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Ambassador (a.h.) Michael B. Christides

Ambassador Michael B. Christides has been  the Secretary General of the Permanent International Secretariat (PERMIS) of the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) headquartered in Istanbul, Turkey.

Born in Thessaloniki, Greece in 1949, Ambassador Christides joined the Hellenic MFA in 1976 as first in his Class and served with distinction until his retirement in August 2014. Among other assignments he served as Ambassador of Greece to Bulgaria, to Turkey and to Argentina and held senior posts in the Hellenic MFA as Political Director for South East Europe, as Director General for International Organizations, International Security & Cooperation and as Director General for International Economic Relations.

Ambassador Christides has spent more than 20 years dealing with S.E. European and Balkan issues. He acquired a broad knowledge of the political and economic realities there and established a wide network of high-level political, business, academic and media contacts. He speaks fluent English, German, French, Italian and moderately good Spanish.

Dr. Spyridon Flogaitis

He is Professor of Administrative Law at the Law School of the University of Athens, Attorney at Law at the High Court and the Council of State of Greece, former President of the United Nations Administrative Tribunal and former Caretaker Alternate Minister for Foreign Affairs (2015) and Former Caretaker Minister of Interior, Greece (in 2007and 2009). He is also an Honorary Fellow at Wolfson College of the University of Cambridge and Doctor Honoris Causa at the NSPSPA in Bucharest, Romania, the Faculty of Law of the University of Lisbon in Portugal, at the Titu Majorescu Univeristy in Bucharest, Romania, the State University of Mariupol in Ukraine, and the USPEE in Chisinau, Moldavia. He is Vice-President at the Appeals Board of the European Space Agency, Member of the Appeals Board of  EUMETSAT, Member of the Appeals Board of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts. He is Judge at the Administrative Tribunal of EBRD and holds the Chair of the Joint of the Appeals Board at IFAD in the UN. He is former Vice-President of the Organization of Intellectual Property, former Judge at the Supreme Court of Greece, former Arthur Goodhart Professor at the Faculty of Law, Cambridge University, former Yorke Distinguished Visiting Fellow at the Faculty of Law in Cambridge University.

He was born in Lefkas (Greece) and graduated summa cum laude from the University of Athens with a degree in Law. He holds a PhD in Law from the University of Paris II Panthéon-Assas and a PhD in History from the University of Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne and a degree (Diplôme) of the École Pratique des Hautes Etudes-IVème Section, Histoire et Philologie.

He speaks fluently English, French, German, Italian and Greek and is the author of many publications in the area of public law.

He was awarded with the distinction of Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur of the French Republic, the distinction of Cavaliere dell’Ordine di Merito of the Italian Republic, the La Croix d’Officier de l’Ordre du Merite de Hongrie and  was honored as Grande-Oficial da Ordem do Infante D. Henrique from the Portuguese Republic

Mr. George Pontikas

George Pontikas is President and CEO at Syngenta Hellas Single Member SACI. He began his career in 1990 at Ciba Geigy Hellas (Legacy company of Syngenta), as Seed Development Manager. In 1997 he became Director of the Seed Division and in 2011 Head of Sales of the company’s consolidated business and Managing Director since 2015.

In January 2020 along with the position of Head of Sales for Crop Protection Products he assumes the duties of President and Managing Director at Syngenta Hellas Single Member SACI as well as the position of Business Area Manager for the countries Greece, Israel/Palestine, Cyprus, Albania and Kosovo (BA Mediterranean).

He is President of the Hellenic Crop Protection Association (ESYF). He was President of the Greek Seed Trade Association (SEPY) from 2010 to 2016 and member of the Board of the International Seed Federation (ISF) from 2010 to 2013.

George Pontikas is agronomist with a master degree in rural economy, marketing & sociology, and a master degree in Business Administration (MBA).

Mr. Giannis Balakakis

Giannis is a forward-thinking, inspirational and results-oriented executive focusing on generating growth, transforming organizations and achieving excellence across businesses, institutional and public sectors. In his career, he has served as a Planning, Product, General Manager and CEO of Greek and multinational firms.

Giannis has been the founder and currently serves as President of the BoD at Geo Routes Institute, Chair of the Balkans & Black Sea Forum & AgriBusiness Forum and CEO to the leading event-destination management company Gnomon Performance.

He has repeatedly designed and led large-scale intercontinental projects, he has served as BoD member of the Association of Chief Executive Officers, fm. VP of the Society of Incentive Travel Executives, member of the Confederation Europeenne de Cadres, the Meeting Professionals International, the UN Global Compact and other relevant organizations.

Giannis has a financial background in banking management, he speaks Greek (mother tongue), English and French, while boasts excellent skills in cross-cultural & cross-sectoral negotiations, policy strategies, and Below the Line communication being resulted of his extensive experience in many countries around the globe.

Gianni’s career features cumulatively 20 years in the hospitality and event management industries, and more than 10 years in the agri & food, and in bi/multilateral policy-economics sectors.

Ms. Ismini Papakirillou

Ismini Papakirillou is the Chief Executive Officer of Hellenic Development Bank, a position she holds since February 2024. Previously she worked for the European Investment Fund (EIF), part of the European Investment Bank Group, covering European Commission mandates across a range of different thematics. From 2010 to 2019 she worked for the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private investing arm of the World Bank, handling direct investments across a range of financial instruments, sectors and geographies. Prior to IFC she worked for three years as a portfolio manager for Global Tactical Asset Allocation strategies at APG Investments, one of the largest institutional investors in Europe. She has also worked in Paris and Athens covering investments in industry and private equity.

She has degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the London School of Economics (LSE).

Μrs. Sophia Kounenaki-Efraimoglou

Μrs. Sophia Kounenaki-Efraimoglou is the President of the Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Elected President of the National Chamber Network of Greek Women Entrepreneurs (EEDEGE), Executive Vice President of the Board of Directors of the Foundation of the Hellenic World and Head of “Hellenic Cosmos” Cultural Centre, as well as Treasurer of the BoD at ALBA Graduate Business School and Member of the General Council of SEV (Hellenic Federation of Enterprises). She is the Chairman & Managing Director of Ardittos Holdings SA and  Board Member of Lavipharm S.A. and Hellenic Business Association.