EU Finance Day 2026 - Cyprus

CEO, Stremble Ventures LTD

Athos Antoniades Ph.D. received his PhD in Computer Science from the University of Cyprus in collaboration and funded by GSK, he completed his undergaduate degrees in Computer Science from SCSU in MN, USA. He has a 25 year career working in academia and industry on computational Biology, Bioinformatics, clinical trial and study design. He has worked on many large research projects, genetic studies, and clinical trials. Some of his key roles in EC funded projects include being the scientific coordinator of COMFORTage (20m), Omics WP leader in CARDIOCARE (6m) and industry partner in ERC PoC MyelomaRisk, and with leadership position in national projects SmartPlaigo and VectorGuard. He is involved in over 15 ongoing clinical trials or studies most involving multi-omics. He is a founding member and a PI representing Stremble in the Cyprus Intestinal Health study. He has held many roles in multiple other national, international as well as commercially funded research projects.

Senior Loan Officer - Global Relationship Manager, Banking Sector – Greece & Cyprus, European Investment Bank

Eirini joined the EIB in October 2016 as Loan Officer and Global Relationship Manager for the Greek Banking Sector. She joined from the EIF, where she spent 3 years in the Fund’s Mandate Management Division covering Greece and Cyprus.

Between 2003-mid 2013, she worked in London for BNP Paribas’s Corporate & Investment Banking, where she held various positions in Global Markets, initially in fixed income derivatives structuring, then in fixed income sales covering institutionals and corporates in Greece and Cyprus and, more recently, heading the Fixed Income Institutional Sales for Greece & Cyprus.

Eirini started her career in 2002 at JP Morgan in London as an M&A Analyst for the TM&T (Telecoms, Media & Technology) sector.

Eirini holds an MSc in Accounting & Finance from the London School of Economics and a BA in Business Administration from the Athens University of Economics & Business.

Head Innovation & Social Impact, European Investment Fund

Minerva Elias Franquesa is the Head of Innovation and Social Impact Unit at the European Investment Fund (EIF) - part of EIB Group - where she shapes equity, debt instruments and thematic investments in frontier sectors like AI, space, quantum, life sciences, social impact, skills and education, and blended finance. With 15 years at the intersection of tech, finance, and policy—across EIF, EIB, and global research ecosystems—she’s driven by a passion for turning sustainable finance into impactful opportunities for SMEs and entrepreneurs. A biologist by training with an Executive MBA, she champions SME access to finance, EU innovation strategy, and serves on expert panels and juries. When not trailblazing in Brussels or Luxembourg, she’s recharging in nature and cold-plunging. Nicosia is her second home.

Head of Unit, Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, European Commission

Aliénor Margerit has close to 30 years of experience in economic and financial policy, gained at both the Bank of France and within the European Institutions, including the European Parliament and the European Commission. She has worked on major strategic issues ranging from the response to the global financial crisis to the Covid-19 pandemic and the economic consequences of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. During the last European Commission mandate, as Deputy Head of Cabinet to the Commissioner for the Economy, she prepared and negotiated key initiatives at the heart of the European agenda, including the NextGeneration EU Recovery and Resilience Plan, the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, the Review of the EU Economic Governance Framework, the global minimum corporate tax and the customs reform. Since September 2025, she is leading the Access to Finance team in the European Commission (DG GROW). She is a graduate in Economics and Political Science from Sciences Po Paris and has completed the Women in Leadership Executive Education Programme at Columbia Business School in New-York.

Head of Commercial Banking, Eurobank

Andreas Papadopoulos is an experienced banker with a background in engineering, international business, and finance. He began his career at Unilever in the U.S. and Germany, then moved into banking in Cyprus, where he led Hellenic Bank’s Group Strategy during the 2013 crisis. Today, he focuses on supporting SMEs to achieve growth and build long-term resilience.

A graduate of Cambridge University and Wharton Business School, Andreas blends strategic thinking with a passion for innovation and sustainability. He works to build partnerships between the public and private sectors to support inclusive growth and systemic change in Cyprus and beyond.

He co-founded and chaired Junior Achievement Cyprus, supporting youth entrepreneurship. He also serves on NGO boards promoting the circular economy and marine conservation, and has published four photography books featuring Cyprus’s beaches.

Head of the European Commission Representation in Cyprus

Panicos Pourgourides is the Head of the European Commission Representation in Cyprus, with extensive experience in EU policymaking, parliamentary affairs and international diplomacy. A lawyer by training, he has served as Expert in the Cabinet of Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Stella Kyriakides (2019–2024), where he advised on interinstitutional relations, led the adoption of the EU Mental Health Strategy and the revision of EU Animal Welfare legislation, and oversaw key Cyprus-related files. Prior to joining the European Commission, he held senior managerial positions at the House of Representatives of Cyprus for over two decades, including Acting Secretary General and Chief International Relations Officer. He also served as Special Advisor to the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. He played a key role in the parliamentary dimension of the 2012 Cyprus EU Presidency and the 2016 Cyprus Chairmanship of the Council of Europe and specialises in EU governance, interinstitutional relations, strategic communication and legislative drafting.

President, Cyprus Chamber of Commerce & Industry

Mr Stavrou was born in Alambra (1959) and studied at The English School Nicosia and was subsequently awarded a First Class Honors Degree from Middlesex Polytechnic (London) (BA Accounting and Finance with Hons).

Mr. Stavrou is a Fellow Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and a Member of the Chartered Institute of Internal Auditors of UK. He is also a holder of Diploma for Non-Executive Directors.

He served in a number of operational positions including that of Group CFO from 1993-2003 and Managing Director from 2003-2008 in a multinational organization in the Oil and Gas industry.

He served as a Member of The Board of Trustees of the International School of Monaco from 1998-2003.

He served and/or continues to serve as Non-Executive Independent Director in a number of Boards in various industries including Banking, Insurance, Reinsurance, Mining, Software Development, Property Development, Construction, Shipping and others.

He is currently the President of the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Vice Chairman, Cyprus Economic and Competitiveness Council

George Syrichas is an experienced economist with a solid academic background in macroeconomics and banking, complemented by significant experience in various critical roles at the Central Bank of Cyprus and other financial institutions. Currently, he is the Vice-Chairman of the Cyprus Economy and Competitiveness Council, a position he has held since 2024. He also has the position of Economic Advisor at the Economic Research Centre, University of Cyprus and serves as a non-executive Director on the boards of several financial and banking institutions.

Throughout his career at the Central Bank of Cyprus, George Syrichas has held several key positions, including Senior Director of Economic and Monetary Analysis and Research from 2008 to 2013, and Executive Director and Board Member of both the Central Bank of Cyprus and the Cyprus Resolution Authority from 2013 to 2018. He participated in the General and Governing Council meetings of the European System of Central Banks as an accompanying expert to the Governor. Additionally, he was a member of the ECB Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) and the Heads of Research Committee. He participated in the Economic and Financial Committee (EFC) of the European Union.

With extensive knowledge of the Cypriot economy, George Syrichas has been deeply involved in major economic reforms since the early 1990s, including, inter alia, interest rate and capital liberalisation, EU accession and the adoption of the euro, as well as the economic adjustment programme for Cyprus. He had also served as an external expert on the Cyprus Long-term Strategy for Sustainable Growth – Vision 2035, a project funded by the European Commission. He was part of the team that conducted impact assessments for two European Commission-funded projects: the National Recovery and Resilience Programme and the Thalia 2021-2027 programme. Furthermore, he was a member of the Steering Committee for the " A Comprehensive Tax Reform of Cyprus" project. Additionally, he is involved in significant research initiatives, including "Climate Change and Public Finances" and "Current Account Sustainability."

He holds a PhD and an MA in Economics from the University of Essex, as well as a BSc in Economics from the Athens University of Economics and Business.

Co-founder & Partner, 33East

Demetrios is an entrepreneur and investor. He’s a founding Partner at 33East, the Venture Capital Firm for Cyprus.

Demetrios has co-founded several startups, including GF-X, onefinestay, and Klevio. He is an angel investor in over 25 startups and a limited partner in several venture funds.

He holds an MPA from Harvard Kennedy School and an MA in Economics from Cambridge.