Mr. Dimitris Papagiannidis

Mr. Dimitris Papagiannidis was born in 1959, at Orini (in the highlands of) Nafpaktia. He studied Civil Engineering at the Democritus University of Thrace (D.U.Th.). He continued his postgraduate studies from 1985-86 in France on the subject of «Metal constructions and underground works», while he also earned a Postgraduate Specialization Diploma at the National Technical University of Athens in the INTERDISCIPLINARY PROGRAM OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES 2011-2012 “Environment and

Development” with a grade of Excellent.

In the government of Kyriakos Mitsotakis, he was honored in 2021 with the responsibility of the General Secretariat of Union Resources and Infrastructure, which was re-established at the Ministry of Rural Development and Food. Since 2017 he has been/holds the position of the General Manager at the MINISTRY OF INFRASTRUCTURE AND TRANSPORT in GENERAL DIRECTORATE OF STRATEGIC

TRANSPORT PLANNING AND ROAD SAFETY. Under his responsibility were the EU programs of the Ministry; the approval and monitoring of the National Strategic Transport Plan 2019-2037 (ESSM); the ESS; (the program?) Road Safety 2021-2030; the sectors of “Intelligent Transport Systems-ITS” of Logistics; Air Transport (Waterways etc.); and the Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans.

For many years he was/serviced as Director and Executive in the Special Service for Public Works of Hydraulic Infrastructure Construction. He was mainly involved in the management of Large National Projects of National/nationwide Level Plumbing and Road Construction with a budget of over 2 billion €. Ιndicatively: the Acheloos Diversion Projects, Athens Water supply from the river Evinos, Water Supply Patras, Thessaloniki and Fyrlia Island of Paxron L, Straw Dam, Irrigation Networks of Amvrakia-Amfilochia, land improvement works in the area of Valtos, Aetoloakarnania, Anti-flooding works in the riparian zone of the Stream of Eschatia, Attica, and the construction of tunnels in Karpenisi, Agios Ilias Aitolo.

He was President of the Association of Civil Engineers of Greece in the period 2004-2009, and General Secretary in 1998-2004. He was President for 3 terms of DKM and is elected in the Central Delegation of Technical Chamber of Greece and in various sections of Engineers from 1990 until today. During the government of Costas Karamanlis, he was in charge of the Special Secretariat for Community Resources and Infrastructure at the Ministry of Rural Development and Food in the period 2004-2009.

He remapped the Special Services of the RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM, while he also increased the staff with increased qualifications from the MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATION UNIT OF DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS. Furthermore, he expanded the Services and suggested to the political leadership the establishment and operation of 3 new Special Units, these of a) Coordination, b) Infrastructure and c) Implementation of Co-financed Actions of the 3rd EU-funded programs and in 2007 of the Operational Program for Fisheries and Sea 2007-2013.

Mr. Dionysios Stamenitis

Dionysis Stamenitis was born in Giannitsa in 1968. He studied civil engineering in the Polytechnic School of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki with postgraduate studies in “Environmental Policy, Education and Communication” in the Department of Forestry and Management of the Environment and Natural Resources of Democritus University of Thrace, specializing in the Energy Policy and Development.

Since 1995 he is a regular member of the Technical Chamber of Greece and since 1999 a civil engineer as a freelancer, specializing in Administration building Works and in Structural and Functional Rehabilitation of listed buildings. He was also a scientific committee member of the Engineering Seismology and Earthquake Engineering and a member of the permanent committee of private works and building activity of the Technical Chamber of Greece.

On the 6th of May in 2012 he was elected for the first time member of Parliament in the constituency of Pella in the general elections on behalf of Nea Demokratia and he was reelected in the elections on the 17th of June in 2012, on July 7th 2019, on May 21st 2023 and June 25th 2023. On the 27th of June in 2023, he assumed duties as Deputy Minister in the Ministry of Rural Development and Food upon the decision of the Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

Dr. Ioannis Tzortzis

Dr Ioannis N. Tzortzis is a Member of the Board of Directors of the Regulatory Authority for Energy, Waste and Water (RAAEY, www.raaey.gr), the President of the Legal Experts Committee of the Just Transition Development Plan (JTDP, www.sdam.gr), the Legal Counselor of the JTD Special Authority (EYDAM, www.eydam.gr), Associate Lecturer of the Law School of Democritus University of Thrace, and the Law School of National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, specialized in Energy Law, Just Transition Law and Circular Economy Law. He holds a PhD in Law of the Queen Mary College, University of London, an LLM in Law of the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), a DEA in European Law of the University of Brussels, an MA on Culture Management of Panteion University, Athens, and a Certificate on Regulation of Energy Utilities of the European University Institute, Florence. He is an Attorney at Law at the Supreme Court. He has been elected as a lifetime Member of the Board of Directors of the “Lilian Voudouri” Foundation. He is a Member of the “Council of Energy and Tax Reform” of the “Elliniki Etairia of Environment and Culture”. He is the representative of the “Greek In-house Lawyers Association” to the “European Company Lawyers Association (ECLA)”. For many years, he has served as a General Secretary of “Hellenic Alumni Association of the LSE”. He is the President of the Non Profit Organisation “GREEN PROJECT” (www.green-project.org) for raising environmental conscience via the so called “green photo journeys”, which are being held under the auspices of the Hellenic National Commission for UNESCO. He is a Member of the “Royal Photographic Society of Great Britain”.

Mr. Panos Oplopoios

Panos Oplopoios was born in Katerini, Pieria, grew up and studied in Thessaloniki; and since 2004 he lives permanently in Athens. He is married, father of a 29-year-old daughter who lives and works permanently in Oxford UK.

He completed his studies as an Electronic – Digital Systems and Telecommunications Engineer and has done further training in telecommunications and technology systems abroad.

He has served as a director in various large technology companies in the private sector for a number of years from 1990-2004, such as: Space Hellas.

Since 1992 he was Director of Information Technology at the Macedonian Press Agency where later, when the Athens and Macedonian News Agency (ANA/MPA), the National News Agency of Greece, was consolidated and created, he served as Director of New Technologies and Internet in Athens.

He has been a specialized journalist on technology issues at ANA/MPA, but also in print and electronic media of the private sector.

At the same time, he maintained as a producer a series of daily radio shows for 6 years on the radio of ANA/MPA, the «Praktoreio FM 104,9».

He has served as Special Advisor – Associate of Ministers on Technology and Innovation issues at the Ministry of Macedonia – Thrace, the Deputy Ministry of Sports, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Development, the Ministry of Tourism, the Secretary General for Industry and the Secretary General for Press and Media.

In his area of responsibility, he has undertaken the coordinator and creator of IT and technology projects in Greece and abroad.

Today he continues as a Journalist at the Athens and Macedonian News Agency (ANA-MPA). He is a member of Journalists’ Union of the Athens Daily Newspapers (JOUADN).

Dr. Oded Sagee

  • Specialist in agriculture-related and food security projects and start-ups.
  • Founder and manager of a few start-companies in the fields of biotechnology and agro-high-tech:
  • CapsiBreed ltd., breeding Pepper as a platform for producing natural health-promoting metabolites.
  • PlantExt ltd., evaluation, and identification of specific cannabis plant extracts with activity against inflammatory diseases.
  • BreedIt ltd., breeding information technology. Software as a decision support system.
  • CannabiVar, develops cannabis Chemo-variants and molecular markers for better breeding.
  • Chief scientist and CTO of Gaon Agro Industries Ltd. Manager of Aquaagrolab, and founder of Aquagro fund.
  • Wide-ranging experience in scientific development and management of various R&D projects.
  • Entrepreneur of international projects in agriculture. Including a seed breeding company in Baku, Azerbaijan. Seed company in UAE.
  • Senior scientist and Department manager in the ARO, Volcani Center, Israel.
  • Head of various R&D committees and projects including BARD and the chief scientist evaluation committee for research budgets.
  • Vice president and CTO of the public company Phytech Ltd.
  • R&D manager in AminoLab ltd., the largest contract laboratory in Israel
  • Holds master’s degree (Cum Laude) in plant sciences and Ph.D. in plant physiology, The Hebrew University. Postdoc, UCR, USA.

Mr. Alex Athanassoulas

Alex Athanassoulas is the President of the Sustainable Building Council of Greece (WGBC Chapter) and the founder and CEO of STIRIXIS Group, the globally awarded architectural consultancy firm. He holds a Masters in Civil Engineering (MCivEng) from Aristotelian University and a MBA with distinction, from Adam Smith Business School of Glasgow University, UK. He has been certified in Project management from IPMA and Prince2, in Strategy and Innovation from the International Customer Service Association and is an eminent public speaker on Future Trends, Strategic Foresight, Systems Thinking and Sustainability.

Alex is also the Vice President of CEO Clubs Greece and the President of the Hellenic Alumni Association of the University of Glasgow. He has been recognized as the “Best European CEO in Retail Development” from European CEO Awards (2015), as the “Best European CEO” from Al Global Excellence Awards (2018), as an “International Game-changer” by the ACQS Awards (2019), one of the “Most Inspiring Business Leaders to Follow in 2023” by The Inc Magazine (2023), and has been awarded for his Postgraduate Leadership by the AMBA & BGA Excellence Awards (2024).

Dr. Raz Hamami

Dr. Raz Hamami, PhD, is a FoodTech expert with a PhD in Biotechnology Engineering, specializing in cellular agriculture and alternative proteins. With experience in cultivated meat and sustainable agri-food solutions, Dr. Hamami is advancing high-tech innovations for food security and sustainability.

A member of the Network of Cellular Agriculture (NCA) and founder of Cell Agriculture Israel, he fosters collaboration and research in cellular agriculture. As a lecturer, he leads educational programs that inspire students in biotechnology and FoodTech. Based in Greece and Israel, and active in the Israel-Greece Chamber of Commerce, Dr. Hamami is committed to building partnerships that harness both nations’ strengths in technology and sustainable agriculture.

Mr. Thanasis Antoniou

Thanasis Antoniou was born in 1967 and holds a degree in Political Science from the Department of Political Science of the Panteion University of Athens (1985-89). He attended postgraduate seminars on Communication and MME (1990) and has been working as a professional journalist since the mid-1990s.

Between 1997-2008 he worked as editor-in-chief at “Marketing Week” magazine. Between 2008-2010 he worked for the magazine “Environment 21” as editorial director. Between 2011-2016 he was editor-in-chief of the trade magazine “Logistics & Management”. Since 2016 he has been the editor-in-chief of “Dairy News” and “Grill Magazine” trade magazines. Since 2024 he has also been member of the editorial team of weekly newspaper “Ellinas Agrotis” (Greek Farmer).

His articles have been published, among others, in the lifestyle magazines “Homme”, “Paper”, and “Post Media”, in the economic magazine “Economic Review”, in the music magazines “Monthly Discography”, “Music Life”, “OZ” and “Sonic” and in the free press magazine for the book & publishing industry “Index”. Since their inception he has been a member of the editorial team of the websites www.diastixo.gr  and www.zeitgeist.gr.

He is a member of the Union of Magazine and Electronic Press Journalists (ESPIT).

Mr. Nikos Kokkalakis

Nikos K. Kokkalakis holds a doctorate degree from the National Technical University of Athens (ΕΜΠ), an MBA from the University of Washington and is the Principal of consulting firm STRATEGY TECHNICS. He has worked as an executive in the areas of financial, commercial and general management at significant multinational and Greek companies like Friesland, Diageo, Shelman, and Grundfos. He focuses on helping empower Management Teams and on supporting them in the development and implementation of effective business strategies.

Mr. Angelos Pilatis

Mr. Angelos Pilatis holds a Bachelor’s degree in Naval Engineering from the Technological Educational Institute of Athens, a Master’s degree in Advanced Technologies in Shipbuilding and Naval Engineering from the University of West Attica, and is currently pursuing a PhD in the 5th year of studies at the same university. He is also a member of the microsenses lab of the Electrical and Electronics Department of the Engineering Faculty of the University of West Attica.

He has been with his own Marine Technical Shipbuilding Office since 2007, bringing 35 years of experience in shipbuilding industry.

Since 2012, he has served on the Board of Directors, and since 2014, he has held the position of President at INKA-DIKAP (Piraeus). From 2017 to 2022, he served as Special Secretary, and since 2022, he has served as Second Vice President at the General Federation of Consumers of Greece (INKA-GOKE). Mr. Pilatis serves as the Second Vice President of the General Federation of Consumers of Greece (INKA – GOKE).

He has delivered numerous training seminars, participated in workshops and meetings as a speaker on consumer and citizen rights, and contributed to press, TV and radio coverage on the same topic. Furthermore, he has contributed to INKA press releases, market price surveys, economic analyses of consumer loans, municipal and regional amicable settlement committees, representation of INKA, resolution of consumer issues and cooperation with all public and independent authorities and the EU. He has participated in working groups and committees. He was responsible for the EU-funded, nationwide INKA-Counselling of Over-indebted Households/INKA-SYN programme.