On 19 May 2022, the prestigious annual awards in the insurance and pension sectors – “Insurer of the Year”, “Pension Insurance Company of the Year”, and “Insurance Broker of the Year” for 2021 – were presented for the 14th consecutive year during a formal ceremony held at Hotel Marinela, Sofia. As per tradition, the event was co-organised by the Higher School of Insurance and Finance (VUZF), the Association of Bulgarian Insurers (ABZ), the Bulgarian Association of Supplementary Pension Security Companies (BASPSC), the Prof. Dr. Veleslav Gavriyski Foundation, and the Bulgarian Association of Insurance Brokers (BAIB).
The Prof. Dr. V. Gavriyski Foundation presented its special annual awards for the 24th time – “For Overall Contribution to the Development of Bulgarian Insurance”, “For Overall Contribution to the Development of Bulgarian Pension Security”, and “For Overall Contribution to the Development of Insurance Intermediary Services” – to distinguished experts and managers who are leaders in their respective fields.
The past two editions of the awards were held online with limited attendance due to the pandemic-related restrictions. This year, the ceremony returned to its traditional in-person format, welcoming numerous representatives from the business community, state institutions, regulatory bodies, academia, and the media.
Among the official guests were Boyko Atanasov, Chair of the Financial Supervision Commission (FSC), Vladimir Savov and Diana Yordanova, FSC Deputy Chairs heading respectively the Insurance and the Pension Supervision Departments, Galab Donev, Secretary for Demographic and Social Policy to the President of the Republic of Bulgaria, Lazar Lazarov, Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Policy, and Diana Miteva, Chair of the Management Board of the Association of Banks in Bulgaria, among others.
The ceremony began with the presentation of the national awards of the Prof. Dr. Veleslav Gavriyski Foundation to the most prominent figures in the insurance and pension fields. The award “For Overall Contribution to the Development of Bulgarian Insurance” was presented to Yuri Kopach, Member of the Management Board and Executive Director “Sales and Commercial Network” at Generali Insurance AD. The award was handed by Konstantin Velev, Chair of the Management Board of ABZ.
Yuri Kopach received the honour with the following words: “In 1997, I took my first steps in insurance – the sector I recognised as my calling. Since then, I’ve worked with enthusiasm and joy. Together with colleagues, we succeeded in changing attitudes towards insurance, as our goal has always been to help people build a safer future for themselves and their families by protecting their lives and dreams. That is what motivates me every day. That is why I am truly proud that yesterday, at the ‘Insurer of the Year 2022’ ceremony, I received this great honour – For Overall Contribution to the Development of Bulgarian Insurance. I would like to thank my colleagues from the sector, represented by ABZ and the Prof. Dr. Veleslav Gavriyski Foundation. I am also grateful to everyone with whom I’ve worked – and continue to work – and who have been instrumental to this success.”
The same award for overall contribution from the academic sector was presented to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Grigoriy Vazov, President and Rector Emeritus of VUZF and Executive Director of VUZF Lab. The award was presented by Dr. Nikolay Zdravkov, Chair of the Management Board of BAIB.
The ceremony also recognised the best-performing insurance companies of 2021:
The winner in the “Insurer of the Year – General Insurance” category was Bulstrad Vienna Insurance Group Plc. The award was presented to Nedyalko Chandarov, Chair of the Management Board and CEO, by Boyko Atanasov, Chair of the FSC.
In the “Insurer of the Year – Life Insurance” category, the award went to DZI-Life Insurance Plc. The prize was received by Kosta Cholakov, Chair of the Management Board and CEO, presented by Vladimir Savov, FSC Deputy Chair.
The award for “Most Dynamically Developing Insurance Company” for 2021 was given to Allianz Bulgaria Life Insurance Plc. and was accepted by Andrey Alexandrov, Executive Director, from Diana Miteva, Chair of the Management Board of the Association of Banks in Bulgaria.
Among the insurance brokers, the following companies were awarded:
The “Most Dynamically Developing Insurance Broker” for 2021 award was granted to Amarant Bulgaria Ltd. The award was received by Yanaki Yanakiev, Managing Director, and presented by Radoslava Maslarska, Chair of the Management Board of BALIP.
In the “Insurance Broker of the Year – Life Insurance” category, the winner was ING Insurance Brokers Ltd. The award was presented to Todor Dedinski, Business Development Director, by Konstantin Velev, Chair of ABZ.
The “Insurance Broker of the Year – General Insurance” award went to SDI Group Ltd., with the prize received by Managing Director Yasen Hristov, presented by Vladimir Savov, FSC Deputy Chair.
The following pension insurance companies were also awarded:
In the “Pension Insurance Company of the Year – Most Dynamic Development” category for 2021, the award went to DSK-Rodina Pension Insurance Company Plc. The prize was received by Diana Miteva, Member of the Management Board, and presented by Lazar Lazarov, Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Policy.
In the “Pension Insurance Company of the Year – Voluntary Pension Insurance Activity” category, the winner was Allianz Bulgaria Pension Company Plc. The award was presented to Vladislav Rusev, CEO, by Vasil Velev, Chair of the Management Board of BIA.
The “Pension Insurance Company of the Year – Mandatory Pension Insurance Activity” category winner for 2021 was Doverie Pension Insurance Company Plc. The prize was received by Daniela Petkova, Chair of the Management Board, and presented by Diana Yordanova, FSC Deputy Chair.
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