site.btaInnovation and Digital Transformation Minister Appoints New Sofia Tech Park Supervisory Board

Innovation and Digital Transformation Minister Ivan Vasilev, acting on behalf of the State in exercising its shareholder rights in Sofia Tech Park, has appointed three members of the company’s Supervisory Board. The appointees are Ivan Mihaylov, who will retain his position as chair, Anton Kitipov, and Theodor Panayotov. In line with the policy set by the government, the Supervisory Board is being reduced to three members, making the company’s governance more streamlined while also cutting the cost of board remuneration, the Ministry's press office said.

The company is entering the most ambitious stage of its development to date: the construction of the BRAIN++ artificial intelligence factory, in partnership with INSAIT, the Defence Innovation Centre, and the Centre of Excellence in Kazanlak. This requires a board with expertise in artificial intelligence, technology financing and commercialization, capable of introducing common rules and measurable performance indicators across the group and ensuring that shared infrastructure is fully utilized by both the research community and business.

The three newly appointed members of Sofia Tech Park’s Supervisory Board were selected based on their extensive experience in information technology, artificial intelligence, finance and economics.

The new composition of the Supervisory Board is yet to be entered in the Commercial Register, after which procedures will begin to determine the composition of the company’s Management Board.

According to the biographies provided, Ivan Mihaylov has extensive management experience in the information technology, telecommunications and automotive sectors. He has headed engineering and technology centres for companies in the IT sector. Since 2022, he has served as CEO of the American Chamber of Commerce in Bulgaria. He holds a degree in Computer Science from the Technical University of Sofia, a degree in Economics from Sofia University, and a degree in Business Administration specializing in technology commercialization from the Red McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin, US.

Anton Kitipov is a banking professional with more than 20 years of experience, specializng in digital foreign-exchange trading, eSolutions and electronic distribution across a number of countries. He has proven expertise in developing and managing regional digital currency solutions for corporate clients and financial institutions. His professional background also includes fintech partnerships, payment infrastructure and digital assets. He holds a law degree from Sofia University.

Theodor Panayotov is an artificial intelligence expert with experience in developing sovereign, on-premises and hybrid AI-powered knowledge platforms for key sectors. He has held senior positions at technology companies. He holds qualifications in network technologies and human resources development. He is also an alumnus of Singularity University/NASA Ames.

This is the latest in a series of changes to the governing bodies of Sofia Tech Park this year. As of mid-July, when BTA received information from Sofia Tech Park on the number and members of the technology park’s Management Board and Supervisory Board, the Supervisory Board consisted of Ivan Mihaylov, chair; Svetlodara Petrova, deputy chair; and members Georgi Todorov and Krasimir Vitanov.

The website of the Innovation and Digital Transformation Ministry contains no information about the announcement of a competition for the selection or appointment of members of Sofia Tech Park’s Supervisory Board.