Stefan Ivanov

Stefan Ivanov is a banker with over 20 years of experience from across the globe.  He is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Challenger Capital Management - an investment banking boutique focused on Bulgaria and Eastern Europe.  Previously he worked in senior roles with Citibank in London, Brazil, South Korea, Tunisia and most recently as CEO of Citibank in Bulgaria.  During his tenure the bank topped the rankings in Bulgaria in client satisfaction, return on equity and revenue to expense ratio.  Prior to that he was trading derivatives with Banque Paribas and the AMEX in New York.  He is an alumni of Harvard Business School and holds an MBA from Cornell University as well as a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration from the American University of Bulgaria.  

Stefan is an aficionado of endurance challenges and has participated in numerous marathons and ultra-marathons, swam across the English channel and together with his son Maxim - rowed across the Atlantic ocean in a boat they built in their garage and called Neverest (meaning “Never rest until you reach your Everest”). Their ocean crossing was dedicated to the cause of stimulating more people to take a decision to donate their organs for transplants after death in order to save lives.

Stefan is married to Zhenie and has two children - Maxim and Lara.