Theme: Patterns

TEDxAUBG 2016 will challenge your perception of reality and structure. It will strive to show you the patterns between business, ideas, humor, music, and everything that surrounds you. In 2016, TEDxAUBG will introduce you to ideas altering the routine of thinking and inspiring each listener.

Carl Djerrassi Theater in ABF Student Center
12, Svoboda Bachvarova str.
Blagoevgrad, Blagoevgrad, 2700
Bulgaria

Darya Bavykina & Gergana Velichkova

The fifth annual TEDxAUBG conference took place on April 9th, 2016 at the Carl Djerassi Theater Hall. For this year edition all speeches and performances were based on the topic of Patterns.

Alexander Angelov

Alexander is a professional with more than 8 years’ experience in diversified business fields. His portfolio includes consulting and managerial experience in companies such as PWC and KPMG. At the age of 28 Alexander becomes the CEO to the biggest geo-information company in Bulgaria “MAPEX”. Alexander is a member of Rotary Organization, where he has been a District Rotaract Representative for Bulgaria, as well as honored alumni of AIESEC Bulgaria.

Bogdan Gogu

In this personal presentation, Bogdan connects the dots between childhood dreams, curiosity and mentorship. He demonstrates that we are much more likely to find our passions and live full lives if we consistently question status quo, let go of self-limitations and ask others to guide us.

Canan Arin

Lawyer

Canan Arin began her own law practice in 1975. She found and co-found several organizations, including the first women’s shelter in Turkey, the Association for Training and Support Women Candidates (KA-DER) to fight against political discrimination and prepare women for political office, and the Istanbul Bar Association’s Women’s Rights Enforcement Center to combat male violence against women. In 2013, following a speech citing issues of early and forced marriage in Turkey, Canan was charged with publicly degrading religious values and insulting the President of the Republic. Eighty-five women’s rights organizations from over 30 countries wrote letters in support of Canan to President Abdullah Gül.

Darko Mandić

Darko Mandic, is a prominent Serbian young leader and an influencer. He became the youngest CEO in the region at the age of 22, managing the biggest honey export company in Serbia. While holding this position, Darko Mandić contributed to the development of the Serbian honey sector through two major social projects funded by Kingdom of Norway and Swiss Confederation. He co-founded a premium food brand called Little Blue Pot and launched it in New York in the beginning of 2016. Darko Mandić is also a President and Co-Founder of BEUM, an NGO that gathers young leaders from 50 countries to promote the development of their respective societies.

Manuel Wolff

Comedian

Germans are generally known for starting world wars and not having a sense of humor. However, the German stand-up comedian Manuel Wolff will make you laugh. He attempts just that: to use his craft to make this world a more peaceful place. And you have no choice, but to help him.

Maria Oprenova

Maria holds a BA from AUBG and an EMBA from IMD. She has extensive media and marketing experience as a marketing director and later as an executive at Austria Telecom's Bulgarian operations. In the last 2 years Maria has found a start-up with a focus on entertainment, young talent promotion and content production. After leaving the media company she went on to become a brand and marketing consultant for various businesses.

Maria Paula Erizanu

Maria Paula Erizanu is a young author of two books: a poetry book, “Take Care” (“Ai grija de tine”, Charmides, 2015) and “This is my first revolution. Steal It” (Cartier, 2010), a non-fiction diary account on the April 2009 protest movements in Moldova. “This is my first revolution. Steal It” was translated into four languages and awarded the UNESCO World’s Most Beautiful Production prize in 2011. Erizanu has collaborated with Moldovan (Punkt, ospoon.eu - an initiative she co-founded), Romanian (Observator Cultural, Adevarul) and UK (Dazed, The Architectural Review, Time Out London) media.

Milena Nikolova

Milena is curious about travel behavior and consumer trends in the tourism industry. She has worked as an expert on tourism development projects in over 20 countries across four continents. Apart from her travels, Milena keeps herself busy with teaching in the undergraduate and Executive MBA programs at the American University in Bulgaria. In addition to grading student papers, she is trying to figure out how behavioral thinking can help advance profitability and sustainability in the travel industry.

Nikolay Pandev

Nikolay Pandev, or Nick, is a visual artist. If you ask him, he wouldn’t tell you that he is an award-winning photographer or bore you with testimonials. Because according to him, this is not what matters most. He prefers to let his visuals do all the speaking for him. But we can tell you that he is an exclusive visual contributor for iStock by Getty images. Also, NatGeo published his work in the 125th anniversary edition.

Ruth Koleva

Bulgaria: breeding ground for musical talent. News to you? That's because Ruth Koleva is a different breed of artist. Born into a volatile world of corruption and hardship in post-Communist Eastern Europe, she endured a difficult childhood largely spent without her mother, found salvation in the classics (Marvin Gaye, Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole) and became 'tour-hardened' by jaunts to far-flung destinations such as India and Thailand. From there, Koleva quickly developed into a rounded musician, spending an eye-opening year at the Hollywood Pop Academy and embarking on free-spirited excursions into several local scenes including soul, hip hop and the more ephemeral bass movement. In 2015 Ruth was awarded the Best Female Vocalist prize at the Jazz Ain’t Jazz Awards in Japan. Her debut album, RUTH, was an instant success in the UK Soul Chart and the BBC playlists.

Sorin Petrov

Sorin Petrov is an AUBG student from Moldova. Creative, independent and tenacious. Currently he's specializing in business communications and has an avid passion for the workings of the mind. At the age of 18 he graduated from an independent theatre school while pursuing his high-school degree and started working as a radio-show host at the national radio station. With more than 6 years of experience in the field of public speaking, Sorin took every chance he found to be a speaker.