William Drysdale, Chairman at British Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce, has been appointed MBE in the Queen's New Year Honours list for his services to Business.

The recognition was published in the list of New Year's Honours 2014 on December  30, 2013, according to a media statement of the British Embassy in Sofia.

Drysdale is a prominent member of the business community in Bulgaria and a co-founder of the Bulgarian Business Leaders Forum.

He worked as an adviser to Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha during his term in office as Prime Minister and was a senior partner for accountancy firm KPMG in the region.

From 2011 to date he has served as Chairman of the Board of the British Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce.

"I am delighted to see Bill Drysdale's exceptional contribution honoured in this way. Bill is a great patriot, both for his own country and for his adopted country, Bulgaria. He strives in all he does to improve understanding between the two, in particular through strengthening and deepening business links," said British Ambassador to Sofia Jonathan Allen.

"As Chairman of the British Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce, Bill has had a remarkable impact. He has put the BBCC on the local map and delivered a calendar of events that is the envy of longer-standing chambers. The BBCC stands in good health now, following two years of Bill's leadership. Bill does not allow his enthusiasm to blind him to where he perceives either of the two countries could do better! I am taken to task by him on government policies that he feels do not work for his members; and he is outspoken about aspects of Bulgarian life that he believes need to change. That is the mark of a true patriot: unafraid to work openly for the betterment of the two countries that he loves," Jonathan Allen added.

William Drysdale noted that it was great honour for him to accept the award for his work in Bulgaria.

"I share the credit with a few special colleagues who have helped me far beyond the call of duty. Bulgaria is my second home and I am pleased that my efforts here have been recognized by Her Majesty the Queen. I believe that British business has a lot to contribute to Bulgaria and that trade, investment and exchange of skilled human resources between the two countries are of enormous mutual benefit," Drysdale commented.

The Order of the British Empire recognizes distinguished service to the arts and sciences, public services outside the Civil Service and work with charitable and welfare organizations of all kinds. It was created during the First World War in 1917 by George V.

Today the Order of the British Empire is the order of chivalry of British democracy. Valuable service is the only criterion for the award, and the Order is now used to reward service in a wide range of useful activities.

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