Yana Djoneva

Yana Djoneva is a Senior Advisor to the Chief Operating Officer department since 2023, leading strategic initiatives combining people, processes and technology to boost ESM’s operational efficiency and resilience.

Yana joined the ESM at its inception and since 2013 has played a key role in ESM’s institutional development. As a team lead and later Deputy Head of the Corporate Governance and Internal Policies division, she developed many of the ESM internal policies, procedures, and operational frameworks while actively engaging with ESM internal and external stakeholders and peer institutions. She also played a role in ensuring the ESM business continuity and safety of staff during the Covid pandemic.

Prior to ESM, Yana worked for the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and Cola-Cola HBC, among other institutions, garnering international experience across corporate governance, project finance, risk management, and internal audit.  

Yana holds a Master of Business Administration from London Business School, a Master’s degree in European Law from Université de Lorraine, and a law degree from Sofia University.