Bulgaria’s Top 20 IT Recruiters to Watch
Highlighting the most influential IT recruiters & headhunters in Bulgaria who consistently deliver top candidates to startups and global tech firms alike. ↓
Bulgaria has quietly emerged as one of Europe’s fastest-growing tech talent hubs, driven by a new wave of standout recruiters. From agency founders to startup builders and global sourcing pros, they’ve redefined how top companies find and retain engineering talent – bringing a rare blend of strategy, influence, and hands-on expertise.
Below is a curated list of standout IT recruiters in Bulgaria, selected for their visibility, impact, and track record in shaping the country’s tech hiring landscape.
- Petar Dzhuganski
- Savvina Drougouti
- Snezhana Raykinska
- Zvezda Yordanova
- Lilyana Panayotova
- Dimitar Kalev
- Vanya Disheva
- Gergana Mashal
- Milen Ivanov
- Anna Mladenova
- Svetoslav Atanasov
- Dayana Petkova
- Valentin Dimitrov
- Danail Kanchev
- Borislava Georgieva
- Ivelina Zhelezcheva
- Gergana Markova
- Svetlozar Petrov
- Simona Harizanova
- Bilyana Smilyanova
Below we provide more detailed profiles of each recruiter.
Petar Dzhuganski
HackCast S04E02.
Petar is a Talent Acquisition Leader, currently HR & Recruitment Manager at Sofia Stars, and former tech recruiter at OpenTag, Paysafe, and Takeaway.com. He is also the host of the popular “Non-Human Resources” podcast.
Described as “one of the most recognizable faces in HR” in Bulgaria, Petar has authored dozens of HR articles and even organizes HR conferences. His Bulgarian-language podcast became a top resource for recruitment professionals. With ~29k LinkedIn followers, Petar’s visibility and candid insights on tech hiring make him a thought leader in the local IT recruitment community.
- LinkedIn: Petar Dzhuganski
Savvina Drougouti
For anyone out there building something: don’t let the messy beginning hold you back. Clarity comes through action. Keep showing up, even when it feels uncertain. One day, you’ll look back and realize you weren’t lost. You were just finding yourself.
Savvina is the founder of Talents Lab and a self-described “blockchain native recruiter” who specializes in Web3, crypto, and fintech hiring across global markets.
Now based in Sofia, she has spent over five years sourcing top-tier engineers and building a name as a trusted voice in decentralized tech hiring. Known for her bold approach and motto—“damn good headhunter”—she frequently shares advice on CVs, personal branding, and recruitment trends with the developer community.
Her leadership in a niche field makes her one of the most visible figures in Bulgaria’s Web3 recruitment space.
- LinkedIn: Savvina Drougouti
- Website/Blog: dev.to/drsavvina
Snezhana Raykinska
Snezhana is the pioneer behind Bulwork, Bulgaria’s first IT recruitment agency, where she has led the charge in IT and BPO recruitment since 2000—building the country’s largest tech talent network.
A visionary who “blazed a trail” in Bulgaria’s tech sector, she is widely credited with helping multinationals like HP and Sutherland establish local operations. With over two decades of impact, she has grown Bulwork into a premier staffing firm and remains one of the most recognized leaders in Bulgarian tech hiring.
- LinkedIn: Snezhana Raykinska
Zvezda Yordanova
Zvezda is an IT and executive recruitment expert and the founder of RecruityTalent and RecruityBook, with a deep track record placing talent at companies like VMware, Financial Times, HP, and Google.
With 12+ years in HR and a Master’s in HR Management, she brings both practical and strategic depth to tech hiring and HR process optimization. A certified SocialTalent Black Belt recruiter, Zvezda is also a passionate mentor and the voice behind a widely-read HR blog.
Based in Burgas and working remotely, she advises companies on recruitment strategy and inspires fellow recruiters across Bulgaria.
- LinkedIn: Zvezda Yordanova
- Website/Blog: zvezda-yordanova.com
Lilyana Panayotova
Lilyana is the co-founder of Green Path, a consultancy helping companies improve IT recruitment processes, employer branding, and HR strategy.
With over 15 years of experience—including roles as Head of HR at Software Group and Sutherland—Lili has become a key figure in Bulgaria’s HR ecosystem. She’s a respected coach for tech recruiters and frequently speaks at conferences and contributes to Forbes. Through Green Path, she helps tech firms avoid costly hiring mistakes and build high-performing teams with data-driven HR practices.
- LinkedIn: Lilyana Panayotova
Dimitar Kalev
Dimitar is the Managing Director of Top Skills Recruitment and leads the Bulgarian branch of executive search firm Taplow, specializing in multilingual and global IT placements.
Since co-founding Top Skills in 2017, he has built a reputation for bridging European and US markets with top Bulgarian tech talent. Dimitar’s blend of executive search experience and hands-on recruiting makes him a valuable partner for companies scaling software, BPO, and tech operations.
He’s widely respected for his strategic insights and global perspective on tech hiring.
- LinkedIn: Dimitar Kalev
Vanya Disheva
Vanya is the HR Business Partner & Recruitment Lead at LabForty, a software development agency, where she hires outstaffed front-end, mobile, and UX/UI engineers.
Vanya has quickly risen to lead recruitment at LabForty, thanks to her expertise in IT sourcing and people skills. She was featured by Top Skills as a standout recruiter in their community spotlight. Known for her creative campus recruitment initiatives and tech meetups, she has built a strong local talent pool.
Her active engagement on social media and at career fairs (often in English) has made her a visible and effective recruiter in Bulgaria’s web development sector.
- LinkedIn: Vanya Disheva
Gergana Mashal
Gergana is the CEO of RIR (Radioactive Int’l Recruitment), a global IT staffing and employer-of-record firm placing Bulgarian talent across the UK, EU, Middle East, and US.
Gergana is portrayed as the “strategic mastermind” behind RIR’s success. Under her leadership, RIR was named a top recruitment firm and joined industry associations (e.g. Fintech BG). She has launched initiatives like the “Are You the Next Super Recruiter?” training series to elevate recruiting skills.
Gergana’s combination of business savvy and personal passion for matching talent globally makes her one of Bulgaria’s foremost IT recruitment entrepreneurs.
- LinkedIn: Gergana Mashal
Milen Ivanov
Milen is the founder of Horizons Bulgaria, a leading executive and IT recruitment firm, and a serial entrepreneur also involved in startup talent networks such as CEO Angels Club.
Milen is a veteran headhunter “with a variety of start-ups” under his belt. He has 20+ years experience and was ranked among top HR managers in Bulgaria. Known for his strategic insight, he’s frequently interviewed about headhunting trends. Even as he turns to venture investing, he remains a key figure who pioneered executive tech recruitment in Bulgaria.
- LinkedIn: Milen Ivanov
Anna Mladenova
Anna is a Senior IT Recruiter at Atos IT Solutions and a recognized LinkedIn “Top Voice” in recruiting, with deep experience in infrastructure and cloud hiring.
Anna has over a decade in recruitment and an extensive online presence with 11,000+ LinkedIn followers, where she shares hiring tips and job market updates. She exemplifies a new generation of public recruiter – engaging candidates via social media and personal branding. Internally, she’s lauded for filling critical roles in record time.
Anna’s active contributions to recruitment forums and her large professional network make her highly influential among English-speaking IT job seekers in Bulgaria.
- LinkedIn: Anna Mladenova
Svetoslav Atanasov
Svetoslav is a freelance IT recruiter and founder of Svetalent, offering international tech hiring services across Europe, Africa, and Latin America, and leading remote sourcing teams.
Svetoslav has built a 10,000+ global IT candidate network as an independent recruiter. He offers full-cycle recruitment services to startups worldwide and even led a team hiring 100+ engineers/year. His professional website and active marketing of his services reflect a modern, public-facing approach.
For companies seeking English-speaking tech talent, Svetoslav’s cross-continental reach and personal brand set him among the best.
- LinkedIn: Svetoslav Atanasov
Dayana Petkova
Dayana is the Head of Recruitment at TechPods (now part of Matrix Eastern Europe), where she specializes in building remote developer teams for international clients.
Under Dayana’s leadership, TechPods’ talent acquisition flourished, leading to its acquisition by Matrix. Colleagues laud her as “our true superstar” in recruitment. Now as Global HR & Recruitment Manager at Matrix’s Eastern European hub, she places engineers across borders.
Her combination of hands-on recruiting skill and strategic HR planning (driving hiring processes for multiple countries) makes her a top IT recruiter in Bulgaria’s outsourcing sector.
- LinkedIn: Dayana Petkova
Valentin Dimitrov
Valentin is an IT Talent Acquisition Specialist at myPOS, a fintech company where he recruits software engineers and DevOps talent for payment platform products.
Valentin combines technical acumen (he codes as a hobby) with recruitment, making him particularly adept at evaluating developer skills. He has ~5,000 LinkedIn followers and often posts job openings in English, attracting candidates across Europe. His success in scaling a fintech R&D team in Varna and Sofia – amid high competition – showcases his recruiting prowess.
As a personable, bilingual recruiter with a clear specialty, Valentin stands out as one of Bulgaria’s best in-house IT recruiters.
- LinkedIn: Valentin Dimitrov
Danail Kanchev
Danail is Chief People Officer at ApprovalMax, and a seasoned HR and talent leader who previously held roles at EPAM, DXC, Adecco, and KPMG.
Danail is a seasoned HR executive who still engages deeply with recruitment strategy. As an active member (and former board member) of Bulgaria’s HR Association, he influences industry best practices. He moderates HR conferences and has published research (e.g. on HR-to-employee ratios).
His breadth of experience – from hiring hundreds of engineers to coaching HR teams – makes him one of Bulgaria’s most respected talent acquisition leaders.
- LinkedIn: Danail Kanchev
- X (Twitter): @ddiddo
Borislava Georgieva
Borislava is the HR Manager at DHL Enterprise Software Solutions and founder of HR#IT, a knowledge-sharing community for tech HR professionals.
Borislava was nominated among the Top 100 HR Professionals in Bulgaria (2024). She founded “HR#IT”, an industry group uniting HR professionals in tech, which hosts knowledge-sharing events. Currently driving talent growth at DHL’s Sofia tech hub, she’s recognized for innovative HR practices.
Her mix of hands-on IT recruiting and community leadership (speaking at events, organizing meetups) solidifies her status as a top IT recruiter.
- LinkedIn: Borislava Georgieva
Ivelina Zhelezcheva
Ivelina is the HR Director at Fadata, a fintech software company, where she leads the HR strategy and recruitment for engineering teams.
Ivelina was highlighted as one of the Top HR Managers in Bulgaria’s IT sector. She brings a data-driven approach to recruitment (using KPIs and market surveys) and has led Fadata to be ranked as a desirable IT employer.
Ivelina also mentors young recruiters (as a lecturer in HR courses) and is seen as a role model for combining strategic HR with effective IT hiring – making her a key figure among Bulgaria’s IT recruiters.
- LinkedIn: Ivelina Zhelezcheva
Gergana Markova
Gergana is the Chief HR Officer at Amusnet / EGT Interactive, a leading gaming software firm where she oversees hiring for over 400+ engineers and specialists.
Gergana earned a “Top 10 HR Managers in Bulgaria” distinction after 10,000+ public votes, reflecting her industry-wide respect. Under her guidance, Amusnet rapidly grew its R&D center. She emphasizes employee engagement and long-term career growth, which helps attract top coding talent.
Gergana’s public speaking and sharing of HR successes (e.g. at DevStyleR and Forbes events) further cement her influence.
- LinkedIn: Gergana Markova
Svetlozar Petrov
Svetlozar “Zaro” is the CEO of JobTiger and the creator of Bulgaria’s first online job board, known for his pioneering work in recruitment marketing and tech-focused hiring events.
With over two decades at the forefront, Svetlozar is an icon of Bulgaria’s recruitment industry. He not only built a job portal used by thousands of IT professionals, but also consults companies on talent strategy. A civil engineer by education turned HR visionary, he’s a TEDx speaker and advisor on labor market trends.
Zaro’s unique blend of tech, business and HR know-how – plus his role in virtually every major career event in Bulgaria – establishes him among the very best public-facing recruiters.
- LinkedIn: Svetlozar Petrov
- X (Twitter): @zakrow
Simona Harizanova
Simona is the Co-founder of DEV.BG, Bulgaria’s largest IT community, and Career Show, a job fair platform that connects tech candidates with employers across Europe.
Simona transformed how companies recruit in Bulgaria by focusing on community and content. Through DEV.BG, she organized hundreds of tech events, effectively creating a talent pipeline for recruiters. At Career Show, she spearheads innovative employer branding practices (speed interviews, awards for HR excellence).
Simona’s public role – frequently quoted about tech careers – and her success in bridging English-speaking professionals with jobs make her a key influencer in IT recruitment.
- LinkedIn: Simona Harizanova
Bilyana Smilyanova
Bilyana is the IT Recruitment Lead at Talent Hunter, part of Talent Group, where she focused on software and telecom engineers across the EU and US markets.
Bilyana was integral to Talent Hunter being awarded “Best IT Recruitment Company in Bulgaria 2022”. She is known for her proactive sourcing (e.g. creative Boolean searches, GitHub outreach) and high placement success rate. Peers dub her a “super recruiter” for her ability to fill niche tech roles under tight deadlines.
Bilyana’s combination of agency experience and hands-on sourcing skill earns her a spot among the best.
- LinkedIn: Bilyana Smilyanova
Wrap Up
While these individuals offer valuable industry expertise, deep networks, and a track record of working with startups and tech firms in Bulgaria, their services often come at a premium price tag or with limited availability.
For fast-moving teams seeking a more responsive and cost-effective alternative, EchoGlobal Tech can be an option. Contact us today!
Note: We’ve dedicated significant time and effort to creating and verifying this curated list of top professionals. However, if you believe a correction or addition is needed, feel free to reach out. We’ll gladly review and update the page.
Lou Reverchuk