Shortly after celebrating the successful results of Unique Estates for 2017, Vesela Ilieva, Managing Partner of the company, won the prestigious "Executive Director of the Year" award at the annual “Top100” ceremony organized by AG Capital.
In an interview with Sylvana Vassileva, she talks about the importance of this award, her professional and personal development and what is ahead of the company.
What does the "Executive Director of the Year" award by AG Capital mean to you?
This award is one of the greatest acknowledgments for me, both professionally and personally. It has been a truly desirable distinction, a proof of trust and high appreciation, both for my work and for the efforts of my team, coming from a very high level. The competition in this contest is extremely serious. The nominees for this prize are leaders of companies that are much bigger in scale than Unique Estates. That's why I am extremely grateful to both AG Capital's Board of directors and to all of my company's employees. As part of the Ilievi family, I have always assumed responsibility for working and proving myself more than everyone else, serving as an example and motivating people around me. In this sense, I feel this prize as a necessary tap on the shoulder for a job well done, an expression of approval and support that really means a lot to me.
What is the balance you made at the end of this successful business period?
This year was very good for the business and the company. We have recorded very high results, which comes from the good work and dedication of everyone from the team. Unique Estates is now a clearly recognizable brand on the market, with a well-known name and reputation. I realized that for these more than ten years I have managed to bring together valuable people in the team who are the core of the company and give stability to the whole business.
It is interesting that I could not receive this so desired prize personally as at the time of the official ceremony I happened to be abroad for my training at INSEAD. But this gave me the opportunity to receive something more than just a statuette on the stage. The reactions of the people who congratulated me on the phone were the things that really made me happy. Words like those of Svetoslava Georgieva, our Chief Operating Director, who received the award on my behalf, were truly my valued recognition and the biggest prize. I appreciate all this highly and I am very happy.
What comes next?
The feeling of receiving this high distinction is very enjoyable, but it is also a great responsibility to keep on the good work. We set even higher goals for the future, recognizing that this would be a lot of work. We upgraded the team, opened a third office of Unique Estates and we continue to work actively to meet the high requirements of the luxury market. I am glad that I manage to influence the people around me with my positive charge and ambitious plans, and fortunately I see that everyone is very motivated and continues to develop. By giving a good example as a leader is also connected my desire to keep growing as a person and a professional. I am currently working actively on projects related to my INSEAD training. It helps me further develop my leadership skills and abilities. I am happy to be able to contact and exchange ideas and experience with people like the professors and participants in one of the most prestigious higher education schools for business and management. I have always considered that the pursuit of personal self-improvement is an important factor on the path to successful business management and work with people. The “Challenge of leadership” program provides an absolutely innovative, modern approach to the way a company is run. It's no surprise that INSEAD creates one of the most successful business leaders in the world.
Another thing that is coming soon is our next participation in the meeting with our partners from Luxury Portfolio International. We will be heading to Barcelona, along with part of Unique Estates’ team - employees who have been awarded with participation in this conference for their high performance during the year. We look forward to many interesting meetings with lecturers from around the world, network partners, and various trainings that will prepare us for the new challenges at the luxury real estate market in the future.