PhD Students: Where are they now? – Polia Todorova
Polia Todorova is a CEO at Print and Pack EU. She has over 16 years of progressive experience, specialising in leading SMEs to success.
As a CEO, Polia has tunnel vision when it comes to strong decision-making, focusing on results. She has successfully handled annual budgets over 1M€ and consistently achieved 2-digit annual growth for the companies she’s run.
In this interview, sit back and find out how Polia went from the academic world as a PhD student to the corporate industry, now working as a CEO.
Watch Polia Todorova’s Full Interview
What inspired you to pursue your research topic?
Polia’s research topic was Regionalisation and European Integration: the case of Bulgarian Foreign Trade. The reason behind pursuing this topic was based on the fact that Bulgaria was not a member of the EU at that particular time.
Polia was very passionate about this subject and wanted to analyse how foreign trade in the Balkans countries that were not EU members, interacted with Bulgaria’s free trade agreement with the EU.
Completing the research project is still proving to be useful for the countries that are now EU candidates with foreign trade agreements but continue to trade with the countries in the region.
What is a top tip for choosing the right PhD supervisor?
Polia’s supervisor was Mr.Drouet, who was an excellent teacher. Mr.Drouet, helped Polia focus on defining clear approaches and developed a few hypothesis to test.
Mr.Drouet, was truly invested in Polia’s work and read every single chapter of her thesis.
Polia Todorova’s top tip for choosing the right supervisor is to choose someone who will encourage you to continue on this long journey and will be truly invested in your work. Not forgetting it is extremely helpful to choose someone who has the right connections, so you are able to publish your work in scientific journals.
How to manage your time during a PhD?
Polia is honest and open on this topic and expressed she didn’t manage her time very well, and as a result it took her six years to complete her PhD.
However, on reflection, she was very happy that she managed to finish it, as many people she knows started a thesis and never completed it.
She states that she fully understands how challenging it can be.
Life after completing your PhD
After a long period of time completing her PhD, as soon as it was completed, Polia was so fed up with books and writing that she decided to leave the academic work and started working in a shared service centre.
As time progressed, Polia received an offer to become the CEO of a French company in Bulgaria. She quickly realised she was capable and started applying all the skills she had developed from her PhD, such as analytical thinking and problem-solving.
The confidence Polia had grown into led her to start her own company. It has been running for more than 10 years.
What skills from your PhD do you still use today?
Polia developed several transferable skills that are very useful in business, like data and marketing analysis. As well as business analytics, pricing, finance and strategic thinking, including problem-solving and management.
How has your PhD shaped your career path or influenced where you are today?
Polia shares that after completing her PhD, it has helped her realise she is more than capable of managing long term projects. It has taught her to be patient and persistent. And best of all, the self-confidence to believe that she can succeed!
She is no longer afraid of taking on major responsibilities as a CEO.
What are you hoping to achieve in the future?
Polia Todorova’s future goals are to double her business in the next five years. Possibly write another thesis on Art History once she retires and most importantly, watch her daughter grow.
Explore PhD opportunities and guidance with jobs.ac.uk:
Polia Todorova, PhD, is a researcher in International Economics with an academic background developed through doctoral studies and university research activities in France. Her research experience has provided her with strong expertise in international economic relations, global markets, and the analysis of complex economic systems. She combines academic knowledge with practical experience, bridging research, innovation, and business development.
With over 16 years of professional experience as CEO. Polia is an executive leader with expertise in business management, strategy, and the packaging industry. She is associated with Print and Pack EU, where she focuses on innovative packaging solutions and sustainable practices. Her interests include sustainability, circular economy, and creating value through collaboration between academia, industry, and society.
Leave a Reply