Breakfast with Rt. Hon Virginia Bottombey

Several members of BBLF met with Rt. Hon Virginia Bottomley - MP, Vice-Chair of the British Council and member of the Managing Board of the Prince of Wales International Business Leaders Forum (IBLF), at a breakfast organised by the British Council. Rt. Hon V. Bottomley was visiting Bulgaria to be present when HRH Prince Andrew, The Duke of York, opened the new British Council premises in Sofia on October 18, 2001.

Ms Virginia Bottomley was interested in obtaining at first hand picture of business in Bulgaria today and to learn more about the Bulgarian Business Leaders Forum. In an extremely friendly and pleasant discussion she shared her experience with socially responsible businesses and heart about Bulgarian experience. Mr Maxim Behar - Chairman of BBLF and Chief Executive of M3 Communication Group Inc., Guilbert McCaul - Audit Partner, KPMG, Mr Radko Stamenov - Executive Director, Shell Bulgaria, Mr Nickolai Hadjidonchev - Country Manager, Unilever Bulgaria, Ms Zoya Pauniva - Country Manager, AstraZeneka, Ms Maria Shishkova - Executive Director, AIMS Human Capital Bulgaria, and John Tolchard - Executive Director, Shell Gas Bulgaria, spoke about the Forum and presented the activities of their companies. Special emphasis was given to the support IBLF is giving to BBLF and to further developing the relations between the two organisations.

An engaging part of the discussion were the presentations of Mr Kevin Lewis - Director, British Council, Sofia, and Mr Simon Harris, Training Manager. Ms V. Bottomley's closing message was about continuing and deepening the collaboration between BBLF and the British Council, Sofia.