Organization Committee

Konstantinos Lazarakis MW – Greece
BIWC Honorary Chairman

Konstantinos Lazarakis works as an Imports Manager and Wine Buyer in AIOLOS ltd and the Managing Director of Wine and Spirits Professional Consultants that run WSET courses in Greece and Cyprus.
In the last two years he has been involved in wine writing and wine journalism and now writes for four Greek publications as well as having ‘Wines of Greece’ published as a part of the Mitchell Beazley Classic Wine Library in Sept. 2005.In addition, he consults for wine producers, hotels and restaurants.

Igor Luković – Serbia
BWC Chairman

Igor Luković is a wine critic, wine judge, writer and journalist from Serbia. He is Editor in chief of Vino & Fino magazine, and associate of many other media dealing with wine and food culture. He is one of the founders of Wine Identity initiative, which stands behind Wine Salon in Novi Sad, International Prokupac Day, many wine conferences, workshops and competitions in Serbia and surrounding countries. He has a vast experience in judging wines at Decanter DWWA, IWC London, BIWC Sofia and many other international wine competitions. He is engaged in wine education, trainings, consulting and event managing.

eng. Galina Niforou, Wine MBA – Bulgaria
BIWC Managing Director

Galina Niforou has an engineer degree in Wine and Spirits Technology from the University of Food Technology, Plovdiv and she has specialized in Wine Marketing & Management MBA at Bordeaux International Wine Institute – INSEEC, Bordeaux, France.
During the 15 years in the wine industry in Bulgaria and abroad she has established herself as a specialist who successfully develops business strategies and creates brands of international significance. She consults wine producers and writes for different wine editions.

Galina is elected chairwoman of the newly established Bulgarian Wine Export Association (BWEA) and work hard to promote Bulgarian wines abroad.

Ivana Tsakova – Bulgaria
BIWC Event Manager

Ivana Tsakova is a physics graduate from Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”. Since 2004 she works in an advertising agency. In 2013 she continues the winegrowing tradition in her family and plants a vineyard in Northwestern Bulgaria. Founder and manager of “Jolly Vintners” – experimentators, sustainable viticulturists and collaborators of AgroBio Institute in scientific projects.

Nikos Panidis – Greece

Nikos Panidis is a wine professional who has been active in wine education from lecturing to syllabus development for W.S.P.C. the Approved Program Provider of WSET London in Greece. Also, Nikos’ most recent experience includes having worked hands-on at Domaine Sigalas in Santorini, Greece and Jim Barry Wines in Clare Valley, Australia during harvest. He has accrued much experience as a sommelier and restaurant manager in leading restaurants and hotels around Greece. He speaks English and German fluently.