Chairman

Peter Droussiotis

Peter, a barrister by training, founded and is current Chairman of PGD Strategy Limited, a specialist corporate finance and strategy consulting firm; he also serves as Non-Executive Chairman of Heritage Group Limited, a leading independent provider of specialist insurance and financial services to clients around the world. Peter has previously held senior positions with Credit Suisse, Minet Group (now Aon) and Price Waterhouse (now PwC) and has served as a Non-Executive Director of City-based insurance sector software solutions provider Sequel Business Solutions Limited. He was also the President of the National Federation of Cypriots in the UK from 2007 to 2015 and is currently President of EPISTEME - The Association of British Cypriot Professionals and a trustee of Learning Through Horses, a charity focused on delivering alternative education programmes to disengaged and vulnerable young people and adults.

Vice-Chairmen

Stelio Stefanou OBE

Stelio moved to the UK aged 6 with his Cypriot parents. After a business career in the oil, construction and public services industries, culminating in the sale of his business, Accord plc, in 2007, he has established two charities, the Stefanou Foundation in the UK and the Stefanou Foundation Cyprus, which aim to break new ground in addressing social and economic challenges. Stelio is also a Board member of the employment charity ‘Tomorrow’s People’ and one of Hertfordshire’s Deputy Lord Lieutenants. He has held various industry roles, including CBI Regional Chairman and Chairman of the CBI Local Government Panel, and was awarded the OBE for services to business in 2004.

Andreas Rialas

Andreas is Chief Investment Officer of Argo Group Ltd a specialist emerging markets asset management‎ firm. He has 20 years’ experience in emerging markets trade finance and distressed investing. He has undertaken recovery work in many difficult jurisdictions and over the last 10 years has invested more than USD 1.3 billion in special situations, private credit and private equity in emerging markets. Before founding Argo in 2000 he worked for the emerging markets proprietary trading division of Deutsche Bank and London Forfaiting Plc. He is a lawyer by training and was called to the Bar in 1992.

Board Members

Dr Lakis Andronicou

Lakis is the Manager of the London Energy Operations–Lloyd’s Register EMEA. He has more than 30 years' varied experience in the oil and gas industry which includes research and development, consultancy, risk analysis and appraisal of land based and offshore structures associated with energy projects on a worldwide basis.

CHARLES ELLINAS

Charles has over 35 years experience in the oil & gas sector in senior management positions. Currently CEO of e-CNHC (E-C Cyprus Natural Hydrocarbons Company Ltd), providing management and advisory services in the oil & gas and energy sectors in Cyprus and the region. A lot needs to be done and the aim of the company is to contribute to the successful development of these sectors for the future of Cyprus. Prior to this, as CEO of KRETYK I was responsible for implementing Cyprus government’s strategy for the development of its hydrocarbons sector. Until 2012 I was a Director of Mott MacDonald for 25 years and the Managing Director of Mott MacDonald’s Oil, Gas & Petrochemicals business world-wide.

Dr Andreas Kyriacou

Andreas is a chartered engineer, has spent the last 25 years working in the oil and gas sector, both close to home in the North Sea and on international offshore engineering and construction projects around the world. He has worked for major contractors including Saipem and Kellog Brown and Root in senior corporate positions and is currently consulting for Petrofac, the largest UK-listed oilfield services provider. He has previously held the position of President of the Association of UK Cypriot Scientists and Professionals (EPISTEME).

Sophie Michael

Sophie is the National Head of Retail and Wholesale at BDO LLP. She is an Audit Partner with over 25 years of experience of advising clients. She is passionate about the retail sector and has specialised in advising large private, private equity owned and listed clients from within the sector throughout her 25 year career. She leads the strategy and development of the sector nationally and works with clients as they navigate an ever-changing environment. Outside client work, she is a member of the ICAEW Retail Sector Report Working Group, drives the weekly BDO High Street Sales Tracker which tracks LFL sales and leads the BDO Retail Forum.

Dr Maria Neophytou, SECRETARY

Dr Maria Neophytou is Executive Director of the Great Initiative, a foundation campaigning for gender equality. Her background is in international relations and she has experience across philanthropy, the public and private sectors. She previously led international policy at hedge fund charity ARK and at the Equality and Human Rights Commission, and has worked for the EU and UN. She graduated in Politics from the London School of Economics and has a PhD from Cambridge University, where she helped set up one of the first bi-communal Cypriot student groups.

MARIA PATSALOS

Maria is a Partner in the Private department at Mishcon de Reya LLP advising individual and corporate clients on all areas of UK Immigration law including political asylum claims. She also regularly assists clients with obtaining second residencies or citizenships and is the immigration representative in the firm's Sports Group. Recognised as an expert in her field by both Chambers and Legal 500, she was ranked as a "rising star" by the 2015 Spears 500 list for top UK Immigration lawyers. She has also been quoted in the FT, The Times, The Guardian, The Evening Standard and City A.M., as well as featuring on Sky Sports News, Channel 4 online and BBC television and radio in relation to topical and high profile immigration matters. Working with the UK based Human Rights organisation Liberty, Maria regularly advises on meritorious cases.

Evelthon Vassiliou

Evelthon is Chief Executive Officer of Alison Hayes Ltd a company designing and manufacturing clothing. With operations in eastern Europe and Asia the company is one of the leaders in its sector, currently serving most of the major retailers in the UK and rapidly expanding in Europe. Prior to this he was a management consultant with McKinsey & Co. in London and New York. He is currently serving on the board of the London chapter of the Young Presidents Organisation (YPO). Evelthon has a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) from Oxford University and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

SENIOR ADVISORS

Noel Josephides

Noel is Chairman of ABTA having previously served as a Director of the organisation for several years. He is also Managing Director and Founding Partner of Sunvil Holidays, established in 1973. He has served in a variety of capacities for AITO, the Association of Independent Tour Operators – Deputy-Chairman, Chairman, Director and Chairman of the AITO Trust. He is also Chairman of the Trustees of The Travel Foundation, the travel industry's sustainable tourism charity and Chairman of AGTA (Association of Greek Cypriot Travel Agents and Tour Operators in the UK). In December 2007 he received the Guild of Travel and Tourism Award for outstanding services to the travel and tourism industry. In April 2008 he was honoured by the Cyprus Government for 35 years of service in respect of environmental tourism to the island.

ROBERT KYPRIANOU

Robert is a British born and educated Cypriot whose career spanned more than 30 years in asset management and financial markets. He began his career as a strategist for a pension fund, went on to become a fixed income fund manager and CIO, and finally an asset management business manager and business builder as a CEO. He has held positions at BP, Citibank, Salomon Brothers, ABN Amro and AXA. Since retiring from executive work in 2009 Robert has moved into advisory and Board roles with banks, public and private companies, endowments and financial media companies, in the United Kingdom and in Cyprus. This professional work complements a keen interest in photography, bridge, charity work and adventure travel. Robert now splits his life and work between Cyprus and the UK.

VICKY PRYCE

Vicky is Chief Economic Adviser at the Centre for Economic and Business Research (CEBR). She was previously Senior Managing Director at FTI Consulting (2010-2013), Director General for Economics at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills(BIS) (2002-2010), as well as Joint Head of the UK Government Economic Service (2007-2010). Before that she was Partner at London Economics and Partner and Chief Economist at KPMG after holding senior economic positions in banking and the oil sector. She has also held a number of academic posts, including Visiting Professorships at Queen Mary University, London, Imperial College Business School and Cass Business School and has served on the Council of the Royal Economic Society, as Visiting Fellow at Nuffield College, Oxford, on the Council of the University of Kent and on the Court of the London School of Economics. An author of numerous publications on a wide range of economics subjects, Vicky is currently a Fellow of the Society of Business Economists, an Academician of the Academy of Social Sciences, on the Council of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, on BIS’ Panel for Monitoring the Economy, on the City AM's shadow monetary policy committee and on the Advisory Board of the central banking think-tank OMFIF. She also co-founded GoodCorporation, a company set up to promote corporate social responsibility and in 2010-11 served as Master of the Worshipful Company of Management Consultants. She is a Freeman and Liveryman of the City of London.