Age is not a barrier, but an asset: the forum “Beyond Age: The Power of Talent” puts a new focus on people 50+ in Bulgaria

Today, experience is one of the most underestimated competitive advantages. It is time to recognize it not as a thing of the past, but as a resource for the future of business and society. This is what the participants in the second edition of the forum Beyond Age: The Power of Talent, which took place on April 16, 2026 at the Intercontinental Hotel in Sofia.

The topic of “silver capital” is increasingly taking center stage in the conversation about the future of work in Bulgaria. This was the main conclusion of the Second Career Forum “Beyond Age: The Power of Talent”, organized by Young Talents 50+ in partnership with the Employment Agency, the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy, Invest Sofia and the Sofia Development Association, which brought together leading representatives of institutions, business and the expert community.

Panel discussions were attended by Kamelia Slaveykova (Shell Bulgaria), Levon Hampartzumyan (BBLF), Velislava Zaduryan (UniCredit Bulbank), Vladislava Georgieva (Nuvei), Tatyana Novosyolova (Center for the Study of Democracy), Martin Marinov (Marinov Consulting), Adriana Bailey (Hitachi Solutions), Boyan Hristov (Paysafe), Maya Peycheva-Takeva (HPE), Stefan Kalupchiev (METRO Bulgaria), Maya Klevtsova (Accenture Bulgaria), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Marina Stefanova (Sofia University) and Nadezhda Balabanova (Easy Asset Management), Gergana Miteva (SOFTPRESS) and Stefan Stoyanov (art dealer and curator).

The event was opened with a motivational speech by Svetla Lesova (VIDAS), focusing on personal transformation and new opportunities after 50.

The program covered a wide range of topics – from public policies to real business practices. The panel on institutional policies included Natalia Efremova, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Labor and Social Policy, Zornitsa Rusinova, Chairwoman of the Economic and Social Council of the Republic of Bulgaria, Gabriela Goranova-Dimcheva, Employment Agency, Ekaterina Yordanova, Municipal Councilor and Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of the Sofia Development Association, Stefka Tancheva, member of the Board of Directors of the Bulgarian Association for People Management (BAPM) and head of the Development department at Address Real Estate AD.