Webit 2026: Welcome intro - Aniela Russeva - CEO, Webit

This talk emphasizes the importance of collaboration and trust in the rapidly evolving tech landscape, particularly in Bulgaria. The speaker reflects on the value of human connection over technology, stating that people are the true drivers of innovation and progress. Discussions will focus on leadership, the new AI economy, and how companies worldwide are transforming their operations and team dynamics. The session highlights the need for skepticism towards technology while acknowledging the crucial role of human adaptability and ingenuity. It celebrates the growing presence of Bulgarian entrepreneurs and scientists, advocating for the belief that talent knows no boundaries. Overall, the speaker hopes to foster new partnerships and friendships that will lead to a brighter future.

Ladies and gentlemen, for near decades we bringing together people who believe that the future is not waiting for buildad work in the room but very often the force that brought the room together a leader who has spent years connecting ideas people institutions, entrepreneurs, investors and communs borders and industries someone who believes welcomes us not only webit 2026 but to conversation aboututure ofiness techy leaders and human welcome

to the quiet force behind web and ceo Good morning, Robert. Thank you. Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, representatives of the diplomatic corps, ladies and gentlemen ministers, mayors of, I would say, the most ambitious Bulgarian municipalities. They know why. Ladies and gentlemen, Web Chang Makakers, thank you very much for being here with us again today. I've discovered Webbit in many places around the world, but today I decided that

I should speak in Bulgarian because I'm at home, because this is Webbit's home. Webbit is at home and because my people are here. While listening to Robert a moment ago, I was thinking that we are increasingly talking about data, about algorithms, and about power, artificial intelligence, when in fact the most valuable resource has always been people. People who have ideas, those who manage to take risks, people

who build companies. More than 20 years ago, we began this journey together with Plamen with a very simple idea that Bulgaria deserves to be a place where the world doesn't just come to talk, but to converse, to create new partnerships, to see new opportunities. Robert, are you okay? Sometimes it is precisely these meetings between people that actually give rise to the most important ideas. Over the years,

we have welcomed a variety of people, presidents, prime ministers, not only in Bulgaria, but all over the world, on this stage. That's why I'm extremely happy that today this dialogue will be held at this level, because in fact everything happens through collaboration with the state. However, if there is one thing I have learned over all these years, it is that the future can never be created by

one person, by one company, by one leader. It is created by people, by teams, by people who are willing to listen, by those who are willing to argue when they disagree. And maybe that's exactly why today is so important. We are not gathered here just to talk about technology. for technology. Each of you can launch YouTube and watch the latest videos of all the world- famous personalities

in big companies. We have gathered here to talk about trust, about how we can do things together, about why things can happen here in Bulgaria that perhaps could not have happened some time ago . I am extremely happy that I can now calmly tell my children, because my father once calmly told me, when you grow up, things will be better for you. Now I can actually tell

my children calmly, the opportunities are already here for you . It all depends on you. Today we will talk about how we will build trust in a world that is changing faster than ever and is increasingly uncertain. We will start, of course, with the biggest questions about leadership, about countries, about infrastructure, about the new AI economy. We will hear how companies around the world are already transforming

not only the way they operate, but also the way their teams actually work, and the kind of people they need. We'll hear about how AI is changing banking, finance, payment, commerce, customer, customer experience, to name a few . But the best thing is that behind all this are people, people like you, because no matter how smart machines become, I'll tell you a story from yesterday, all these

machines needed people, strong people to carry them up the stairs from the first floor on foot, because the elevators couldn't handle that load. So machines will always need us, and they will need those of us who manage to be truly human, who manage to think, to be adaptable, and not be afraid of what's happening and not trust it completely. We need to be very skeptical of everything

that happens. But I have no doubt about one thing and I am glad that this dialogue is happening here in Bulgaria. In recent years, we have increasingly seen Bulgarian entrepreneurs, scientists, engineers, and leaders who prove that talent truly has no geography. Good ideas can happen here and today in this hall, people from different countries, from different companies, from different industries are gathered here. In fact, we very

carefully choose the people we invite, because we want to be able to gather here in this hall the people who will most quickly multiply the knowledge that we all share today. We believe that the future is something that doesn't just happen. This is something we do together, and it's done with new ideas, new partnerships, new friendships, which I hope you leave with at the end of this

day. And that's why I want to use my time here on stage to thank the partners, thanks to whom this has been happening in Bulgaria for the last 20 years, because otherwise it would not have been possible. There are many of them, you will see them on the screens all day today. Visa First Investment Bank. I don't want to list them all. You will eat some of

Ripiticker's delicious food. You will drink wine from Eranest. So thank you to absolutely everyone who has supported us over the years and who believes that the future can and should happen in Bulgaria. I hope that Bulgaria will increasingly be part of this as a country. Thank you all and I wish you a fruitful day and that you leave energized.