2024 International Business Conference in Greece

Alex Patelis is chief economic adviser to Greece's Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. He has over three decades of experience as an economist, analyst and strategist, working in a variety of positions in New York, London and Athens. 

Alex started his career with the US economics research team at Goldman, Sachs & Co. in New York, where he worked under Bill Dudley, Chief US economist as well as a proprietary FICC trader in the same firm. In London, he joined Citigroup Asset Management as a quantitative economist. At Merrill Lynch, he held a variety of positions, including Global head of FX & Debt strategy, as well as Managing Director of Global Research, Head of International Economics. In this capacity, Alex managed the research teams responsible for the firm's outlook on all economies outside North America, including developed and emerging countries in EMEA, the Pacific Rim region and Latin America, as well as foreign exchange, local currency and external debt bonds. For their research, Alex and his team won a variety of awards, including from Extel and Institutional Investor. He was also Chief Economist at PSQR, a global discretionary macro hedge fund.

More recently, Alex was President of Patelis Macro, an independent research boutique he launched in 2010, which focused on global macroeconomic analysis to select clients around the world.

Alex earned a Ph.D. in Economics in 1997 from Princeton University, USA, where his thesis advisor was Professor Ben Bernanke. Titled “Asset returns and monetary policy”, part of his thesis was published in the Journal of Finance. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and Mathematics from Sussex University, UK. 

Christos Staikouras

Minister of Transport & Infrastructure , MP, Nea Demokratia

He was elected Member of Parliament in Fthiotida with Nea Demokratia political party on the elections of 2007, 2009, 2012 (May and June), 2015 (January and September), 2019 and 2023 (May and June).

In June 2012, he was appointed as Alternate Minister of Finance, a position he held until the January 2015 elections. 

In July 2019, he was appointed as Minister of Finance, a position he held until the May 2023 elections. 

Currently, he is serving as minister of infrastructure and transport since his appointment in June 2023.

He holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of London (Imperial College) and a PhD in Banking and Finance from the City University of London.

He is an Associate Professor in Finance at the Athens University of Economics and Business.

He was a member of the Collaborating Teaching Staff at the Hellenic Open University (2004-2007), Assistant Professor at the Athens University of Economics and Business (2006-2018) and Visiting Professor at the Universities of Thessaly, Athens, City and the European University of Cyprus.

He has published over 60 research papers in international refereed scientific journals. His work has been cited by scientists in over 4,400 published papers in international journals (citations).

He has worked at the Central Bank of England and the Eurobank Banking Group.

Mr. Harry Theoharis was first elected in 2015 and on December 18, 2018, he joined the New Democracy party.

Mr. Theoharis holds a MEng (Hon) in software engineering-first class from Imperial College, London, and has held high-ranking positions in companies of the private sector in Greece and abroad. He has also worked in start-up companies.

During 2011-2012, Mr. Theoharis served as secretary general for information systems and he is known for introducing new digital services to assist the public, helping reduce bureaucracy and its resulting costs.

He later (2013-14) served as a secretary general for public revenues at the Greek Finance Ministry. There, he succeeded in meeting budget revenues and producing a fiscal surplus. He is also known for launching the www.publicrevenue.gr platform to increase transparency in public administration.

Mr. Theoharis was Minister of Tourism from 2019 to 2021 and the Parliamentary Spokesperson of New Democracy political party at the Hellenic Parliament from 2021 to 2023.

In the national elections of May and June 2023, he was re-elected Member of Parliament with New Democracy political party and on June 27, 2023, Mr. Theoharis was appointed by the Prime Minister Mr. Kyriakos Mitsotakis as Deputy Minister of Finance of Greece for taxation matters.

Dr Christos Dimas is a lawyer and a Member of the Hellenic Parliament, representing Nea Demokratia in the district of Korinthia. He was born on the 29th of May 1980 and graduated from Athens College. Christos obtained his LLB degrees from the Law School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and from Queen Mary University of London. He completed his Master Degree in Comparative Politics at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). 

At the LSE, he finished his PhD in European Political Economy, as a scholar of the Alexander Onassis Public Benefit Foundation. His thesis title was "National institutional contexts and domestic discourse during proposed transformative policy change. The case of the telecoms' privatization in Greece and the Republic of Ireland." During his studies, he worked as the London correspondent of Apogevmatini newspaper and practiced journalism at the BBC.

At the age of 25, Christos taught the course "Introduction to Comparative Politics" at the LSE Government Department. He has also taught the course "Mass Media and Social Regulation" at ICON College, University of Leicester and worked as a research associate at the European Centre of Excellence "Jean Monnet". He has published many articles in Greek and international journals.

Before entering politics, he worked in the private sector as a business consultant for the Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In 2012, Mr Dimas was elected as Member of Hellenic Parliament for Corinthia, and he is continuously being elected first since then. From July 2019 until May of 2023, he was Deputy Minister of Development & Investments, responsible for Research, Innovation and Technology.  After the national elections in June 2023, he serves as Deputy Minister of Culture. 

In his spare time, he enjoys playing football and basketball, as well as reading history books. He is married to Nikoleta Syrengela and they have one daughter and one son.

Chef Maria Loi is an internationally renowned entrepreneur, author, television personality and philanthropist working to change the world - one healthy bite at a time. Known as the Julia Child of Greece, she is the founder and face of a lifestyle brand that nurtures a healthy body and soul, melds the inspiration of ancient Greece with a modern approach to the Mediterranean diet, cooks up a heaping dose of happiness, humor and joy and helps people boost their immunity and improve their health, wellness and longevity.

Chef Loi is known for her expertise in a variety of sectors including film and media; hospitality and entertainment; telecommunications; restaurants and food products, packaging, and marketing. Her government and media relations consulting and lobbying clients have included Net Med International (Film Net), Super Channel International, ITT Corporation (ITT Sheraton and ITT Caesars), and Nokia Telecommunications among many others.

Chef Loi is passionate about sharing the magic of all things Greek – especially the culinary treasures, recipes and practices passed down through the generations and from her grandfather. Deeply popular and beloved in Greece and a food superstar in the U.S., she exudes kindness, friendliness and warmth, makes a friend of everyone she meets and lights up rooms with her bountiful energy, infectious smile and hearty laugh.

The founder of Loi Food Products, a specialty brand built on traditional ingredients from Greece; her frozen pies, pastas, beans, botanical herbs, refrigerated dips, honey and olive oil are sold on QVC, at Whole Foods Markets and in other stores. 

The author of more than 36 cookbooks, she is also host of the award-winning show, THE LIFE OF LOI, on PBS, which debuted in December 2022, and has since saturated 98% of the top 50 television markets. Winner of the International Telly Award (44th Annual Telly Awards) in Online Series – Food & Beverage, and now winner of ‘Best Chef in a Series’ from the 15th Annual Taste Awards.  The Life of Loi aims to build an inspirational and educational movement around the Mediterranean diet and lifestyle – from ancient to modern, food to culture and everything in between.  Season 2 is scheduled to premiere April 27, 2024.

The namesake of Loi Estiatorio in Manhattan, Chef Loi has cooked for celebrities and Presidents. But she most enjoys gathering with a roomful of diners over a good meal filled with laughter and stories and passing out smiles and homemade cookies to children who visit her restaurant.

Named an official Ambassador of Greek Gastronomy by the Chef’s Club of Greece, Chef Loi is also a passionate and dedicated philanthropist who supports a wide variety of causes focused on children and the underserved.

Vassiliki Lazarakou, JSD  

Chair of the Hellenic Capital Market Commission (HCMC)

Member of the Management Board of ESMA 

Member of the Board of IOSCO

Chair of the ESAs Joint Sub-Committee on Securitizations

Member of the Bureau of the OECD Corporate Governance Committee. 

Vassiliki Lazarakou is Chair of the Hellenic Capital Market Commission (HCMC) since September 2019. She is also a Member of the Board of Supervisors of European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) and has been elected as Member of the Management Board of the ESMA. She is also chairing ESAs Joint Sub- Committee on Securitizations. 

Vassiliki Lazarakou is a member of the IOSCO Board for a 2 year term (October 2022 –October 2024) since HCMC was elected by the European Regional Committee (ERC) as its Representative to the IOSCO Board.

She has also been re-elected as a member of the Bureau of the Corporate Governance Committee of the OECD for the year 2024.

Dr. Lazarakou has a Doctorate in Law (JSD) from New York University School of Law, New York, U.S.A. and an LLM in International Legal Studies from the same University as well as a Bachelor in Law from the Athens University, School of Law. She is a lawyer admitted at both the Athens Bar and the New York Bar Association with expertise on capital markets, M&As, privatizations, corporate and commercial law and other similar issues. She has worked for more than 20 years as a Partner at several law firms and for more than 10 years she was heading the relevant Banking, Capital Markets and Finance Department of such Firms.  From 2012 -2015 she was also a First Vice-Chair of the HCMC. 

Yianos Kontopoulos joined the Athens Exchange Group as CEO in 2022.

He has long and successful international experience in global capital markets. He was a Partner, Chief Macro Strategist at CQS Fund in London, with previous service at UBS and Merrill Lynch, and he was CEO at Eurobank Asset Management. 

He has worked in senior management positions in capital markets in New York, London, and Athens.

He started his career on Wall Street at Salomon Brothers. He was Managing Director at two of the largest international investment banks, UBS, and Merrill Lynch, where he created and led large teams of leading analysts, building an extensive international network of contacts with major and significant investment firms around the world.

In Greece, he was Chief Investment Officer of Eurobank as well as CEO of Eurobank Asset Management, the largest mutual fund management company in the country. He has also worked in key positions in hedge funds abroad with billions in investments in global markets.

He is the Chairman of the Stock Markets Steering Committee, a Member of the Board of Directors of the American - Hellenic Chamber of Commerce, a Member of the Board of the Council on Competitiveness of Greece, and a Member of the Working Committee of the Federation of Euro-Asian Stock Exchanges (FEAS).

He was born and raised in Thessaloniki.

Yianos Kontopoulos holds a Ph.D., M.Phil., and M.A. in Economics from Columbia University and an A.B., also in Economics, from Harvard University.

Vasilis Tsaitas is a graduate of Business Administration from University of Piraeus and MBA from INSEAD, as well as a Fellow at the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, with over 20 years of experience in finance and strategy in the energy sector.

Vasilis started his career at Shell Hellas, where he held the role of Financial Controller. He worked for HSBC investment banking in London, focusing on M&A advisory for European Oil & Gas and utility companies. He also has professional experience in the development and financing of RES projects. He joined HellenIQ Energy Group in 2011 and has been responsible for Investor Relations and international capital markets. Since February 2022, he holds the position of Group CFO.

Dika Agapitidou is the Founder and Director of Athens Economics Ltd – JLL Alliance Partner, set up in 1993. She is a Member of the RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors), a founding member of the Greek branch of the ICSC (International Council of Shopping Centres) and a member of ELIE (Hellenic Valuation Institute).

Her background is in Economics, Planning & Econometrics and she has been professionally involved in commercial real estate since 1988, when she was appointed Head of Forecasting at Jones Lang Wootton in London. 

Prior to that, she worked as a consultant for the Greek government (Home Office), international organizations (EU & OECD), and academic establishments (LSE) in Athens, Brussels, Paris, and London.

In her present role as director of Athens Economics Ltd – JLL Alliance Partner, and together with trusted colleagues from a multidisciplinary background, she provides commercial real estate and economic research/advice as well as valuation and agency services to domestic business and multinationals. 

She is the co-author of one book (IOVE, 1995), has written numerous articles, which have appeared in Greek and English newspapers and specialist periodicals and is a frequent panelist in real estate conferences and seminars in Greece and abroad.

Dika speaks Greek (native), English, French & Spanish, is married and a mother of three. 

Maria Rita Galli is the CEO of DESFA (Hellenic Gas Transmission System Operator). Until recently she held the position of the Executive Vice President Business Development & Asset Management at Snam S.p.A, a leading global energy infrastructure company and was the Chairman of the SENFLUGA Energy Holdings S.A., a consortium controlling 66% of DESFA's share capital.

Ms. Galli started her career at Eni in 1997, as a graduate in nuclear engineering from the Milan Polytechnic University. At Eni, she went through various roles within the International Business Development Department, joined relevant international projects and was involved in M&A activities. As a member of Eni's Board of Directors, she also oversaw the operations of some of the Group’s companies abroad (Galp, Distrigas, eni Gas&Power Trading BV, eni Gas&Power France, GVS GmbH, etc.)

Since 2006, she has been in charge of the International Business Development unit and, from January 2010, she has been in charge of the International Business Development and Assets Management department. 

In October 2016, she joined Snam as the Head of Business Development and International Asset Management.

Eleni Bathianaki

Managing Partner

Founding Partner at Halcyon Equity Partners SICAR

Halcyon Equity Partners GP S.à r.l.  is the GP manager of a private equity fund based in Luxembourg, Halcyon Equity Partners S.C.A. SICAR (the "Fund"), with a f € 117million total commitments, expected to reach € 170 million by the end of 2024. Halcyon Equity Partners S.C.A. SICAR is backed by private and institutional investors, including the European Investment Fund, the Hellenic Development Bank of Investments. Halcyon Equity Partners S.C.A. SICAR will invest in Greek non-listed mature Scale-up SMEs and Small Mid-cap companies with strong management teams depicting a competitive edge and a scalable business model, with an organic and/or inorganic growth potential. The Fund’s investment strategy seeks to identify investment opportunities that are driven by innovation and entrepreneurship, while focusing on implementing a strong value-creation roadmap for the investee companies, accelerating their growth and delivering superior value to all stakeholders.  Halcyon is the first female led PE fund in Greece.

• 23+ years of experience in investment banking, strategic advisory and private equity positions
• Previously, she was a Partner and a member of the founding team of EOS Equity Partners, since 2016, a Greek Private Equity Growth Fund with € 150m assets under management. She was a Key Executive of the fund, member of the Investment Committee and a Board member of the fund’s manager
• She was responsible for the souring, origination, operational, structuring and strategic advice throughout the investment period and divestment of the portfolio companies. She was also responsible for the legal, operational (reporting to LPs) functions of the fund as well as key relationship with the supranationals (EIF/EBRD)
• Prior to this role, she was a Senior Manager at Piraeus Bank Group Strategy/Transformation unit, leading several strategic projects for the Group including a number of M&A and capital issuance transactions during the period 2009 to 2016, for a period of 7 years
• Eleni worked in the Investment Banking Group of Morgan Stanley being responsible for the origination, advisory and execution of M&A and capital market transactions for public and private sector corporates in Greece and CEE region for 2 years
• She started her career at Citigroup Global Market Investment Banking Unit in 2002, being involved in multiple M&A, privatization and capital market transactions across a very diversified number of sectors and a regional focus on Greece, CEE and North Africa, for 7 years
• She holds a Banking and International Finance Degree from City University Business School London and a MSc in Accounting and Finance from the London School of Economics
• She holds Board positions in a number of Greek companies. She is a mentor in Endeavor Greece and a Member of the Board of Directors in the Greek NGO, Desmos

Aphrodite Avramea serves as Head of Strategy and Sustainable Development of ELLAKTOR Group since July 2021. She has more than 20 years of experience in the banking and financial sector, having served as Senior Director of Corporate and Shipping Restructuring at Intrum Hellas, Director of Corporate Restructuring, as well as Senior Manager in the Strategy and Task Force and Merchant Banking Divisions of Piraeus Bank, Head of Banking Relations at Marfin Investment Group, Head of Corporate Banking at Marfin Egnatia Bank and Manager at the Shipping Finance Division of Laiki Bank. She holds a Master's Degree in Finance from Harvard University, an MBA from the City University of New York and a Bachelor of Economics from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.

She is a CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) Charterholder and member of the Hellenic CFA Society.

Dr. Maria-Oraiozili Koutsoupia is a qualified lawyer in Greece and in Belgium, working as an AI legal expert in Brussels, in top tier US law firms, focused on healthcare and medical technologies.

Maria-Oraiozili holds a PhD in Information Law from the UoA Law School and three masters in law, one in public law, one in international legal studies and one in IP and Information, Communication and Technologies from the UOA and the KU Leuven Law Schools, respectively, while she has published numerous articles in the field of public law and digital healthcare. Maria-Oraiozili is the President and co-founder of Rythmisis, the first National Institute of Artificial Intelligence, Data Protection and Digital Governance Law in Greece combining law and technology towards regulatory compliance.

Spyridoula Boutou is a highly accomplished and results-oriented executive with over 18 years of experience in civil engineering, real estate, and project management. Throughout her career she has held key leadership positions in the real estate sector across three systemic Greek Banks, gaining a comprehensive 360-degree view of the real estate market both in Greece and abroad. She has excelled in collaborating with professionals from various cultures and countries, providing valuable advice and successfully coordinating investments for diverse asset portfolios. She is noted for her ability to provide solutions in difficult situations, managing teams that operate efficiently, consistently and implementing and introducing innovative and sustainable policies. As COO at MIBS Group, she leverages her vast expertise and strategic mindset to drive MIBS Group's growth and operational efficiency with a focus on unity, trust, and quality.

She holds an MEng in Civil Engineering, an MSc in Real Estate Finance from City University of London, and a Professional Certificate in Hotel Real Estate Investments from Cornell University.

Myrto Papathanou is a Founding Partner at Metavallon VC, a venture capital funding early-stage technology companies in Greece since 2018. Metavallon VC has > € 50m under management and is currently investing out of Fund II. 

Myrto has over 20 years of experience in the fields of finance and entrepreneurship and has also been involved in non-profit projects advancing entrepreneurship, microfinance and women’s empowerment. She started her career in London, working as a credit risk and portfolio analyst for Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein and later as a Fixed Income Strategist for EMEA at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. Returning to Greece, she has been involved in technology and high-tech companies as an executive and investor. Before co-founding Metavallon VC, she was Head of Corporate Development in EFA Ventures, a group active Aerospace & Defense and hightech verticals. For Metavallon VC, Myrto has led the investments in Think Silicon (acquired by Applied Materials), Better Origin, Ferryhopper and Advantis Medical Imaging amongst others. She also currently serves as an independent Non Executive Director for Thrace Group.

On the non-profit side, she cofounded ethelon, serves on the Board of Directors of Action Finance Initiative, La French Tech Athens, Insead Greece Alumni association, as well as on the Advisory Board of WomenOnTop. In 2016 she was recognized by Linkage Greece as “Leader of the Year” and in 2020 she was included by Fortune magazine in the 40under40 list. Myrto is an economist, with an MSc in Finance from Imperial College and an MBA from INSEAD. Since 2019 she is a Kauffman Fellow, the first from Greece.

Christina Anagnostara joined AXIA in June 2017 and she is a Managing Director in the Investment Banking Division. She has more than 25 years of international business and maritime experience in the areas of finance, banking, capital markets, advisory, M&A, restructuring, consulting, accounting and audit. Prior to joining AXIA, she has served in executive and board positions of publicly listed companies in the maritime industry and she was responsible for the financial, corporate, capital raising and accounting functions. Between 2014 and 2017 she provided advisory services to corporate clients involved in all aspects of the maritime industry. For the period 2008 to 2013, she served as Chief Financial Officer of Seanergy Maritime Holdings, a shipping company listed on NASDAQ. Since 2008, Christina serves as member of Seanergy’s Board of Directors and since 2022 she serves as member of the NASDAQ listed United Maritime Corporation Board of Directors. Prior to joining Seanergy, Christina spent two years as Chief Financial Officer and member of the Board of Directors of Global Oceanic Carriers Ltd, a shipping company listed on the Alternative Investment Market of the London Stock Exchange. Before that, she spent seven years as a senior management consultant of the Geneva-based EFG Group. Prior to EFG Group, she worked for Eurobank EFG and Ernst & Young. Christina is a Certified Chartered Accountant and holds a BA in Economics from the American College of Greece.

Nikos is a Partner at Big Pi Ventures, an early stage Venture Capital fund. He has been working in the Venture Capital industry for more than a decade. He was previously a Partner at Prime Ventures , a pan-European Venture Capital and Growth Equity Fund based in Amsterdam, with around $1 billion in Assets under Management. Nikos has led investments in several European technology companies, having invested and/or served on the Boards of tilDB, Blueground, Holidu, aiMotive (acquired by Stellantis), Zappi, Bright Computing (acquired by NVIDIA).

He holds an integrated Masters in Computer Engineering and Informatics from the Engineering School of the University of Patras and a BSc in Finance and Investments (with distinction) from the Rotterdam School of Management.

Anna Nazou is the managing director and the founding partner of RealAct Ltd (NAIRealAct), a Real Estate Consultancy Firm, established in 2013, to service high demanding corporate clients, private individuals and investors in real estate transactions, valuations and due diligence.

Prior to NAIRealAct, Anna worked at Danos (2003-2013) former CBRE and later BNP Paribas Real Estate alliance, initially as a valuer where she headed a number of portfolio valuations and feasibility studies for both private and public entities. During her initial year with the company, she managed to demonstrate communication and diversified consultancy skills and was promoted to Head of the International Business Department, a role that she kept for nine years. Her practice demanded valuation, negotiations as well as strong leadership, coordination, and communication skills.

Anna’s principal real estate experience is concerned with foreign tenant representation (Global Corporate Services), as well as heading and coordinating investment and valuation accounts. During her practice, she has managed to win several exclusive and retained accounts and to successfully conclude a significant number of landmark investment transactions and due diligence assignments. Some of her key clients include: McKinsey, Eurohypo, Siemens, Unify (former SEN), Pierre Fabre,

NSN, Nielsen, Scottish & Newcastle, BNP Paribas, Amgen, Euronews, Sonae Sierra, Blusehouse Capital, Rockspring, Secure Capital, EFG Reic, HRADF, UKA, MGPA and many others. Anna has worked in a number of large-scale valuation projects namely, Florida Park, Academy Gardens, City Gate, Bluehouse portfolio, McArthur Glen, Neapolis Development Project, Louis Hotels, Leptos Group, Shacolas Mall etc. 

Some of her most popular real estate investment transactions include: BNP Paribas Headquarters Sale to Grupo Dolphin, Larissa Mall to Rockspring/Sonae Sierra, City Gate to UKA/APN Group, and Siemens Headquarters Sale to Mitilineos Group.

Elena Giannakopoulou is the Chief Strategy Officer of PPC, responsible for developing and delivering the Group’s strategy on decarbonisation and energy transition. Prior to joining PPC, and for more than ten years, Elena held senior positions in energy investment, analysis and consulting organizations in London, UK. 

In her previous roles, Elena worked with a great range of energy companies and organizations across different sectors and continents (Europe, Americas, Asia and Australia) helping them develop their decarbonisation strategies and navigate through the energy transition. 

She is a mentor on various network groups encouraging young girls and women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics) and promoting women’s leadership on climate change.

Elena is also a member of the Board of Directors of Eurelectric, the federation of the European electricity industry.

Elena is a Mechanical Engineer by training graduated from National Technical University of Athens. She also holds a master’s degree from Imperial College London (MSc in Sustainable Energy Futures) and one from Athens University of Economics and Business (MSc in Applied Economics and Finance).

Vikki Koumis 

I began my career in 2000 in the Melbourne and Vancouver dry bulk Chartering market (With BHP and Oldendorff), followed by 10 years in the tanker chartering sector, in London and Athens. I then moved to Singapore for four years, and was involved the complete set up of a regional office for a dry bulk operator for 2 of those years, then as a competitive shipbroker for Clarksons Asia on the product tanker desk, before returning to Athens to run the tanker commercial activities of Aegean Shipping Management.

I left Aegean in October 2017, as my father was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer in Melbourne, so I moved to Australia to be closer to family, having lived internationally the last 2 decades. My fathers’ health since stabilised, and the truth is, I found living in Australia difficult being an expat so many years, hence the move back to Singapore for Heidmar as head of Aframax/Biz Dev. Heidmar sold their Aframax division to Signal a year later, which is why I joined NGM Energy as the Head of Tankers in May 2020 and have been here ever since.

Although a tanker specialist by ‘trade’, I have always welcomed the opportunity to learn as much as I can, in every sector of our business. I am strong in the language of tankers of all sizes, having focussed on both the larger dirty trades, as well as experienced in CPP of all sizes and the palm oil triangulation. I am proud to be a genuine all-rounder in our commercial business with international contacts that are second-to-none.

On a personal note, I am the daughter of Greek migrants from Melbourne and have always known my life’s path would be in shipping. I was educated at Melbourne Girls Grammar School, and in my final year was awarded the honour of School Captain. In my tertiary years, I was awarded 2 scholarships, firstly the ‘Woman in a non-traditional field’ by the Australian Government, as well as a National Scholarship acknowledging Excellence in Shipping at University Level. I have been the keynote speaker at Parliament House in Melbourne for International Womens’ day, and also involved in many shipping panels and written for many shipping publications. I have also had some sea time, having sailed on an Aframax through the South China Sea, and a Panamax bulker through the Mediterranean.

Kostas Protonotarios serves as Export Sales Manager for IKTINOS HELLAS SA, leading operations across 90 countries since January 2021. With a diverse background spanning over two decades, he has honed his expertise in sales, management, and academia.

Prior to his current role, Kostas held positions of increasing responsibility, including Area Sales Manager for the Middle East, Africa, and India, where he excelled in client management and market expansion.

His journey began with a foundation in academia, earning a Bachelor's Degree in Chemical Engineering from the National Technological University of Athens. Exploring the dynamics of business, he furthered his education with an MBA from Athens University of Economics & Business.

Kostas's passion for continuous learning and growth is evident in his diverse professional experiences, ranging from consulting in crystalotherapy to collaborating on fuel quality control initiatives.

Driven by a commitment to excellence and fueled by a thirst for knowledge, Kostas continues to make a significant impact in the global sales arena.

Yanna Andronopoulou is the General Manager for Microsoft Greece, Cyprus and Malta since July 2023. She is leading a team across three countries focusing on accelerating the digital transformation of the private and public sectors through harnessing AI and the opportunities linked to the arrival of the area’s first Microsoft’s hyperscale datacenters.    

Yanna is focusing on a culture of strategic, long-term partnerships with customers and partners, and in the broader positive impact that technology and AI can have on the economy and on people’s lives. She is passionate about gender balance at work and women in technology, being herself one of the few women who went into the industry early on, holding various executive roles in Sales, Product Management and Technical Delivery in Huawei, Ericsson and Intracom Group. At Microsoft she is also leading the Women Employee Resource Group for South East Europe, eager to unite the company’s broader ecosystem in securing equal opportunities for all.   

Under her leadership Microsoft Greece, Cyprus Malta was awarded by EBEA with the 2023 Inclusivity Award. Yanna is a BOD member at American Chamber of Greece, she holds an Electrical Engineering Degree from the University of Patras, and an Executive MBA from the Athens University of Economics and Business.

Mrs. Apostolidou is the Chief Executive Officer of BriQ Properties REIC since the Company’s establishment in 2016. From July 2015 until June 2016 she served on the Board of Directors of NBG Pangaea REIC as a non-Executive Director. Prior to that she assumed various management positions in Lamda Development S.A. from 2003 until 2015. She was the Managing Director of Lamda Property Management (2003-2006) and the Commercial Director of Lamda Development (2006-2015). She also served on the Board of Directors of ECE - Lamda Hellas and MC Property Management.

In the period 1997-2003 she worked and lived in New York where she was employed as an investment banker at Lazard LLC (1997-2000), she started her own internet venture, ShipVertical (2000-2001) and worked in NYSE-listed Seacor Holdings as the Director of Strategy and Business Development (2001-2003).

Before 1997 she was employed by Barclays Bank in London, Athens and Piraeus and received training in various managerial positions under bank’s challenging Management Development Program. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Physics from National University of Athens and a postgraduate degree in Shipping, Trade & Finance from City University Business School of London.

Danae Bezantakou holds the positions of CEO of Navigator Shipping Consultants and shareholder of KEFI S.A.  & MATILDA HOTEL  in Zakynthos Island. One of her biggest accomplishments is the organization of NAVIGATOR – THE SHIPPING DECISION MAKERS FORUM  https://navigatorltd.gr/forums/ since 2001 aiming to enhance the open dialogue among the stakeholders of the Greek and International Maritime Clusters. 

She is the Concept Founder of Young Executives Shipping (YES) FORUM - the platform of open dialogue among principals, executives, school & university students, recent graduates and young executives in Shipping and Sea Tourism Sectors. She also serves as the 1st Vice President of International Propeller Club (Port of Piraeus). She is the President of iforU-Greek Mentoring Network, which empowers small and medium women entrepreneurs through mentoring & networking, Head of the HR Committee of WISTA International and President of the Hellenic U.S. Alumni Association of State Department Programs. 

Dr. Kalliopi Kalaitzi is a Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation physician. Her expertise is in lifestyle medicine, and she works to empower patients to reach their optimal level of wellness by adopting healthy habits. She is the founder and chief medical officer of the first lifestyle medicine, personalized prevention and longevity clinic in Greece. Moreover she is the Head of Lifestyle Medicine Department, Euroclinic, Athens and an Academic Scholar in Athens Medical School leading the first survivorship clinic for breast cancer survivors in Greece. 

In addition to her medical interests in Lifestyle Medicine, Longevity, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, she is active in the field of humanitarian Medicine. For this purpose she visited Africa and  she was giving medical assistance in a refugee camp in Germany. 

She was the youngest prefectural counselor that has ever been elected by the public in Greece (2002-2006).Moreover, Ms Kalaitzi is the youngest Regional commissioner( Eparch) that has ever been elected in Greece (2007-2010).

She has a wide social activity: 

She was one of the six co-founders of “BrainGain” movement a hub of Greek researchers and academics, including scientists as well as legal scholars, economists, and strategic communication specialists that live and work abroad and currently serves as a board member of BrainReGain Initiative. 

She is  board member of the Hellenic Cardiology Foundation,  board member of the Hellenic Initiative against Alzheimers, member of the scientific advisory board of the Hellenic Cancer Society and  President of an NGO affiliated with university clinic of obstetrics and gynecology of Aretaieion Hospital, which focuses on prenatal, maternal and women’s health. 

For all these achievements, Dr Kalaitzi was nominated in 2010 for the Marshall Memorial Fellowship of GMF and in 2013 for the U.S. Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program  on American Youth: "Inspiring Leadership and Civic Participation." She was also selected as one of the 40under40 European Young Leaders (class of 2015-2016).

Born and reared in Chicago Illinois Jimmy holds a degree in Economics and also has an MBA in Finance from Northeastern Illinois University. In an effort to further up-skill and develop himself, he successfully attended Harvard Business School towards a specialization in Corporate Social Responsibility since this was his area of expertise at that time.

Areas he has been professionally involved with: Shipping, Maritime, Quality Assurance, Services, Renewable Energy, Hospitality, Finance, Startups, all, either in a Global or even in a "Glocal" bandwidth and area of operation. 

His passion is giving back to the community. He is a humble professional that paved the way to design, found and establish, The Home Project (former Treasurer), Envolve Entrepreneurship (Chair) and has supported other civic society initiatives in Greece and in the US. Education is near and dear to his heart and he's currently serving as the Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Hellenic American University, headquartered in Nashua, New Hampshire and Athens Greece.

In an effort to inhibit brain drain in Greece, Jimmy Athanasopoulos provided funding, mentoring and world class support to entrepreneurs towards implementing business plans and establishing disruptive startups that now thrive globally. 

Besides supporting businesses as a Senior Strategy Advisor he is a also an Angel Investor as he firmly believes that ideas turning into viable and sustainable businesses can really lay the foundations to economic growth.

ELINDA LABROPOULOU

Senior Journalist and Sustainable Entrepreneur

Elinda Labropoulou is an award-winning multi-platform storyteller. She is an internationally published writer, senior broadcaster, and presenter with extensive reporting from global hotspots for leading media including CNN, The Washington Post, BBC, Al Jazeera, and Deutsche Welle. Working for CNN out of Greece, she has produced, directed, and presented news and analysis on the country’s financial crisis, the rise of political extremism, and the ongoing global refugee crisis.

Her extensive research and multifaceted storytelling are visible in diverse projects including the Washington Post’s A New Age of Walls, which won the US National Press Foundation’s 2017 Innovation Award. In 2020 she produced Life in a Camp, a pioneering CNN-Imperial War Museum immersive experience on display at the London museum. A multilingual commentator, she has given numerous lectures on the role of international media in crisis coverage.

Thanasis Koukakis is a Greek journalist with over twenty-five years of experience covering financial and banking topics. He has worked for prominent Greek newspapers, including ESTIA, TA NEA, and TO VIMA. In the last 8 years he worked with CNN Greece. He has been a contributor for the Financial Times and CNBC.com. He has collaborated with investigative journalists in Greece and abroad on joint initiatives. He has academic credentials in Theology, Political Science, and in Energy Economics.