Effective dialogue is one of the methods to restore the confidence in Bulgarian companies

Interview with Pelagia Viyatcheva, Investor Relations Directorate of Sopharma AD The most important annual IR event in Bulgaria and the region is over and it marked also the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the Association of Directors for Relations with Investors in Bulgaria. What is your opinion on the development in our country during these 10 years? Professionals in the field of relations with investors have been trained together with the building of the capital market in Bulgaria. We were overflown by the wave of “richness” during the years before the crisis and the wave of discontent and the sense of loss in 2007-2008 and we played a major part for the return of foreign investors to Bulgaria in the years afterwards. There is development in all spheres of our work, but predominantly in those contributing to the return of trust in Bulgarian companies as a possibility for investments, i.e. the disclosure of information, effective dialogue with all interested parties, conducting of general meetings of shareholders etc. What are the current tendencies in the development of the profession of "relations with investors"? In the present century of communications, the use of social networks and digital communications is most significant in the acquainting of a larger audience with investor history in a more efficient and successful way. Is there synergy between world tendencies and the direction of development in our country? We move very slowly in the proper direction and here the role of events like the present one is huge because they keep us awake. The information of our country that reaches foreign investors is rather contradictory. Does it succeed in orienting them properly? In fact the investors interested in a market like ours get acquainted with the details and manage to create a more objective idea in the course of time, but the other can hardly be attracted with a sort of an "advertisement". One of the categories for IR awards is about Strategic Development Communications. Do you think that communications can change the assessment of a company? Communications only can change the assessment of a company. This is the only way to reveal the inner spirit and success to the public. Sopharma was awarded the prize in the category of "Best IR Initiatives". Which are they? I have not seen the answers to the questionnaire, but I suppose that it concerns the annual meeting with investors and the method of conducting general meetings. These are issues that distinguish us from the rest.