Michal Kicinski is Senior Manager for Sustainable Agriculture at CropLife Europe. Working in CropLife Europe’s office in Brussels since 2015, Michal’s work has focussed on public affairs and sustainability. Before joining CropLife Europe, he was the Head of Office for Polish Agricultural Unions at COPA and COGECA in Brussels. He holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Toronto and a Master’s Degree from the University of Kent at Brussels.
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.
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.
Former senior executive of the General Secretariat of Research and Technology (GSRT) of the Ministry of Development and Investment.
A graduate of the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering of the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), also holding a master’s degree in Computer Science and Technology of Telecommunications and Networks of the University of Thessaly. A member of the Technical Chamber of Greece.
As a permanent civil servant, he has served in a plethora of positions, such as Head of Department, Department Manager and as an Executive, acquiring skills in policy development and funding of Research and Technological Development and Innovation Research programmes and activities.
In the past he has been responsible for the development of policies on Research and Innovation at the national level but also in various thematic areas such as the sectors of Agri-Food, energy, etc., all while implementing a number of research and innovation actions with the academic community and the production sectors.
He has been a representative in committees of EU framework programs and in various thematic committees, in the design of the great Mediterranean program PRIMA, while also having participated in the Administrations of many Greek public organizations such as the Centre for Renewable Energy Sources (CRES), Greek Research and Technology Network (GRNET), the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR) and, the National Hellenic Research Foundation (NHRF).
In the past and in the years from 1986 to 1995, he was active in marine research working at HCMR, where he participated in a number of research projects, publishing many research results.
In the past, as an engineer working in private practice, he designed, implemented and supervised a number of studies and constructions of electromechanical installations in the private and public sector.
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 the 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.
He served as Director and Executive in the Special Service for Public Works of Hydraulic Infrastructure Construction for many years. 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 2004-2009, and General Secretary in 1998-2004. He was President for 3 terms of DKM and was elected in the Central Delegation of the 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 and 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, 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Dr. Spyros Fountas is Associate Professor at Agricultural University of Athens and Editor-in-Chief in the ELSEVIER journal “Computers and Electronics in Agriculture” (IF: 3.84) since 2014. He holds an MSc from Cranfield University UK in Information Technology, and PhD from Copenhagen University, Denmark in Systems Analysis on Precision Agriculture.
He was Visiting Scholar at Purdue University, USA. He has been keynote speaker in several conferences among others in the International Horticultural Congress (IHC 18) in Istanbul, Turkey in August 2018 on “Applications of new technologies in horticultural crops”, in the 17th European Weed Research Society (EWRS), in France in June 2015 on “Big data analytics for crop protection”; in European Conference on Precision Agriculture (ECPA) in Spain in July 2013 on “Application of Precision Agriculture technology in high value crops”.
He has coordinated 3 H2020 projects, Smart-AKIS, GATES and currently OPTIMA on optimized Integrated Pest Management for precise detection and control of plant diseases. He is also participating in 22 other H2020 funded projects. He has 130 papers, including book chapters, journal papers and conference papers and 4000 citations (Google scholar, April 2021).