Who are the best CFOs of 2025?

The best CFOs for 2025 were announced at a special ceremony organized by EY Bulgaria. This year marked the 10th anniversary of the CFO of the Year competition. Nearly 200 guests from leading Bulgarian companies attended the awards ceremony and gala dinner last night at the Grand Hotel Millennium in Sofia.

Over the past decade, the competition has helped develop and establish the role of CFOs as a key and strategically important figure in every company. CFO of the Year has become a platform for ideas, a partner to the business community, and a community of people with shared interests. Over the past ten editions, the competition has recognized more than 150 finalists and over 50 winners.

This year, three of the seven award winners are women. From its very inception, the competition has paid special attention to women in the financial sector.

The Big Winners of the CFO of the Year Competition

• “Transformation of the Finance Function” Category

Georgi Nikolov, Dreamix – his achievements include the integration of AI tools into the finance team’s daily work, the implementation of an ERP system that led to faster monthly closings, as well as a system for expense management and control.

• “Planning and Budgeting” Category

Nikolay Vassilev, Astellas Pharma – his approach is recognized, through which the company is able to plan sustainably and respond flexibly to changing business conditions by integrating external factors, changes in the regulatory environment, the dynamics of healthcare systems, and the specifics of individual markets.

• Category: “Small and Start-up Enterprises”

Pavel Panayotov, Maxo Bulgaria – part of his contribution relates to his role in the company’s development, achieving annual growth, attracting financing, developing innovative products, and the overall restructuring of the business.

• “Sustainable Development” Category

Lyuba Pavlova, Allianz Bank Bulgaria – for engaging the team on the topic of sustainability, setting and achieving ESG goals, and preparing to report on regulatory requirements (CSRD and the EU Taxonomy)—the company was the first to disclose its sustainability framework to the regulator, the Bulgarian National Bank (BNB), in its annual financial report.

• “Leadership and Team Development” Category

Nevena Nikshe, UniCredit Bulbank Bulgaria – among the key factors for receiving the award are a strong focus on building a committed, highly effective, and sustainable team; the implementation of clear management practices; transparency and a culture of open dialogue; and channels for gathering ideas, suggestions, and constructive criticism.

• Category “Tax Control, Reporting, and Management”

Yordanka Klenovska, Telelink Business Services – recognized for her leadership role in the control and reporting process by taking ultimate responsibility and ensuring the accuracy, reliability, and timeliness of all financial information provided by the group, and strengthening every element of the tax management system, while simultaneously leading two key initiatives in the area of tax management at the group level.

• Category “Strategic Partner for Business Development”

Alexander Bilalov, SUNOTEC – receives the award for his key contribution to transforming the company from a fast-growing entrepreneurial business into a financially stable organization attractive to global investors, with an average annual revenue growth of 85% over the past four years and institutional capital raised for investment in projects totaling 1 billion.

The ceremony was opened by Nikolay Garnev, Managing Partner of EY for Bulgaria and Southeast Europe.

CFO of the Year is no longer just a competition, but a tradition. Over the past decade, as we’ve honored the best CFOs, we’ve fostered successful leaders, best practices, role models, and a drive for growth. We have also created a community that continues to evolve and demonstrates every day just how important the role of CFOs is in every company,” said Garnev.

EY Bulgaria’s “CFO of the Year” competition is one of a kind and sheds more light on this responsible and specialized role within every company. The competition promotes best practices and the development of the business environment in Bulgaria, providing an excellent opportunity for finance professionals to receive recognition and visibility for their efforts over the years.

Find out everything about the CFOY competition HERE.

Economic.bg is a media partner of the event.

Translated with DeepL.