When I was five, my parents asked me, “What do you want to be?”
“I will either be an artist who makes the world laugh (inspired by Charlie Chaplin), or a prime minister to rule the world,” I answered—without the slightest clue what that even meant.
My first love was maths. At age 13, it was time to choose my secondary school. I was born in the mountain town of Gabrovo, right in the geographical center of Bulgaria. I was perfectly content chasing deer and rabbits through the forests, or playing chess and backgammon with my friends.
But my parents encouraged me to apply to a prestigious high school for Ancient Languages and Cultures in the capital, Sofia. It was a big leap, and I needed to pass an exam in Bulgarian literature. I took a few (terrible) private lessons in Sofia. After one lesson, when the teacher marked my entire essay in red—basically saying it was all wrong—I told myself:
“This can’t be. It’s too subjective… I need something more objective. Like maths—where the answer is either right or wrong. No doubt. No interpretation. 
”
So I enrolled in the Mathematics Gymnasium of Gabrovo—and that’s where I truly fell in love with maths. Two teachers, Пламен Христов and Iliya Bluskov, played a key role. They showed me how numbers can sing, how geometry can be beautiful, and how stereometry can be harmonious.
That opened a wild journey—exploring 4th, 5th, and even n-dimensional spaces.
One of my best papers was titled: “Everything is Remarkable.”
And that’s exactly how I felt.
After five years at Sofia University, I became a Master of Mathematics. But I still felt something was missing—something more practical, with a human touch. By chance, I landed a job as a Data Analyst and started my career in IT and international business.
My first employer, BAT, opened the world for me. I traveled to over 40 countries, managed global projects, and met amazing people. One of them was my boss—and now best friend – Thorsten Broese, who continues to inspire me and lead by example with his servant leadership.
But being an international IT manager wasn’t my dream. I wanted to inspire people. I wanted to speak to big audiences and touch hearts and minds.
With a big family (5 daughters!), I had to think twice before leaving the “safe” corporate world to follow my dream…
As a speaker, you need a topic.
What could I add value with? How could I inspire people?
In my last job as Head of IT Services EEMEA, I led large teams across Europe, Asia, and Africa. And then the topic found me: Virtual Power Teams!
Baptized by my friend Jan Schleifer , the concept came from firsthand experience. I made mistakes, had sleepless nights—and from it all emerged a method for managing virtual teams: “The 10 Big Rocks.”
It’s been a bumpy road.
Some years were packed with keynotes and coaching, others with silence and soul searching.
2020, in the heart of the COVID pandemic, was my peak.
I sometimes had five days a week, eight hours a day of online keynotes and workshops.
My voice was almost gone—exhausting, but deeply fulfilling.
Now, 11 years into my dream job, I’ve delivered over 100 keynotes in 29 countries.
After the slowdown post-COVID, I now see a surge of live events again.
In 2023, a new topic found me: AI and “AI Empowered Leaders.”
I started exploring how AI impacts leadership—delivering “hands-on” trainings and practical workshops to help leaders define AI use cases and unlock “real”, tangible business value.
AI is evolving rapidly – from just a “tool” it becomes a colleague and valuable team member. So how to build these “virtual” teams with people and AI is my new passion.
So Believe in your dream.
It gives you the energy to keep going.
It won’t always be easy—expect ups and downs.
Expect moments of reinvention.
Experiment. Search your soul.
Your dream may transform along the way—but that’s the beauty of the journey.
It all starts with an idea, a warm fuzzy feeling.
With the help of friends, inspiring people, discipline, and action… dreams begin to take shape—and come true.
Good luck on your dream journey!
With AI, we may soon face an intelligence that’s not only beyond our comprehension—but also beyond our control.
Peter Ivanov is an award-winning manager, bestselling author, and expert in AI and leadership, with over 30 years of international experience. As an inspirational speaker, Peter has delivered keynotes in 29 countries around the globe. His book, Virtual Power Teams, has been translated into six languages and reached Amazon’s Top 3 in the International Management category.
Imagine an AI that develops malicious code and continuously self-improves in real-time, adapting to all defenses.
