The Leadership Committee of the American-Hellenic Chamber of Commerce aims to add value in developing the quality of leadership among the Chamber’s members and, by extension, throughout the Greek business community, as well as to inspire young people and support them in their efforts and aspirations to become responsible leaders in business and society.
The Leadership Committee builds upon the leadership best practices applied by top organizations in Greece and internationally, designs and conducts surveys to take the pulse of the country’s business leaders and organizations and gather pertinent data, organizes various knowledge-sharing initiatives, and provides valuable insights on current leadership trends in Greece.
At the same time, the Committee also focuses on the next generation of leaders; it organizes targeted events for young people, creating opportunities for youth to interact directly with some of the country’s most highly respected business leaders, establishing role models and providing opportunities to come into contact first hand with real life management and leadership qualities, practices and case studies. Furthermore, the Leadership Committee also creates content and intellectual value through partnering with key academic institutions.
Committee Chair
Artemios Miropoulos, CEO, Linkage Greece and Cyprus
Committee Members
Konstantinos Alexopoulos, CEO, DHR Group
Haris Broumidis, President and CEO, Vodafone Greece
Athina Chatzipetrou, CEO, Hellenic Development Bank
Rania Ekaterinari, Partner, Ekati Consulting and non-executive board member of Elval Halcor S.A, MotorOil S.A., DEDDHE and Coral
Spyros Filiotis, Vice President and General Manager, Pharmaserve-Lilly
Dimitris Gerogiannis, CEO, Aegean
Polychronis Griveas, Managing Director, Paragon Advisory
John Kalligeros, President and CEO, Star Automotive Hellas
Antonis Kerastaris, Managing Director, Brink’s Hellas
George Kotionis, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Ogilvy Greece
Marina Mavrommati, CEO, Printec
Nikos Negas, CEO, Friday’s Restaurants Greece
Pantelis Panos, General Manager, American School of Classical Studies at Athens
Aristotelis Panteliadis, Chairman and CEO, Metro
Efi Papadogianni, Managing Director, Kone Greece
Nicolas Plakopitas, Vice Chairman, Euroclinic
Marianna Politopoulou, Vice Chair, JA Greece
Vassilis Rabbat, Managing Director, Xerox Hellas
Lefteris Samaras, Managing Director South East Europe, DHL Express
Alexandros Saracakis, Managing Director, Saracakis Brothers
Steven Sirtis, CEO, Kosmocar
Ilias Tsakiris, Managing Director, Hellenic Hull Management
John Vassilakos, CEO and Vice President, Kotsovolos
Andreas Xirocostas, Managing Director, SAP Hellas
Leonidas Zaimis, President, MAS
Giuseppe Zorgno, Country Manager, AIG Europe – Greece Branch
Committee Coordinator
Ritana Xidou
It may sound commonplace, but how wonderful is it really to be young and have limitless possibilities ahead of you? How amazing is it – although we don’t always realize it at the time – to stand before countless choices? What a gift it is to chart your own path, work hard and make a difference, not just for yourself and those close to you but for the whole world.
US President Franklin D. Roosevelt once said, “We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future.” All of us at the Hellenic-American Chamber of Commerce, myself included, wholeheartedly agree. The younger generations are an absolute priority and are at the center of our actions. Our goal is to empower young professionals to fulfill their potential. We want to encourage young people to experiment and explore, develop their skills and abilities, discover their strengths and lay the foundations for their future professional success. This is why the Leadership Committee is so important: It works to build our youth for the future.
Nikolaos Bakatselos
President, AmChamGR
Through its Conversations with Young People events, the AmChamGR Leadership Committee focuses on the country’s next generation of business leaders, examining the challenges and opportunities that await them as they launch their careers and set out to fulfill their potential.
AmCham Greece has long been committed to creating opportunities for Greek youth. We work with a range of partners, from educational institutions to public agencies and global corporations, to promote good practices, increase the availability of internships, better interconnect the spheres of education and work, and enhance the quality of professional opportunities for young people in Greece. Supporting and training the next generation of executives and business leaders speaks to the need to ensure a future free from today’s shortcomings and mistakes.
The Leadership Committee does great work in supporting and empowering young aspiring leaders in Greece, and a big part of this is refocusing the conversation on young people and the future ahead – the future that belongs to them.
Elias Spirtounias
Executive Director, AmChamGR
AmCham’s Leadership Committee is made up of CEOs and founders of large Greek and multinational organizations who interact with postgraduate students, adding value in developing the next generation of Greece’s leaders. To use a phrase by Phil Harkins, the founder of Linkage Inc., it’s a process of “leaders developing leaders.”
The Leadership Committee, much like similar private sector initiatives, interacts with young people, preparing them for their upcoming career growth and responsibilities. Yet while top business leaders are usually out of reach for young people, the Committee works to bridge this gap—and that’s what sets us apart. Each year, we organize three or four open events hosted by our members, and at each of these, upwards of 180 students have the opportunity to engage in direct, no-limit dialogues and mentoring discussions with top leaders they would otherwise not get a chance to meet, not even if they were employees at their respective companies.
These events also give us, as business leaders, the opportunity to openly share our thoughts on what we see as different work attitudes, discuss what we like and what we find puzzling about the work mindset of the younger generations, answer questions on what corporate or entrepreneurial reality looks like, and reflect on how we can improve as employers.
Our goal at the Leadership Committee is to add value to developing our young future leaders, while in return we, as Committee members, also benefit from the younger generation’s fresh energy and optimism.
Artemios Miropoulos
CEO, Linkage Greece and Cyprus
President of the AmChamGR Leadership Committee
I participate in the Leadership Committee with great pleasure, as I strongly believe that we have a sacred duty to pass on what few universities teach: What one needs to do to thrive professionally. The importance of having one’s own values and vision for the future—else risk ending up in someone else’s vision. The importance of failure in achieving success, as with Thomas Edison, who made 1000 unsuccessful attempts before eventually inventing his lightbulb. The importance of understanding that all nice things in life happen on the exit ramp of our comfort zone.
John Kalligeros
President and CEO, Star Automotive Hellas
I joined the AmCham Greece Leadership Committee with the certainty that investing in the younger generations is a meaningful endeavor with a multiplying impact. I am proud to have joined forces with this group of like-minded senior executives and entrepreneurs, and I am always amazed by the enthusiasm and potential of all the young people participating in this process of knowledge and experience transfer.
Konstantinos Alexopoulos
CEO, DHR Group
I am happy to be part of this group of exceptional CEOs. We are doing a great job working to inspire young people in their quest to pursue their optimal career path.
Aristotelis Panteliadis
Chairman and CEO, Metro
AmChamGR’s Leadership Committee comprises seasoned executives who have been involved in many great initiatives over the years. I would like to particularly highlight its commitment to education and the development of human capital, especially its focus on coaching young professionals. Instilling future leaders with principles such as integrity, meritocracy and team spirit, as well as recognizing their diverse skill sets and unique ambitions, encourages them to remain positive and be better prepared to navigate through many early career challenges.
Polychronis Griveas
Managing Director, Paragon Advisors
As a proud member of the American-Hellenic Chamber of Commerce Leadership Committee, I am driven to empower the next generation. By connecting future leaders with exceptional executives, we cultivate a culture of learning and provide guidance towards a successful and fulfilling career journey. At the same time, we keep on sharing best practices via interesting knowledge-sharing initiatives.
Vassilis Rabbat
Managing Director, Xerox Hellas
Leaders can learn from each other, and I am thrilled to be part of AmChamGR’s Leadership Committee. Creating an inclusive and caring culture respectful of individual preferences is what makes a true leader, and this is the way to thrive in a highly competitive environment.
Andreas Xirocostas
Managing Director, SAP Hellas
It has been a fantastic journey to serve on AmChamGR’s Leadership Committee since 2018. Discussing with the younger generation and listening to them has taught me a lot. As mature leaders, we have the responsibility to inspire, share our learnings, and support the development of the new leadership.
Marianna Politopoulou
Vice Chair, JA Greece
I have had the honor of being a member of the Leadership Committee since May 2015. It has been an extremely interesting and challenging experience to interact with peers outside their normal environment. Most of all, the interaction with young people has been the most rewarding and fulfilling experience.
Giuseppe Zorgno
Country Manager, AIG Europe S.A. – Greece Branch
As a member of the Leadership Committee at the American-Hellenic Chamber of Commerce, I am dedicated to empowering and guiding young people toward prosperous careers. By leveraging academic partnerships, sharing real life case studies, and fostering valuable insights, I contribute to the development of strong leadership qualities among young talents, thereby empowering the Greek business community for a promising future.
Pantelis Panos
General Manager, The American School of Classical Studies at Athens
To achieve your dreams, you must be able to love to work. We need passion, fulfillment, and surprise too. We no longer want just respect, security, or money from our jobs. We want romance. Leadership requires faith, confidence, and resilience. Our society needs an active AmChamGR Leadership Committee that continues to inspire, on this path, the next generation.
Athina Chatzipetrou
CEO, Hellenic Development Bank