Eng. Irena Tsakova

Eng. Irena Tsakova is the General Manager of Dundee Precious Metals Krumovgrad EAD, overseeing the Ada Tepe gold mine—the first newly developed gold mine in Bulgaria in decades. Appointed in April 2024, she became the first woman within Dundee Precious Metals (DPM) globally to hold such a leadership position.  Previously, for over 15 years, Eng. Tsakova served as Director of Permitting and Legal Affairs for DPM’s Bulgarian subsidiaries in Chelopech and Krumovgrad. She played a pivotal role in the development of the Ada Tepe project, including planning, permitting, and community engagement processes. In 2015, she was recognized as one of the 100 most inspiring women in the global mining industry by the international forum “Mines and Money”.  Eng. Tsakova is an active advocate for sustainable development and social responsibility. She is a co-founder and representative of the Association “Fund for Support and Promotion of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises in Krumovgrad Municipality”, which since 2019 has supported 69 projects with over BGN 11 million, creating more than 150 jobs.  In October 2024, she participated in the “WOMEN in the Mineral Resources Industry” initiative at the University of Mining and Geology “St. Ivan Rilski”, sharing her professional journey and encouraging young women to be brave and not fear failures.