Dr. Velislava Petrova-Chamova has extensive international experience in the fields of science, global affairs, and public policy. Between 2022 and 2023, she served as Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs in three consecutive Bulgarian governments — the regular cabinet of Kiril Petkov and the two caretaker governments led by Galab Donev.
In this role, she was responsible for European affairs, regional policy, economic diplomacy, and relations with international organizations. She represented Bulgaria at the EU General Affairs Council and served as Sherpa for meetings of the European Council. She also chaired the Coordination Mechanism for Bulgaria’s accession to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and took part in negotiations with the European Commission on issues related to EU enlargement and Bulgaria’s accession to the Schengen Area.
Over the past two years, she has served as Chief Programme Officer at the Centre for Future Generations in Brussels, where she coordinates the organization’s work on European policy with a focus on EU competitiveness. Her work centers on Europe’s strategic autonomy in areas such as artificial intelligence and defence technologies, as well as on building partnerships between European institutions, academia, and industry.
Her professional career began in academia, where she earned a PhD in Infectious Diseases from the University of Cambridge. She subsequently worked with the United Nations on health innovation in developing countries and, during the COVID-19 pandemic, joined the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (Gavi), contributing to the development of investment strategies aimed at combating emerging pathogens.
She has also advised the World Health Organization and the World Bank on matters related to biotechnology and disaster risk management.
