Mr. Vladimir Penchev  - CV at a glance.

Born on 14 March 1949 in Triavna, Bulgaria. Graduate of the Economics University in Sofia, majoring in International Business. From 1972 to 1987 he was employed with the State Planning Commettee as a Head of Department. He was in charge of the Current Account balance management, import and export planning. He joined the Ministry of the Economy and Planning as a Head of Foreign Currency Management Department. For three years he was Deputy Minister of Finance, in charge of the foreign financing and central customs administration. Until 1997 he was employed in the Ministry of Defense as a Chief Advisor to the Minister, and three years since then became Deputy Minister in charge of financial and foreign currency matters. Mr. Penchev took management positions with the Bulgarian-Russian Investment Bank, Bulstrad Insurance, Bulgarian Foreign Trade Bank. Married, with two children.