Transylvania World is more than a mere brand project. What we plan to accomplish involves an utmost united and capable elitist team ready at all times to take action as a whole and where everybody’s place is well-defined, covering all the elements that make up this project’s vision.
Our team is made up by young and experienced creative people, who share the same principles and values. Throughout the years each team member gained vast professional experience in diverse areas of activity. We cover either a broad area of expertise, from strategy, research, analysis, planning, IT&C, sales, marketing, economy, finances, legal to creativity, graphics, photography, video, communication, journalism, history and culture, either a specific area - tourism and its related activities.
Each team member excelled in his or hers activity domain, this particular trait being one of the principles taken into account when assembling the team and it will remain as such during the whole process of project development– adding more people in the Transylvania World team.
All the team members have vast experience in international relations and projects, as most of them worked as team leaders, in upper management or as representatives of powerful global brands, in business organizations or started their own businesses.
For this project we gathered people from all of Romania and from diaspora as well, and in the following period we will focus on expanding the team according to the necesities which result out of our activity’s evolution. We will open global Transylvania World subsidiaries with Romanian representatives from diaspora or with forigen business associates of diaspora Romanians, in order to preserve the harmony, spirit and the Transylvanian connection with the foreign market through our international representatives.
We consider the association members to be part of the team, as we plan to collaborate on various segments with diverse chategories of people and organizations in order to succed in our assumed mission. Experts, specialists, researchers and representatives of the local government are all a vital source of professionalism which together with the interest and support for manufacturers and service providers constitutes the whole Transylvanian team; all of us working together to promote Transylvania and its specific products.
Lastly, the Transylvania World team is a group of open-minded, unprejudiced, respectful and tolerant friends, fans of good music, nature and traditional beauty, involved in charitable work, with hobbies ranging from practicing sports to practicing musical instruments.
Alin Gherga
Alin Gherga graduated Vasile Goldiș Western University of Arad, Faculty of Law and is a bachelor of Babeș Bolyai University, Cluj. He is currently Pro Dean of the Arad Bar Association and he is a member of N.A.R.B. (National Association of the Romanian Bars). Alin joined our team to address both the legal and the historical research aspects, being equaly competent in both.
Alin is a founding member of the Association of King Michael’s Friends, the most active royalist Romanian organization throughout the 90’s. Furthermore, he was involved in the process which awarded H.M. King Michael heritage to Săvârșin Castle.
Alin is also a founding member of the Association of Adoptive Parents from Arad, being an adoptive parent himself – a real example for the community and a lynchpin for those who assume the noble mission of adopting a child.
Historian, diver, animal lover and passionate about rock music – these are some of his hobbies, alongside his profession and the exatingness acquired in the Romanian Naval Forces, is with what Alin joins Transylvania World team.
Cristi Băiaș
Art school graduate and with vast experience in the graphic and video domains, Cristi joined the Transylvania World team after carefully having prepared the association’s core graphic concept.
Cristi’s experience begins from his previous jobs as a video editor, film editor, studio room director, studio room director for live shows and TV producer and he currently works as a draftsman for Digi24 HD, national television channel. Over time he worked in domains such as web design, broadcast design, motion graphics, creating advertisements and video campaigns, gaining a vast experience on the graphic related business and also strategic thinking in regard to the conceptual element.
Alongside the Transylvania World team members, Cristi is currently preparing the web and schematic design for the new brand, starting from the graphic part up until planning and creating the videos which will illustrate the activities and concepts of the association. Also, Cristi will be working on social media, preparing and launching international campaigns for brand promotion.
In his free time Cristi is passionate about photography and travelling, these hobbies being just a few reasons for which he decided to actively get involved with our association.
Diana Sandu (Vice President)
Diana, our Transylvania World colleague, Vice President and representative for Germany, is specialized in social and political organization of the non-European populations, mythology and folklore, and also in the transfer of rituals from Africa, Asia and Australia as she thoroughly studied ethnology and anthropology at Ludwig Maximilian University from Munich. Diana is also licensed in journalism and German studies.
Diana’s strong point is her certification by the renowned institute Nielsen Norman Group for designing end-to-end client experiences, with a specialization in usability. For better understanding, as an example, starting with the client’s desire to book a vacation, continuing with the online reservation, then switching to offline – the quality of the flight, transport, accommodations, HORECA, all the services related to the vacation, everything is part of a whole, an experience which needs to be offered to the client responsibly and harmonic. This is Diana’s specialization – developing complex experiences and delighting the users, an important component for the activities Transylvania World is preparing.
Presently Diana is a key member in her team, working for the renowned company CLIQZ from Munich. She is the director of the content department, working for the development of an innovative browser with an integrated search engine, browser which after only a few months of testing managed to generate 1 million daily users.
Diana’s professional profile alongside her hobbies and passion for travelling, for high touristic standards and HORECA in Europe, Americas, Asia and Africa, makes her the right person to represent Transylvania World and to expand our regional German subsidiaries. At the same time, her professional aptness represents increased value for the development of the global marketing chain for Transylvanian related products and services which our association will license and distribute globally.
Florentina Popescu (Board Member)
Among other things, Florentina has served as Strategic Account Manager for one of the most powerful European businesses specialized in hotel services, Accor (Edenred), and currently holds a similar position at a top European corporation.
Florentina has a portfolio that includes over one hundred of the most important companies in Romania who, through her direct negotiation, have contracted services worth over 50 million Euro annually.
Florentina joined Transylvania World as founder and President of the Association. Her experience will underpin the development, management and expansion of the global chain of Transylvanian specific products and services, licensing and distribution in particular.
Florentina will also coordinate partnership systems with local governments, private entities and other organizations, in order to obtain self-supporting finances and Transylvania World charitable and social activities.
For manufacturers and service providers who are members of our association, having Florentina on board represents assurance to rely on a highly qualified top manager who will promote and negotiate international products. Indirectly it represents assurance for sustainable development and a continued growth of the Transylvanian brand awareness.
George Adumitroaiei
George is our representative for Great Britain, one of the most important countries linked to the association’s projects and international activities. England represents a cornerstone regarding the market for specific products, the market for tourist services and for all we intend to develop correlated to the Transylvania World brand.
George stood out in the London area through his private activities in the field of constructions, exhibiting enterprising and managerial spirit, qualities that any team would love to benefit from. George administrated restoration programs, managed large teams involved in projects for the Ministry of Defence (UK) and he is presently managing a large company with a significant turnover.
Iulia-Alexandra Marincas
Iulia, the Transylvania World representative for the Netherlands and among the youngest members of the team, has a degree in mathematics from the renowned Romanian University Babes-Bolyai. Today, Iulia holds the position of Business Analyst for Second Floor, a Dutch financial consultancy and software development company dealing with integration of the company products in the customer’s systems.
Iulia joined the team when she planned to open her own business regarding the promotion of Transylvanian hand-made products in the Netherlands, Spain and Portugal. The passion for this subject, her interest in promoting and developing Transylvania and the consistency of the Transylvania World Team made her join, following in addition to setting up a branch in Amsterdam with contribution to all the activities of the association for which she holds expertise.
Iulia is passionate about hand-made objects and the history, culture and traditions of Transylvania, these aspects practical going hand in hand and complementing perfectly, making Iulia a valuable member of the Transylvania World team.
After graduation, until establishing in the Netherlands, Iulia has acquired experience in funding programs, IT and international relations, combining work with her passion for travel and everything traditional.
Mădălin Nicula
Mădălin, specialized consultant in strategy and IT&C services, contributed since the analysis and research stage for the outlining of ideas for developing a new proprietary brand for the Transylvania region.
Collaborator for a series of national and international important projects, among which we can mention the EPIC project, with a value around 3 million Euros, launched as a non-refundable funds program by the Berlin, Manchester and Issy-Les-Moulieaux town halls and other important public and private associates from the IT&C domains. He also took part in implementing the national project Ghiseul.ro in Târgu Mureș. Mădălin has the necessary experience in order to get involved in a global project as large and important as Transylvania World association.
Mădălin studied at the Technical University from Cluj-Napoca, Romania, specializing in computers and English. His professional experience represents added value, important for the development of Transylvania World’s standards and classifications in regard to the products and services specific to the region. Also, his experience is important for the development of the association’s tools in order to capitalize on the brand’s potential and the licensing process.
In his free time Mădălin is a fan of motorsports having participated in motorsport competitions and events. Previously he participated in local karting competitions and today he regularly takes part in rallies, with notable results in the 2016 special championship for historical vehicles.
Mihai Doxan
Mihai is currently working as Southeast Europe General IT Manager for the renowned company Philips, dealing with local Philips management infrastructure in Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Slovenia.
Mihai initiated and developed grand and complex IT projects, is certified for different IT systems and project management and therefore holds extensive experience in planning, administration, tracking and working on ICT systems; these systems are of utmost necessity for the development of indispensable basic infrastructure of the supply chain for specific Transylvanian products and services.
Mihai was involved in numerous projects including management facilities and clients, databases, portals, online payments, communications and complex platforms. On the other hand he was also involved in activities which makes him extremely well-anchored in the Transylvania World specific activities.
Lastly, a passionate practitioner of off-road sports, Mihai has taken part for 15 years counting in charitable events organized by the Off-Road Romania Adventures club. Twice per year, the club members carry essential aids for the isolated villagers in remote Transylvanian mountain areas.
Sorin Onişor
Sorin Onişor, a graduate of the Traditional School of Popular Art and also the Faculty of History, is one of the most famous Romanian photographers, specialized in Transylvanian traditions and landscapes. In fact his passion for this land can be easily noticed in his doctoral thesis, named "Blacksmiths in Transylvania".
Sorin has organized numerous exhibitions and art shows, in Romania and abroad, promoting Romania’s landscapes and social status in an absolutely astonishing manner. Over time, Sorin has managed to travel throughout all of Transylvania, merging the old history with the present he sees behind the camera lens. Not one corner of this land has been left uncrossed by Sorin Onişor, historian and photographer.
Over fifty thousand people in Romania and abroad are following Sorin’s artistic work online. His photography has crossed all of the world’s borders, indirectly promoting this marvelous place named Transylvania, and Romania in general. It came to no surprise when, in 2016 at Romania’s Values Festivity, alongside personalities such as Simona Halep, Ivan Patzaichin, Mihai Constantinescu (George Enescu International Festival) or famed soprano Angela Gheorghiu, Sorin was awarded the unique “România Mea (My Romania)” photography prize.
By joining Transylvania World, Sorin Onişor helps out, on one hand, by promoting the traditional Transylvanian image. On the other hand, this being a key element of the partnership, together with Sorin we aim to develop international photo tours in Transylvania. These organized tours are key strategic elements through which photographers of international fame will discover these secret-filled lands under the experienced leadership of Sorin Onişor, resulting in an exceptional viral promotion of Transylvania, carried on by world-wide famed "heavyweight" photographers.
Vasile Lupaşc
A graduate of the Faculty of history and philology, Vasile Lupaşc is one Romanian set to go down in the history books. For some he is known as a Romanian who won seven martial arts world championships, but for many others Vasile Lupasc is the historian, writer and screenwriter who fought to bring back the true character of Vlad the Impaler.
Being a fan of Vlad the Impaler’s image ever since he was a little boy, after graduating with a diploma in history, Vlad Lupaşc transformed his graduation thesis into a scientifically documented historical novel, showing the role of the Romanian Lord in his country and in Europe as well. After talking with a famous Hollywood production house he recently managed to pin down a film adaptation of his book Răstignit între cruci” (Crucified between crosses). Akin to the Transylvania World spirit, the movie will detach from the modern vampire concept and will feature a credible historical setting. Over 50 milion dollars will be invested in production and Vasile Lupaşc will act as an advisor for the Hollowood giant throughout the whole filming process.
Vasile’s extensive work is not limited to domains such as history, writing or movie scripts. After efforts lasting three years, he managed to obtain a rare photocopy of a manuscript (written by a Papal legate of the time) owned by the Vatican, directly related to Vlad the Impaler.
Throughout his hard work, Vasile Lupasc contributes for Transylvania World with historical research - a major factor for the development of a powerful, authentic and sustainable regional brand with the mission to promote Transylvanian products and related services on an unprecedented international level.
Virgiliu Stan (President, Founder, CEO, strategist)
Specialized consultant in strategy, marketing and networking, voluntary basis collaborator for a significant number of complex national and international projects, Virgil decided to dedicate his 20 years + of experience for developing a new Transylvania brand, promoting the “Transylvanian World” wider region and developing a collateral certification and licensing system.
Virgil is an Eastern Europe representative for Items International, organizer of the prestigious Think Tank “Global Forum”. The Global Forum network includes private and public representatives from over 40 countries and ever since 2009 Virgil has been the Romanian representative in the Global Forum Steering Committee. Virgil worked in various international workgroups on the pki and management identity segment and he initiated development strategies alongside complex market prospecting and prediction analyses for various fields, including tourism.
Virgil collaborated with the top management of various public or private entities, offering consultancy on complex and innovative projects. Ghiseul.ro, an online payment system for local taxes, is just one of the projects of national importance for which Virgil (on a voluntary basis from the beginning of the project) contributed substantially in the strategy and development areas.
Virgil basically initiated and developed the entire Transylvania World project, starting from ideas, market analysis, strategy, identifying and training the team. The conceptual brand elements, structure and activities of all the public information offered on the association’s website are part of Virgil’s strategic mind. The entire project took more than 5 years of planning until it could finally get underway.
There have been many attempts to create a regional brand for Transylvania and several attempts at either public, private, or public-private levels to develop projects in various areas of activity, related to products or services based on the history, traditions and potential of this regions. More than a quarter of a century after Romania's entry into the free-market zone all these attempts have failed and not one managed to exceed the critical awareness level needed to develop an international brand in the true sense of the term "brand". Together with the assembled team Virgil has planned to overcome this situation and develop a new world-wide famous Transylvania brand.
