Natalie Kafandari

I have an MBA from CIIM and a BA in Marketing and Business Administration. I have more than 15 years of experience in senior positions in corporates in the services and consumer goods sectors of Cyprus, managing large diverse teams.

Positions held include Management of Operations and Production teams, Business Growth and After Sales Management, Marketing and Product Management. I have extensive experience in building and implementing complex processes and systems, creating bespoke manuals and training material, making business and marketing plans and bringing to the market new products and services.

I am also experienced in establishing compliance with standards and legislations and assisting in Risk Management Processes mainly in the area of Credit and AML Compliance. I have also served at the BOD of a startup company in the area of Credit Risk Management. 

In my current role as a Senior Innovation Officer at the Innovation and Development Directorate of the Cyprus Institute, I actively engage with the Institute’s Spin-offs, offering mentoring, support and guidance, and aiding their growth and development. My responsibilities also extend to Intellectual Property Management and Knowledge Transfer activities. This includes refining procedures, scouting internally for potential Intellectual Property, educating our academic and research staff about Intellectual Property Rights, and creating as well as delivering courses on IP and Entrepreneurship.