The Bulgarian office of Experian marks 20 years in the local market. Over the past two decades, the company has grown to 1000 employees and transformed into Experian's first global delivery center. After a growth phase from 2014-2018, when the number of employees increased by 220% and exceptional talents were attracted, Experian's team has remained stable in recent years, increasing Experian Bulgaria’s revenue by 73%. Over the last five years, the company's investment in people in Bulgaria has increased by 40%. In 2022, Experian Bulgaria invested $34.4 million (63 million BGN*) in its people. Today, Bulgarian teams contribute to the products and operations in six out of nine regions where Experian operates.
To mark the occasion, Experian Bulgaria welcomed Jacky Simmonds, Chief People Officer, Justin Hastings, Chief Operating Officer, Global Human Resources, and Wil Lewis, Chief DEI and Talent Acquisition Officer of Experian.
“Our purpose is all about delivering a better tomorrow for businesses and millions of consumers around the globe. We do that through bringing technology, software, and analytics together to build products that consumers can derive value from and improve their financial position. That means that we need to have great capabilities to build software and analytics products. We have a number of talent hubs across the world, including Bulgaria, but Bulgaria is one of the key and critical ones for us. When I think about one word that best describes the value that comes from the Bulgarian population over those 20 years, it is stability. The location creates a stable environment for us to operate. There is also an incredible talent supply in the marketplace, particularly around STEM talent which is really important for us in the context of software engineering and analytics skills”, commented Justin Hastings.
People-First Approach
To support a positive work environment and the well-being of its team, Experian Bulgaria has built an attractive social benefits portfolio. Over the past three years, the company has doubled its the value, with its major investments focused on health and work-life balance.
Creating a culture of continuous learning and development is among the core priorities in Experian's people-first approach. The company has developed an internal platform called Career Hub, where employees can find hundreds of training courses on various topics, connect with mentors from around the world, or participate in short-term side projects to expand their knowledge. The team in Bulgaria undergoes an average of 28,000 hours of training annually, and 32% of employees in the local office progress in their careers each year, moving to new roles. In 2021 and 2022, Experian Bulgaria increased its investment Learning & development by 45%.
The company's next step in employee learning and development is Experian University - a new global internal learning platform. Experian University consists of a variety of academies focusing on key topics.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Experian develops and implements its global diversity, equity, and inclusion policy (DEI), with its five main areas being gender equality, mental health, disabilities, LGBTQ+, and ethnicity.
"At Experian Bulgaria, we have 47% women in managerial roles. 66.7% of our senior roles in the location are held by women. The office here is in the Top 5 within Experian globally in terms of the number of women in management compared to all company offices with over 400 employees," shared Wil Lewis during the event.
Contribution to Society
Over the past three years, employees at Experian Bulgaria have donated more than 31 000$ (more than 56 000 BGN) to various non-profit organizations. The amount consists of direct donations from employees, doubled by Experian according to the company's global corporate social responsibility match funding policy. In addition, the company has done classrooms renovations and donated technical equipment to universities and schools. Over the last 4 years, employees at Experian Bulgaria have invested over 14,000 hours in volunteering for various campaigns and non-profit organizations supporting social causes.
For over 10 years, Experian Bulgaria has developed long-term partnerships with more than 10 universities and schools, providing mentoring, training, and internship programs for students interested in careers in IT, finance, and analytics.
To mark the occasion, Experian Bulgaria welcomed Jacky Simmonds, Chief People Officer, Justin Hastings, Chief Operating Officer, Global Human Resources, and Wil Lewis, Chief DEI and Talent Acquisition Officer of Experian.
“Our purpose is all about delivering a better tomorrow for businesses and millions of consumers around the globe. We do that through bringing technology, software, and analytics together to build products that consumers can derive value from and improve their financial position. That means that we need to have great capabilities to build software and analytics products. We have a number of talent hubs across the world, including Bulgaria, but Bulgaria is one of the key and critical ones for us. When I think about one word that best describes the value that comes from the Bulgarian population over those 20 years, it is stability. The location creates a stable environment for us to operate. There is also an incredible talent supply in the marketplace, particularly around STEM talent which is really important for us in the context of software engineering and analytics skills”, commented Justin Hastings.
People-First Approach
To support a positive work environment and the well-being of its team, Experian Bulgaria has built an attractive social benefits portfolio. Over the past three years, the company has doubled its the value, with its major investments focused on health and work-life balance.
Creating a culture of continuous learning and development is among the core priorities in Experian's people-first approach. The company has developed an internal platform called Career Hub, where employees can find hundreds of training courses on various topics, connect with mentors from around the world, or participate in short-term side projects to expand their knowledge. The team in Bulgaria undergoes an average of 28,000 hours of training annually, and 32% of employees in the local office progress in their careers each year, moving to new roles. In 2021 and 2022, Experian Bulgaria increased its investment Learning & development by 45%.
The company's next step in employee learning and development is Experian University - a new global internal learning platform. Experian University consists of a variety of academies focusing on key topics.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Experian develops and implements its global diversity, equity, and inclusion policy (DEI), with its five main areas being gender equality, mental health, disabilities, LGBTQ+, and ethnicity.
"At Experian Bulgaria, we have 47% women in managerial roles. 66.7% of our senior roles in the location are held by women. The office here is in the Top 5 within Experian globally in terms of the number of women in management compared to all company offices with over 400 employees," shared Wil Lewis during the event.
Contribution to Society
Over the past three years, employees at Experian Bulgaria have donated more than 31 000$ (more than 56 000 BGN) to various non-profit organizations. The amount consists of direct donations from employees, doubled by Experian according to the company's global corporate social responsibility match funding policy. In addition, the company has done classrooms renovations and donated technical equipment to universities and schools. Over the last 4 years, employees at Experian Bulgaria have invested over 14,000 hours in volunteering for various campaigns and non-profit organizations supporting social causes.
For over 10 years, Experian Bulgaria has developed long-term partnerships with more than 10 universities and schools, providing mentoring, training, and internship programs for students interested in careers in IT, finance, and analytics.
