Anelia Kasterlieva

It is with great sadness that I learnt about the passing 💔 of Anelia. She was one of my first coaches and mentors back in 2002/3 at PWC Bulgaria, when I was just starting my audit career. She was a great person and colleague, devoted, vibrant, great professionalist and I learnt a great deal from her. Even if our paths went apart afterwards I know that she touched the lives of many people and left a mark with her kindness and spirit. My heartfelt condolences to her family, Ani will aways stay in my memory.
Най-искрени съболезнования на семейството и близките на Ани. Ужасно тъжно е, че ни напусна толкова рано, но винаги ще остане в сърцата ни.

I will Anelia sorely as a trusted colleague and dear friend, with whom I have shared so many years of close collaboration, particularly during our joint years in FI. Anelia was the person on whom I could always rely for technical matters, good judgement and overall guidance. Her role was central in overseeing and delivering the large crisis response packages (Greece, big financial crisis). I saw her grow and become the accomplished senior professional that the whole Bank came to rely upon. Week after week in her role leading the Opscom Secretariat, she stood out for her deep knowledge, thoughtful approach, strong mastery of all files and rigour in assessing issues.
But above all I will miss a very kind, generous and fun person friend. Anelia always spoke about her family with great love, and I liked reminisce with her about Bulgaria, her home country and one in which I spent time while at the Bank. Her loss is cruel and hard to accept. My heart weeps and my thoughts are with her family. Rest in peace dear Anelia.

In loving memory of Anelia, whose kindness, decency, professionalism and warmth touched the lives of so many of us. From the moment when Anna became Daniel's 'little buddy' to our discussions on projects, schools, dreams and more - I will cherish the time we spent together. Truly heartbreaking. Rest in peace, dearest Anelia.

P.S. the picture is the last one she sent to me on women's day on 8 March 2024.

I will remember Anelia as a truly nice person - calm and kind. These qualities made her a perfect fit for the OpsCom role with all its stresses and potential disagreements. Anelia helped all involved to navigate this process and achieve a great outcome for the Bank. In our conversations about her daughter, these same qualities and her love and dedication as a mother shone through. She will be sorely missed.

Dear Anelia, it is so sad to that your time with your family has been cut so tragically short. It is an unimaginable loss for them.
We too miss your presence at the EBRD. You are remembered for many things, but not least for driving us crazy with your attention to detail and the precision with which you approached your work, which we knew, was always with the best of motives. You cared about what we did and contributed enormously to what we achieved together. Your passion and professionalism were in evidence everyday. Thank you.

Rest in peace.

David

Ани, беше красива във всяко отношение - с добра душа, щедро сърце, и ярък ум. Тя винаги намираше време да изслуша, да помогне, и да накара хората около нея да се почувстват разбрани и обичани. На нейното приятелство можеше винаги да се разчита.

Запознахме се в PwC през далечната 2000 година, и макар че животът ни отведе в различни посоки, успяхме да съхраним приятелството си. Трудно е да повярвам, че вече я няма - че повече няма да видя усмивката й и да чуя гласа й. Ани си тръгна твърде рано, с още толкова мечти и успехи пред нея. Тя беше изключителна - постигаше всичко с елегантност, упоритост и желание, като винаги вдъхновяваше и подкрепяше околните.

Най-искрени съболезнования на семейството й, приятелите и колегите. Загубихме невероятен човек, но нейната памет и любов, ще останат с нас завинаги. Сбогом, мила Ани, докато отново не се срещнем.

Ani, was beautiful in every way - with a kind soul, a generous heart, and a bright mind. She always found time to listen, offer help, and make those around her feel understood and loved. Her friendship was unwavering and could always be counted on.

We first met at PwC back in 2000. Even though life took us in different directions, we managed to preserve our bond. It's hard to believe she is no longer with us - that I will never see her smile or hear her voice. Ani left us far too soon, with so many dreams and achievements still ahead of her. She was remarkable in every sense - accomplishing everything with elegance, determination and passion, while always inspiring and uplifting those around her.

My heartfelt condolences to her family, friends, and colleagues. We have lost an extraordinary person, but her memory and the love she gave will stay with us forever. Farewell, dear Ani, until we meet again.

It is truly heartbreaking to write such a message...Anelia deserved so much more and especially to see her daughter growing up, enjoy life with her family and see her grandchildren.

Not only we've interacted often at the Bank but our daughters used to be in the same primary school and shared a common friend so I do recall Anelia enjoying the Sports Day at school and join birthday parties. Always with her smile on, engaging and with a relaxed attitude. This is how I will continue to remember her!

Rest in peace, Anelia!

My heartfelt condolences to the family.

Ани, жестоко е, че ни напускаш. Но толкова много хора те обичат и мислят за теб, че аз не вярвам да сме те загубили. Ти си също и в Явор, и в Ани, и в спомените на много приятели. Пращам ти много любов, чакай ни… Dear Anelia, you are not lost to us. You live in the hearts and minds of all of us who loved you. And a part of you lives forever in your beautiful family. Sending you my love, dear Ani, you will never be forgotten

Dedicated to her work and to her family, always there with intelligence and knowledge tempered perfectly with a kind word, a smile and a laugh, Anelia was a pleasure to work with. We shall miss her kindness and wisdom and I'm sure she will be in our memories and hearts always. Trevor

Anelia was one of the kindest, good-hearted and genuine people I know. She was so dedicated to her family and friends, as well as her home country- always so happy when the Bank made an investment in Bulgaria. I was so impressed by her commitment to the Bank, her professionalism, her readiness to step in to help colleagues. My deepest condolences to Anelia's family and friends. She will always be in our hearts. Natasha

It so happened that Anelia was there on my very first project at my first real job at PwC Bulgaria, to coach us juniors and share funny stories on the business trip evenings, and then for many years at EBRD she was a truly respected and bright colleague and someone to talk to, share about life, our girls and laugh together.
It is heartbreaking that such a strong person and vivid life ended so early and she will be dearly missed. I do pray that she rests in peace and my thoughts are with her family.
Почивай в мир, мила Анелия! Към семейството на Анелия - дъщеря ѝ, съпруга ѝ и родителите ѝ - искрени съболезнования! Дано обичта и топлите спомени на всички хора, които познават Анелия и ще я запомнят с добро, ви дават малко утеха в този тежък момент.

Dear Anelia, I am deeply grieved by your untimely departure!

You will forever stay in my memory with your good nature, positive spirit even in the most challenging of situations, and your passion for the mission embodied in your work. I also remember with admiration your deep devotion, love and care for your daughter and husband.

I offer my heartfelt condolences to the family for this profound and untimely loss, hope you can find some strength and comfort in the cherished memories of her. Rest in peace dear Anelia!

Alex

Anelia's soberness and professionalism has always brought an objective perspective and clear vision into all discussions. With her big heart and willingness to help I will always remember Anelia as a kind, giving and calm person. Rest in peace and светла й памет!

As Rumi says : "Goodbyes are only for those who love with their eyes. Because for those who love with heart and soul there is no such thing as separation."
Thank you for touching my life at some point both on career and also on motherhood. I will always remember your kindness.
Rest in peace great person, mother and helpful colleague.

Dear Anelia, I feel deeply saddened by your early departure. We had left things on see you soon… I have learned a lot from you and can hear your voice in my head as I continue to work on matters we embarked on together years ago. My heartfelt condolences to your family during this difficult time.

Anelia has been a cherished member of the EBRD family for the last 20 years having joined the Sofia Resident Office back in 2004 before moving to London HQ in 2006.

In Sofia RO, Anelia led many of the Bank’s early FI projects in the country. RO colleagues’ sorrow is mixed with fond memories from Anelia’s time there.

During her time in FI, she led the signing of some of the Bank’s largest crisis response packages, including the 2007-8 financial crisis and the Greek banking crisis, led the Financial Institution’s green approach from the get-go and at the same time completely eschewed the limelight and relentlessly focused on turning leads into real transactions. She was professional to her core and approached work with utmost dedication and professionalism.

Along with her remarkable professional skills, she is remembered as one of the kindest and most earnest colleagues, always joyful and ready to run in the Paris underground on the way to her favourite client, Societe Generale, and equally apt at finding the right solutions to make things happen. She could juggle so much, manage all flawlessly and without fail. Any project that Anelia handled had a de facto stamp of quality.

As Head of Opscom, she has been at the heart of the Banking engine and will have interacted with hundreds of colleagues over the years. As one of my own leadership team, Anelia was a trusted and valued colleague, a great support when I first joined the Bank and someone I could always rely on.

She was a true professional who knew how to bring people together while making everyone feel important. She also had an infectious laugh that would lighten any tense pre-Ops discussions. She cared deeply about the people and the job – a true mark of a leader.

But most importantly, anyone who spent any time in her company would have heard her talk about her family, in particular her daughter, with deep love and affection. Colleagues and I have many memories of Anelia excitedly looking forward to bringing her daughter to a concert or watching the Christmas lights at Kew Gardens, speaking with pride about her academic achievements but also consulting on the selection of the family pet.

Our hearts are in pieces and her loss is hard to take in.

We were truly lucky to have known her, worked with her, and learned from her.

Jürgen

Anelia was such a wonderful colleague during my time at the EBRD and an exemplary role model for so many. She will be dearly missed.

My memory of Anelia is that of a truly professional colleague but most importantly, a kind individual with a strong sense of empathy and understanding others. This is a huge loss but Anelia will be always remembered at EBRD and beyond. My sincere condolences to Anelia's family and wishes of strength.

Anelia embodied that rare combination of genuine kindness and professionalism. She managed to keep her steadfast humanity whilst handling difficult and delicate situations. Always supportive, Anelia you will not be forgotten, and you will be a constant reminder to me of how to be both a good person and a strong professional. Rest, and you will remain such an example for so very many.

I can only look back with a smile on the countless projects worked on together to improve the OpsCom DTM processes; you, Tracy and myself, trying to work out simple workflow solutions for the almost endless different work processes. You always understood the issues and always helped come up with pragmatic solutions. Taken way, way too soon. You and your family have my heartfelt best wishes. Rest well.

I am so sorry to hear the news. Anelia was always patient and kind as well as highly respected as a colleague. It is truly tragic that she has died so young.

Amelia dearest, you were a truly brilliant problem solver. A pragmatic yet research-informed practitioner. And such a wonderful colleague. I can’t understand how you could leave us so young? I am speechless in front of this tragic injustice. But we loved you and appreciated you deeply. Maybe this is only what matters in the end. You have left a mark. You will never be forgotten in our hearts. ❤️🖤

Dear Anelia,
I am heartbroken by your early departure. I only have good memories of you and working with you in these past 20 years or so even when under stressful circumstances. I hope your family will manage to find some solace. I will miss you.

Rémy

This loss is truly hard to bear. Anelia was so much more than a colleague—she was a dear friend and an inspiration to all of us who had the privilege of knowing her.

Her brilliance, dedication, the desire to always strive for perfection and generosity made her an invaluable colleague, but it was her kindness and warmth that made her unforgettable. She had a way of making everyone feel supported and valued, no matter the circumstance.

What stood out most about Anelia was her deep love for her family. Her husband Yavor and her cherished daughter were the light of her life. She spoke of them often, with such pride and joy, and it was clear they were the center of her world.

Anelia, we will miss you more than words can express. Your legacy of kindness, strength, and love will stay with us always.

I will remember Anelia with a deep affinity belying the short few weeks I worked for her, as despite her own struggles she consistently made a point of making sure I was ok (Anelia was conscious that I lost my wife to an illness a few years ago). Putting others ahead of herself was clearly a well-known trait of Anelia’s and I was only recently a recipient of a lovely, encouraging (and hopeful) exchange of texts with her that underlined this. Having gone through my similar loss, I would be honoured to help Anelia’s husband and daughter in any way, should they want to reach out (and thereby reflect a small portion of Anelia’s kindness back).

Remember me

To the living, I am gone,
To the sorrowful, I will never return,
To the angry, I was cheated,
But to the happy, I am at peace,
And to the faithful, I have never left.

I cannot speak, but I can listen.
I cannot be seen, but I can be heard.
So as you stand upon a shore gazing at a beautiful sea,
As you look upon a flower and admire its simplicity,
Remember me.

Remember me in your heart:
Your thoughts, and your memories,
Of the times we loved,
The times we cried,
The times we fought,
The times we laughed.
For if you always think of me, I will never have gone.

by Margaret Mead

Винаги ще те помним, Ани! Ти си с нас, не си си тръгнала и така ще бъде. Казахме си сбогом насън, но не и на яве! Оставаш с нас...

Some people posses the rare gift of excelling in every role they take on and Anelia was one of those exemplary individuals.
As a professional, she approached every challenge with a solutions-oriented mindset. Her attention to detail and commitment to quality set a high standard that we all aspired to meet.
Yet, it was the warmth of her character that truly defined her. While her professional achievements were remarkable, her greatest pride and joy was her family. The love and devotion she showed as a wife, mother and friend, revealed the depth of her heart.
Rest in piece, dear Anelia! Your legacy will live on.

Приятелко любима…не вярвам, че си тръгна…Надявах се и те чаках да се радваме заедно на хубавата лондонска есен, да ти направя от любимите ти кукис, да се вълнуваме за университети, да обсъждаме филми и всичко останало. Липсваш ми ужасно, безкрайно и непоносимо! Отбивай се понякога в съня ми да си бъбрим!
Love
Розичка

Скъпа Ани,
Как искам в този момент да не ми се налага да пиша тук, а вместо това да си пием някъде заедно кафето и да си говорим за всичко, което ни прави щастливи, да си споделяме последните постижения на нашите деца, да си разказваме за местата, които сме посетили скоро… Как искам да чуя заразителния ти смях и да почерпя от твоята мъдрост и позитивизъм. Уви, съдбата отреди друго и теб вече те няма… Отиде си незаслужено рано… Но споменът за теб, за твоето приятелство, за твоята грижовност и всеотдайност, за изключителния ти професионализъм ще останат заинаги в моето сърце!
Почивай в мир, мила Ани!
Нека твоята звезда свети ярко от небето и да разпръсква добротата ти!