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Digital Economy Committee

Mission

The mission of the Digital Economy Committee is to promote and support the digital transformation in Bulgaria both in the public and private sector with focus on e-Governance, data protection, cyber security and transposition of EU directives to the Bulgarian legislation. Another concern of the Digital Economy Committee is the educational reform in Bulgaria, how to implement more digital technologies in the educational process and increase the digital skills of young people.

As of September 2021 Board’s decision, the E-Governance Committee merges with the Digital Economy Committee.

Priorities

Digital Economy Committee Priorities 2024 – 2025, presented before the AmCham Bulgaria Board on May 9th, 2024

Leadership

  • Nikola Gechev, Director Corporate Sales, Vivacom – Co-Chair
  • Plamen Zhechev, Enterprise and Public Sector Manager, CISCO Systems – Co-Chair

2023 – 2026

Plamen Zhechev, Enterprise and Public Sector Manager, Cisco Systems Bulgaria – Co-Chair
Anna-Marie Vilamovska, Business Development Manager, Hewlett Packard Enterprise operated by Selectium – Co-Chair

2021 – 2023

Georgi Ganev, AmCham Board Member and Country Manager and Technology Sales Leader, IBM Bulgaria – Co-Chair
Plamen Zhechev, Enterprise and Public Sector Manager, Cisco Systems Bulgaria – Co-Chair

Iva Todorova, AmCham Board Member (2016 – 2021) and Government and Regulatory Affairs Executive, IBM Bulgaria, and AmCham Bulgaria Board Member (then)
Ivaylo Slavov, AmCham Board Member (2017 – 2021) and CEO, BULPROS, and AmCham Bulgaria Board Member (then)

Committee Activities

The priorities of this committee for 2022 were Regulatory Changes, Cyber Security, and Digital Health. Among the engaged members were IBM, Oracle, Dimitrov, Petrov & Co Law Firm, Dobrev & Lyutskanov Law Firm, Boyanov & Co, etc.

A key initiative to improve the preparation to sustain and guarantee business continuity of any enterprise, mainly SMEs, and in implementation of its second priority, the Committee developed the Cyber Security Series in partnership with the SME Promotion Agency. Georgi Ganev, Country Manager, IBM Bulgaria, and Simeon Stoychev, VP Operations, Progress Software, delivered two virtual sessions at which they shared practical and theoretic knowledge mixed with their own experience before a diverse audience.

A collaboration between the DE and HCE Committees resulted in a specific proposal for improvements in the legislation related to the electronic labor file. Another area to probe collaboration and joint activities was Digital Health where the two committees discussed how to structure a joint process.

In the fall of 2021, a group of leaders discussed how to restart the committee. Among the topics for brainstorming were Start-ups (how to support them and engage with them); Cyber Security (improvement of legislation, raising awareness (best practices, training), concrete activities); and AI and Shared Economy. It was decided that Simeon Stoychev, Progress, and Georgi Ganev, IBM, would work on Cyber security and E-governance topics; while Tony McMurray, Ingram Micro and Ivan Mihaylov, Visteon Electronics would work on AI and Shared Economy topics.

September 18, 2020
AmCham Bulgaria Position on The National AI Development Concept.

AmCham Bulgaria filed a position with recommendations on the National AI Development Concept. The text was prepared on the basis of the Digital Sustainability Forum 2019 discussions and feedback from members by the team of Boyanov & Co. led by Attn. Nikolay Zisov, Attn. Trayan Targov and Attn. Deyan Terziev.

Read the AmCham Recommendations on AI in Bulgarian.

May 26, 2020
The AmCham Digital Economy and Tax Committees held a joint webinar with guest speakers from Dobrev & Lyutskanov Law Firm and Ernst & Young Bulgaria.

  • Lyuben Todev, Senior Associate, Dobrev & Lyutskanov Law Firm. Presentation: “Protection of software applications. Free software licenses.”
  • Viktor Mitev, Associate Partner, EY Bulgaria, and Milen Raikov, AmCham Tax Committee Chair and Partner, EY Bulgaria. Presentation: “Tax Incentives for IP, Transfers of IP from tax perspective, Tax aspects of Hard-to-value-intangibles (HTVI)“

According to a decision of the AmCham Board of Directors of January 20th, 2018, the AmCham Digital Working Group has been transformed into Digital Economy Committee.

The Board of Directors has identified Digitalization as one of the key priority of the Chamber in 2018 and has outlined the following focus areas:

  1. Cyber Security
  2. IoT/Industry 4.0
  3. eGovernance
  4. Privacy

On November 29th, 2017, the Digital Working Group held a meeting to discuss some main files from the EU Digital Single Market initiative which would be in the focus of the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of EU 2018, namely, the proposals for ePrivacy Regulation and Free flow of non-personal data. During the meeting members discussed how AmCham can support and provide input to the legislative process at national level. You may read more about the discussion in the Minutes of Meeting.

On July 4th, 2017, the Digital Working Group discussed the organization of AmCham General Data Protection Regulation Event, scheduled for September, 2017. Members brainstormed on the concept, goals, format and participants of the event and other issues related to the new regulation. You may read more about the discussion in the Minutes of Meeting.

On May 19th, 2017, the Digital Working Group held a meeting to define the mission, priority areas and action plan for the work of the Digital Working Group. More information about the key priority areas of the working group and suggested initiatives are available in the Minutes of Meeting.

Priority areas 2017

  • Digital government transformation and e-Government
  • Digital education, skills and jobs
  • Regulatory
  • Digital technologies and innovations

On November 9th, 2016, the AmCham Digital Working Group had its launch meeting where representatives from over 20 companies brainstormed about the priority areas/key issues the working group should focus on. Members defined as primary goals of the working to initiate and sustain a structured dialogue with the institutions and provide technological expertise and know how on issues arising from the digital sphere. You may read more information about the discussed topics in the Summary of Minutes of Meeting.

News from This Committee