Iliya Karanikolov
Chief Risk Officer and member of the Management Board
Mr. Ilia Karanikolov is a highly respected professional with over two decades of experience in the banking and financial sector. He serves as Chief Risk Officer and a member of the Management Board of Postbank. He possesses a deep understanding of complex market dynamics with a focus on banking risk, which provides him with valuable market insights that drive the institution’s growth.
Throughout his career, he has held key management positions at financial institutions, including as a member of the Management Board and Executive Director of the Bulgarian Development Bank (BDB), from 2011 to 2013 and from January 2023 to February 2025.
From 2019 to 2022, he served as head of the “Financial Instruments” Directorate at the BDB, where his strategic insights and innovative approaches were instrumental in aligning the organization’s initiatives with its development goals.
From 2016 to 2017, he served as Vice Chair of the Management Board and Executive Director of the “Fund Manager of Financial Instruments in Bulgaria” (FMFIB), and in 2021 he assumed the position of Chairman of the fund’s Supervisory Board, further building on his expertise in managing financial resources to achieve maximum impact.
Prior to his work at the Bulgarian Development Bank (BDB), he was part of the team and a key contributor to Postbank’s success from 2007 to 2011, playing a significant role in the bank’s development with a focus on structural funds and public organizations.
In addition to his positions in the corporate world, he actively participates in shaping industry standards and policies as a member of the Governing Board of the European Association of Public Banks (EAPB) from 2012 to 2013 and again from 2024 to 2025.
Beyond his professional expertise, Ilia Karanikolov has made significant contributions in the fields of public policy, public administration, and policies related to European integration. His in-depth expertise, gained during his tenure at the Ministry of Economy and Energy and the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy, encompasses EU strategies, European integration, and the effective management of structural funds.
As an established lecturer, he shares his knowledge on topics such as cost-benefit analysis of major infrastructure projects and the management of financial instruments. He holds a master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of National and World Economy in Sofia, supplemented by specialized certificates from the University of Oxford (Senior Executive Program in Banking and Finance), as well as training courses in financial instrument management, credit risk, and structural fund management from prestigious European institutions.
Driven by an unwavering pursuit of excellence and a passion for the development of the banking and financial sector, he remains deeply committed to promoting innovation and digitalization as drivers of organizational success.