I’m very interested in the events happening around that industry. I attend events such as Legalweek and Relativity Fest.

Before the pandemic, I was able to attend on-site, but currently, people have the opportunity to participate online, which I consider very helpful. I’m interested in all the changes happening in the legal world, so I read a lot of articles from various sources, but as a brief example, I would mention law.com, edrm. net, etc. I follow the news in the field from any sources available.

In terms of my interests outside of my job, lately, I’ve been very keen on a healthy lifestyle, so I have subscribed to a number of YouTube channels related to the topic. I also love stand-up comedy and enjoy watching performances of comedians from Bulgaria and around the globe.

Favourite clothes?

Casual clothes and activewear.

“I AM QUITE AMBITIOUS, SO I USED TO FIND IT HARD TO SEPARATE MY PROFESSIONAL LIFE FROM MY PERSONAL LIFE.”

igh heels or flat shoes?

H Low shoes.

Which typical female quality or household responsibility does not apply to you?

I am not into using makeup every day.

What is THE thing that you must have in your bag when going out?

Right now, it is a bottle of disinfectant, but usually, it is my perfume. avourite lipstick colour?

F Rose.

WR TECH | 69

A combination of love for COSMOLOGY AND ASTROPHYSICS AND A PASSION FOR TECHNOLOGIES

Joanna Seymenarova, an Executive Producer at Imperia Online JSC, believes that anything is possible if we are always there - on the right place. Joanna shared that being a producer in a game company is a triple role. She thinks that the problem with gender inequality is still relevant globally not only in the tech industry.

Joanna is an Executive Producer at Imperia Online JSC who entered the IT industry at the age of 21 as a Community Manager (game support and translation). She went through being a Теch Writer, Business Analyst, Project Manager, Product Owner, meanwhile having two kids, evolved into a Senior Producer, leading multiple teams, heading multiple products.

Joanna thinks that аnything is possible if we are always there - not missing any chance, grabbing all work opportunities and proactively taking responsibilities bigger than our current role. She shared with us that the milestones in her career that she would define as achievements are, on one hand, the moments when her role scaled successfully and on the other, the big releases that bring to life the hard work of the team.

Joanna tells us that the most rewarding side of her work is to see how their product is being used by the end users on a daily basis. She told us that there has never been gender discrimination in any aspect at Imperia Online. However there have been several difficulties that Joanna has encountered along her way that mostly originated from two factors: 1) the fact that she doesn’t have a technical background. Her product expertise and her leadership skills granted her the opportunity to compensate for this through hands-on experience heading cross-functional and development teams.

2) the fact that she decided to have kids, thus pushing those two roles independently.

In order to catch up with her male colleagues in the same role and be competitive to them, Joanna has to constantly compensate for the time physically dedicated to her family through intensive working hours and a lot of overtime. According to her the game industry is male-dominated. Imperia Online are working in various ways to create a more gender equal workplace. Women developers, QAs, Middle Managers, C-levels stand firmly equal to their colleagues at Imperia Online JSC in terms of influence, opportunities and remuneration.

Joanna suggests that in her role the correlation between men and women is 65:35 and thinks that, without a shadow of a doubt, the problem of gender inequality is still relevant in Bulgaria and globally not only in the tech industry.

Joanna shares with us that the producer role in most game companies is a triple role - PM + PO + TL. Her daily routine mostly includes meetings, discussions, analysis, brainstorming, syncs, planning, demos etc. with both teams and executive stakeholders.

One of her biggest intellectual passions is the field of Cosmology and Astrophysics. A good deal of the books she has been reading in the past years are authored by physicists.

“THE GAME INDUSTRY IS MALE-DOMINATED AND WE ARE WORKING IN VARIOUS WAYS TO CREATE A MORE GENDER-EQUAL WORKPLACE.”

70 | WR TECH

WR TECH | 71

Favourite clothes?

Dresses at demos. Jeans at stand-ups. Sweatpants working from home. Smart shirts over sweatpants on Zoom calls.

High heels or flat shoes?

Heels at demos. Flats at daily stand-ups. Socks for when working from home. hich typical female quality or household responsiW bility does not apply to you?

Not a share-a-thing-person. Not a TV person. Not an iron person. hat is THE thing that you must have in your bag W when going out?

At least one device with an internet connection. avourite lipstick colour?

F Nude.

“THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A GENDER DISCRIMINATION IN ANY ASPECT AT IMPERIA - WOMEN DEVELOPERS, QAS, MIDDLE MANAGERS, C-LEVELS STAND FIRMLY EQUAL TO THEIR COLLEAGUES”

Can you share something specific about you that we can’t find on LinkedIn? One of my biggest intellectual passions is the field of Cosmology and Astrophysics. A good deal of the books I’ve been reading in the past years are authored by physicists. Now with the kids (at the age of 4 and 6, + my husband at 37 :D) my biggest challenge is to explain complex concepts with simple wording and help them develop a scalable thinking, which would hopefully evolve into critical thinking some day.

Have you encountered any challenges in your career in connection to being a woman?

I’m a lucky person - I started my career at Imperia Online JSC at the age of 21 as a Community Manager (game support and translation). There has never been a gender discrimination in any aspect at Imperia Online JSC - women developers, QAs, Middle Managers, C-levels stand firmly equal to their colleagues. The difficulties I’ve encountered along my way have mostly originated from two factors. On one hand the fact that I don’t have a technical background. Fortunately, my product expertise and my leadership skills granted me the opportunity to compensate for this through hands-on experience heading cross-functional and development teams. One the other hand, the fact that I decided to have kids means that I have to push those two roles independently. In order to catch up with my male colleagues in the same position and be competitive to them, I have to constantly compensate for the time physically dedicated to my kids (maternity, sick leaves etc.) through intensive working hours and a lot of overtime.

72 | WR TECH

Do you know how many women work in your position?

Honestly, not a clue. I would suggest men:women - 65:35.

Do you think that the problem of gender inequality is still relevant in Bulgaria and globally?

Taking in mind all industries, not only ours, yes, it is, without a shadow of a doubt.

Which policies does your company encourage regarding gender diversity?

The game industry is male-dominated and we are working in various ways to create a more gender equal workplace. Women developers, QAs, Middle Managers, C-levels stand firmly equal to their colleagues at Imperia Online JSC in terms of influence, opportunities and remuneration.

Do your male colleagues treat you differently?

No. Do you think that a woman’s appearance and charm affect their professional success? (example: does it make communication easier?)

No. Real professional success does not correlate to looks. If it appears to do so, then it is neither real, nor professional.

How do you combine personal and professional life? Do you have any rules that you follow?

I’m a producer and a mother. I don’t have a choice but to push both roles simultaneously 24/7. I take care of the juniors in my

teams as if they were my own kids. I look after my two little kids as if they were my top priority double project with heavy releases and constant hotfixes.

Which sources do you follow and can you recommend some of them to our audience? (example: podcasts, pages, influencers, vloggers, etc.)

Tech Insider, Business Insider, HiComm. The giant tech youtubers MKBHD, Unbox Therapy, Everything Apple Pro. Science channels on Youtube - Vsauce, Kurtzgesagt. Kaldata, Science and Critical Thinking on Facebook.

“REAL PROFESSIONAL SUCCESS DOES NOT CORRELATE TO LOOKS. IF IT APPEARS TO DO SO, THEN IT IS NEITHER REAL, NOR PROFESSIONAL”

WR TECH | 73

A professional who successfully prioritize her TASKS TO BUILD A PLEASANT WORK-LIFE BALANCE

Emilija Zafirova is an Engineering Manager at Axway who enjoys supporting her teams, managing execution, and coordinating across the teams on a daily basis. She reviews and designs solutions but also provides guidance to her teams. Emilija thinks that communication is the key to success.

For Emilija Zafirova the most important parts of her job are the people and the opportunities that make them grow. She also adds that it’s crucial for her to give everyone the autonomy to make decisions and to provide them the chance to learn from their mistakes. Emilija thinks that building trust with people is invaluable. She also adds that when both parties have built trust between each other, everything else falls into place.

Emilija is an Engineering Manager at Axway who always works to find the right approach in order to turn a difficult situation into a positive solution. Emilija reviews and designs solutions but also provides guidance to her teams. This involves keeping track of all priorities to make sure that the most important tasks

are moving forward. She believes that it is crucial for women to find jobs that should fit well with other areas of their life. They have to enjoy their work and believe that their job gives them enough opportunities to grow.

Emilija shares that inspiring people to grow is the best part of her job. She enjoys supporting her teams, managing execution, and coordination across the teams on a daily basis.

Making things happen through other people and establishing better results from a group of people working together is very rewarding. Emilija thinks that communication is the key to success.

According to her, we have to set personal goals and schedule our work correctly if we want to achieve success and pleasure

from the work that has been done.

She adds that we should always have an open mind and be willing to learn new things. Emilija thinks that the value of action is far greater than words, hence her philosophy of life is “Show, don’t tell”.

One of her rules of how to combine personal with professional life is “Take Time To Make Time”. She tells us that a pleasant work-life balance means managing our family and professional life in a way that none of the two oversteps their boundaries and interferes with one another. The challenge is to balance what we must do with what we enjoy doing.

Emilija concludes that taking responsibility for our own choices is important and we should never accept that something is “not possible.”

“THE MOST IMPORTANT THING FOR WOMEN IS THAT THEIR JOB FITS WELL WITH OTHER AREAS OF THEIR LIFE”

WR TECH | 75

“A PLEASANT WORK-LIFE BALANCE MEANS MANAGING YOUR FAMILY AND PROFESSIONAL LIFE IN A WAY THAT NONE OF THE TWO OVERSTEPS THEIR BOUNDARIES AND INTERFERES WITH THE OTHER.” Favourite clothes?

I like different sorts of clothes such as sports, trousers, jeans, t-shirts. These types of clothes are more comfortable compared to others. I also wear dresses on special occasions.

High heels or flat shoes?

I prefer sneakers or flat shoes. For special occasions I wear heels- makes me feel fabulous and taller :) It really depends on the weather and season. I wear what is comfortable and I prefer sneakers or flat shoes. Heels are also great. I wear them on very rare occasions when I have to go to parties and special events.

Which typical female quality or household responsibility does not apply to you?

Everything applies to me :) Household responsibilities are typically considered to be “tasks” and they are family responsibilities for all family members, so everything applies to me. When responsibilities are divided equitably, each member of the family

76 | WR TECH

respects and protects each other’s time as just as valuable as their own and everything is easier.

What is THE thing that you must have in your bag when going out?

Perfume – it is always with me in my bag :) Whatever I wear every day, I put my favorite perfume in my handbag, so I’ll have my perfume during the whole day with me and use it when I feel it is necessary, a few times a day :)

Favourite lipstick colour?

Nude shades, brown, peach or orange, reds, burgundy or wine shades.

When it comes to lipsticks, let them be matte. I generally go for nude shades which have more of a brown, peach or orange shades. And with reds, I go for maroon, burgundy or wine shades. So generally I prefer to wear lipstick shades which are either close to my natural lip color or kind of shades which enhance their looks and my confidence.

“THE CHALLENGE IS TO BALANCE WHAT WE MUST DO WITH WHAT WE ENJOY DOING.” Do you know how many women work in your position?

I don’t know :) The most important thing for women is their job fits well with other areas of their life, followed by enjoying the work that they do, and believing that their job gives them opportunities.

How do you combine personal and professional life? Do you have any rules you follow?

“Take time to make time” – we all lead busy lives, but we should never be too busy to connect with our family, friends and our inner self. A pleasant work-life balance means managing your family and professional life in a way that none of the two oversteps their boundaries and interferes with the other. The challenge is to balance what we must do with what we enjoy doing.

So, I like some rules that I follow and prioritise tasks into four categories: • Important and urgent • Important, but not urgent • Urgent, but not important • Not important, not urgent

“WHEN RESPONSIBILITIES ARE DIVIDED EQUITABLY, EACH MEMBER OF THE FAMILY RESPECT AND PROTECT EACH OTHER’S TIME.”

WR TECH | 77

Taking care of flowers in the heyday of your IT CAREER

Paulina Dragoeva is a QA Team Lead at Accenture. She shares with us that she feels extremely complete and respected in the place she currently is. Regarding gender inequaty in the workplace, Paulina sees a trend towards positive change. She admits that sometimes it is difficult to separate her professional and personal life, especially for a workaholic like herself.

Paulina Dragoeva is a QA Team Lead at Accenture, who shares with us that she feels extremely complete and respected at work.

Paulina told us that she started working as a tester when she was at university and then she learned a lot about this profession. After university, Paulina went to Austria, but something has always pulled her back to Bulgaria.

She shares that regarding gender inequality in the workplace, she sees a trend towards positive changes.

Paulina adds that more and more companies are taking action to hire more women, which is commendable, but unfortunately the situation is not that good from a global perspective.

Paulina shares that sometimes it is difficult for her to separate the professional from personal life, especially for a workaholic like her. Paulina tries to diversify the mental work with a physical one by riding a bike, walking in the park or training at home.

She says that during the pandemic she managed to develop a new hobby - growing flowers. Paulina is now almost a specialist, despite all of her previous unsuccessful attempts. What is more, because of her perseverance she expects about 100 tulips to bloom on her terrace.

According to Paulina, qualities are built individually by each person and are not divided into genders.

Paulina says that so far she has been lucky enough to work in companies where she has not faced any discrimimination in relation to being a woman. However, she said that some time ago she was at an interview where they told her that the salary for their position, which was quite low, was too good for a “woman in the IT field”.

To her, the members of a professional team need to build good friendships with one another and get along so that they understand each other in just one word - just like her team at Accenture.

“THE GOOD QA TEAM LEAD HAS TO KNOW THE STRONG AND WEAK SIDES OF EVERY SINGLE PERSON OF THEIR TEAM, TO DISTRIBUTE THE TASKS SO THAT EVERYONE CAN PROVIDE QUALITY TESTING, BUT ALSO TO DEVELOP THEIR SKILLS IF NEEDED.”

78 | WR TECH

WR TECH | 79

Favourite clothes?

A striped blouse. igh heels or flat shoes?

H Low ones - especially white sneackers.

Which is THE thing you never go out without?

A phone, a mask and a hand sanitizer .

Favourite lipstick colour? #F57171 Which is the feminine quality/duty that you don’t possess?

I think that such qualities are developed by each individual and can’t be divided into genders.

Which cause are you currently supporting?

Time Heroes - https://timeheroes.org/bg/ , Novata Gora, Sofia - https ://novatagora.bg/

Share something about yourself that we can’t find on LinkedIn. During the pandemic I developed a new hobby – taking care of flowers. I’m also a specialist now although I wasn’t always successful. But I’m persistent and I ‘m expecting around 100 tulips and bulbs to bloom.

Have you ever faced challenges in your career regarding the fact that you are a woman?

Until now, I’ve always been lucky enough to work for companies where I was not discriminated against for being a woman. However, some time ago I went to an interview for an IT firm where I was directly told that the salary of the position, which was extremely low, was great for a “woman in the IT sphere”. What came as a bigger shock to me was the fact that the person who said this to me was the HR specialist who was also a woman.

Do you know how many women work in your position?

I know there are many women working as QAs, I even have some very successful friends in the sector.

Do you think that the problem with gender inequality still exists in Bulgaria and globally?

In Bulgaria, I think things are going well.

More and more firms are taking actions on hiring more women, which is great.

Unfortunately, I don’t think the situation is as good in a global plan though. The percentage ratio for higher rewarding is still in the benefit of men.

Do women’s appearance and charm help you be successful in a professional way?

I don’t think it’s related. And it was proved to me during last year when all of us have been working from home. We communicate with people online, some of which I’ve never seen in person, but we still manage to be successful.

“ THE TRUTH IS, THERE ISN’T A SINGLE SOFTWARE WITHOUT ANY BUGS. BUT THE QUALITY IS JUDGED BY OTHER FACTORS SUCH AS EFFICIENCY, GOOD FUNCTIONALITY, ASSURANCE AND CONVENIENCE.”

80 | WR TECH

How do you get along with men in your company? Do they treat you differently?

I always try to keep on the friendly mode with everyone, but I can’t say I receive any special attention from my male colleagues. In the team we’ve developed friendships and suit each other in a way we get along pretty well.

How do you balance your work with your personal life?

Do you follow any specific rules?

Sometimes it’s really hard, especially for workaholic like me. I try to diversify the brain load with physical load – I ride my bike, go for walks in the park and workout from home.

Which sources would you recommend to us? (podcasts, webpages, influencers, youtubers, etc.)

Interesting Engineering: https://interestingengineering.com/ You’ve graduated from Sofia University with Applied Mathematics. What inspired you to choose the IT sphere?

Ever since high school I’ve been interested in information technologies and I’ve been looking forward to computer science classes. Our teacher presented the lessons in a way that always caught my attention even if it was hard sometimes. I definitely liked working with a computer back then. I started as a QA when I was still at university, but I had no idea how the process of developing software looked. And once I got more into those things, I realized that’s what I wanted.

Which are the most important qualities of a Quality Assurance Team Lead?

The good Team Lead has to be able to multitask, to always know what’s going

on in the teams and to remain calm in stressful situations. The good QA team lead has to know the strong and weak sides of every single person of their team, to distribute the tasks so that everyone can provide quality testing, but also to develop their skills if needed. I always try to pay the needed attention to each colleague and give them directions to solve their problems. Perfect organizational skills, dedication and responsibility also count.

How can we be absolutely sure of the quality of a product?

The product has to answer the needs, expectations and desires of the customer. The truth is, there isn’t a single software without any bugs. But the quality is judged by other factors such as efficiency, good functionality, assurance and most importantly – whether it’s convenient enough to be used by the end-user.

For the different products we have to develop a different test strategy, where testing processes have to be done with the desired strictness and preciseness.

When and how should we put the borders between the workday and life after that, as everything happens in one place? Can you give examples of some good practices?

The best example is turning off the computer after 6PM and stop thinking of work. However, this does not always work for me – very often I can concentrate and do a lot of things after everyone else goes off and Teams is not constantly filled with new messages. The best thing is to learn how to prioritize our tasks and if they aren’t so urgent we can, for example, put them off until the next day although for some people it’s hard to leave the undone work. A walk after work is very efficient for me.

WR TECH | 81

Fintech:: Възходът

134

Fintech:: Възходът

Възходът::Fintech

135