Ms Betty Alexandropoulou, Member of the Board, Enterprise Greece

Ms. Alexandropoulou comes with vast experience in senior leadership roles within government as well as private-sector multinational organizations. She has lived and worked across the globe in countries such as Greece, Switzerland, Argentina, and the United States. Until recently, Ms. Alexandropoulou served as the Executive Director of Enterprise Greece – the trade and investment agency of the Greek state operating under the auspices of the Hellenic Ministry of Foreign Affairs – with comprehensive responsibility for foreign trade. Prior to that role, she served as a Special Advisor to the Greek Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Enterprise Greece. Ms. Alexandropoulou remains a Board Member of Enterprise Greece, in a non-executive capacity, until today. Formerly a Senior Commercial Advisor for the U.S. Department of Commerce, her portfolio included Healthcare and ICT sectors and the SelectUSA global program which facilitates U.S. foreign direct investment. Before that, she had accumulated over 18 years of experience in senior executive positions with blue-chip companies like AT&T and Vodafone. A seasoned professional in managing global projects and teams, she specializes in international market expansion as related to trade promotion and investment attraction, as well as business transformation. Ms. Alexandropoulou holds a Master’s in Business Administration and a Bachelor’s in Economics & French Literature, with honors distinction, from universities in the United States, and a Professional Certified Coach Credential by ICF (International Coach Federation). She has served in business associations such as the Propeller Club and the American Chamber of Commerce and has participated in various conferences and industry forums as a keynote and panel speaker. Ms. Alexandropoulou is multicultural and communicates in several languages - native English and Greek, as well as fluent French and Spanish. Other current roles/memberships: -Founder & Managing Partner at BCAE International -Member of AmCham WIB (Women in Business Committee) -Mentor at Eurobank’s EGG Start-ups Accelerator.  

Mr Stelios Angeloudis, Mayor of Thessaloniki

Stelios Angeloudis was born and raised in the Ano Poli district of Thessaloniki, where he still resides. He graduated from the Law School of the Hellenic Military Academy of Combat Support Officers. He reached the rank of Captain before resigning to practice law. During his service in the Armed Forces, he established the Public Information Office of the Hellenic Republic Ministry of National Defence in Thessaloniki, serving as its first director. In 1985, he obtained his second degree in Law with a specialization in Public Law, from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. He served as a legal advisor for the public television channel ERT3. He was the Special Secretary for Sports of Macedonia-Thrace at the Ministry of Culture and the General Secretary of Commerce at the Ministry of Development. From these positions, he contributed to the following projects: • Creation of dozens of sports facilities, such as the National Swimming Pool of Posidonio, and KAPPA, a unique in Europe Sports and Cultural Center for People with Disabilities. • Development of the legislative framework for e-commerce. • Relocation of the old Meat Market from the center of Thessaloniki to the premises of the Central Market of Thessaloniki. He served as president of the Hellenic Handball Federation, establishing the sport's recognition. Since 2001, he has been a member of the Hellenic Olympic Committee. Currently, he serves as the First Executive Vice President of the Hellenic Olympic Committee. He founded the National Olympic Academy, of which he served as the first president. He participated, as a Special Advisor, in the organization of the Athens Olympic Games and was a member of the Organizing Committee of the 2004 Olympic Games. He founded Greece's first Olympic Museum, which is part of the International Olympic Committee, thereby integrating Thessaloniki into the larger international Olympic family. In 2010, he took over as the President and Managing Director of the Thessaloniki Port Authority. His tenure at the Port was linked with the redevelopment of the first pier and the 'opening' of the port to the city, as well as with the inclusion of Thessaloniki in the cruise tourism destinations. After his tenure at the port, he returned to his legal practice and duties at the Hellenic Olympic Committee. In October 2023, he was elected Mayor of Thessaloniki. His mandate started on 1 January 2024. He is married and is the father of two children.

Mr Konstantinos Christodoulou, Chief Corporate Banking Officer, Attica bank

Mr. Konstantinos Christodoulou joined Attica bank and assumed the position of Chief Corporate Banking Officer since December 2023. Area of responsibility includes Large Corporate, SME, SBB, Leasing, Factoring, Corporate Middle Office, Corporate and Development Products. He has long experience, having held positions of increased responsibility in the financial sector and in FMCG. He has held the position of CEO at Piraeus Factoring S.A., while previously he was Senior Director Retail Sales, Small Business Banking at Piraeus Bank. Earlier he held the position of Head of Distribution Channels at Societe Generale-Geniki Bank, while he has also been the Sales Director for the Financial Advisors network and the "Open24" branch network of Eurobank before. He has also served as Commercial Director in Groups such as Grand Metropolitan – IDV - Metaxa, Bacardi - Martini and Boutari Group. Mr. Christodoulou has extensive knowledge in business restructuring and development and significant experience in business banking. He holds a degree in Chemical Engineering from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and an MBA from the Athens University of Economics & Business.

Mr Constantinos Constantinidis, Chairman of the Board of the AgrοTech Export Cluster in Central Macedonia, Β’ Vice President SEVE, CEO PELOPAC SA

Constantinos Constantinidis is the CEO of PELOPAC since 1996. PELOPAC is one of the leading Greek exporters of table olives and other Greek and Mediterranean specialties. The company specializes in developing and producing top quality food products for leading brands and retailers worldwide, including the USA, Australia, UK and Europe. PELOPAC has received multiple awards, including “Greek Export Awards” for Top Manufacturing Company (Silver) and Top Exporting Company (Bronze) and “Greek Values Awards” for Outstanding Medium Size Company, Export Excellence and Innovation. PELOPAC’s products have received 32 Great Taste Awards (UK) and have been featured at Innovation Expositions at SIAL and PLMA. Since 1988 he has been involved in several new ventures in various segments in Greece. He was a founding partner of Mt.Vikos and Big Picture Foods, both food import and marketing companies in the USA. Since 2020 he is the Chairman of the Board of the AgrοTech Export Cluster in Central Macedonia. He is a member of the Advisory Board of the Institute of Applied Biosciences of CERTH, the Agrotechnology Committee of AmCham, the Board of FIG, the Board of Trustees of Anatolia College, the B Vice President of SEVE and the Chair of the Oversight Committee of the Anatolia High School in Thessaloniki. He holds an MBA from Columbia Business School, and a BSc (ENG) in Mechanical Engineering from Queen Mary College, University of London.

Mr Symeon Diamantidis, President, SEVE-Greek Exporters Association

Simeon Diamantidis was born in 1963 in Nea Michaniona of Thessaloniki. He is President and CEO of Diopas SA since 1982. He has served as President of the Association of Professionals and Craftsmen of Nea Michaniona 2006-2010, Vice-President of the Thessaloniki Chamber of Handicrafts 2008-2013, Financial Supervisor of SEVE-Greek Exporters Association from 2018-2022, Member of the Board of the Thessaloniki Chamber of Handicrafts, Member of the Board of the Thessaloniki Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Member of the Board of the Professional Chamber of Thessaloniki, Member of the Administrative Committee of KEPA ANEM, Member of the Board of Thess-Intec From June 2022 he is President of SEVE-Greek Exporters Association.

Mr Drosos Drosos, Production Manager, JTI (Japan Tobacco International)

Experienced professional with over 30 years in Logistics, R&D, Production Planning, Production Lead and Quality Assurance within the Tobacco Industry Sector. Proven expertise in driving operational efficiencies, ensuring quality standards, and overseeing end-to end production processes.

Mr Paris Economou, Head of Wholesale Banking, Optima bank

Paris Economou has more than 20 years experience in the Financial Sector. He joined Cyprus Popular Bank in 2004 as an analyst in the Large Corporate Banking department. In 2006 he joined Millennium Bank as Relationship Manager in the Corporate & Investment Banking department. In 2010 he was promoted to Unit Head of Corporate & Investment Banking with a specialization in Watch Listed customers. In 2013 and after the merger of Millennium Bank with Piraeus Bank he hold the position of Head in the Large Corporate Department. Through his position he participated in the restructuring (Debt & Equity) of the Fish-Farming industry and in the M&A of a major Retail Chain from a major Competitor. In 2017 he joined Ernst & Young as an Associate Partner of the Transaction Advisory Department working in a number of Restructuring and Bank Advisory projects. He joined the Optima bank S.A. management team in March 2019 being responsible for the Wholesale Banking sector(Large Corporate, Small & Medium Enterprises, Investment Banking and Transaction Banking). He is a member of both the Executive Committee and the Assets & Liabilities committee of Οptima bank. He is a member of the Board of Directors of Optima Factors S.A. since 2019 (initially as Νοn – Executive member and since 24.01.2024 as Executive member). Paris Economou holds an MA in Economics from the University of Aberdeen and An MSc in Economics and Finance from Warwick University.  He speaks English and German.

Mr Nikos Efthymiadis, Chairman REDESTOS - Efthymiadis Agrotechnology Group, Chairman & CEO Thessaloniki Innovation & Technology Center – Thess INTEC S.A.

Education: ▪ Graduate “Anatolia” College, Thessaloniki, 1962 ▪ Graduate Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Dpt. of Agricultural Sciences, 1967 ▪ Dr. (h.c.), KINGSTON University, England ▪ Dr. (h.c.) INTERNATIONAL HELLENIC UNIVERSITY Professional career: Chairman REDESTOS - Efthymiadis Agrotechnology Group, established 1935. A leading business group in Greece and Southeast Europe in the field of Agricultural technology, supplies and services. Social activities:  Today:  ▪ Chairman & CEO Thessaloniki Innovation & Technology Center – Thess INTEC S.A. ▪ Founding member of THEOPHANO prize, Governing council ▪ Chairman of the Business Information and Clearing Center (BICC) ▪ President of the Association for Democracy in the Balkans. In the past: ▪ President of the Federation of Industries of Northern Greece, (1993-1997) ▪ President of the Northern Greece Businessmen’s Cultural Association, (2004-2010) ▪ Chairman of the STABILITY PACT / Business Advisory Council for Southeast Europe, Brussels, (2005-2006) ▪ Chairman of the Business and Cultural Development Centre – KEPA, (2015-2017) ▪ President of the Thessaloniki Technology Park ▪ President of the Hellenic Crop Protection Association (1986-1988) ▪ Member by Excellence of the Board of the Thessaloniki Chamber of Commerce and Industry (2006-2015) ▪ Honorary Consul of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Thessaloniki (1994-2022) ▪ Contributed to several European think tanks on development and cooperation in Southeast European region.

Mr George Floridis, Minister of Justice

He was born in Kilkis in 1956. He studied at the Law Schools of Thrace and Thessaloniki. He was elected first president of the Students' Association of the Law School of Thrace in 1974 and then president of the Students' Association of Kilkis Prefecture. He worked as a lawyer in Kilkis and Thessaloniki. In October 1994, he was elected Prefect of Kilkis and, a year later, he was elected to the Board of Directors of the Association of Prefectural Governments (ENAE). From 1996 to 2011 he was a Member of Parliament for Kilkis, elected in five consecutive elections. He has served as Deputy Minister of Interior, Public Administration and Decentralisation, Deputy Minister of Culture (Responsible for Sports), Deputy Minister of Economy and Finance and Minister of Public Order. During his parliamentary term, he was a member of the Standing Committee on Economic Affairs, the Special Standing Committee on Institutions and Transparency, the Special Standing Committee on the Audit of the State's Balance Sheet and Accounts, and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). In June 2011, he resigned from the Parliament and returned to the practice of law. In June 2023, he was appointed as the Minister of Justice by the Prime Minister of the Hellenic Republic.

Mr Tilemachos Georgakis, Chief of Commercial Banking, ALPHA BANK

He was born in Athens in 1971. He holds a BSc in Mathematics from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and an MBA from the University of Wales (Cardiff Business School). He commenced his career in 1998 at Laiki Bank and since 2005 he has been working at Alpha Bank, where he was appointed Manager of the Corporate Banking Division in 2013. In November 2014, he became Manager of the Business Centers Division and in September 2017 Manager of the Commercial Banking Senior Division, supervising the Business Centers and the Hospitality and Island Enterprises Division. Moreover, he has served as Chair and Vice Chair of the Boards of Directors of Group Companies. Since December 2015, he has been a Member of the Boards of Directors of ABC Factors S.A. and Alpha Leasing S.A., while in 2021 he was appointed Chair of the latter’s Board of Directors. On 1.1.2024 he was appointed Chief of Commercial Banking.

Mr Konstantinos Gioulekas, Deputy Minister of the Interior

Konstantinos Gioulekas was born in Thessaloniki and comes from a merchant family. He has a son, 24-year-old Petros – Grigoris. He is a graduate of Law and Political Sciences of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and holds a master's degree in Criminal Law and a PhD in Modern Greek History. He worked as a lawyer for 20 years, specializing in Criminal and Commercial Law, while also having a long career in journalism for almost 30 years. Since 2000, he has been elected as an MP with the party ''New Democracy''.  He is the Deputy Minister of the Interior, responsible for Macedonia-Thrace issues. He was Deputy Minister of Education and Religious Affairs (June 2013 - June 2014) and Deputy Minister of the Interior (2008 - 2009). He was also President of the Standing Committee on National Defense and Foreign Affairs of the Hellenic Parliament from 2019 to 2023 and Chairman of the Standing Parliamentary Committee on Public Administration, Justice and Public Order and Vice-Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on the Penitentiary System. At the same time, he has written books of historical content, while a large part of his collection of relics is permanently exhibited in the War Museum of Thessaloniki.

Mr Vassilis E. Kafatos, Deloitte Partner - Growth Leader, Competence Center President

Vassilis Kafatos (Equity Partner - member of the Executive Committee) is Deloitte Greece Growth Leader and President of the Deloitte Alexander Competence Center. He specializes in corporate & digital strategy, innovation, business model transformation, financial management and mergers & acquisitions. Vassilis has over 25 years of advisory experience in various sectors including travel, hospitality, shipping, ports, investment management, consumer business and manufacturing. He serves as Trustee of the Board of Anatolia College, as Vice President of the Board of Directors of the American - Hellenic Chamber of Commerce, as Vice President of the Board of Directors of the Federation of Industries of Greece, as President of the Advisory Board of the Council on Competitiveness of Greece, and as member of the Board of Directors of the Foundation for the Museum of Macedonian Struggle. He holds a degree in Economic Science from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, an MBA in Corporate Strategy from the University of Texas at Austin and postgraduate diplomas in Business Leadership from IMD (Institute for Management Development), Lausanne.

Mr Athanasios Kakoudis, Director of Program Management department at KEPA-ANEM, Non-Profit Private Company

Mr. Athanasios Kakoudis was born in 1969 in Trikala, Greece. He graduated from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki’s Department of Mechanical Engineering in 1994. Since 1999, he has been an integral member of KEPA-ANEM, a private nonprofit organization established to provide specialized expertise, aimed at optimizing production processes and streamlining the administrative structures of SMEs in Northern Greece. The organization, from 1993 until today, has functioned as an intermediary body, managing projects funded by the European Union. These projects primarily encompass the sectors of manufacturing, energy, building and civil engineering, environmental sciences, digital technology, human resources, and tourism. Within the framework of the NSRF, KEPA-ANEM collaborates as a partner with EFEPAE (Intermediate Body of Competitiveness and Entrepreneurship Programs) and has jurisdiction over Central and Western Macedonia. Mr. Kakoudis serves as the Director of Program Management department at KEPA-ANEM, where his main responsibility is the comprehensive coordination of all programs administered by the organization. He has been a keynote speaker at numerous conferences and workshops, focusing on updating investors regarding funded initiatives and program developments.

Mr Antonios Katraouras, General Manager, Head of Commercial Banking, Piraeus

Antonis Katraouras is General Manager, Head of Commercial Banking. He has over 30 years of experience in leadership positions in Corporate & Retail Banking. Strategic priorities: - supporting SME enterprises, customer relationships across the country, informing them of market conditions, investment challenges, opportunities. - financing sustainable business plans in all sectors, advising for best practices. - promoting the digital transformation of SMEs and supporting the ESG model of business.

Ms Niki Kerameus, Minister of Labour and Social Security

Niki Kerameus currently serves as the Minister of Labour and Social Security of the Hellenic Republic. • Previously, she served as Minister of the Interior between 2023 and 2024 and as Minister of Education and Religious Affairs between 2019 and 2023. She has been a Member of Parliament with New Democracy since January 2015. • She is a lawyer with over 15 years of work experience (mainly in international arbitration) and a member of the Athens and New York Bar Associations, having studied in France (Université Paris II Panthéon-Assas, summa cum laude) and the United States (Harvard Law School). • She has been particularly involved in community service through DESMOS, a non-profit foundation of which she is a founding member and first president. She has been awarded for her pro bono legal services to homeless groups in New York City. • She speaks fluently English and French, and has basic knowledge of German.

Prof. Panayiotis H. Ketikidis, BSc, MSc, PhD, Chairperson of the Alexander Innovation Zone (AIZ), President of the Hellenic Business Angels Network (HeBAN) and Vice President of Research & Innovation - CITY College, University of York Europe Campus

Professor Panayiotis H. Ketikidis is the Chairperson of the Alexander Innovation Zone S.A. (AIZ); Chairperson of the South East European Research Centre (SEERC) and the Vice President for Research and Innovation of CITY College, University of York Europe Campus. He is an Emeritus member of the Board at SEVE - Exporters Association of Greece; Executive Committee Board Member of EBAN - The European Trade Association for Business Angels, Seed Funds and Early Stage Market Players, (2020-present); Co-founder and Chairperson of the Hellenic Business Angels Network (HeBAN) (2015-present); Member of the Education, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Committee – Hellenic American Chamber of Commerce; President and founder of the Triple Helix Association Chapter of Greece (2013-present) and Expert Evaluator for the European Innovation Council (EIC).

Mr Yianos Kontopoulos, Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Board of Directors of Athens Exchange Group (ATHEXGROUP)

Yianos Kontopoulos is the Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Board of Directors of Athens Exchange Group (ATHEXGROUP) and its subsidiaries, which operate the organized Greek cash, derivatives and corporate bond markets, and carry out trade, clearing, settlement and registration of securities. Before joining ATHEXGROUP in March 2022, Kontopoulos held a succession of executive positions at major financial institutions in New York, London, and Athens. He began his career on Wall Street as an Economist at Salomon Brothers. From 1997 and for the following nine years, he worked at Merrill Lynch where he also run Global FX Strategy. Subsequently, he took on the role of Principal at fxCube, before returning to Greece in 2010, where he served as Chief Investment Officer at Eurobank and Chief Executive Officer at Eurobank Asset Management until 2015. Continuing his global career, Kontopoulos held the position of Global Head of Macro Strategy at UBS in London until 2019, when he joined CQS as Partner and Chief Macro Strategist until 2022. Yianos Kontopoulos earned his AB in Economics, Magna cum Laude, from Harvard College and holds an MA, MPhil and a PhD from Columbia University.

Mr Serko Kougioumtzian, Executive Director / Sales & Business Development, ICAP CRIF S.A.

Over 35 years of extensive experience in Sales, Marketing, and Business Development • Joined ICAP Group in 1988 and held pivotal roles in Sales, Marketing, and Business Development. • Led the implementation of corporate strategies for Credit Risk Services and Marketing Solutions across Greece and Cyprus.  • Successfully established and expanded the Sales Organization throughout Greece.  • Achieved market leadership for the company in Greece, attaining a market share exceeding 80%.  • Developed and maintained strategic partnerships with international clients.  • Played a key role in business development across the region, including Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia, and Cyprus.  • Actively engaged in establishing and sustaining collaborations with Dun & Bradstreet, Kompass, Facebook and Google.  • Holds an MBA in Management from Kingston University, UK.  • Earned a BSc in Business Administration from Piraeus University, Greece.  • Married and a father of two daughters.

Mr Konstantinos Kyranakis, Deputy Minister of Digital Governance

Konstantinos Kyranakis (born 19/4/1987) is a graduate of the Law School of the University of Athens with postgraduate studies in Strategic Communication at the American College of Athens. He has worked as a freelancer in the field of digital marketing, creating websites and applications. He was a co-founder of the BrainGain initiative for the return of young people to Greece. He was elected president of the Youth of the European People's Party, from May 2013 to May 2017. In January 2017, the international magazine "Forbes" selected him among the 30 most influential young people under 30 in Europe, in the Law & Policy category. In the National elections of 2019, he was elected for the first time as a Member of Parliament in the South Sector of Athens, where he was re-elected in the elections of June 25, 2023 and on June 27 he was sworn in as Deputy Minister of Digital Governance.

Mr George Moraitis, Head of Corporate Transaction Banking, Corporate and Investment Banking, National Bank of Greece

George Moraitis joined National Bank of Greece (NBG) in 2020 as the Head of Payments and Cash Management Solutions Sector, within Corporate Transaction Banking. Recently, he was appointed as the Head of Corporate Transaction Banking unit. The unit is responsibility for the sales development across the Corporate Client portfolio, of a broad range of products & services including Trade & Working Capital Solutions, Supply Chain, Financial products, Payments and Cash Management solutions, all underpinned by on Digital technology and channels. Before joining NBG, George Moraitis served as the Country Head of Global Liquidity and Cash Management (GLCM) at HSBC in Greece from 2011 to 2020. Prior to that, he was the Head of Business Development in Corporate Transaction Banking at Eurobank from 2006 to 2011, where he held roles in both business and product development within Payments, Cash Management, and Trade Services. His career also includes significant roles at Tiresias SA, Heineken SA, and IBM Hellas. George Moraitis holds an MBA from Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University (RSM) and an MSc in Electrical and Computer Engineering from National Technical University of Athens.

Mr Georgios Papadimitriou, Managing Partner, ΕΥ Greece, Accounts and Markets Leader for Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe & Central Asia

Georgios Papadimitriou became the Managing Partner in EY Greece effective January 1st 2023. He was born in Athens on December 27, 1975 and is a Partner in EY and the Regional Accounts and Markets Leader of Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe & Central Asia (CESA) since January 1st of 2021. In this role he is responsible for leading the EY’s integrated go to market approach for the region, leveraging the power of sectoral expertise, alliances and innovation in executing client service strategies. Before his appointment as CESA Regional Markets Leader, he has been the Financial Services Industry leader in the CESA region and Advisory Leader for EY in Greece and Southeast Europe. George has a strong background in Financial Services having 21 years of respective professional experience, focusing for many years on Risk Management. He has worked extensively on advising clients at C suite level across all Dimensions of Risk and Business transformation. He holds an MSc in Accounting and Finance from the London School of Economics (LSE) and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the Athens University of Economics and Business. He also holds a number of professional certifications in the areas of Risk and Finance such as Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), Professional Risk Manager (PRM), Certified Financial Risk Manager (FRM) and Certified Financial Services Auditor (CFSA).

Dr Spiros Protopsaltis, Governor and Chairman of the Board of Directors of DYPA

Dr. Spiros Protopsaltis is Governor and Chairman of the Board of Directors of DYPA, the Public Employment Service of Greece, President of the National Council for Labor Force Skills, National Coordinator for the European Year of Skills and former First Vice-Chair of the European Network of Public Employment Services (2020-2023). Previously, he was an associate professor and director of Ed Policy Forward at George Mason University and served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Higher Education and Student Financial Aid for the US Department of Education during the Obama Administration. He was also Senior Higher Education Advisor to the Chairman of the US Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions and Senior Policy Advisor to Congressman Polis of Colorado. He holds a PhD from the University of Colorado Denver, an MS from the New School University, and a BA summa cum laude from Northeastern University.

Mr Thanos Psathas, CEO, ETVA VIPE SA

Having almost 40 years of professional experience, the last 6 years Thanos is the CEO of ETVA VIPE SA, a company being a leader and managing 27 industrial parks across Greece, providing areas for immediate industrial use, including logistics and facility management services. During his leadership, ETVA VIPE was transformed to a success story, offering high quality value-added services within the ESG framework. Previously, he served as Deputy CEO of Piraeus Bank Romania and General Manager of the Piraeus Bank Group Internal Audit in Athens. He served 20 years in SEE Arthur Andersen and Ernst & Young. Thanos is a certified CPA and holds three MSc degrees in Business, along with numerous professional qualifications in the fields of business and economics.

Ms Loukia Saranti, President, Federation of Industries of Greece

Loukia Saranti is the Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of the wood-processing industry AKRITAS, based in Alexandroupolis and listed in the Athens Stock Exchange since 2000. Mrs. Saranti is member of the Boards of the Trustees of Anatolia College in Thessaloniki, member of the Executive Committee of the American-Hellenic Chamber of Commerce of Northern Greece, member of the Board of Directors of the Foundation of Economic & Industrial Research (IOBE), as well as member of the Executive Committee of the Cultural Society of Entrepreneurs of Northern Greece. She is also an independent member of the Board of Directors of Alumil. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and Marketing.

Mr Efstratios (Stratos) Simopoulos, Chairman of the Special Permanent Committee on Research and Technology, Member of the Hellenic Parliament

Efstratios (Stratos) Simopoulos graduated from the School of Electrical Engineering of the Polytechnic School of AUTh and he has worked as a freelance engineer for 40 years. From August 2012 to December 2014, he was the Secretary General for Public Works of the Ministry of Infrastructure, Transport and Networks. He was also Deputy Secretary of Productive Sectors for the New Democracy party. Since 2019, he has been elected member of the Hellenic Parliament for Thessaloniki with New Democracy. He is member of the Standing Committee on Economic Affairs and of the Standing Committee on Production and Trade of the Hellenic Parliament. He is chairman of the Philippines‎‎ and Finland Parliamentary Friendship Group and a member of the Poland and Egypt Parliamentary Friendship Group. Since 2024, he chairs the Special Permanent Committee on Research and Technology. He has published a book titled "politikey".

Mr Apostolos Tamvakakis, Chairman and Managing Partner, EOS CAPITAL PARTNERS

Apostolos is founder and Managing Partner of EOS Capital Partners, the investment manager of a private equity fund “EOS Hellenic Renaissance Fund”. In his career, he has served among other as CEO and as Deputy CEO of National Bank of Greece, as independent non-executive Vice Chairman of the BoD of Piraeus Bank, as Head of Strategy and Business Development on the management team of the Geneva-based Latsis Group and as a Chairman and Managing Director of Lamda Development. He has more than 40 years of experience in senior management positions across various sectors. Today he holds the positions of Vice Chairman of Gek Terna, Vice Chairman of Plaisio Computers, Member of the BoD of Euroseas Ltd, Member of the BoD of Eurodry Ltd and Member of the BoD of Ergo Insurance. He is a graduate of the Athens University of Economics and holds an M.A. in Mathematical Economics and Econometrics from Canada.

Mr Panagiotis (Takis) Theodorikakos, Minister of Development

Panagiotis (Takis) Dimitriou Theodorikakos is Minister of Development and Member of Hellenic Parliament of Athens B3 Constituency (South). He was elected in the 2023 national elections with 47.300 votes and was ranked second. He was Strategy and Communication Advisor to the President of ND since October 2015 and Coordinator of Strategic Planning and Communication of the party, from October 2016 until the victorious election contests of May and July 2019 when he was elected as Member of State of the ND. • In July 2019, he was appointed by the Prime Minister Mr Kyriakos Mitsotakis as Minister of the Interior. • In August 2021 he was appointed by the Prime Minister Mr. Kyriakos Mitsotakis as Minister of Citizen Protection. • In June 2024 he was appointed by the Prime Minister Mr Kyriakos Mitsotakis as Minister of Development. • He has a long professional career as Political researcher and analyst and Strategy Advisor. • PhD in Public Policies at the University of Peloponnese where he taught at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences till June 2019. • He was a scientific partner and president of the company GPO SA, from 2000 to 2016. He has presented important social and political research in Greece and abroad at scientific conferences, workshop and mass media. Graduated from the Pedagogical Department of EKPA. He completed his Master's studies at the Department of Political Science and Public Administration of EKPA in political science and sociology specializing in electoral sociology. He graduated from the High School of the Ionidios Standard School. He was born in 1964 in Piraeus. He is married and has two children.

Mr Spyros Theodoropoulos, Chairman of the Board of Directors of SEV Hellenic Federation of Enterprises

Spyros Theodoropoulos leads the food group BESPOKE SGA HOLDINGS SA, which he founded in early 2022 by acquiring NIKAS, ION, AMBROSIA and HELLENIC JUICES employing 1,500 people. He began in 1976 at the family-owned dairy production company Recor S.A. In 1989, he acquired CHIPITA with the aim of implementing the innovative idea of producing packaged long shelf-life croissants, for the first time worldwide. In 2006, CHIPITA merged with the companies DELTA, Goody’s, and Barba Stathis, creating the Group VIVARTIA. In 2007, VIVARTIA was acquired by MIG, and Spyros Theodoropoulos continued to hold the position of CEO. In 2010, Spyros Theodoropoulos, together with the Olayan Group and other Greek entrepreneurs, reacquired CHIPITA, which he developed into one of the leading companies in bakery snacks globally. CHIPITA was acquired by MONDELEZ in 2021, in a landmark deal for the Greek food sector. He is Chairman of the Board of Directors of SEV Hellenic Federation of Enterprises. He has served as Chairman of the Association of Listed Companies, Vice Chairman of the Athens Stock Exchange, member of the Board of Directors of the National Bank of Greece, member of the Board of Directors of Public Power Corporation and a member of the General Council of the Bank of Greece.

Mr Apostolos Touralias, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Hellenic Αquaculture Producers Organization ( HAPO)

Founding member of Andromeda SA, Mr. Apostolos Touralias has an aquaculture experience spanning more than thirty years. He has served as an Administrative Manager, Operations Manager, HR Manager, Sales & Production Manager and Commercial Manager. Currently he is Planning and Harvesting Director for Avramar Group and Vice President on the Group’s Board of Directors. Additionally, through his constant presence in the sector’s institutional affairs, he is the elected Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Hellenic Aquaculture Producers Organization (HAPO), the Managing Director of the “Echinades and West Coast of Aetoloakarnania Development SA” and member of POAY Echinadon SA (Allocated zones for aquaculture development in Echinades Islands)

Dr Ioannis Tsaras, Chief Executive Officer, Thessaloniki Port Authority S.A. (ThPA S.A.)

Ioannis Tsaras obtained his degree from the School of Engineering of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (1975-1980), his Master’s degree (MSc) from the Department of Civil Engineering of the University of California (1981-1982), and a Doctorate degree (PhD) from the Department of Civil Engineering of the University of Michigan, USA (1982-1985). Mr. Tsaras was Managing Director and CEO of AN.KO S.A. (1990-1993), a development company that executes large energy, irrigation and spatial planning projects, then CEO of K.EP.A. (1994-2004), a company founded by the Federation of Industries of Northern Greece and the Association of Exporters of Northern Greece, which finances small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as eligible industries, leveraging resources from European financial instruments, designed for the private sector. After that he was appointed as Managing Director and CEO of the listed company ThPA S.A. (2004-2010), executive vice president of ELIME and later of EKAL (National Port Development Center), member of the Board of Directors of ESPO (European Seaport Organization) as a representative of Greek Ports. From 2010 – 22/8/2024, he has worked as General Manager of PFIC Ltd, a large phosphate fertilizer chemical industry, with over 1.000 employees. He participated in monitoring and auditing committees of sectoral and regional programs of the European Community Support Framework (Interreg, Retex, Valoren, Leader). Mr. Tsaras worked as Researcher and Teacher in the area of computational fluid mechanics and sea waves.

Mr Apostolos Tzitzikostas, Governor of Central Macedonia

Apostolos Tzitzikostas was born on September 2, 1978. He is a graduate of Athens College. He obtained a BA in Political Science and International Politics from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. and a Master's degree in European Public Policy from the University College of London. In 2002, he established his own company in Thessaloniki in the production and processing of dairy products based on organic standards. In the national elections of September 2007, he was elected Member of the Greek Parliament with the Nea Demokratia party in the 1st Electoral District of Thessaloniki. As MP, he served as Secretary of the Hellenic Parliament, member of the Standing Committee on National Defense and Foreign Affairs, and member of the Standing Committee on Financial Affairs. Additionally, he was a member of the Special Standing Committee on European Community Affairs and the Special Committee for the Reform Treaty of the European Union. He represented the Hellenic Parliament in the Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly from 2007 to 2009. In the regional elections of November 2010, he was elected Deputy Governor of Central Macedonia and Head of the Thessaloniki Regional Unit. In the regional elections of May 2014, he was elected Governor of Central Macedonia with 71% of the vote. He was re-elected as Governor of Central Macedonia in the regional elections of May 2019 and October 2023, receiving over 60% of the vote in both elections. In November 2019, he was elected President of the Association of Greek Regions and was unanimously re-elected President in February 2024, for the first time in the institution's history. Since 2015, he has been a member of the European Committee of the Regions, and in July 2017, he was elected Head of the Greek Delegation. In February 2020, he was unanimously elected by all political groups President of the European Committee of the Regions. In July 2022, he was also unanimously elected First Vice-President of the European Committee of the Regions. He has been the EU Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism since December 2024. He speaks English and French, and his articles are frequently published in newspapers and magazines in Greece and abroad. He is married to Eleana Vlachou and has two children, George and Natalia.

Dr Tassos Vassilopoulos, CIO, DPO of DHL Express HELLAS SA Member of Management Board of South East Europe

Dr. Tassos Vassilopoulos is a seasoned ICT leader with a Ph.D. in Distributed Database Systems. He currently serves as the CIO and DPO for Deutsche Post DHL Express Hellas and in Southeast Europe, where he leads digital transformation and ICT strategy. With over 25 years of experience, Dr. Vassilopoulos has a strong track record in ICT governance, project management, and academic teaching. He is a frequent speaker at international conferences and a recognized expert in the field. He has been honored on the IT 100 Powerlist 2022 and serves on jury committees for various technology awards.

Mr Eleftherios Vlachogiannis, Head of Transaction Banking – Assistant General Manager, EUROBANK

Eleftherios Vlachogiannis has an extensive experience in the financial services industry. He started his career in 1998 at Citigroup Inc., where he fulfilled various client-facing roles in Transaction Banking Services (Securities Services & Fund administration) across various markets (Greece, UK, Nordics, and Netherlands). In his current role, he is heading Transaction Banking Services for Eurobank S.A, having both product and commercial responsibility of Payments and Cash Management, Trade Finance and Securities Services Business. He holds a BA degree in Business Administration and Computer Science from the American College of Greece and an Executive MBA from ALBA Business School.

Mr George Zavvos, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Hellenic Development Bank

George Zavvos is the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Hellenic Development Bank, that is focused on facilitating SMEs’ access to financing, while promoting innovation and SMEs’ green and digital transition. From July 2019 to August 2021, he served as Deputy Minister of Finance responsible for the financial system. During this time he designed, negotiated with the EU institutions and implemented the Hercules Asset Protection Scheme (APS). As a result of the Hercules APS, the non-performing loans of the Greek systemic banks were reduced to 6.8% in the end of 2022 from 45% in July 2019 - “a magnitude of improvement unsurpassed by the banking industry anywhere” as Bloomberg recently noted. Furthermore, he introduced significant reforms in the functioning of the Hellenic Financial Stability Fund as well as in the Greek capital market (law on corporate governance) and microfinance. Previously, George Zavvos served at the European institutions for over 30 years, including as a Member of the European Parliament (1990-1994), European Commission Ambassador to Slovakia (1994-1997) and Legal Adviser at the Legal Service of the European Commission (2002 -2017). George Zavvos was Professor at the Solvay Business School (ULB) in Brussels (1991-1993) and Visiting Professor at Queen Mary, University of London (2004-2007). He holds a Bachelor of Laws from Athens University and a postgraduate Degree in EU Law from the College of Europe (Bruges). He has written and lectured extensively on EU banking and financial services law matters. He is Doctor Honoris Causa of the University of Economics in Bratislava (2004) and has been awarded the Double Cross of the Slovak Republic.