Daniela Peeva
Chairperson of the Managing board of ABIRD
In 1998 Daniela graduated with a Master degree from the Law Faculty of Sofia University and for
more than 15 years now she has been working in the field of regulation of the capital market in
Bulgaria, aimed at raising the information disclosure standards, applying the principles of good
corporate governance and corporate social responsibility. For 13 years Daniela has been an Investor
Relations manager. For 10 years now she has had the honor to be the Chairperson of the
professional organization of the Investor Relations Directors in Bulgaria - ABIRD. In her capacity of a
Chairperson of the Association Daniela is in charge of conducting and coordinating the overall
activities of the organization and representing the interests of IRDs – members of the Association
before the regulatory authorities and other institutions on the capital market in Bulgaria. Daniela is a
Member of the Bulgarian National Corporate Governance Committee, member of the Advisory Board
to the Chairperson of the Bulgarian FSC.
Since 2005 she has taken part as a lecturer and moderator at different Conferences, Round Tables,
Seminars and other public event on various issues related to IR, Corporate Governance and CSR
policies and practices in Bulgarian listed companies.
Since 2007 Daniela has been a managing partner at Investor Relations Services Ltd. – a company
specialized in providing professional legal, IR and corporate governance services to listed and other
commercial companies in Bulgaria
Sophia Argirova – Atanasova
Vice Chairperson of the Managing board of ABIRD
Sofia Argirova-Atanasova is an IR director, legal, corporate governance consultant of companies
listed on the Bulgarian Stock Exchange and a Vice Chairperson of the Management Board of the
Association of Bulgarian Investor Relations Directors.
Since 2007 Sofia Argirova-Atanasova has been a managing partner at Investor Relations Services
Ltd. – a company specialized in providing professional legal, IR and corporate governance services to
listed and other commercial companies in Bulgaria.
Since 2001 until present Sophia Argirova-Atanasova has been working as an IR Director and legal
consultant for various Bulgarian companies, listed on BSE-Sofia AD.
Within the period April 2011 – December 2013 Sofia Argirova-Atanasova was a member of the
Stakeholder Group at ESMA (European Securities and Markets Authority) representing the Bulgarian
capital market participants.
Sofia Argirova-Atanasova participated in the task force for elaboration of the Bulgarian National
Corporate Governance Code, in the task force for elaboration of the Bulgarian National CSR Strategy
and she has also been a member of the Bulgarian working groups on the market standards for
corporate actions and general meetings and on the suggested amendments under the shareholders’
rights directive.
Ivan Šteriev
CEO
Macedonian Stock Exchange
Ivan Steriev has been the CEO of the Macedonian Stock Exchange (MSE) since 2005. Before he took
the leadership of the MSE he was part of the teams who worked on the establishment of the stock
exchange and start of its operations in 1996 and consequently served as a Floor Manager and
Director of the Securities Trading Department. He started his career in 1994 at the Bank
Rehabilitation Agency of the Republic of Macedonia. He finished Faculty of Economics in Skopje and
passed exams at the Masters studies on Monetary Economics at the same faculty.
Throughout the years Mr. Steriev has been the MSE’s representative in different committees and
bodies both domestically and internationally, including the implementation of the automated trading
system at MSE. He also participated in the team responsible for issuing first government bonds for
rehabilitation of the major commercial bank and for covering government debts from pre-1990 period.
He co-authored the book “The Stock Exchange Manual” and published numerous articles on financial
and securities industry issue in various magazines and newspapers in Macedonia.
He participated in many working groups responsible for drafting laws and regulations related to the
securities industry in the Republic of Macedonia. Mr. Steriev is a lecturer on the Macedonian SEC’s
courses for brokers licensing.
He was also a member of the board of the Macedonian Central Securities Depository and
commissioner at the Macedonian SEC. He also served as a board member at the American –
Macedonian Chamber of Commerce. Currently, he is a member of the Executive Board of Federation
of the Eurasian Stock Exchanges (FEAS) and the Supervisory Board of the SEE LINK (company
jointly founded by the exchanges from Zagreb, Sofia and Skopje).
Ivana Gažić
President of the Management Board
Zagreb Stock Exchange
Graduated in Finance from the Faculty of Economics and Business at the University of Zagreb and
gained the Executive MBA degree from the International Executive Development Center Bled
(Slovenia) and is also a certified investment advisor.
Ivana gained wide professional experience working for leading Croatian companies and financial
institutions starting her career in 1998 at Pliva where she served until 2003 as a Head of Capital
Market Operations. Since 2003 till 2005 she worked at Lura as a Head of strategic financing project
with EBRD and DEG and the assistant to CEO. In 2005 Ivana joined Société Générale – Splitska
Banka as a Deputy Head of Corporate Department and a Head of Structured Finance Department.
She continued her career in Hypo Alpe-Adria-Bank taking the position of Executive Director
responsible for financial markets, private banking, corporate finance, asset management and
investment funds.
Since May 2010 Ivana is the President of the Management Board of Zagreb Stock Exchange. She
was a speaker, lecturer and participant in numerous conferences and professional gatherings on the
subject of banking, finance and capital markets.
Kristijan Polenak
Kristijan Polenak attorney at law. Graduated 1994 at the Law Faculty with the University St. Kiril and
Metodiј in Skopje. Working in M&A, banking, securities regulation, corporate law and corporate
governance. Managing Partner in the firm.
Memberships:
• Independent member of the Supervisory Board of Sparkasse Bank Macedonia AD Skopje, 2011-to
date;
• President of the Board of Directors of the Macedonian Stock Exchange AD Skopje, 2007-2011;
• Member of the Managing Board of Pivara AD Skopje, 2008-2009;
• Management Board of the American Chamber of Commerce in Macedonia (founding member),
since 2000 and President of the Board in 2006/2007;
• Non-executive member of the Management Board of the Insurance Company Eurolink AD Skopje,
2002-2005;
• Non-executive member of the Management Board of Eurostandard Bank AD Skopje, 2001-2004;
• Non-executive member of the Management Board of Brokerage House BRO-DEAL AD Skopje,
1999-2003;
• International Bar Association;
• Macedonian Bar Association, since 1996.ated 1994 at the Law Faculty with the University St. Kiril
and Metodiј in Skopje. Working in M&A, banking, securities regulation, corporate law and corporate
governance. Managing Partner in the firm.
Memberships:
•Independent member of the Supervisory Board of Sparkasse Bank Macedonia AD Skopje, 2011-to
date;
•President of the Board of Directors of the Macedonian Stock Exchange AD Skopje, 2007-2011;
•Member of the Managing Board of Pivara AD Skopje, 2008-2009;
•Management Board of the American Chamber of Commerce in Macedonia (founding member), since
2000 and President of the Board in 2006/2007;
•Non-executive member of the Management Board of the Insurance Company Eurolink AD Skopje,
2002-2005;
•Non-executive member of the Management Board of Eurostandard Bank AD Skopje, 2001-2004;
•Non-executive member of the Management Board of Brokerage House BRO-DEAL AD Skopje,
1999-2003;
•International Bar Association;
• Macedonian Bar Association, since 1996.
Verica Hadzi Vasileva Markovska
MIOD
Verica Hadzi Vasileva-Markovska has more than 35 years of experience in various consulting,
advisory, training and public administration assignments. She is one of the founders and Managing
Partner of AAG - Analysis and Advisory Group. AAG - Analysis and Advisory Group is a Macedonian
consulting company involved in various advisory assignments both to the Government ministries and
agencies and corporations.
Prior to AAG, she was a Partner in Ernst & Young Southeast Europe on Transaction Advisory
Services, in charge for Macedonia, Albania and Kosovo. Before that she was a director of the
Privatization Agency of the Republic of Macedonia and Deputy Director since the establishment of the
Privatization Agency.
Verica was one of the founders and first President of the AmCham Macedonia. She was member of
the Council of the Central Bank of RM in the period 2006-2013. Verica is one of the initiators,
founders and member of the Board of the Institute of Directors of the Republic of Macedonia. She is
currently President of the Supervisory Board of Makedonijaturist AD, owner of Holiday Inn and Best
Western hotels in Skopje and member of the Supervisory Board of Ohridska Banka – Société
Générale. Prior to that she was a member of the Managing Board of Pivara – Skopje, the Coca Cola
and Heineken Company in Macedonia.
Verica holds a master degree in Marketing from Economic Faculty in Skopje and Graduate Certificate
of Business Administration from the Swinburne University from Australia. Verica is a Certified
Macedonian Auditor, a Licensed Valuator and Licensed Mediator in the Republic of Macedonia.