Agenda

8th THESSALONIKI SUMMIT

“Navigating the Shift:

Economic & Industrial Policy and Southeast Europe's Future”

Porto Palace Hotel, Thessaloniki Greece

February 17-18, 2025 | Monday & Tuesday

 Monday | February 17

14:30’

Arrival of guests - Registration

15:30’

Welcome Address

Loukia Saranti, President, Federation of Industries of Greece

Konstantinos Gioulekas, Deputy Minister of Interior for Macedonia and Thrace, Hellenic Republic

Nana Aidona, Governor, Region of Central Macedonia

Stelios Angeloudis, Mayor of Thessaloniki

16:00’

Opening Speech

The role of the Council of Europe in strengthening democracy and human rights in S.E. Europe

Theodoros Rousopoulos, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe

16:15’

A World in flux

Evangelos Venizelos, Professor, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki; Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs (2013-2015), Hellenic Republic (on-line)

Dora Bakoyannis, Member of the Hellenic Parliament; Minister of Foreign Affairs (2006-2009), Hellenic Republic

Dimitris Kairidis, Minister of Migration and Asylum (2023-2024); Member of the Parliament, Hellenic Republic

Athanasios Platias, President, Council for International Relations; Professor of Strategy, Department of International and European studies, University of Piraeus

Ino Afentouli, Executive Director, Institute of International Relations (IDIS)

Moderator:

Stavros Tzimas, Journalist, ANA-MPA

17:15’

Fireside Chat

Nikos Androulakis, Leader of the Opposition, President, PASOK-Movement for Change

Moderator:

Maria Nikoltsiou, Journalist-anchor, Alpha TV

17:30’

Break

18:00’

Fireside Chat

Socratis Famellos, President, SYRIZA-Progressive Alliance

Moderator:

Giorgos Smirnis, News Director, AlphaTV

18:15’

How Middle East Conflict Affects Migration flows in the Region

Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos, Minister of Migration and Asylum, Hellenic Republic

Nicholas A. Ioannides, Deputy Minister of Migration and International Protection, Republic of Cyprus

Omar Amer Youssef, Ambassador, Embassy of the Arab Republic of Egypt to the Hellenic Republic

Moderator:

Alexia Tasouli, Diplomatic Correspondent

19:00’

Redefining Relations: Europe and the U.S. in a Post-Election World

Alexandra Papadopoulou, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hellenic Republic

Nikolaos Bakatselos, President, American-Hellenic Chamber of Commerce

Constantinos Filis, Director, Institute of Global Affairs

Moderator:

Alexia Tasouli, Diplomatic Correspondent

19:45’

END OF THE FIRST DAY

 Tuesday | February 18

09:30’

Arrival of guests

10:10’

Welcome Address

Athanassios Savvakis, President, Organizing Committee, Thessaloniki Summit

10:15’

Work as God’s will and as man’s responsibility towards the creation.

Metropolitan Filotheos of Thessaloniki, representative of the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew

10:25’

The EU’s Transport corridors and Southeastern Europe Transport infrastructure

Christos Staikouras, Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, Hellenic Republic

Grozdan Karadjov, Deputy PM and Minister of Transport and Communications, Republic of Bulgaria

Moderator:

Dimitrios Pefanis, Manager, CNN Greece

11:10’

In Conversation

Giorgos Pitsilis, Governor, AADE

Moderator:

Nikos Ikonomu, Journalist, Makedonia Newspaper

11:25’

Energy imbalances and Energy cooperation in Southeastern Europe

Antonios Kontoleon, President, Hellenic Union of Industrial Consumers of Energy

Dr. Agis Papadopoulos, Chairman, Thessaloniki Water Supply and Sewerage Co. SA – EYATH SA

Alexandros Papageorgiou, CEO, Energy Exchange Group

George Kremlis, Ambassador to the European Public Law Organisation to Bulgaria

Dimitrios Theocharis, Managing Director, MEL SA – Macedonian Paper Mills

Moderator:

Dimitrios Pefanis, Manager, CNN Greece

12:10’

Speech

Tzitzikostas Apostolos, Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, European Commission (on-line)

12:25’

In Conversation

Η.Ε. Noam Katz, Ambassador, Embassy of Israel to the Hellenic Republic

Moderator:

Dimitrios Pefanis, Manager, CNN Greece

12:40’

Speech

Elena Rapti, Deputy Minister of Tourism, Hellenic Republic

12:45’

Lunch Break

13:15’

In Conversation

Christos Stylianides, Minister of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy, Hellenic Republic

Moderator:

Fay Makantasi, Research Director, diaNEOsis

13:30’

The innovation ecosystem perspectives

Aristos Doxiadis, Partner Emeritus, Big Pi Ventures

Pericles Mitkas, President, Hellenic Authority for Higher Education

Panagiotis Ketikidis, President, Alexander Innovation Zone

Nikos Efthymiadis, Chairman, ThessINTEC

Stella Bezergianni, President, NOESIS; Researcher, CPERI/CERTH

Vasilis Kafatos, Partner, Growth Leader, Competence Center President, Deloitte

Moderator:

Fay Makantasi, Research Director, diaNEOsis

14:15’

Greek defense sector: A renaissance in the making?

Yannis Maniatis, Member of the European Parliament; Minister and Deputy Minister of Environment, Energy and Climate Change (2009-2015), Hellenic Republic (recorded message)

Pantelis Tzortzakis, CEO, Hellenic Center for Defense Innovation

Tassos Rozolis, Chairman of the BoD, Hellenic Manufacturers of Defense and Security Material Association

Moderator:

Antonis Kamaras, Consultant, Federation of Industries of Greece

15:00’

Economic Diplomacy in the Balkans

Tasos Chatzivasileiou, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hellenic Republic

Simeon Diamantidis, President, Greek Exporters Association

Denald George Tafani, President, Hellenic Business Association of Albania

Krasimir Dachev, Deputy President, Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Mila Nenova, Executive Director, InvestBulgaria Agency

George Mylonas, President & CEO, ALUMIL SA

Moderator:

Maria Nikoltsiou, Journalist-anchor, Alpha TV

16:00’

Regional disparities and prospects for development and growth

Akis Skertsos, Minister of State responsible for the coordination of Government Policies, Hellenic Republic (on-line)

Christodoulos Topsidis, Governor, Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace

Stavros Kalafatis, General Secretary of Parliamentary Group ND; MP A’ Thessalonikis ND

Nikos Vettas, General Director, Foundation for Economic and Industrial Research – IOBE; Professor, Athens University of Economics and Business

Thanos Psathas, CEO, ETVA INDUSTRIAL AREAS S.A.

Moderator:

Annie Karolidou, Financial & Business Editor, powergame.gr

17:00’

Financing investments

Stellina Siarapi, Secretary General of Private Investments, Minister of Development, Hellenic Republic

Ismini Papakirillou, CEO, Hellenic Development Bank

Yianos Kontopoulos, CEO, Athens Exchange Group

Stephanos Theodorides, Chairman of the Board, Growthfund

Giannis Papadopoulos, Senior Partner, EOS Capital Partners

Nikolas Takas, Managing Partner, THERMI VC; CEO, THERMI GROUP

Moderator:

Dimitris Diamantidis, Journalist, Radio Thessaloniki

18:00’

Cocktail

19:00’

Speech followed by Participants' Questions

Takis Theodorikakos, Minister of Development, Hellenic Republic

19:30’

END OF THE SECOND DAY

Wednesday | February 19

19:00’

Official Dinner

GUEST OF HONOR

Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Prime Minister of the Hellenic Republic