Rear Admiral Rumen Nikolov was born on 9 February 1957 in the town of Tervel, Dobrich District.

He is a graduate of Nikola Yonkov Vaptsarov Naval Academy in Varna – Navigation Faculty (1981), the Naval War College in St. Petersburg, Russia (1991), and Rakovski Defence College General Staff Course in Sofia (2003).

He started his officer career as a Department Head, later as an Executive Officer, and subsequently - as a Commanding Officer of a patrol ship.

He took different positions at the Staff of Varna Naval Base and the Headquarters of Bulgarian Navy.

From 1997 to 2001 he was a Commander of the Patrol Ships Squadron in Varna Naval Base and from 2001 to 2003 - a Deputy Commander of Varna Naval Base.

He was assigned as the Chief of the Operations Directorate at the Bulgarian Navy HQ in the period 2004-2006.

By a decree of the President of the Republic of Bulgaria, in June 2006 he was appointed Commander of Varna Naval Base.

One year later he was promoted to the rank of Brigadier Admiral (from June 2009 - Commodore).

By a decree of the President of the Republic of Bulgaria, in June 2009 he was appointed as Deputy Chief of the Bulgarian Navy.

On 1 December 2011 he was promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral and assigned as the Commander of Bulgarian Navy.

Rear Admiral Rumen Nikolov is married, with two sons. He is fluent in English and Russian.

1986: Naval