Speakers 2024

(in alphabetical order)

Mr. Giannis Balakakis

Chair Executive Committee, Balkans & Black Sea Forum

Ambassador (h.c.) Konstantinos Bikas

Fm. Head Greek National Intelligence Service, International Business Director at Metlen Energy & Metals

Mr. Hendrik Bosshammer

Project Manager SEE, Organization for Economic Cooperation & Development (OECD)

Ambassador (a.h.) Michael B. Christides

Co-Chair Executive Committee, BBSF

Mr. François Davenne

Director General, International Union of Railways

Professor Spyridon Flogaitis

Director, European Public Law Organization

Rear Admiral Georgios Floros HN

Deputy Chief of the Hellenic Navy General Staff

Dr. Renwei HUANG

Executive Director-General, Fudan Institute for Belt & Road and Global Governance

Ambassador Xiao Junzheng

Ambassador Extraordinary & Plenipotentiary of the People's Republic of China

Mr. George Karakatsanis

Natural Resources Environmental Economist, Evotropia Ecological Finance Architectures

H.E. Mr. Noam Katz

Ambassador of Israel

Dr. Young Tae Kim

Secretary-General, International Transport Forum-OECD

Mr. Konstantinos Lambropoulos

Senior Strategic Analyst, Co-Chair Greek branch-Geneva Center for Security Policy

Dr. Ilias Lekkos

Group Chief Economist & Head of Investment Strategy, Piraeus Bank

H.E. Mr. Arif Mammadov

Ambassador Extraordinary & Plenipotentiary of Azerbaijan

Ambassador Bolat Nurgaliyev

Chairman, Foreign Policy Research Institute, MFA of the Republic of Kazakhstan

Mr. Nikos Papathanasis

Alternate Minister of Economy & Finance, Hellenic Republic

H.E. Mr. Valentin Poriazov

Ambassador of the Republic of Bulgaria

Ambassador (a.h.) Dimitrios Rallis

Deputy Secretary General, BSEC PERMIS

Mr. Costis Stambolis

Executive Director, Institute of Energy for South East Europe

Dr. Jisheng SUN

Vice President, China Foreign Affairs University

Mr. Olivér Várhelyi

Commissioner for Neighborhood & Enlargement, European Commission

Dr. Angelos Vlachos

BoD Member at Hellenic Ports Association & CEO Port of Kavala SA

Ms. Xiaoxi ΧΙΑ

Counsellor, Secretariat of Cooperation Between China & CEEC, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, People’s Republic of China

Mr. ΥU Zenggang

Chairman of the Board of Directors, Piraeus Port Authority SA

Speakers 2023

(in alphabetical order)

Mr. Giannis Balakakis

Chair Executive Committee, Balkans & Black Sea Forum

H.E. Mr. Yerlan Baudarbek-Kozhatayev

Ambassador of Kazakhstan

H.E. Ms. Lidija Boshkovska

Ambassador of North Macedonia

Mr. Hendrik Bosshammer

Project Manager SEE, Organisation for Economic Cooperation & Development (OECD)

H.E. Ms. Lajla Brandt Jakhelln

Ambassador of the Kingdom of Norway to Greece & Cyprus

Ambassador (a.h.) Michael B. Christides

Co-Chair Executive Committee, BBSF

Mr. Thanos Dokos

National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister

Professor Spyridon Flogaitis

Director, European Public Law Organization

Mr. Konstantinos Fragkogiannis

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Economic Diplomacy & Openness

Mr. Erik Holmgren

Economic Counselor, Embassy of the United States

Ms. Xenia Kaldara

President, Michael Cacoyannis Foundation

H.E. Mr. Noam Katz

Ambassador of Israel

H.E. Mr. Kyriakos Kenevezos

Ambassador of the Republic of Cyprus

Mr. George Kremlis

BoD member, European Public Law Organization

Dr. Yannis Maniatis

Professor Piraeus University, Fm Minister of Environment & Energy

Mr. John Nomikos

Director, European Intelligence Academy

Ms. Christina Papaconstantinou

Deputy Governor, Bank of Greece

H.E. Mr. Valentin Poriazov

Ambassador of the Republic of Bulgaria

Ambassador Dimitrios Rallis

Deputy Secretary General of BSEC PERMIS

H.E. Mr. Sergii Shutenko

Ambassador of Ukraine

H.E. Ms. Lina Skerstonaite

Ambassador of Lithuania

Mr. Costis Stambolis

Executive Director, Institute of Energy for South East Europe

Dr. Michael Thomadakis

Chief Officer Strategy & Development, DESFA SA

Speakers 2022

(in alphabetical order)

H.E. Ms. Željka Cvijanović

Chair of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Ambassador Omar Amer Youssef

Ambassador of the Arab Republic of Egypt to Greece

Egypt

Mr. Giannis Balakakis

Chair Organizing Committee

Greece

Ambassador (a.h.) Michael B. Christides

Co-Chair Organizing Committee, Balkans & Black Sea Forum

Greece

Ambassador Lazar Comanescu

Secretary General, Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation

Romania

Dr. Christos Dimas

Dpt. Minister for Development and Investments in charge of Research & Innovation

Greece

Ms. Valentina Disoska

President, Association of Business Women in North Macedonia

North Macedonia

Ambassador Angelina Eichhorst

Managing Director Europe, European External Action Service

Brussels

Ms. Alia El-Yassir

Regional Director, UN Women Office for Europe & Central Asia

Turkiye

Ms. Emine Perviz Erdem

President of Turkey Woman Entrepreneurs Association, BoD Member of Erdem Holdings

Turkiye

Dr. Spyridon Flogaitis

President, European Public Law Organization

Greece

Mr. Adonis Georgiadis

Minister for Development & Investments

Greece

Ms. Merâl Güzel

Partnerships Manager, UN Women Headquarters

USA

Mr. Erik Holmgren

Economic Counselor, Embassy of the United States

United States of America

Ambassador Xiao Junzheng

Ambassador Extraordinary & Plenipotentiary of the People's Republic of China to Greece

China

Mr. Dimitris Kardomateas

Head of the Office of the Secretary General for Energy & Mineral Resources, Ministry of Energy & Environment

Greece

Dr. Avtandil Kasradze

Chairman, Georgia’s Technology & Innovations Agency (GITA)

Georgia

Dr. Haris Lambropoulos

President, Hellenic Development Bank of Investments

Greece

Ms. Odin Linardatou

Head of Communications, Hellenic Foundation for European & Foreign Policy

Greece

Mr. Zdenko Lucić

State Secretary for Foreign Trade & Development, Ministry of Foreign & European Affairs, Republic of Croatia

Croatia

Ms. Eleni Marianou

Secretary General, Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions

France

Mr. Romeo Mikautadze

Deputy Minister of Economy & Sustainable Development of Georgia

Georgia

Mr. Daniel Mitov

fm. Minister of Foreign Affairs and Member of the National Assembly of Bulgaria

Bulgaria

Mr. Jim Morris

Political Counselor, Embassy of the United States

United States of America

Ambassador Burak Özügergin

Ambassador of the Republic of Türkiye to Greece

Türkiye

Mr. Anthony D. Papayannides

Journalist, General Manager Economia Group

Greece

Mr. Umberto de Pretto

Secretary General, International Road Transport Union

Switzerland

Mr. Costis Stambolis

Executive Director, Institute of Energy for South East Europe

Greece

Mr. Peter Svec

Deputy Minister, Ministry of Economy of Slovakia

Slovakia

Ms. Esra Doğan Tulgan

Corporate Affairs Manager, Investment Office of the Presidency of the Republic of Turkey

Turkiye

Mr. ΥU Zenggang

Chairman of the Board of Directors, Piraeus Port Authority SA

China

Mr. Wouter Zweers

Research Fellow – EU & Global Affairs Unit, Clingendael Institute

Netherlands

Speakers 2018

(in alphabetical order)

Ms. Μaria Alexiou

Chair of the Board, UN Global Compact Hellas & CSR Hellas

Greece

Ambassador HUO Yuzhen

Special Representative China-CEEC Cooperation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China

China

Dr. Alexandros Antonaras

Chairman, Cyprus Network for Corporate Social Responsibility

Cyprus

Mr. Jörg Asmussen

Managing Director Lazard, Head of the Financial Institutions Group for Continental Europe

Germany

Mr. Elias Athanasiou

CEO, Enterprise Greece

Greece

Ms. Christina N. Baboulaki

Dpt. Manager Strategic Planning & Marketing, Piraeus Port Authority SA

United Kingdom

Mr. Giannis Balakakis

President of the BoD Geo Routes Cultural Institute & Chair Organizing Committee BBSF

Greece

Mr. Frank Barz

Head of Industrial IOT, T-Systems Multimedia Solutions GmbH

Germany

Mr. Arda Batu

Secretary General, TURKONFED (Turkish Business Confederation)

Turkey

Mr. Ioannis Brachos

Secretary General, International Economic Relations, Hellenic Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Greece

Mr. Enrico Bressan

Head, Unit for VET, Fondazione Centro Produttivita

Italy

Ms. Paula Byrne

Director, Membership & Business Development, CSR Europe

Ireland

Ms. Mila Carovska

Minister, Ministry of Labor & Social Policies, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

Mr. Marinos Christodoulides

Chairman of the Board, Cyprus Stock Exchange

Cyprus

Ambassador Michael B. Christides

Secretary General, Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation

Greece

Ms. Zeljka Cvijanovic

Prime Minister, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosnia-Herzegovina

Mr. Dimitris Delevegos

Journalist, Capital.gr

Greece

Ms. Spomenka Đurić

State Secretary, Ministry of Regional Development & EU Funds, Croatia

Croatia

Ms. Sabina Dziurman

Director for Greece & Cyprus, EBRD

United Kingdom

Ms. Rania Ekaterinari

CEO, Hellenic Corporation of Assets & Participations SA

Greece

Mr. Pavlos Foskolakis

Sr. Manager, Digital Field Marketing, SPG, SEE, Marriott International

Greece

Commissioner Mariya Gabriel

European Commissioner for Digital Economy & Society

Bulgaria

Mr. Panayotis Gavras

Head, Policy & Strategy, Black Sea Trade and Development Bank

Greece

Mr. Davit Gorgiladze

Head Public Relations & CSR, m2 real estate, Georgia

Georgia

Ms. Meral Guzel

Women’s Empowerment Principles Policy Specialist, UN Women

Turkey

Ms. Zsuzsanna Hargitai

Director, Regional Head of Western Balkans, EBRD

Hungary

Ms. Tatjana Hema

Deputy Coordinator of UN Environment/MAP, Barcelona Convention

Albania

Mr. Paul Hunter

Director, Digital Learning, IMD Business School Lausanne

United Kingdom

Mr. Frank Jansen

KBC Group, Bulgaria BoD Member & Executive Director, CIBANK & UBB Banks

Belgium

Mr. Ismir Jusko

Minister, Ministry of Communications & Transport, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosnia-Herzegovina

Mr. Ivailo Kalfin

Fm. Dpt PM Bulgaria & Director, Economy International Relations Institute

Bulgaria

Ms. Vaia Karathodorou

Legal Advisor, Ministry of Environment & Energy, Greece

Greece

Ms. Lise Kingo

Executive Director, United Nations Global Compact

Denmark

Ms. Kiara Konti

Senior Manager, Climate Change & Sustainability Services, EY

Greece

Mr. George S. Koumoutsakos

Member of the Hellenic Parliament

Greece

Ms. Elena Kountoura

Minister, Ministry of Tourism, Greece

Greece

Ms. Barbara Kreissler

Director B2G Professional Lighting, Philips Lighting

Netherlands

Mr. Georges Kremlis

Honorary Director of the European Commission & Chair of the Espoo Convention Bureau

Greece

Mr. Zoran Lakićević

State Secretary, Ministry of Construction Transport & Infrastructure Serbia

Serbia

Mr. Socrates Lazaridis

CEO, Athens Stock Exchange

Greece

Dr. Gerasimos Lyberatos

Professor, School of Chemical Engineering, Athens National Technical University

Greece

Mr. Manos Manousakis

Chairman & CEO, Independent Power Transmission Operator of Greece (ADMIE)

Greece

Ms. Marina Mantzourani

Investors Relations Officer, Hygeia Hospital

Greece

Mr. George Markopouliotis

Head of Representation of the European Commission in Greece

Greece

Mr. Wim Mijs

CEO, European Banking Federation

Netherlands

Ms. Celia Moore

Director Corporate Citizenship, IBM Europe Middle East & Africa

United Kingdom

Mr. Sotirios Nikas

President & CEO, Hellenic Gas Transmission System Operator (DESFA)

Greece

Dr. Maaike Okano-Heijmans

Sr. Research Fellow, Clingendael, Netherlands Institute International Relations

Netherlands

Ms. Anke den Ouden

General Manager of the CEE Multi-Country Europe region in Microsoft

Netherlands

Mr. Michael Philippou

President & CEO, Hellenic Operator of Electricity Market (LAGIE SA)

Greece

Mr. Stergios Pitsiorlas

Deputy Minister, Ministry of Economy & Development, Greece

Greece

Dr. Kyriakos Pozrikidis

Managing Director, Thessaloniki International Fair-Helexpo

Greece

Dr. Dariusz Prasek

Director Operations, Environment & Sustainability, EBRD

Poland

Mr. Jürgen Priesters

Business Development Director Recycling, TOMRA Sorting Gmbh

Germany

Dr. Danica Purg

President CEEMAN, President IEDC-Bled School of Management

Slovenia

Ambassador Geoffrey R. Pyatt

U.S. Ambassador to the Hellenic Republic

United States

Mr. Michele Ribotta

Acting Deputy Director, UN Women Europe-Central Asia

Spain

Ms. Siwarde J. Sap

Sr. Advisor Economic Policy Affairs, Embassy of the Netherlands & Vice Chair Steering Committee BBSF

Netherlands

Dr. Jelica Stefanović-Štambuk

Professor of Diplomacy, International & European Studies, University of Belgrade

Serbia

Mr. Georgios Stathakis

Minister of Environment and Energy, Hellenic Republic

Greece

Ms. Marina Stavropoulou

Director Regulatory Affairs, WIND telecommunications

Greece

Mr. Christos Stylianides

European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management

Greece

Dr. Nicholas J. Theocarakis

Chairman & Scientific Director, Center of Planning & Economic Research

Greece

Mr. Sotirios Theofanis

President & CEO, Thessaloniki Port Authority

Greece

Dr. Filippos Tsalidis

Managing Director, TRAINOSE S.A.

Greece

Ambassador Oleg Tulea

Vice-President, Danube Commission

Moldova

Mr. Bora Tuncer

Cluster President of Turkey-Iran & Central Asia, Schneider Electric

Turkey

Ms. Ekaterini Papachristopoulou-Tzitzikosta

President, Hellenic National Commission for UNESCO

Greece

Mr. Nikolas Vafiadis

Anchor, Head of Foreign News, ANT-1 TV

Greece

Ms. Ivelina Vasileva

Chair, Environment & Water Committee, National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria

Bulgaria

Ambassador Caspar Veldkamp

Ambassador of the Netherlands to Greece

Netherlands

Dr. Evangelos Vergos

Dean & Director of the Demo Farm of American Farm School

Greece

Speakers 2017

(in alphabetical order)

Mr. Patrick Anvroin

CPMR | Director for Transport

France

Mrs. Ana Birchall

Minister delegate for European Affairs | Romania

Romania

Ms. Maia Bitadze

Deputy Minister, Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources & Protection | Georgia

Georgia

Mrs Eralda Cani

Deputy Minister of European Integration | Albania

Albania

Mrs Elena Cardas

European Affairs Adviser | Galati Association for Sustainable Development ”Prut – Danube” Romania

Romania

Mr. Panos Chamakiotis

Regional Director EMEA (Europe, Middle East & Africa) | Compo Expert Group

Greece

Ambassador Michael B. Christides

Secretary General | Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation

Greece

Mr. Celal Cündoğlu

Executive Vice President Business Development | Interbank Card Center (BKM)

Turkey

Dr. Ihsan Uğur Delikanli

President, Black Sea Trade and Development Bank

Turkey

Dr. Oguz Demir

Director | EU Research Center Istanbul

Turkey

Mr. Perikles Drougkas

Chairman of the Albanian Association of Banks

Greece

Mr. Dimitri A. Economides

Regional Managing Director Operations | Consolidated Contractors Company (CCC)

Greece

Mr. Georgi Gotev

Senior Editor | Euractiv.com

Bulgaria

Mrs. Liana Gouta

Group Director, Energy Policy & International Affairs | HELLENIC PETROLEUM SA

Greece

Mr. Wim Groenendijk

Director, International Business at N.V. Nederlandse Gasunie

Netherlands

Mr. David Gyori

CEO | Banking Reports Ltd London

Hungary

Mr. Ivailo Kalfin

Director | Economy and International Relations Institute

Bulgaria

Mr. Yiannis Kanellopoulos

Leader Greece, Software Improvement Group (SIG) | Netherlands.

Greece

Mr. Georges Kremlis

Honorary Director of the European Commission & Chair of the Espoo Convention Bureau

Greece

Dr. Nikos Lygeros

Researcher | Lyon University, France

France

Ms. Iryna Makarenko

Commission on the Protection of the Black Sea Permis (Bucharest Convention) | Turkey

Ukraine

Mrs. Eleni Marianou

Secretary General | CPMR

Greece

Mr. Wim Mijs

CEO, European Banking Federation

Netherlands

Ms. Brunilda Paskali

Deputy Mayor of Tirana Municipality

Albania

Dr. Kyriakos Pozrikidis

Managing Director, Thessaloniki International Fair-Helexpo

Greece

Dr. Danica Purg

President of IEDC-Bled School of Management Slovenia

Slovenia

Mr. Frans Paul van der Putten

Sr. Research fellow | ‘Clingendael’ Netherlands Institute of International Relations

Netherlands

Mrs. Lavinia Marcela Sandru

Journalist & Anchor | Realitatea TV

Romania

Mr. Rikard Scoufias

Country Manager Greece | Trans Adriatic Pipeline AG

Sweden

Mrs. Anastasia Sideri

Communications Director, Central and Eastern Europe | The CocaCola Company

Greece

Dr. Jelica Stefanović-Štambuk

Professor of Diplomacy, International Studies and European Studies, University of Belgrade, Faculty of Political Sciences

Serbia

Mrs. Lisa Terziman

Co-Founder of Fentury, Part of Salt Edge Inc.

Moldova

Mrs. Alexia Trokoudi, LLM

Director of Legal Division on Energy Regulation | Hellenic Petroleum Group

Greece

Mr. Apostolos Tzitzikostas

Governor | Region of Central Macedonia, Greece

Greece

Mr. Ozan Taylan Uzel

Head of Network & Business Development | Arkas Shipping Holding

Turkey

Mrs. Antonia Zafeiri

Political Reporter | European Commission Representation in Greece

Greece