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Mr. Andreas Lykourentzos

Andreas Lykourentzos was born in Tripolis, Arcadia, in 1957. He is a graduate of Panteion University, from the department of Political Studies, having followed the direction of Comparative Political Analysis. He was elected as Member of Parliament for the region of Arcadia in the National Elections in 2004, 2007, 2009 and 2012. During his eleven-year parliamentary term, he participated as a member in the Standing Parliamentary Committees on: Social Affairs, Finances, Educational Affairs, Public Administration and in the Special Committees on: the Environment, the Review of the Constitution and Districts. He served as a Deputy Minister of National Education and Religions during the Government administration of Kostas Karamanlis 2007- 2009. He served as a Minister of Health during the Government administration of Antonis Samaras in 2012- 2013.

From 1st November 2019 since, he has been appointed as the President of the Organisation of Greek Agricultural Insurances.

Mr. George Makris

George Makris, is S𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗿 Editor, Strategist & 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗲𝗰𝗵𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿 with 29 years of experience.

He works as a senior editor covering agribusiness, EU policies focusing on CAP and the green deal and commodities for “Agricola”, a special edition for agribusiness issued by “Kathimerini” newspaper and “Powergame.gr”, one of the leading economic sites in Greek (“Parapolitika” group).

He has worked as a communication strategist and speechwriter in the Ministries of Economy and Finance, Development & Investments, Health and Welfare as well as in the Association of the Greek Regions. He has been also appointed as an Expert for the InvestEU program by the EU Committee of the Regions.

He holds the position of secretary general in the Greek Branch of European Network of Agricultural Journalists. He has also been a member of the Greek Association of Journalists since 1998.

He holds a master’s degree in International and European Economy from Athens University of Economy and Business.

Mr. Antonis Vezyroglou

Antonios Vezyroglou studied Horticulture at the University of Nottingham (UK), pursued an MSc in Agricultural Economics at Wye College (University of London) and finally got an M.B.A. degree from Imperial College (UK).

Following his studies in the UK he worked for one year at the banking sector in London (Gerrard Investment Management) as an internal auditor, and another two years at a consulting firm in Oxford specializing in agricultural commodities (LMC International) where he worked as an economic analyst.

Returning to Greece he carried out market research in the fresh vegetable sector in Greece and in 2006 he founded together with his father the company “Vezyroglou Farm”. The Company today has vertical production of baby leaves, starting from field production, following to industrial production and reaching the final consumer.

Ms. Maria Samolada

Journalist Maria Samolada began her professional journey in 2000, which resulted in her having work experience in and with all kinds of journalism and media. Some indicative examples of her work journey have been with Alter Channel, Real Fm 107.1, Ράδιο Θεσσαλονίκη 94.5 (Radio Thessaloniki 94.5), TV100, ThessNews, RealNews, Myportal; through reportages, being the main presenter of different programs and news broadcasts.

In 2018 she was the mind behind the creation of the economic and political online newspaper Grtimes.gr, still carrying the role of being the General Manager to date. She conducts personality interviews on WebTV and writes articles. She is the creator of WebRadio, makes podcasts, is responsible for editing the Journal of Police Alliance of Thessaloniki, and coordinates panels at conferences and seminars. Furthermore, she offers services of professional advice to Press Offices of organizations, entities, businesses and persons.

Since 2015, recognizing the crucial role that is necessary to hold for anyone who serves journalism, Maria Samolada devotes a rather respectable amount of her time and expertise in disseminating the innovative project against school and online bullying, LiveWithoutBullying.com; an act that lead her to honorably receive the Journalist Award by the Botsi Foundation.

She is born and raised in Thessaloniki, where she also works by choice. She is the mother of one, a boy, and she is also a member of the Union of Daily Newspaper Journalists of Macedonia – Thrace.

Mr. Kostas Oikonomidis

Kostas Oikonomidis is agronomist with a master’s degree in agronomy from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and a master’s degree in Marketing and Communication from Athens University of Economics and Business

He started his career in 1989 as an Agronomist for the Hellenic Agricultural Insurance Organization. After a short pass from ICI Hellas and Elanco as a promoter, he was hired in 1993 from Ciba Geigy Hellas as responsible for Seeds Field Crops Development in North Greece. In 2003, he moved to Athens, taking over the position of Product Manager in Seeds Department of Syngenta and Field Crop Business Manager in 2010.

In 2011 he took the role of Marketing Head of Syngenta’s consolidated business activities (CP and Seeds) for Greece, Cyprus, Albania and Kosovo. In 2014, he took over the additional responsibility of Croatia, Slovenia and Bosnia as Marketing Head.

In 2020 he assumed his current role as Syngenta CP Marketing and Technical Head in Mediterranean business area (Greece, Israel, Cyprus, Palestine, Albania and Kosovo)

He was a member of the board of the Greek Seeds Association (SEPY) from 2016 to 2022.

Mr. Anthony D. Papayannides

Has read Law in Athens University. Post-graduate studies in Law, Economics and International Relations and in Medieval History in Strasbourg and Cambridge.  DEA European Law, DIHEE European Economy. Practiced business law and EU law. Consultant on E.U. topics to the Athens Daily Newspaper Publishers’ Association.

Member, then national representative, of the negotiating team for the Integrated Mediterranean Programmes. Counsellor to the Alternate Minister for Foreign Affairs, Counsellor to the Minister for Culture, Chairman of the Committee of Cultural Affairs at the E.U. Council. Consultant to the Bank of Greece. Founding member and member of the Board of a number of European affairs institutes and reviews in Greece (EKEME, EKEM, EEK)

From 1972 onwards a journalist and then a columnist at the Greek political daily “TO VIMA” and at the economic and financial weekly  “ECONOMICOS TACHYDROMOS”, specialising in macro-economic policy European affairs and foreign relations. Has also worked at “ELEFTHEROTYPIA” and “IMERISSIA” newspapers, managing editor of “ELEFHEROS TYPOS”.

Writes a bi-weekly column at “NAFTEMPORIKI”. Presently managing director of ECONOMIA Publishing, (“ECONOMIKI EPITHEORISSI”, “BUSINESS FILE”; writes a daily blog at economia.gr). Participates to the talk show “Evening Report” at ACTION 24 Channel.

Dr. Konstantinos Tsimpoukas

Tsimpoukas Konstantinos is Professor of the Laboratory of Agribusiness Management, Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development in the Agricultural University of Athens. He is a graduate from the Agricultural University of Athens and has a M.Sc. from the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Montpellier , D.E.A. and a Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics  of Montpellier III University, France.

He teaches Rural Economy & Policy, Introduction in Agricultural Economics, Farm Management and Economics of Animal Production at undergraduate level and Economics of Animal Production and Farm Management at postgraduate level. His research interests focus in techno-economic analysis of agricultural production systems and in decisions making at farm level. He participates in research projects (national and EU funded) as a coordinator and researcher in areas concerning economic analysis of agricultural production systems and economic viability at farm level.

Mr. Dimitris Lianos

Mr. Lianos is a Mining and Metallurgical Engineer with a Master of Science (MSc.) in regional development. He is a partner and Associate Managing Director of LKN ANALYSIS Ltd (Greece).

He has more than 32 years of professional experience in the design and evaluation of Cohesion Policy and Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) in Greece and Cyprus (for the latter since 2002). He is an expert in the design, management and evaluation of European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) operational programmes in Greece and Cyprus. In addition, he has specialized knowledge and long-term experience in the design and evaluation of Rural Development Programmes for Greece and Cyprus under Pillar II of the Common Agricultural Policy. He has participated either as project manager or expert in evaluations (ex ante, on-going, ex post) of Rural Development Programmes in both countries.

He is the geographical expert for Greece and Cyprus in the context of the European Evaluation Helpdesk for Rural Development for the 2008-2020 period. He has also important experience in country-specific studies from his participation as national expert for Greece and Cyprus in EU-wide evaluation and other studies.

Currently, he is the coordinator on behalf of LKN ANALYSIS Ltd for the provision of scientific and technical support to the Ministry of Rural Development and Food (Greece) for the preparation of the CAP 2021-2027 Strategic Plan, which is implemented in collaboration with the Agricultural University of Athens.

Mr. Xenophon Kappas

Since 2011 he is the General Director of “Captain Vassilis & Carmen Constantakopoulos” Foundation, promoting and supporting sustainable development in Greece. He has worked with various organisations from different positions gaining an extensive experience on issues of sustainable development and social cohesion. His previous professional experience was in similar positions in organisations and companies related to sustainable management and development. Since his youth he is active volunteer mainly the last years as Board member at national and international organisations with humanitarian and environmental focus.  His studies are on Business Administration and he holds MAs  on European Studies and Latin American Studies, specializing on politics and development.