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.

Founder and Managing Director, Cyprus Seeds

Maria Markidou Georgiadou is an innovation catalyst and serial founder who has spent the last decade building Cyprus’ innovation ecosystem. She is the Founder and Managing Director of Cyprus Seeds, the country’s flagship academic commercialization program, which she built from the ground up into one of Europe’s Top Innovation Hubs — as recognized by the Financial Times in 2025. Across four cycles, Cyprus Seeds has supported 24 research teams from every university and research center in Cyprus, giving rise to 6 spin-offs, 9 patent filings, and the conclusion of a licensing agreement for a gene therapy, resulting from research from The Cyprus Institute of Neurology & Genetics. Before Cyprus Seeds, Maria founded IDEA — Cyprus’s first integrated accelerator and incubator which, 10 years after its launching remains a cornerstone of the island’s startup ecosystem. With a background spanning 25 years in banking, EU funding, and investment analysis — including roles at Merrill Lynch in New York and the Cyprus Development Bank — Maria brings a rare combination of financial rigor and entrepreneurial vision to everything she does. A Fulbright Scholar, with an MSc from Oxford, U.K. and a BSc magna cum laude from Trinity College USA, Maria serves on multiple boards and is a regular keynote speaker at conferences across Europe, the USA, and the Middle East. She believes deeply that great research deserves a life beyond the lab — and she has dedicated her career to making that happen.

Advisor to the Minister of Finance of Cyprus

Kyriacos Kakouris is an Advisor to the Minister of Finance of Cyprus, since August 2026.

He brings more than three decades of distinguished experience in public finance, international development banking, economic policy, and public sector governance. Prior to this appointment, Mr. Kakouris served as Vice-President of the European Investment Bank (EIB) from 2023 to October 2025. In this capacity, he oversaw the Bank's cohesion policy portfolio, the water sector, and operations in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Malta, Cyprus, and Central Asia. Before becoming Vice-President, he was a member of the EIB Board of Directors from 2004 to 2023, making him the longest-serving member in the Board's history. During his tenure, he chaired the Ethics and Compliance Committee and served on the Budget and Personnel Committee. Mr. Kakouris joined the Ministry of Finance of Cyprus in 1990 and held a wide range of senior positions during more than three decades of public service. His responsibilities included relations with international financial institutions, project financing, public financial management, oversight of the Government's shareholdings in state-owned enterprises, and the coordination of major privatization initiatives.   Between 2016 and 2022, he served as Director of International Financial Institutions and Financial Management, while from November 2022 to September 2023 he served as Director of Strategy and Coordination at the Ministry of Finance. In addition to his executive responsibilities, Mr. Kakouris served as Chairman of the Cyprus Grain Commission (2019–2021) and as a Member of the Board of Directors of Cyprus Airways (2012–2013). He was also a Founding Member and Board Member of the Cyprus Investment Promotion Agency (CIPA) from 2007 to 2019.

Deputy Head of Unit for Access to Finance at the European Commission’s DG GROW

He works to strengthen Europe’s competitiveness by improving access to finance and mobilising investment in the green and digital transitions. He particularly seeks solutions to the geopolitical and economic challenges facing the EU’s competitiveness, including investment, innovation, and job creation.

From 2021 to 2025, he served as Counsellor for Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs at the EU Delegation to the United States. Prior to that, he held various roles within the European Commission in Brussels, including Assistant to the Director-General and Deputy Director-General of DG GROW. He studied Economics at the University of Göttingen and speaks German, English, Spanish, and some French.

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.

Founding Partner, Ominthia Capital

Omiros Pissarides is the Founding Partner of Ominthia Capital, a boutique advisory firm specializing in finance-related services for select clients. With an extensive career spanning finance and information technology, he has held partner and C-level positions at multinational firms such as PwC, AXIA and Intermec Technologies. Throughout his career, Omiros has advised on key strategic initiatives, including acquisitions, mergers, divestitures, joint ventures and corporate restructurings. He has also played a pivotal role in originating, structuring, and executing complex transactions, with a total value exceeding EUR 10 billion. In addition to his executive experience, he has served as a non-executive director for multiple organizations—both regulated and non-regulated—as well as for nonprofit entities. He currently sits on the Cyprus Economy and Competitiveness Council. Since 2020, Omiros has written prolifically on economic developments, with a particular focus on the macroeconomics of developing and underdeveloped nations. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Accounting and a Master of Business Administration. He is also a member of the Chartered Institute of Securities and Investment.

Head of the European Investment Bank Group (EIB Group) Office in Cyprus

Aimilia Pistrika is the Head of the European Investment Bank Group (EIB Group) Office in Cyprus, with more than 25 years of experience across academia, water engineering and the banking sector. She has over a decade of professional experience at the EIB’s headquarters in Luxembourg and a background in civil engineering, specialising in the water sector and climate finance. Aimilia represented the EIB Group for more than two years on the European Commission’s Platform on Sustainable Finance (EU Taxonomy), focusing on flood protection and nature-based solutions.

Before joining the European Investment Bank, she worked in the private sector, providing technical support for water projects in Africa financed by the World Bank. She was also involved in the implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive and Floods Directive in Greece and Cyprus. She holds a PhD from the National Technical University of Athens, completed in cooperation with Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands, and an MSc from Imperial College London in the United Kingdom.

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.

Co-founder & Partner, 33East

Demetrios is an entrepreneur and investor. He’s a founding Partner at 33East, the Venture Capital Fund for Cyprus. Demetrios has co-founded several startups, including GF-X, onefinestay, and Klevio. He holds an MPA from Harvard Kennedy School and an MA in Economics from Cambridge.