Rear Admiral Georgios Floros HN

Rear Admiral Georgios Floros H.N. was born in Athens, Greece in 1967. He is a 1988 graduate of the Hellenic Naval Academy. During his early career, he was appointed on board various types of warships, mainly frigates.

An Anti-Submarine Warfare officer, he commanded the Patrol Gunboat HS ORMI (ex-US Asheville class) from 2001-2002, completing national deployments and operational patrols in the Aegean Sea.

From 2009-2010, he commanded the Frigate HS SALAMIS (MEKO class). His ship participated with success, in the following major international Maritime Operations:

– Active Endeavour (NATO Operation against terrorism, in the Mediterranean Sea) from October to November 2009.

– ATALANTA (EU Antipiracy Operation in the Horn of Africa) from December 2009 to April 2010. Among other missions, HS SALAMIS was actively engaged in the safe release of the Greek flagged Super-Tanker “MARAN CENTAURUS” (captured by pirates).

His operational/tactical experience was later amplified during the years 2016 – 2022, with the appointment as the Chief of Staff at the Hellenic Frigates Command, Commander of the 1st Frigates Squadron (COMHELFRIGRON ONE), Director of “A” Branch in Hellenic Navy General Staff (DCOS OPS), Head of Naval Operations, Plans & Policy, Naval Intelligence and Communications, Director of the Joint Operations Center in Hellenic National Defence General Staff (DJOC/HNDGS), Commander of Hellenic Frigates Command (COMHELFRIG) and until recently Chief Of Staff of the Hellenic Navy General Staff (COS/HNGS)

Ashore, he has been the Commandant of the Navy Tactical Training School. He has served as an operational / defense planner and Intel analyst and he has been the Director of Naval Intelligence & Security (A2) in the Hellenic Navy General Staff.  He has also served as the aide-de-camp to the Minister of Defence.

Abroad, he completed a three-year tour from 2010-2013 as a staff officer, at the (former) NATO Maritime HQ in Naples (Italy) in the Exercises & Training division (N7). Among other duties, he was also a member of the Maritime Assessment Working Group, during the Operation Unified Protector in Libya (OUP).

Floros has completed the Principal Warfare Officer (PWO) course in HMS DRYAD, U.K (1993). He has earned a Master’s Degree in Computer Science, from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, USA (1999). He is a graduate of the Supreme Joint Staff War College in Thessaloniki, Greece (2004). He has also attended the 19-4 CFMCC Flag Officers Course (2019).

Currently, he is the Deputy Chief of the Hellenic Navy General Staff (DCOM/HNGS).

He has been awarded with the medals, decorations, and commendations stipulated for an officer of his rank and seniority. In addition, he has been awarded with medals due to participation in various operations (SHARP GUARD, EUNAVFOR ATALANTA, UNIFIED PROTECTOR LIBYA).

Rear Admiral Floros is married and he is the father of two sons.

Ambassador (h.c.) Konstantinos Bikas

Graduated in law with honors, University of Athens.

Graduate Studies in Private Shipping Law and International Law, University of Hamburg, Germany

Mr. Bikas has served in various posts of responsibility:

  • Spokesperson of the Greek Foreign Ministry, 1993-1998
  • Head of The Greek Embassy, Baghdad, 1998-2002
  • Director of the Private Office of the President of the Hellenic Republic Dr. Karolos Papoulias, 2005-2009
  • Head of the Greek National Intelligence Service, 2009-2012
  • Ambassador of Greece to the United Kingdom 2012-2016 Ambassador of Greece to the State of  Israel 2016-2018.
  • Since 2019 he has been the International Business Director at Metlen Energy and Metals

Mr. Konstantinos Lambropoulos

Konstantinos Lampropoulos is a Non-resident fellow in Strategy and International Security at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy, He is currently the co-Chair of the Athens Hub of the Centre.

He has been a regular speaker at the Delphi Economic Forum for 4 consecutive years, and was the leading spokesman at the Annual Defenseworld 2017 Conference held by the Greek Ministry of Defence. He has drafted the parameters and the prerequisites of the Greek National Security model for the 21st Century at the Centre for Security Studies, the research branch of the Greek Ministry of Citizen’s Protection.

He has been an Associated Fellow of the Geneva Centre for Security Policy, where he was trained at an executive level on emerging security issues as well as on foresight and strategic planning methodologies. He has received an official recommendation by the Geneva Centre for Security Policy in 2014, that was sent to the Greek Government (Prime Minister’s office) to assist in emerging security issues and the strategic planning process.

He was awarded for excellent performance, a Fellowship as part of the Global Fellowship Initiative by the Geneva Centre for Security Policy. His research refers to hybrid warfare in the 21st Century and NATO potential responses.

He has served at the Hellenic Centre for European Studies, the former research branch of the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs as an International Affairs expert with  emphasis on Security Studies, while coordinating the international partnership initiatives of the Centre as well. Hence, he has played a leading role in the creation of the Research Consortium for Sino-European and Greek-Asian Studies.

He is currently leading the planning process for establishing a research Platform on Grand Strategy with various stakeholders, including the Geneva Centre for Security Policy. The Platform plans to offer insights on Grand strategy theory, strategic leadership, strategic planning methodologies and emerging security issues, bridging theory to practice.

Konstantinos Lampropoulos has been selected, prior joining the NISC Course at Geneva, to participate in executive seminars held at the European University Institute in Florence about the future of European Security and the future security dynamics of East Asia, focusing on the Chinese regional security strategy in particular.

Furthermore, he was selected by NATO’s Public Diplomacy Division as one of the 7 Greek policymakers to attend a workshop at NATO in Brussels, regarding “Smart Defense” in November 2013.

During his time at the Hellenic Centre for European Studies, he contributed to a policy-oriented chapter the Centre’s Policy Volume sent to the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  His chapter was about the prospects of Greece’s bilateral relations with Israel.

Konstantinos Lampropoulos has written extensively on NATO, the US National Security Strategies of the current and previous US Administrations as well as on National Security Reform in Greece and abroad.

Since March 2017, he has been writing policy-oriented articles on international security and foreign policy issues to leading Greek Newspapers such as “Kathimerini, “Ta Nea” and  the e-policy platform of the Greek website Liberal.

Konstantinos Lampropoulos’ interdisciplinary PhD, held at the Ionian University Department of History, refers to the US Grand Strategy in the Mediterranean during the Second World War.

He has obtained his postgraduate degree (MA) in War Studies, at the School of Public Policy, the Department of War Studies, at King’s College London, University of London. He has also studied International History in the department of History at Ionian University and Journalism at the Department of Journalism and Media of the National Kapodistrian University of Athens.

H.E. Mr. Arif Mammadov

Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the Hellenic Republic Mr. Arif Mammadov


Education:

  • 1999-2003: Bachelor in International Relations, Baku State University, Azerbaijan
  • 2003-2005: Master in International Relations, Baku State University, Azerbaijan
  • 2008-2010: Master in International Relations and European Studies Prague Metropolitan University, the Czech Republic
  • 2014-2017: Master in Business Administration, Telfer School of Management, University of Ottawa, Canada

Work experience:

  • 2004-2007: Attaché, Department of Human Rights, Democracy and Humanitarian Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan
  • 2007-2012: Attaché /Third Secretary/ Second Secretary, Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the Czech Republic
  • 2012-2016: Second Secretary/ First Secretary, Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan to Canada
  • 2017-2018: Head of Humanitarian Affairs Section, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan
  • 2018-2020: First Secretary and Counselor, Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan To Switzerland
  • 2020-2021: Senior Counselor / Head of Section, Administration of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan
  • 2021-2023: Director of the Transport Policy Department & Chairman of the Governing Board of the State Maritime & Port Agency, Ministry of Digital Development & Transport of the Republic of Azerbaijan
  • Since December 2023: Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the Hellenic Republic

Foreign languages: Russian, English


Marital status: Married with one child


 

Mr. George Karakatsanis

Mr. George Karakatsanis is a Natural Resource Economist and Financial Engineer. He has long research, business and consulting expertise as economic designer for the optimization of fuel, non-fuel, agricultural and biological resources for corporations and states. He is the Founder, Director and Chief Economist of EVOTROPIA Ecological Finance Architectures that specializes on natural capital classification and valuation methods, advanced data analytics for geoeconomic and supply networks modelling, Machine Learning methods for Industrial Symbiosis and the structuring of ecological finance and investment instruments. He is the scientific coordinator of several EU-funded and corporate research projects on natural resource economics, critical raw materials, soil bio-remediation and Regenerative Agriculture. He is a graduate of Athens University of Economics and Business (AUEB), holding an MSc and PhD from National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) on natural capital econometrics. He has extensive professional experience in environmental banking, ecological investments, risk management, and business continuity. In the period 2014-2016, he collaborated with Technische Universität München (TUM), receiving a DAAD scholarship as a Guest Lecturer and Researcher in the international research program NEXUS Energy-Water-Food on the conflict resolution for the management of water resources in the Nile Basin, as well as a Guest Scientist in the Oscar von Miller Forum (OvMF), where he organized and conducted several workshops and lectures on the field of Natural Resource Economics for Engineers. He has published over 50 peer-reviewed works and more than 30 educational articles on natural resource economics. Since 2014, he is a research affiliate of the Laboratory of Hydrology and Water Resources Utilization of the School of Civil Engineering of NTUA. Since 2020, he is scientific advisor of the Association of the Greek Manufacturers of Packaging and Materials (AGMPM), Director of the Special Committee for Circular Economy and the Built Environment of the Sustainable Building Council Greece (SBC-GR) and member of the Hellenic Solid Waste Management Association (HSWMA), while since 2023 he is a member of the Board of Directors of FILAIOS Olive Oil Club.

Ambassador (a.h.) Dimitrios Rallis

Born in Athens, Greece.

Graduated from the Law School of the Athens University with distinction.

Professional career:

On July 1, 2022 assumed his duties as Deputy Secretary General of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization – Permanent International Secretariat in Istanbul.

During his professional career, which spans over 40 years, Ambassador Dimitrios Rallis acquired deep knowledge and vast diplomatic experience with emphasis to the promotion of multilateral, regional and international relations. He served in the Greek diplomatic missions in Berlin-GDR, New York (UN), Damascus, Moscow and Brussels (EU). As Ambassador he represented Greece in Nicosia and Berlin. He also served as Chairman of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Hellenic Cultural Foundation.

For over ten years he was actively involved in passing EU legislation regarding economic integration and cooperation in the fields of, inter alia, internal market and development, transport, environmental protection, industry, energy, trade, agriculture, research and culture.

As Chairman of the EU Permanent Representatives Committee (Coreper I) and, subsequently, as Director General for European Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Greece, he worked for the promotion of stability, good neighborliness and international, European and regional cooperation, especially in the fields of economic integration and development. In his capacity of EU Coreper I Chairman, he headed the Council of the EU in the Conciliation Committee with the European Parliament for the adoption of EU legislation.

As head of the Greek delegation, he actively worked for transforming the Black Sea Economic Cooperation into a regional economic organization.

Orders & Distinctions:

Grand Commander of the Order of the Phoenix (Greece) Grand Cross of the Order of Merit (Cyprus) Grand Cross of the Order of the Phoenix (Greece) Grand Cross of Merit of the Order of Merit (Germany)

Languages:

Fluent in English, French and German. Knowledge of Spanish and Russian. Mother tongue: Greek

Mr. Hendrik Bosshammer

Mr. Hendrik Bosshammer is an Economist and a Project Manager in the South East Europe Division of the OECD’s Global Relations and Cooperation Directorate. He currently leads the Division’s work in support of fair market conditions for competitiveness in South East Europe. In recent years, Hendrik Bosshammer has worked in a number of thematic areas to improve economic, social and environmental well-being in OECD and partner countries in different world regions alike. Prior to joining the OECD, Hendrik Bosshammer was a Project Manager for McKinsey & Company on projects in Europe, Asia and Africa. He holds a PhD in Economics from the European Business School, Wiesbaden, and a Master’s Degree in International Business Administration from Università Luigi Bocconi, Milan, Akademia Leona Koźmińskiego, Warsaw, and European Business School, Wiesbaden.

Ambassador Bolat Nurgaliyev

Ambassador Bolat Nurgaliyev was born in 1951 in the Akmola region of Kazakhstan.

He joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the USSR in 1980.

After two diplomatic postings in Soviet embassies in South Asia, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan (1981-1985) and the Republic of India (1990-1992), in 1992 he joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the newly independent Republic of Kazakhstan, where he held the posts of Director of International Security and Arms Control Department and later Deputy Foreign Minister.

He served as Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the United States of America (1996-2000), the Republic of Korea (2001-2003), Japan (2004-2006), and the State of Israel (2012-2014). From 2007 to 2009 he was the Secretary General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, headquartered in Beijing, the People’s Republic of China. During Kazakhstan’s 2010 Chairmanship of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, he served as Special Representative of the Chair-in-Office for Protracted Conflicts.

Having retired from Kazakhstan’s foreign service in 2014, from 2015 to 2018 he held the post of Adviser to the President of the National Railways Company of Kazakhstan. Since December 2019 Ambassador Nurgaliyev was the Deputy Chair of the Board and in April 2021 was appointed the Chairman of the Board of the Foreign Policy Research Institute under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Ambassador Nurgaliyev is married, his spouse is Alma Nurgaliyeva, they have daughter Almagul and son Yerden. He was rewarded the order “Qurmet” (2010) and the order “Dostyk” (2020) and medals. Holds the diplomatic rank of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary since 1996.

Dr. Angelos Vlachos

Dr. Angelos F. Vlachos, is a public policy expert with strong managerial competence focusing on sustainable development, also with a heavy academic background; BA and PhD / Univ. of Athens; MA Univ. of Sussex.

His experience lies at multi-levels, initially with a wide-ranging research performance and at a later stage on numerous strategic ventures related to the tourism phenomenon and the port industry.

Throughout the last decade he has concentrated multifariously on infrastructures’ management and above all “Blue Growth” Projects. Coped with several matters at the edge (between corporate and government), he has shaped a hybrid professional identity – combining solid business knowledge with soft skills.

Angelos has taught at the Univ. of Peloponnese, at Panteion and at the University of Piraeus; currently he is lecturing at the Hellenic Open University (EAP).

He has worked in the international tourism industry (web-based tour operator); senior Policy Consultant in the Ministry of Tourism; director of the Greek National Tourism Organization (China/Beijing); independent expert in tourism policy; initiator of a European co-funded research scheme (P-P Project).

One of the longer-lasting Directors of Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund (BoD of HRADF-aka TAIPED); BoD member at Thessaloniki Port Authority (ThPA) in charge of the privatization; later, also held a seat at the BoDs of Kavala Port SA and Alexandroupolis Port SA accordingly.

Currently, Angelos F. Vlachos is the CEO of the Port of Kavala SA.

 

Mr. Nikos Papathanasis

Nikos Papathanasis presently holds the office of the Alternate Minister at the Ministry of Economy and Finance and he was also elected, at the 2023 elections, as a member of the Parliament in the district of Athens North.

From August 2020 until May 2023, he held the office of Alternate Minister at the Ministry of Development and Investment with the responsibility of the portfolio of private and strategic investments, PPP’s and the Just Transition Fund. Also, from July 2019 until August 2020 he held the office of the Deputy Minister at the same ministry with the responsibility of the portfolio of Industry, Commerce and Consumer’s Protection.

During his thirty-five-year career, he served as a C-level executive for large corporations with a successful track record in developing business plans, reorganizing and streamlining operations that led to significant positive economic outcomes.

He received his B.A.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering and his M.A.Sc. in Aerospace Engineering at the University of Toronto, followed by a Masters in Management Science at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada.

He commenced his career at the DeHavilland Aircraft Company (Bombardier Aerospace) in Toronto while later he served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Hellenic Aerospace Industry (HAI) and executive Vice President of Olympic Aviation, a regional airline company. During his professional years, he worked mainly in the private sector while he reached high executive and C level managerial positions in companies in Greece and abroad.

He managed companies in the fields of construction, real estate development to public transportation as he served as CEO in the Athens Line 1 metro rail system and subsequently Chairman and CEO in the Athens Metro and Light railsystem for a total of eight years. From 2008 to 2010 he served as a President-elect of the Greek branch of the European Centre of Employers and Enterprises providing Public Services (CEEP) which is a General Cross Industry social partner recognized by the EU Commission. From 2017 holds the Chair of the President of the Institute of Democracy “Konstantinos Karamanlis”, a scientific non-profit organization. He served from 2016 until the national elections of 2019 as Director General of the presently governing political Party of “Nea Democratia”.