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Dr. Antonia Michael
Manager of IBM Cyprus
Dr. Antonia Michael is a technology executive, artificial intelligence specialist, and business leader with more than two decades of experience in the information technology sector. She currently serves as General Manager of IBM Cyprus, where she leads initiatives focused on digital transformation, artificial intelligence, and business innovation across both the private and public sectors.
Antonia holds an M.Sc. and a Ph.D. in Artificial Intelligence from Imperial College University of London and has built an extensive career helping large organizations modernize operations through emerging technologies and data-driven strategies. Throughout her professional journey, she has played a key role in advancing technology adoption in Cyprus, particularly in industries such as banking, healthcare, and government services.
Beyond her corporate leadership, Antonia is actively involved in promoting innovation, diversity, and inclusion within the technology ecosystem. She serves on several professional and industry boards, including the American Chamber (AmCham), Chamber of Commerce & Industry (CCCI) and the Cyprus IT Association (CITEA). As one of the leading female executives in technology in Cyprus, she is recognized for encouraging greater participation of women in STEM and leadership roles, while supporting the development of the country’s digital economy.
Michalis Athanasiou
General Manager National Bank of Greece
Mr. Michalis Athanasiou brings extensive senior executive experience, having held high-level leadership positions across major financial institutions in Cyprus, Australia and Luxembourg. He has overseen critical transformation projects, capital strengthening initiatives and complex financing structures, while leading successful business development efforts in international markets and highly regulated environments. His background includes substantial experience in expanding corporate portfolios and managing relationships with large domestic and international counterparties.
As Group Chief Risk Officer at Bank of Cyprus, he played a key role in the successful €1bn capital raise of 2014 and in the subsequent stabilisation and strengthening of the institution’s balance sheet. He later led the corporate banking portfolio for large and international clients as Executive Director – Global Corporate Banking & Markets. At Eurobank Private Bank in Luxembourg, first as Senior General Manager – Head of Business and subsequently as CEO, he drove significant profitability growth and strengthened the bank’s position in the competitive wealth management sector.
Since 2025, he has been part of NBG Cyprus as General Manager – Chief Business Officer, contributing to the strengthening of the Group’s strategy in Cyprus and to the development of a robust, modern and sustainable business model for the Cypriot market.
He holds an M.Sc. (Distinction) in International Securities, Investments & Banking from the University of Reading and a B.A. (Hons) in Accounting & Finance from the University of North London.
John Christidoulou
Chairman & Owner at Yianis Group
John Christodoulou is a Cypriot-born entrepreneur and philanthropist, and Chairman and sole owner of Yianis Group, a privately owned property investment and development group with a substantial portfolio across the United Kingdom and Europe.
After moving to London with his family following the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974, he began his working life as a diamond mounter before purchasing his first property. Over more than four decades, he has built a diverse business spanning residential, commercial, retail, leisure and hotel properties. His hotel portfolio includes Canary Riverside Plaza Hotel, London Marriott Hotel Canary Wharf, The Manchester Deansgate Intercontinental Hotel, Radisson Blu Hotel Liverpool, and the Palace Hotel in Southend-on-Sea.
In 2016, he established the Yianis Christodoulou Foundation, which supports disadvantaged children and their families through educational and social projects in Cyprus, the United Kingdom and beyond.
Today, he lives in Cyprus and Monaco, with a strong personal commitment to Cyprus and to supporting its children, young people, communities and the society in general. His entrepreneurial journey combines practical business experience, long-term investment and a commitment to creating opportunities for the next generation.
John Kymissis
Vice Dean for Infrastrucutre and Innovation, Columbia University
Thin film systems are built by depositing active materials such as semiconductors, piezoelectrics, and optical materials onto substrates to add new functionalities such as light emission, switching, sensing, and amplification. The technology and techniques used for this processing allows for the co-integration of a variety of functionalities in combinations that allow for the development of a broad range of new devices and systems. These systems have application to displays, energy storage and conversion, mechanical and chemical sensors, and communication, unlocking new technologies that can be applied to healthcare, environmental sensing, security applications, and energy harvesting.
John’s group especially focuses on the use of thin film and polymeric piezoelectric materials, organic semiconductors, and recrystallized semiconductor materials to design and implement new devices. Applications developed by his group include new sensors for analysis of blood flow, compact spectrometers, energy autonomous sensors, and devices for high efficiency energy storage and conversion. John’s work is highly interdisciplinary and he works closely with chemists, material scientists, physicists, physicians, and other engineers both to implement a range of solutions and also study the performance of the devices and materials used to implement this new generation of electronics. He also works with several companies both to commercialize inventions from his group and to develop new devices for application in commercially relevant systems.
Kymissis received a SB, M.Eng., and Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from MIT in 1998, 1999, and 2003. Following a post-doctoral appointment at MIT and a year at QDVision, he joined the faculty at Columbia University in 2006. John has won a number of awards for his work, including the NSF CAREER award, the IEEE EDS Paul Rappaport award, the Vodaphone Americas Foundation Wireless Innovation Award, the MIT Clean Energy Prize, and a Verizon Powerful Answers award. He recently served a term as the editor in chief of the Journal of the Society for Information Display, and was the general chair for the 2014 Device Research Conference, and is president elect for SID. John is the co-founder of several companies based on research from his group including Chromation, Lumiode, and Radiator Labs.
Natasa Michaelides
Director of Corporate Affairs at Thanos Hotels & Resorts
coming soon
Phanos Pilakouris
Credit Analyst at the National Bank of Greece
coming soon
Panagiotis Korinos
Manager of the Innovation & Entrepreneurship Center at Bank of Cyprus
Panayiotis is leading the Innovation & Entrepreneurship Center of the Bank of Cyprus, having the responsibility for IDEA Innovation Center – the largest Incubator-Accelerator for Startups in Cyprus and the Business Academy which develops financial and digital literacy in SMEs.
During his long career in the banking sector in Cyprus he served in various departments and positions which enabled him to get involved in Intrapreneurship. He served as Manager of the Leasing Department of the Bank, Secretary and President of the Finance House Association promoting members best interests to the various government departments and to the House of Parliament. The Association was the initiator for the introduction of new leasing legislation in Cyprus. The next move in his career was to serve as Head of the Governance Department of the Bank comprising Compliance, Regulatory and Complaints Units. He served as secretary of the Appeals Committee of the Bank. Following a service as Manager Personal Lines in Genikes Insurance, he is now leading the Innovation & Entrepreneurship Center of the Bank of Cyprus and he is today a coach trainer, mentor, and advisor to young entrepreneurs from idea-stage to revenues and investment.
He holds a BSc (Hons) – First Class in Business Finance and Economics – University of East Anglia, an MBA with specialization in New Ventures (London University), a diploma from Imperial College, and he is an Associate Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW).
Panis Pieri
Founder & Chief Editor of Panis.News
coming soon