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Mr. Anastasios Kalantzis

Anastasios Kalantzis was born in Athens in 1985 and graduated from Agricultural University of Athens, Faculty of Crop Science in 2007. He worked for 2 years (2008-2009) in Dutch companies in the floriculture sector and returned to the Greek family business “Kalantzis Plants” at Marathon (Attica). He holds an Msc of Human Resources Management from University of Athens (2012) and is a member of the Nurserystock Association of Athens and vice president of Hellenic Plant Importers & Exporters Association.

Anastasios is production manager of floriculture products since 2010 and assistant in two breeding programs of foreign companies in floriculture sector. He is one of the founders of “Marathon Plants”, a company that joined forces with Agricultural University of Athens to create a new hybrid from 5 different endemic species of Salvia in Greece.

Mr. Alexandros Dimitrakopoulos

Alexandros is a Mandate Manager with the European Investment Fund (EIF) for the last 2 years where he has been involved with European Structural Funds in Greece and Cyprus, provides funding for projects that help to achieve EU aims. In addition, Alex has 18 years of experience on financial planning, analysis, annual strategic planning and business decision support, including maintaining and developing comprehensive modelling tools to facilitate sales forecasting, consolidation and evaluation for domestic and exports business.

Past employers include ABN Amro Bank in Luxembourg, where he currently resides, Alpha Bank, Hellenic Bank, and Michaniki Group of Companies in Athens, and Schroder Wertheim & Co. in New York City. Alexandros holds a master’s degree of Business Administration in Finance from the Kogod School of Business, American University of Washington D.C. and an undergraduate degree in Economics from the Clark University, Boston area.

Dr. Konstantinos Baginetas

Dr. Konstantinos N. Baginetas was born in Lamia (Greece) in 1977. He studied Agronomy at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. He continued his studies at Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine in London on issues of Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development (M.Sc.) and the University of Nottingham in matters of Interdisciplinary Development of Agro -environmental Sustainability Indicators (Ph.D.).

In July 2019, by decision of the Prime Minister Mr. Kyriakos Mitsotakis and the Minister of Rural Development & Food Mr. Makis Voridis, he was appointed Secretary General of Agricultural Policy and Management of European Funds of the Ministry of Rural Development & Food.

Since 2007 he works in the Directorate of Rural Affairs of Central Greece of the Decentralised Administration of Thessaly-Central Greece, where he is principally engaged with investment projects regarding the modernization of agricultural holdings, projects focusing on young farmers entering agriculture and matters of agrotouristic development investment projects. He has, also, served as an officer-administrator of tens of Technical Assistance projects in the Special Managing Authority of the Region of Central Greece.

He has been a consultant of the Deputy Minister of Development and Competitiveness and of the Alternate Minister of Finance Mr. Chr. Staikouras during 2013-2014. In July 2016, the President of the political party of New Democracy (ND) Mr Kyriakos Mitsotakis, appointed him as the Secretary of Rural Organisations of ND.

He participated as a member of the Thematic Group for the Strategic Planning on «Innovation-Research-Training» of the Ministry of Rural Development and Food regarding the preparation of the programming period 2014-2020 and in Working Groups of the Geotechnical Chamber of Greece regarding the formulation of proposals within the Rural Development programming period 2014-2020.

He has participated in numerous research and vocational training sessions abroad and in Greece. He has attended many workshops, seminars, national and international conferences, where he has presented research papers. He was a leader and a member of several European research programs and best practice exchange programs. He is an External Expert-Evaluator of the European Commission for the program «Horizon 2020» on issues of «Food Security, Sustainable Agriculture and Forestry, Marine, Maritime Affairs and Bio-Economy».

He is a certified adult educator and has participated as an instructor in educational programs related to environmental education, environmental management, rural development and rural entrepreneurship. He has been elected a Representative of the Agricultural Sector of the Geotechnical Chamber of Greece (GEOTEE) in the Regional Branch of Central Greece.

He has been elected President of the Agricultural Association of the Prefectures of Fthiotida-Evritania and a member of the Board of the Panhellenic Federation of Agricultural Associations (POSG). He has authored the books entitled “Rural Development Program 2014-2020 & Rural Development Proposal for the Municipality of Lamia”, “Sustainable Leadership in School Units. Theoretical Approaches and Empirical Research” and “Two Years of Action – Kostas Baginetas – Secretary of Rural Organisations ND”.

He is married to Evangelia I. Bakogianni, a speech therapist, and has a son. He speaks English and French.

Dr. Anagnostis Argiriou

Dr. Anagnostis Argiriou was born in Drama. He graduated Biological Sciences with full honors and degrees. He holds a Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Medical Biotechnology from Italy.

From 1996 to 2003 he worked in the Center for Genetic Engineering (CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate) in Italy where he developed and improved gene therapy and molecular diagnostic protocols, but also participated in the sequencing program of the first plant genome.

Since 2006 he holds the position of Researcher and from 2014 the position of Deputy Director at the Institute of Applied Biosciences of the Center for Research and Technology Hellas (CERTH).

His main research field is the study of genetic and epigenetic mechanisms related to nutrition and the effects on health. Furthermore, he works on the management and introduction of technological innovations based on modern genomic technologies for the promotion and exploitation of the Greek biodiversity.

He participates in various scientific councils of the Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs, the Mistry of Rural Development and Food and the Ministry of Health. He has many years of teaching experience in university; he participates in research projects, and is the author of a significant number of scientific publications in international journals.

Dr. Evdokia Krystallidou

Dr. Evdokia Krystallidou received her PhD in Animal Nutrition and an MSc in Dairy Animal Science from the University of Reading after being awarded a scholarship from IKY (Greek state scholarship institute). She holds Diplomas in Animal Production from the Technological Educational Institution (TEI) of Thessaloniki and ASPAITE (certified educator).

She worked as a part time lecturer at the Technological Educational Institution (TEI) of Thessaloniki and Larisa and as an advisor at Hellenic Feed Industries (ΕΛΒΙΖ).

She acted as program Leader for the Pearson BTEC Higher Nationals in Animal Management program. He teaches at Perrotis College and the Adult Education Program of the American Farm School. She is the Senior Project Manager of the SPMO Strategic Programs Management Office where she is responsible for many research projects.

Her research interests include animal nutrition and its impact on animal products and human health, monitoring feed formulations to meet quality performance and animal health standards, and evaluating chemical and nutritional value of feeds.

Dr. Eleni Maloupa

Dr. Eleni Maloupa (BSc Agronomy, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, MSc & PhD in Plant Biology and Physiology, “Pierre et Marie Curie” University of Paris) is Director of the Institute of Plant Breeding and Genetic Resources, Head of the Laboratory for the Conservation and Evaluation of Native and Floricultural Species (LabCENFS) and Curator of the Balkan Botanic Garden Kroussia.

Her research fields focuses on protection, conservation, propagation and utilization of native Greek plant species (mainly aromatic-medicinal). She has teaching experience in graduate and postgraduate level (Universities, MAICH). She participated in the MSc program “The biodiversity and sustainable exploitation of native plants” (School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH) and supervise MSc and PhD thesis in school of Pharmacy and Athens Agronomy University. Her research work has been published in more than 60 international and Greek journals. She has also participated in the publication of 3 book chapters.

She has implemented major research programs in collaboration with internationally renowned researchers. She has organized and materialized educational programs and seminars addressed to farmers, enterprises and interested civilians on the above-mentioned subjects. She has educational certification for adult training from the National Organization for the Certification of Qualifications & Vocational Guidance (EOPPEP).

Abstract (EN/GR): here

Mr. Georgios Stratakos

Mr. Georgios Stratakos was born in Athens in 1978 and comes from Scoutari of Lakonia. He is married to Mari Ovakimian and they have one child.

He is a graduate of the Agricultural University of Athens and holds a Master’s Degree (MSc) in the field of “Genetic Improvement, Breeding and Feeding of Farm Animals” and a PhD in “Microclimate Conditions and Reproduction Physiology of Farm Animals”. He has been a scholar of the State Scholarship Foundation in the field of Bioclimatology.

Since 2007 he has been working as an agronomist.  He also served as a Special Advisor of the Secretary General for Research and Technology of the Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs during 2013-2015 and as an executive in the office of the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Petros Doukas during 2007-2009.

He has been a member of the Administration Council of the Hellenic Pasteur Institute and of the Board of Directors of the Patras Science Park. He has been elected as a regular member of the co-administration bodies of the Agricultural University of Athens (Council of the Animal Production Department and the General Department, Senate and Rector’s Council). He has also served as a member of the Governing Committee of the Geotechnical Chamber of Greece (GEOTEE) in the Regional Branch of Eastern Central Greece and as a Secretary General for the Agronomic Association of Attica. He has participated in numerous committees such as “Implementation of RIS3 within the framework of Smart Specialization for the Peloponnese and Thessaly Regions”, “National Action Planning for Research, Technology and Innovation 2014-2020”, “Drawing up the National Strategy-Road Map for the Country’ s Research Infrastructures”, “Strategic Planning of the Rural Development Program in the field of Agriculture and Agri-food”, “Evaluation of Research Centers’ Institutes in the field of Bioscience” . He has been a working group member to support the Secretariat General for Science and Technology in the preparation and organization of events for the Hellenic Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

Mr. Lefteris Gitsas

Having involved in the export trade of fruit, he has been successfully operating in the livestock sector since 2004.

A founding member of the SEK, laid the foundations for PASEGES in 2011 where he was elected on its board

Mr. Geert Wilms

Geert Wilms studied Horticulture at Wageningen University and Business Administration at Open University. For more than 20 years Geert has been director of Agricultural Innovation Brabant (LIB), and he is consultant at Royal Haskoning DHV.

LIB is a partnership of Province North-Brabant and farmers organization ZLTO. Each year more than 30 innovative projects are initiated and supported, with the participation of hundreds of (agricultural) businesses. Several workshops are organized and guided. Geert is directly accountable to the President of ZLTO and regional Minister of agriculture in North-Brabant. One project he started and is very proud of: “Smart irrigation in agriculture; 3.000 farmers participating with 60.000 hectares, and 25% gain of efficiency in water use”.

 Geert Wilms also is a speaker, discussion leader and initiator of cooperation in different regions in Europe. He is/was involved in more than 15 European funded projects, for example Water management, Water conservation, Agrispin, Eurodairy, EU-PIG and STRING.