Board of Directors

Valentin ZlatevChairman

Born in 1965, Valentin Zlatev founded the first company of the group – Agrohold JSC in 1990. He is the sole shareholder of the conglomerate with diversified investments in different sectors of the economy.

Mr. Valentin Zlatev is a prominent and highly respected businessperson, manager, and investor, a citizen of the Republic of Bulgaria (a member of the European Union). The successful entrepreneurial skills of Valentin Zlatev, earned him international recognition as he was awarded a Doctor Honoris Causa by the prestigious City University of Seattle, Washington, in 2003.

Valentin Zlatev was the General Manager of the Russian company Quarum before moving to Rosneft Oil Company in Moscow as Vice-President from 1994 to 1998. Afterwards, from 1998 to 2020, he held a number of senior leadership roles in Lukoil, including Regional Manager for the Balkans, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Deputy Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Lukoil Neftochim Refinery Bulgaria, and CEO & Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Lukoil Bulgaria.

Between 2014 and 2019 he has been elected Chairman of the Bulgarian Petroleum and Gas Association. Since 2020, he has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer of Sustainable Energy Supply LTD, where he is also a shareholder.

He holds a Master’s degree in International Law from the Moscow State University of International Relations and a Ph.D. in Comparative Politics from the Russian Academy of Science. At an international level, he has distinguished himself by publishing several books and articles on geopolitics including: “Oil, Gas and Geopolitics” (2000); “Globalization and the Business of Oil and Gas” (p.2001); “The Vector of Changes and Globalization” published in the book “Dilemmas of Globalization – Societies and Civilizations: Illusions and Risks (2002).

Vladimir Ustinov Vice Chairman

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Vladimir Ustinov’s entire professional career has been connected with the energy sector. Before joining Sustainable Energy Supply, Ustinov held managerial positions in the production and trading of liquid fuels.
Mr. Ustinov has also undergone training at ConocoPhillips in Houston, USA.

He completed his studies in Financial Management at Uhta State University, Russian Federation.

Prior to that, he obtained a qualification as a marine engineer from the Ukrainian State Maritime Technical University in Mykolaiv.

In addition to his native Russian, he speaks English, Bulgarian, and Ukrainian.

He was born in 1972.

Margarita RalchevaMember of board

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Margarita Ralcheva possesses extensive professional experience and expertise in the development, implementation, and maintenance of best practices, standards, and policies in the fields of industrial safety, occupational health and safety, and environmental protection.

She is a qualified Molecular Biologist holding a Master’s degree in “Ecology and Environmental Protection.” She has completed specializations in “Environmental Theory and Practice in Bulgaria and Germany” and “European Project Management,” as well as an additional professional qualification in “Economics and Management.”

She holds numerous certificates from specialized trainings in the areas of hazardous substances management in industry, occupational health and safety, energy efficiency, and sustainable development. She has also acquired competencies and qualifications as an internal auditor for Environmental Management Systems, Energy Management Systems, and Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems.

With extensive experience in managerial and expert positions within the private sector, she has led and successfully implemented complex projects aimed at improving safety, reducing environmental impact, and fostering a culture of responsibility and prevention in industrial environments.

Currently, she holds the position of Environmental and Health & Safety Specialist, working with strong commitment toward the creation of a sustainable, safe, and responsible working environment. She actively supports the development and implementation of modern policies and initiatives integrating occupational health and safety with environmental management, climate challenges, decarbonization, and the transition to a low-carbon economy, positioning safety, quality, and environmental responsibility as top strategic priorities and key factors for the Company’s long-term success.

Mitko Petkov Member and CFO

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Mitko Petkov has over 10 years of experience in corporate finance and financial analysis. His competencies include budgeting, capital budgeting, investment analysis, business planning, financial modeling, strategic planning, and forecasting.

Before joining the team at Sustainable Energy Supply, Petkov gained experience in several responsible positions. He has served as Chief Expert in the Economic Planning Department, Investment Analysis Expert, and Economist.

Mr. Petkov holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration from City University of Seattle, as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Management from the same institution.

He is fluent in English and has a good command of Russian and German.

Lachezar Gelev CEO

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Lachezar Gelev is a Customs and excise expert with more than 15 years of practice gained as an official in the state administration and an employee in the private sector.

Since November 2011 he is a leading expert in the Regional tax center of LUKOIL, where he is responsible for all excise and customs issues that occur. From 2006 till 2011 he worked in the Central customs directorate as a:

– Main specialist dealing mainly with the following tasks:

preparing written solutions to different excise issues;

making propositions for legislative changes;

leading training seminars for excise officers;

issuing of tax warehouse licenses;

– I worked also as an Excise liaison office responsible and as a National

communication manager where I was responsible for:

representing Bulgaria on the meetings of the Excise committee,

the EMCS (Excise movement and control system) computerization

working party and the Excise Contact Group;

working on international tax issues within the EU exchanged

through the Early warning excise system and the Movement

verification system.

Lachezar Gelev holds a Master degree in management in energy, infrastructure, and utility.