Professor Dr. Phoebe Kountouris
Professor Dr. Phoebe Kountouris (MPhil and PhD University of Cambridge) is a well -known economist and pioneer in the development of innovative, human-centred and interdisciplinary mathematical systems that support the sustainable interaction between nature, society and the economy. She has served in academic positions at leading institutions, including the University of Cambridge, University College London (UCL), the London School of Economics (LSE), the University of Reading and the Technical University of Denmark.
She currently works as a Professor of Economics Athens University of Economics and Business and the University of Cambridge, Founder and Director of the AE4RIA Research Centre. She is ranked among the top 1% of scientists worldwide and has published 20 books and more than 800 scientific papers. She has worked as an editor for numerous scientific journals and has led more than 100 international research projects in 120 countries.
She has been a keynote speaker and has participated in high-level policy interventions all over the world and major international forums. She is the Lead Scientist of the UN Global Sustainable Development Report 2027, she served as President of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists (EAERE) and she is currently President of the World Council of Environmental and Resource Economists Associations, European and national academies and a member of the Committee for the Nobel Prize in Economics. She has been honoured with important international awards and distinctions, including the European Research Council Synergy Grant, the Excellence Award in Sciences of the Academy of Athens and the Excellence Award of the Republic of Cyprus.
Zefi Nikolaou
MA, CFE, CFSE / Ethics & Compliance – ESG Senior Expert / Communications Strategist /
External Lecturer, NKUA / President of ASCO Greece
Zefi Nikolaou is a Senior Consultant in Ethics & Compliance and ESG, with extensive experience in the banking and finance sector. She leads major projects in the areas of Ethics & Compliance and ESG/Sustainability for large private companies (ASCO Greece) and provides high-level consulting support on Communication Strategy issues. She is the President of the Board of Directors of the Association of Regulatory Compliance Professionals of Greece.
She teaches Compliance, Applied Corporate Governance and ESG/Sustainability at the NKUA, in the MSc in Internal Audit, Risk Management & Compliance, as an External Associate.
Her professional career includes senior management positions at the National Land Bank and the National Bank of Greece, where she gained extensive experience in financial, credit and compliance issues, including the prevention of financial crime.
She holds degrees in Journalism and European Culture and a postgraduate degree in Journalism and Communication, with a specialization in Corporate Communication. She is a Certified Fraud Auditor, and also holds certifications in Customer Service Management, AML and Compliance.
She is a recognized speaker and experienced trainer on corporate governance, ESG strategy, integrity and business ethics.
Elissaios Sarmas
CEO of Develop Athens S.A.
Elissaios Sarmas is the CEO of Develop Athens S.A., specializing in strategic planning, complex project management and the digital and energy transformation of organizations and cities.
He has made a decisive contribution to the design and implementation of innovative projects, with an emphasis on Artificial Intelligence, intelligent energy systems, smart buildings and sustainable urban infrastructure.
Previously, he served as a Director of Innovation and Energy Upgrading at the Development Company for Computerization and Operational Support of the Municipality of Athens (DAEM S.A.), contributing to the modernization of services and the optimization of the energy efficiency of municipal infrastructure.
He is Head of Research and Development at the Decision Systems and Management Laboratory of the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering of the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), where he leads interdisciplinary teams of researchers and engineers and is responsible for coordinating large-scale national and European projects.
He has taken part as a Coordinator in flagship projects under the Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe programs, focusing on energy flexibility, demand management, big data and the development of digital twins for buildings and cities.
He holds a PhD from the National Technical University of Athens on Artificial Intelligence models for intelligent energy management. His scientific work includes publications in prestigious international journals, while he actively participates in European networks for energy transition and digital transformation.
Christos Tourkolias
Energy Policy & Planning Expert
Dr. Christos Tourkolias is an expert in energy policy and planning. He is a chemical engineer and a graduate of the National Technical University of Athens, while he holds a master’s degree specialize in production systems management and holds a doctorate in environmental economics.
He is currently a collaborator of the Energy Policy Analysis Department of CRES on issues of analysis, evaluation and design of policies and measures in the fields of RES, energy efficiency and climate change. He has also participated in studies and research programs aimed at assessing environmental and social components of external costs and benefits, the design and analysis of environmental policies and the economic assessment of climate change impacts. Finally, he has published 28 articles in scientific journals and 34 papers in international and Greek conferences.
Stella Tsani
Professor, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens | Department of Clean Energy Transition
Dr Stella Tsani is an Associate Professor at the Department of Economics of the National andKapodistrian University of Athens, specializing in economics of natural resources, energy and the environment, as well as in sustainable development and economic policy.
Her work focuses on quantitative and systemic approaches to sustainability transitions.
In 2025, she was awarded the EUSEW Women in Energy Award by the European Commission. She is actively involved in the interface between science and policy, participating in leading international processes such as IPBES, UNEP GEO-7 and the 8th UNESCO Science Report.
She has contributed to the work of the IPCC and international organizations such as the IEA. She is a member of international scientific networks, including the Global Young Academy and the Young Academy of Europe.
Personal website with extensive CV.
Social networks: LinkedIn Facebook
Dimitris Kollias
Energy Transition Consultant
Dimitris has many years of experience in design and implementation of green transition projects at national and European level, with specialization in energy efficiency, RES and sustainability innovation
He has played a key role as Strategic Advisor in initiatives such as Gr-eco Islands, while he is active in energy communities, green financing and sustainable infrastructure.
As an EU Climate Pact Ambassador, he actively contributes promoting climate awareness and the participation of citizens, businesses and institutions in actions to achieve European sustainability goals.
With this experience, he contributes, as a Consultant, to the design and implementation of innovative energy and digital transition projects for the City of Athens.
Nikos Dimitropoulos
NTUA Researcher | Energy Home System Program
Nikos Dimitropoulos is a researcher and PhD candidate at Systems and Management Decisions Laboratory, School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National Technical University of Athens.
His scientific interests focus on modern energy systems, flexible energy consumption, and energy production in the residential sector.
Using artificial intelligence and IoT technologies, his research focuses on the building sector through the development of applications, algorithms and systems for optimal and efficient energy management.
Mr. Dimitropoulos has participated in the creation, writing and implementation of numerous national and European research projects, in his field of expertise.
Athanassios Laskoudis
Journalist | EU Climate Pact Ambassador |
Strategic Communication Advisor for Sustainable Development
Athanassios Laskoudis is a journalist specializing in the transformation of the Green Economy and Innovation.
As Editor-in-Chief of the Greenbusiness.gr and Govnews.gr platforms, he is at the forefront of reporting on the digital transformation of cities, the circular economy and the integration of ESG criteria into modern business.
As EU Climate Pact Ambassador, he acts as a link between European institutions and the market, promoting the climate neutrality strategy.
He has extensive experience in coordinating international conferences, focusing on cutting-edge technologies that bridge the energy transition with economic resilience and social well-being.
Fani Stavrinidi
Project Manager Paint & External Thermal Insulation of ISOMAT Group
Fani Stavrinidi is a Chemical Engineer, graduate of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, with a postgraduate degree in Materials Science and Technology from the National Technical University of Athens.
She has more than 20 years of professional experience in the paint and external thermal insulation systems (ETICS) industry, having held key commercial and strategic roles.
Her experience includes Key Account Management, product management, as well as the design and implementation of commercial strategy.
She has actively participated in contract negotiations and team leadership, while for the last five years she has held the position of Product Manager at ISOMAT, focusing on the development and management of innovative solutions for Paint and External Thermal Insulation.
Pavlos Palioudakis
Sales Manager ALUMINCO
Pavlos Palioudakis is the Sales Manager of Aluminco. An experienced sales executive with many years of experience in the aluminum industry and expertise in team management, customer development and strategic marketing development.
He has a strong background in sales management, customer service and business organization, having held positions of increasing responsibility in leading companies in the industry.
With a combination of technical knowledge and commercial understanding, he contributes substantially in increasing sales, strengthening partnerships and achieving business goals.
Prokopis Karydakis
CEO KARYDAKIS MEDIA
He studied Printing Engineering in Germany and then received a BA in Marketing Management from the American Deree College.
He has been working for 30 years in the Commercial Department of Stefanos Karydakis SA, an Industrial Printing Company.
He served as President of the Association of Printing Media for 4 years, representing 2,500 businesses in the sector.
Since 1997 (29 years), the company KARYDAKIS MEDIA has been producing content for printing magazines (diy magazines, just like that, Building Technology, Hotel Improvement, Garden Work), television (diy on SKAI, just like that on Alpha, It’s in your hands on ERT3) and digital format (Hardware Store online, Hotel Improvement newsletter, Wine etc.). While organizing conferences, such as the DIY & Home Improvement Conference, the Hardware Store Conference and the Home Improvement Awards.
Dimitris Pallantzas
Building Physicist
Dimitris Pallantzas, he holds a degree in Building Physics and graduate of the School of Applied Mathematics and Physical Sciences of NTUA (2018) with a specialization in Building Physics, is a researcher and lecturer at NTUA (PhD candidate 2023-2027), he has participated in over 15 research projects.
Certified Consultant and youngest Passive House Trainer worldwide (PHI, 2019), Education Manager of EIPAK since 2017, has experience in >80 passive building projects ( in Greece, Spain, Turkey, America, Canada), internship at the Passivhaus Institut under Prof. Dr. W. Feist, and was also the founder of the first 2 global Passive House Architectural Competitions (500 students, >300 hours), he is also the founder of nZEB Roadshow programs, PHPP Expert seminars and he has created innovative digital modeling tools.
He has already published papers in Global conferences, while he was the keynote speaker at Parsons (New York) during Climate Week in 2025.
Aris Papadopoulos
CEO of zeb | Zero Energy Building
Aris Papadopoulos, with studies in Information Technology and Business Administration, has been a founding member of ZEB since 2012 and holds the position of CEO. At ZEB, he implements plans and policies for successful management in the field of business and determines strategy for the development of innovative services.
A pioneer in the dissemination of the ESCO MODEL in Greece, he has participated in numerous discussions and presentationstin the field of investment opportunities provided by energy saving projects.
He has been involved in the design and implementation of Energy Performance Contracts (EPCs) in buildings with project financing (PF) through the European Recovery Fund and third-party investors.
ZEB introduced the LEED environmental certification system for the first time in Greece in 2012 and has trained numerous engineers. Prior to the establishment of ZEB, he has worked and managed numerous construction projects (public & private) as well as high-tech and telecommunications projects.
Zois Stavropoulos
Legal Advisor
In 2017 and 2021 he was elected as a member of the Board of Directors of the Athens Lawyer’s Association.
Member of the Telematics and Upgrade of Electronic Services Committee, as well as member of the Operating Committee of the Legal Aid Institution.
During his second term, initially representing the DSA and then the Plenary of the Lawyers Associations of the country, he undertook initiatives and actions to resolve problems related to the operation of the Hellenic Cadastral, the implementation of rules and the expansion of digital services.
He is a representative of the Athens Lawyers Association, as well as representative of the Ministry of Digital Governance and the Hellenic Cadastre Agency on issues related to the operation of the Cadastres. He is also a representative of the Plenary of the Lawyer’s Associations of the country, also representative in the Committee for the Establishment and Implementation of Common Rules of Interpretation and Implementation of the Legislation for the National Cadastre throughout the whole country.
Konstantinos Theofylaktos
Southeast Europe Energy Institute
Kostas Theofylaktos is a Mechanical Engineer with a BSc and MSc degree from the University of Evansville, Indiana, USA with 40 years of experience in the energy sector and in the study, design and supervision of energy efficient systems for all types of buildings and industry.
His special interests include Energy Policy, Energy Efficiency, RES and Co- production of Electricity and Heat. He served as President of the Hellenic Association of Co- production (HACHP) for many years and President and CEO of the Centre for Renewable Energy Sources (CRES) in 2013. He has significant experience in energy projects financed by the EU, EIB, World Bank and EBRD in Southeastern Europe, Central Asia and Russia, Armenia, Georgia, etc.