Digital finance – balancing innovation with risk management
17 March 2025

Wolf Theiss, in cooperation with ITFA, invites you to a seminar on the transformation of digital finance. The discussion will focus on how innovation is reshaping the industry while addressing key risks related to regulatory compliance, cybersecurity and operational resilience.

Agenda

Welcome and opening remarks

• Elitza Kavrakova, Group Head Institutional Clients, Raiffeisen Bank International; ITFA CEE Board Member
• Katerina Kraeva, Partner, Banking & Finance, Wolf Theiss

ITFA’s mission and strategic vision

An overview of ITFA’s role in fostering innovation and driving transformation in trade finance.

Speaker:

• Semih Özcan, Group Director Wholesale (Retail Banking), VakifBank International AG; Chairman, CEE Regional Committee, ITFA

Market outlook: Key trends in financial services in CEE/SEE

Insights into current developments shaping the financial sector.

Speaker:

• Dilyana Miteva, Head of Strategy, DSK Bank

Regulatory spotlight: Compliance and risk in digital finance

Navigating regulatory challenges in digital trade finance, with a focus on the impact of DORA, eIDAS 2.0 and AI regulations.

Speakers:

• Katerina Kraeva, Partner, Wolf Theiss
• Rudolph Pfeffer, Counsel, Wolf Theiss
• Irina Dekova, Consultant, Wolf Theiss

Networking and coffee break

Bridging innovation and stability

Panel discussion and case studies: the impact of fintech

Moderator:

• Georgi Penev, Head of Sales & BD VSG Bulgaria, Fintech Disruptor

Case studies:

• Mihael Mihaylov, COO, IRIS Solutions – How open banking can streamline trade finance
• Matthias Verbeke, Co-founder, Complidata – Automating AML with AI
• Teodora Terzieva, VECTORLabs – From AI to value in banking and trade finance

Fireside chat: trade finance in CEE/SEE – opportunities and challenges

Moderator:

• Filip Genov, Co-founder & CEO, F27&CFN

Panellists:

• Evgeniya Sharkova, Head of Trade Finance Sales, Raiffeisen Bank International
• Kamelia Popova, Country Manager, Allianz Trade Bulgaria
• Georgi Koynov, CFO, Oliva AD

Closing remarks

• Viktor Nagy, Head of Department, OTP Bank; ITFA CEE Board Member

When & Where:

Date: 17 March 2025
Start: 12:30
End: 19:00

Location: Wolf Theiss, Office Park Expo 2000, Phase IV , 55 Nikola Vaptsarov Blvd, 1407 Sofia, Bulgaria