Ivaylo Ivanov was chosen for volleyball by a coach who went around schools looking for kids who might be good at the sport. Ivaylo went to a tryout and stayed with volleyball ever since. Maybe because this game wasn’t unfamiliar to him. His dad was a volleyball referee, among other things.

When Ivaylo was about to move from the youth league to the senior professional one, he was faced with the decision of what to do next. "I was at a high school at that time and had to decide whether to become a professional player or to prioritize my studies and go to a university," says Ivaylo. In the end, studies won out. "I was realistic and realized I would probably never be a top-level player. At the same time, I knew that engineering studies are so demanding that I can't manage to train twice a day," Ivaylo adds. 

So he fully immersed himself in his studies and only played volleyball in his spare time with friends for fun. Eventually, though, he couldn't stay away. "I wanted to stay close to the game. I wanted to be a part of it," he explains what led him to take the referee exams in 1997 and return to volleyball in a different role.

He started as a referee in school and youth matches. "These are usually played over the weekends, but as I gradually moved up to the higher referee categories, I had to start officiating matches during the week, in the evenings," says Ivaylo, adding that the vast majority of his free time is spent on this hobby. "Ever since I’ve become an international referee, I don't sacrifice only my free time to it, but also my vacation days," he adds. 

But his dedication to volleyball has paid off, and this year, he will fulfill what he has dreamed of for years. He has been selected from 1,600 referees worldwide as one of 16 who will attend the Summer Olympics in Paris. “It took 25 years of hard work. Every game, I had to do my best, prove myself, and stay on top of the game,” points out Ivaylo. Although he participated in several European and World Championships, there is nothing bigger and more prestigious than the Olympic Games. 

This makes him appreciate the support he receives at IPS all the more. "I have great support from IPS Bulgaria manager Boris Kristev. In addition, I have the advantage of working on the road. I can take my computer with me and get much of the work done no matter where I am. I don't work from home, but I work on the go," says Ivaylo who has been with IPS Bulgaria for 13 years, and as a senior project engineer, he manages several projects simultaneously. 

This year, for example, Schneider Electric is opening a new green field factory in Bulgaria. “This is a special partnership because we managed the very first Schneider Electric factory here back in the day and also all its extensions. Because of our successful partnership here in Bulgaria, Schneider Electric became a strategic partner of Group-IPS. Therefore, the responsibility is huge, and I have to give my best to it,” says Ivaylo. 

Apart from his interesting and diverse work at IPS, Ivaylo enjoys the company culture. “We are not internal competitors who try to beat each other but a team. We are like one family—here at IPS Bulgaria and at the company-all level—which comes from the owner. All the teambuildings, company events, and trainings always have a great vibe,” he concludes.