ServiceNow EMEA Chief of Staff: Global Leadership and PR Strategies with Iliyana Stareva
Iliyana Stareva is the Chief of Staff to the EMEA President at ServiceNow. Her role blends internal operations with customer engagement and public relations. She manages a team, travels frequently, and shapes her executive’s internal and external presence. This is a real look at what it takes to lead behind the scenes at a global tech company.
Key Takeaways
The Chief of Staff role can expand beyond internal operations into strategy, customer work, and personal brand building.
Global roles require cultural awareness—planning in Europe often starts months ahead, while U.S. teams may move faster and looser.
Personal boundaries, time management, and wellness routines are key to sustaining this demanding role.
Notable Quotes
"For me there are a few things that I prioritize to make sure that I am productive and effective at work: it's sleep, it's nourishing food, and it's exercise."
"The chief of staff is super exciting there's like lots going on lots of moving pieces but there's also plenty of administrative work or like repetitive work that has to happen."
"It just takes time. It takes at least three to six months till really start clicking and understanding how your executive ticks unless you work with them before."
Real-World Applications
Use PR as a leadership tool
Example: Iliyana assigns someone to manage executive content and thought leadership. This supports both internal culture and external credibility.Balance work and wellness
Example: She blocks time for exercise at 5:30 AM daily and avoids work notifications on her phone when not traveling.Lead team alignment across geographies
Example: Iliyana aligns the schedules and goals of the EMEA leadership team with global ServiceNow strategy—months in advance.
Iliyana Stareva shows that the Chief of Staff role is more than coordination—it’s about trust, strategy, and presence. From managing executive brand to aligning global teams, she makes clarity and structure look easy. But it all comes from intentional planning and staying grounded in what matters.
01:16 The Evolving Role of a Chief of Staff
04:00 Navigating the Chief of Staff Landscape Across Organizations
07:00 Cultural Differences in Leadership and Planning
08:45 Strategic Planning and Protecting the Executive's Image
12:48 Building Trust and Effective Communication in Leadership
20:53 The Art of Managing Time and Work-Life Balance
26:59 Closing Thoughts and the Future of the Chief of Staff Role
Links Mentioned:
Connect with Iliyana on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iliyanast...
Service now website: https://www.servicenow.com/
Inbound PR on Amazon: https://a.co/d/1rduuVT
Money Mastering on Amazon: https://a.co/d/8raaTnv
About The Author
Emily Sander is an ICF-certified leadership coach with more than 15 years of experience in the business world and the author of Hacking Executive Leadership. She’s been featured in several print publications, online articles, and podcasts, including CEO Today Magazine, Leading to Fulfillment, and Leadership Powered by Common Sense.
Emily has a passion for helping business leaders reach their full potential. Go here to read her story from seasoned executive to knowledgeable coach. If you want to send Emily a quick message, then visit her contact page here.