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Mr. Dimitris Rousseas, is Agricultural Engineer MSc, and has graduated the Department of Natural Resources Development and Agricultural Engineering of the Agricultural University of Athens. With a 30-year experience in the agricultural inputs business sector, he has built an outstanding track record in developing long-term sales networks for agricultural inputs by leading dynamic teams, always fostering a strong spirit of collaboration.

In a constantly evolving market, he is committed to continuous improvement and innovation, and he invests in building robust international partnerships. In his current position as General Manager of ΚNE BRANDT S.A., a JV of K&N Eythimiadis SA and BRANDT International,  he is responsible for the set up, growth and optimization of the company’s performance while leveraging his deep expertise in business, and innovative product development. His mission is to transfer cutting-edge crop nutrition products to the Greek and international markets, ensuring that farmers have access to advanced, and high-performance solutions, with final goal the produce of high quality agricultural products.

Dimitris is an elected member of the Board of Directors of the Hellenic Fertilizers Association since 2010, and currently serves as President (bienniums 2022-24 & 2024-26)

With over 25 years of experience in the agri-food sector, Vicki Douma is the founder and CEO of two enterprises that combine traditional organic farming with modern business practices.

Her family farm, based in Thessaly, Greece, has pioneered the organic breeding of rare species – American Bison (the only herd in the Balkans), traditional Greek Black Pigs, and native goat breeds (including Murthia). By applying sustainable practices in breeding, reproduction, and processing, the farm produces products of exceptional nutritional value.

Since 2017, Douma Vital Farm has managed the branding, promotion, packaging, and exports of the farm’s products. In 2019, the company received a Super Market Award for innovation and product quality. In 2020, Vicki launched the Douma Vital Farm Restaurant, which in 2025 was honored with an FNL Star Award. That same year, she inaugurated the Douma Vital Farm Delicatessen, highlighting exclusively Greek raw materials and wines from the Thessalian plain.

As a frequent speaker at agri-food forums and professional conferences, Vicki promotes innovation, sustainability, and the richness of Greek gastronomy in Greece and abroad.

Dr Dimitrios Vlachostergios is an agronomist, Research Director at ELGO-DIMITRA and Director at the Institute of Industrial & Forage Crops. He obtained his MSc and PhD from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in the specialty of Genetics and Plant Breeding.

His research interests focus on the genetic improvement of plants for sustainable cropping systems, the design of innovative breeding schemes, the study of genotype-environment interactions, the development of food or feed products with varietal identity, the development and release of improved varieties on the seed market and their seed production.

Dr D. Vlachostergios is the author/co-author of more than 150 papers in peer-reviewed scientific journals, conference proceedings, special issues or books. He has registered 4 legume varieties in the National Catalogue of Varieties, some of which are seed-produced in Greece and abroad. He has significant experience in research projects as Coordinator, Scientific Director or member of Research Groups.

He teaches courses in Plant Breeding and Seed Production at undergraduate and postgraduate level at various Universities. He has served as president of the Hellenic Scientific Society for Genetics & Plant Breeding and is a permanent member of the Technical Committee for Propagating Material of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries since 2006.

A geographer and spatial planner, retired professor at the University of Thessaly who specializes in ‘Rural Development and Spatial Planning’. He founded the Rural Space Laboratory (1995–2023) and the Greek–French DYNTAR Master’s programme in “Spatial Dynamics and Rural Spatial Planning” (2004–2018). His research includes land development, local resources, family farming, small towns, interactive methodology, governance and participatory guarantee systems. He has coordinated international programmes as a partner of the International Foundation pour le Progrès de l’Homme (Paris), the National Development Strategy for Mountain Communities in Cyprus (2017–2019) and the Methodological Guide for Attracting Population to Rural Areas, funded by the French Republic(2025). He participates in international think tanks and universities abroad. The French government awarded him the “Knight of the Order of Academic Palms” medal. He is currently a member of the Innovation Council of the Region of Thessaly, managing-Director of Terra Thessalian Cluster and head of the International Scientific Committee of the MountMed Institute in Cyprus.

Antonis Politis was born in Volos and raised in Zagora, Pelion, where he also completed his secondary education. He holds a degree in Social Administration and Policy from the Democritus University of Thrace and a Master’s Diploma in Applied Economics from the University of Thessaly. He has obtained various certifications in economic and insurance-related topics, as well as in areas relevant to the primary sector.

After working for a few years in adults’ education, since 2016 he works at the Agricultural Cooperative of Zagora-Pelion, widely known for its PDO apples and other “ZAGORIN” branded products. At the same time, he has also provided his professional services to other projects related to the Greek Cooperative Movement.

As the Communications Officer of the Cooperative and a member of its administrative staff, he has participated in various Cooperative initiatives, not only related to promotion but also in adapting to innovative actions aligned with the ESG philosophy. A notable example is the implementation of a LIFE project for the installation of innovative water purification and recycling technology at the packaging facility.

Yiannis Tolias is a PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and Managing Partner at Innovatia Systems. Since September 2025, he is coordinating the mechanism for monitoring, supporting, informing and connecting businesses with research institutions to promote entrepreneurship and innovation in Thessaly. His fields of professional activities include the design, management and evaluation of national and European projects and programs in the thematic areas of technology-driven regional development, innovation and technology transfer. Since 2014, he has been working as an expert with the European Commission’s DG Joint Research Centre (DG JRC) on the design, governance, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of Smart Specialization Strategies in less developed regions of the European Union and neighboring countries. Since 2015, he has been a member of the Register of Experts of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Urban and Regional Policy (DG Regio), supporting the implementation of the European Structural and Investment Funds in the areas of Smart Specialization, Digitalization, and Evaluation/Monitoring of Innovation at a regional scale.