Alex Patelis is the Chief Economic Advisor to Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. He has more than three decades of experience as an economist, strategist and analyst, working in a variety of positions in New York, London and Athens, including at Goldman Sachs and Merrill Lynch.
The FWA is pleased to announce the following additions to our lineup for the FWA's 2024 International Business Conference (IBC) in Greece. These speakers will share unique insights into the economic climate and innovative spirit that fueled Greece’s economic reinvention and path to success.
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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.
Maria Rita Galli is the CEO of DESFA (Hellenic Gas Transmission System Operator) Until recently, she was Executive Vice President Business Development and Asset Management at Snam SPA, a leading global energy infrastructure company and was Chairman of the SENFLUGA Energy Holdings, SA. a consortium controlling two-thirds of DESFA's share capital.
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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 is founding partner at Halcyon Equity Partners. She has 23 plus years of experience in investment banking, strategic advisory and private equity positions. She holds Board positions in a number of Greek companies and is a mentor in Endeavor Greece.
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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
The FWA's International Business Conference (IBC) is a week-long executive-level experience designed to raise your international business awareness while immersing your senses in a dynamic culture. This year, we are traveling to Greece to learn about Reinvention as a Path to Success while socializing, networking and enjoying the sights, sounds and tastes of Athens and Santorini. Join us May 11-18, 2024!
Register now - expand your worldview and raise your professional profile!
Registration Deadline: April 1, 2024
by Robert Brown January is National Mentoring Month. In 2026, it also marks a defining moment for the Financial Women’s Association as we celebrate 70 years of advancing women in finance. This milestone matters now. As organizations across industries rethink development, mentorship, and long-term investment in people, FWA stands firm in what has always worked: human connection, shared knowledge, and women lifting one another forward. For seven decades, FWA has done more than convene women in finance. It has built a community rooted in mentorship, access, and action. Progress here has never been accidental. It has always been intentional. It happens because women, and male allies choose to show up for one another. As current FWA President Albana Theka reminds us, “Mentorship isn’t about who’s ahead of you. It’s about who sees you, and who helps you see yourself.” That belief has shaped FWA from the beginning and continues to guide where we are headed next.
Some students enter college unsure of where they are headed. Others, like Baruch College senior and Finance major Simran Hassan, arrive with ambition and quickly realize how much more there is to learn. For Simran, the finance world felt exciting but intimidating. Competitive. Fast paced. Male dominated. She knew she wanted a seat at the table, but finding her voice took time and support. That support came through the Financial Women’s Association's Baruch College Mentoring Program , which Simran describes as one of the most meaningful experiences of her college career. Before joining, she admits the industry felt overwhelming. “Before joining the program, the finance industry and its obvious male dominated environment felt quite daunting to me,” she shared. “But through FWA, I discovered the network of incredible women that exists within Baruch and across the industry. The program, and especially my mentor, gave me the confidence to speak my mind and seek resources that will help me succeed.”
Recently, our members had the honor of meeting Army General François Lecointre, Grand Chancellor of the Order of the Legion of Honour. An institution Napoleon Bonaparte founded in 1802. General Lecointre brought the Order’s legacy to life, sharing its mission and new efforts to digitize centuries of archives. Did you know? The Legion of Honour also established an all-girls boarding school for descendants of honorees — a lasting investment in education and equality. The event also reunited members of our Paris International Business Conference delegation, a reminder that our global exchanges continue well beyond the trip through shared learning, cultural understanding, and lifelong connections. Thank you to Banque Transatlantique for hosting and to General Lecointre for sharing his insights and time.
FWA–Baruch College Mentoring Program Spotlight Adelisa Music is a rising star with a bright future in finance. A college student at Baruch, she’s built her success through focus, resilience, and a willingness to keep learning. Along the way, the Financial Women’s Association’s Mentoring Program at Baruch College added another dimension to her journey, giving her the guidance and confidence to take her ambitions even further. “My experience with the FWA Baruch College Mentoring Program was more than transformative,” Adelisa says. “It served as a guide and support throughout college, introducing me to people and opportunities that opened doors I didn’t know existed and helped me learn more about my strengths and weaknesses.”
