Overview

The Economist Events and Hazlis and Rivas are proud to announce the organization of the 25th Roundtable with the Government of Greece on July 8th-9th 2021. Government officials, corporate decision-makers, academics and leading thinkers will once again come together in an open dialogue on issues that define our world.

Speakers

  • All

Daniel Franklin

Executive and diplomatic editor, The Economist

Joan Hoey

Editorial director, The Democracy Index, Europe consultant, The Economist Group

Kyriakos Mitsotakis

Prime minister, Greece

Alexis Tsipras

President of the Coalition of Radical Left (SYRIZA)-Progressive Alliance, leader of the main opposition, Greece

Michael Arghyrou

Chairman, Council of Economic Advisers, Greece

Demetri Argyropoulos

CEO, Avant Global

Odisseas Athanasiou

Chief executive officer, Lamda Development

Kostas Axarloglou

Dean and professor of international business and strategy, Alba Graduate Business School, The American College of Greece

Ezat Azem

General manager, Roche Hellas

Shlomo Ben Ami

Former foreign affairs minister, Israel, vice-president, Toledo International Centre for Peace (TICpax)

Martin Bijsterbosch

Mission chief for Greece, ECB

Gus M. Bilirakis

Member, House Committee on Energy and Commerce, member, United States House of Representatives (via connection)

Cameron Brooks

General manager, Europe Public Sector, Amazon Web Services (AWS)

George Burns

President and chief executive officer, Eldorado Gold Corporation (via connection)

Aristotelis Chantavas

Head of Europe, Enel Green Power & president, SolarPower Europe

Alexis Charitsis

MP, shadow minister of development and investments, SYRIZA-Progressive Alliance

Vladimir Chizhov

Permanent representative of Russia to the European Union (via connection)

Christos Christodoulou

CEO, Delphi Alliance

Leonidas Christopoulos

Secretary-general of digital governance and simplification of procedures, Greece

Declan Costello

Deputy director-general, Directorate-General for Economic and Financial Affairs (DG ECFIN), European Commission

Helena Dalli

Commissioner for equality, European Commission (recorded message)

Dominique de Villepin

Former prime minister, France

Nikos Dendias

Minister of foreign affairs, Greece

Anna Diamantopoulou

President, "DIKTIO" – Network for Reform in Greece and Europe, former European commissioner and former minister of development, Greece

Stefanos Dianellos

Vice-president & head of corporate affairs, British American Tobacco Hellas

Tarek El-Molla

Minister of petroleum and mineral resources, Egypt

Paolo Fioretti

Mission chief for Greece, European Stability Mechanism

Francis Fukuyama

Senior fellow, Centre on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law, Stanford University

Maria Rita Galli

CEO, DESFA

Paolo Gallo

Chief executive officer and general manager, Italgas, Italy

Adonis Georgiadis

Minister of development and investments, Greece

Teodora Georgieva

Executive officer, ICGB

John Georgoulas

Non-executive director, Ecommbx

Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović

Former president, Croatia

David Harris

Senior strategic adviser, The Henry Jackson Society, London, fmr chief executive officer, American Jewish Committee (via connection)

Sudhir Jha

Head of Brighterion, senior vice-president, Mastercard (via connection)

Christian Kälin

Chairman, Henley & Partners

George Katrougkalos

Former minister of foreign affairs, Greece

Stavros Konstantas

CEO, Ethniki Insurance Company

Vassilis Kontozamanis

Advisor to the prime minister for health

Markos Kounalakis

American syndicated columnist, journalist , author, Second Gentleman of California

Albin Kurti

Prime minister, Kosovo

Stella Kyriakides

Commissioner for health and food safety, European Commission

Georgios Lakkotrypis

Former minister of energy, commerce and industry, Cyprus

Julia Lendvai

Mission chief for Greece, European Commission

Celeste Cecilia Lo Turco

Director, NEOM

Tassos Manos

CEO, HEDNO

Manousos Manousakis

Chairman & CEO, Independent Power Transmission Operator (IPTO)

Konstantinos Mavros

CEO, PPC Renewables

Antonis Metaxas

Managing partner, Metaxas & Associates Law Firm

Costas Michaelides

Chairman of the board, National Bank of Greece

Constantine Michalos

President, Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Pavlos Mylonas

CEO, National Bank of Greece

Averof Neofytou

President, The Democratic Rally Party (DISY), Cyprus

Nikos Panagiotopoulos

Minister of national defence, Greece

John Papageorgiou

Journalist, EU affairs reporter, Athens Municipal Radio, founder & head, Athens Digest

Nikos Papathanasis

Alternate minister of development & investments, Greece

Vassilis Papoulias

Chief operating officer, Office Line

Charalambos Petrides

Minister of defence, Cyprus

Kyriakos Pierrakakis

Minister, Ministry of Digital Governance, Greece

Natasa Pilides

Minister of energy, commerce and industry, Cyprus

Aikaterini Polymerou – Kamilaki

Emer. researcher, former director of the Hellenic Folklore Research Centre of the Academy of Athens

Reince Priebus

Former RNC chairman and former White House chief of staff

Geoffrey Pyatt

US ambassador to the Hellenic Republic

Edi Rama

Prime minister, Albania (via connection)

Klaus Regling

Managing director, European Stability Mechanism

Nikos Rogakos

Journalist

Tuomas Saarenheimo

President, Eurogroup Working Group (EWG) (via connection)

John Sarbanes

Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, member, House Committee on Energy and Commerce (via connection)

Notis Sardelas

Managing partner, Sardelas Petsa Law Firm

Wolfgang Schäuble

President, German Bundestag (via connection)

Margaritis Schinas

Vice-president, promoting our European way of life, European Commission (video message)

Martin Schulz

Former president, European Parliament, chair, Friedrich Ebert Foundation

Konstantinos Skrekas

Minister of environment and energy, Greece

Theodoros Skylakakis

Minister of environment & energy, Greece

Ioannis Smyrlis

Secretary-general for international economic relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Greece

Christos Staikouras

Minister of finance, Greece

Peer Steinbrück

Former federal minister of finance, Germany

Andrea Testi

Chairman, Elpedison

Harry Theoharis

Minister of tourism, Greece

Theodore Tryfon

President, Panhellenic Union of Pharmaceutical Industry (PEF)

Pierre Vergerio

Chief executive officer, IGI Poseidon

Peter Vlitas

Executive senior vice-president of supplier relations, Internova Travel Group

Diana Voutyrakou

Coach, Plaisiobots, gold medal at the International Robotics Olympiad for Youngsters

Konstantinos Xifaras

Chief executive officer, DEPA

George D. Yancopoulos

Co-founder, president and chief scientific officer, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals (via connection)

John Yfantopoulos

Professor of health economics, University of Athens

Yiannis Yiarentis

Chairman of the BoD and CEO, DAPEEP

Zoran Zaev

Former prime minister, North Macedonia

George Zavvos

Deputy minister of finance in charge of the financial system, Ministry of Finance, Greece

Agenda

July 8th
Thursday
  • 8:00 AM EEST

    Registration

  • 9:10 AM EEST

    Opening remarks

    THE ECONOMIST’S FORECAST

    • Lessons to be learnt from covid-19
    • The governments’ and EU’s response
    • The pandemic’s impact on the economy in 2022

    Daniel Franklin

    Executive and diplomatic editor, The Economist

    Joan Hoey

    Editorial director, The Democracy Index, Europe consultant, The Economist Group

  • 9:10 AM EEST

    Discussion

  • 9:15 AM EEST

    Official opening

    EUROPE: FROM SOCIAL DISTANCING TO SOCIAL SOLIDARITY

    • Europe’s fight against the pandemic
    • Is the pandemic reinforcing ethnocentric trends in Europe?
    • Is there a vision for the post-covid era?
    • Trans-atlantic ties: back to the drawing board
    • Why is female leadership needed more in the covid-19 crisis and beyond?

    Dominique de Villepin

    Former prime minister, France

    Martin Schulz

    Former president, European Parliament, chair, Friedrich Ebert Foundation

    Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović

    Former president, Croatia

    Helena Dalli

    Commissioner for equality, European Commission (recorded message)

  • 9:40 AM EEST

    Discussion

  • 10:10 AM EEST

    THE GREEK ECONOMY: LONG-STANDING CHALLENGES AND THE POST-COVID ROAD MAP

    • A strategy to achieve sustainable growth
    • Public-debt concerns: How is the government responding?
    • Europe’s viewpoint
    • The banking sector’s perspective

    Christos Staikouras

    Minister of finance, Greece

    Klaus Regling

    Managing director, European Stability Mechanism

    Peer Steinbrück

    Former federal minister of finance, Germany

    Pavlos Mylonas

    CEO, National Bank of Greece

  • 10:40 AM EEST

    Discussion

  • 11:10 AM EEST

    Break

  • 11:40 AM EEST

    HOW WILL COVID-19 AFFECT GLOBAL COOPERATION?

    • Greece’s 40th anniversary with the European Union
    • The European Union’s priorities post Covid-19

    Margaritis Schinas

    Vice-president, promoting our European way of life, European Commission (video message)

    Francis Fukuyama

    Senior fellow, Centre on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law, Stanford University

    Wolfgang Schäuble

    President, German Bundestag (via connection)

  • 12:00 PM EEST

    Discussion

  • 12:20 PM EEST

    THE EU’S ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL LANDSCAPE: THE CRUCIAL ROLE OF THE RECOVERY AND RESILIENCE FUND (RRF)

    • The financing strategy and the euro zone
    • Gender equality in investments funded from Recovery and Resilience Facility
     

    Theodoros Skylakakis

    Minister of environment & energy, Greece

    Tuomas Saarenheimo

    President, Eurogroup Working Group (EWG) (via connection)

    Declan Costello

    Deputy director-general, Directorate-General for Economic and Financial Affairs (DG ECFIN), European Commission

    Michael Arghyrou

    Chairman, Council of Economic Advisers, Greece

    Alexis Charitsis

    MP, shadow minister of development and investments, SYRIZA-Progressive Alliance

    Theodore Tryfon

    President, Panhellenic Union of Pharmaceutical Industry (PEF)

    John Papageorgiou

    Journalist, EU affairs reporter, Athens Municipal Radio, founder & head, Athens Digest

  • 12:40 PM EEST

    Discussion

  • 1:00 PM EEST

    PROBING THE PANDEMIC

    • Assessing the response of national health systems
    • Vaccines and therapeutics: victories and obstacles

    Stella Kyriakides

    Commissioner for health and food safety, European Commission

    Vassilis Kontozamanis

    Advisor to the prime minister for health

    George D. Yancopoulos

    Co-founder, president and chief scientific officer, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals (via connection)

    Theodore Tryfon

    President, Panhellenic Union of Pharmaceutical Industry (PEF)

    John Yfantopoulos

    Professor of health economics, University of Athens

  • 1:30 PM EEST

    Discussion

  • 2:00 PM EEST

    Networking luncheon

  • 3:30 PM EEST

    THE FINANCIAL MARKETS AND BANKING IN THE VORTEX OF COVID-19: WHERE IS GREECE STANDING?

    • Rebooting the financial system
    • Restoring confidence and shielding the banking sector from future shocks
    • Reducing non-performing loans: the challenge
    • Mainstream and alternative ways to finance growth
    • The banking perspective
    • The business perspective

    George Zavvos

    Deputy minister of finance in charge of the financial system, Ministry of Finance, Greece

    Paolo Fioretti

    Mission chief for Greece, European Stability Mechanism

    Julia Lendvai

    Mission chief for Greece, European Commission

    Martin Bijsterbosch

    Mission chief for Greece, ECB

    Costas Michaelides

    Chairman of the board, National Bank of Greece

    Notis Sardelas

    Managing partner, Sardelas Petsa Law Firm

    John Georgoulas

    Non-executive director, Ecommbx

  • 4:05 PM EEST

    Discussion

  • 4:30 PM EEST

    RETHINKING TRAVEL AND TOURISM

    • Attractive travel destinations in the era of the pandemic
    • The future of business travel
    • The significance of domestic and alternative tourism
    • Rebranding Greece as a secure and diverse destination
    • Partnerships in tourism
    • Covid-19 vaccine certificates

    Harry Theoharis

    Minister of tourism, Greece

    Peter Vlitas

    Executive senior vice-president of supplier relations, Internova Travel Group

  • 4:40 PM EEST

    Discussion

  • 4:55 PM EEST

    TECH-CELERATION AND INNOVATION DURING AND AFTER THE PANDEMIC

    • Moving towards a data-driven value-based healthcare system • How can 5G help Greece’s catch-up effort? • Digital transformation through cloud • Technology as a driver for Investments focusing on ESG (Environmental Social Governance) • Harnessing AI to solve real-world problems in payments and beyond

    Kyriakos Pierrakakis

    Minister, Ministry of Digital Governance, Greece

    Leonidas Christopoulos

    Secretary-general of digital governance and simplification of procedures, Greece

    Georgios Lakkotrypis

    Former minister of energy, commerce and industry, Cyprus

    Ezat Azem

    General manager, Roche Hellas

    Sudhir Jha

    Head of Brighterion, senior vice-president, Mastercard (via connection)

    Cameron Brooks

    General manager, Europe Public Sector, Amazon Web Services (AWS)

    Stefanos Dianellos

    Vice-president & head of corporate affairs, British American Tobacco Hellas

    Vassilis Papoulias

    Chief operating officer, Office Line

  • 5:30 PM EEST

    Discussion

  • 6:00 PM EEST

    GREECE’ S INVESTMENT AGENDA: PRESS RESTART

    • Assessing the current situation
    • Is there optimism for new investments?
    • Investment policy tools – funding investment
    • Privatization schemes in the energy sector
    • Gender inequality in investments

    Nikos Papathanasis

    Alternate minister of development & investments, Greece

    Ioannis Smyrlis

    Secretary-general for international economic relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Greece

    Christian Kälin

    Chairman, Henley & Partners

    George Burns

    President and chief executive officer, Eldorado Gold Corporation (via connection)

    Paolo Gallo

    Chief executive officer and general manager, Italgas, Italy

    Celeste Cecilia Lo Turco

    Director, NEOM

    Nikos Rogakos

    Journalist

  • 6:30 PM EEST

    Discussion

  • 7:00 PM EEST

    End of first day’s conference sessions

  • 8:00 PM EEST

    Arrival of guests – Welcome drinks

  • 9:00 PM EEST

    OPENING GALA DINNER

    LEARNING FROM THE GREEK REVOLUTION BICENTENNIAL: WHAT SHOULD THE COUNTRY REVOLUTIONISE IN 2021?

    Kyriakos Mitsotakis

    Prime minister, Greece

July 9th
Friday
  • 8:30 AM EEST

    Arrival of delegates - registration

  • 9:00 AM EEST

    Opening remarks

    SOUTHEAST EUROPE: ENHANCING CO-OPERATION AND SOLIDARITY

    • EU enlargement: One step closer?
    • Enhancing trade and investment in times of turmoil
    • Initiatives for peace and better understanding

    Edi Rama

    Prime minister, Albania (via connection)

    Zoran Zaev

    Former prime minister, North Macedonia

    Albin Kurti

    Prime minister, Kosovo

    Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović

    Former president, Croatia

    Anna Diamantopoulou

    President, "DIKTIO" – Network for Reform in Greece and Europe, former European commissioner and former minister of development, Greece

    George Katrougkalos

    Former minister of foreign affairs, Greece

    Reince Priebus

    Former RNC chairman and former White House chief of staff

  • 9:50 AM EEST

    Discussion

  • 10:15 AM EEST

    EFFECTIVE DIPLOMACY IN UNSTABLE TIMES

    • Tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean: Is there ground for cautious optimism at last?
    • What are the expectations for the region in the aftermath of the US elections?
    • Assessing future relations with Turkey

    Nikos Dendias

    Minister of foreign affairs, Greece

    Averof Neofytou

    President, The Democratic Rally Party (DISY), Cyprus

    David Harris

    Senior strategic adviser, The Henry Jackson Society, London, fmr chief executive officer, American Jewish Committee (via connection)

  • 10:35 AM EEST

    Discussion

  • 11:00 AM EEST

    RUSSIA’S-PLACE IN A POST COVID-19 WORLD

    The Economist in dialogue with:

    Vladimir Chizhov

    Permanent representative of Russia to the European Union (via connection)

  • 11:10 AM EEST

    Discussion

  • 11:15 AM EEST

    Break

  • 11:50 AM EEST

    SECURITY CHALLENGES IN THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN

    • Geopolitical friction in the Eastern Mediterranean and energy security
    • Walking on a tightrope
     

    Nikos Panagiotopoulos

    Minister of national defence, Greece

    Charalambos Petrides

    Minister of defence, Cyprus

    Shlomo Ben Ami

    Former foreign affairs minister, Israel, vice-president, Toledo International Centre for Peace (TICpax)

    Geoffrey Pyatt

    US ambassador to the Hellenic Republic

    Markos Kounalakis

    American syndicated columnist, journalist , author, Second Gentleman of California

  • 12:10 PM EEST

    Discussion

  • 12:30 PM EEST

    ENERGY PARTNERSHIPS IN SE EUROPE & THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN

    • The transition towards a decarbonized sustainable energy system
    • The environmental footprint of LNG and pipeline gas processing and transportation
    • Building new alliances – strengthening existing ones
    • An update on energy exploration in the region

    Tarek El-Molla

    Minister of petroleum and mineral resources, Egypt

    Konstantinos Skrekas

    Minister of environment and energy, Greece

    Natasa Pilides

    Minister of energy, commerce and industry, Cyprus

    Pierre Vergerio

    Chief executive officer, IGI Poseidon

    Maria Rita Galli

    CEO, DESFA

    Teodora Georgieva

    Executive officer, ICGB

  • 1:00 PM EEST

    Discussion

  • 1:20 PM EEST

    DECARBONISING EUROPE: ACCELERATING THE ENERGY TRANSITION

    • The electricity market under the microscope
    • Priorities for the US green agenda: a transition to a clean energy economy

    John Sarbanes

    Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, member, House Committee on Energy and Commerce (via connection)

    Konstantinos Xifaras

    Chief executive officer, DEPA

    Andrea Testi

    Chairman, Elpedison

    Konstantinos Mavros

    CEO, PPC Renewables

    Manousos Manousakis

    Chairman & CEO, Independent Power Transmission Operator (IPTO)

    Tassos Manos

    CEO, HEDNO

    Yiannis Yiarentis

    Chairman of the BoD and CEO, DAPEEP

    Aristotelis Chantavas

    Head of Europe, Enel Green Power & president, SolarPower Europe

    Antonis Metaxas

    Managing partner, Metaxas & Associates Law Firm

  • 2:00 PM EEST

    Discussion

  • 2:30 PM EEST

    Networking luncheon

  • 4:00 PM EEST

    THE US PERSPECTIVE ON THE EASTMED ENERGY AGENDA

    Gus M. Bilirakis

    Member, House Committee on Energy and Commerce, member, United States House of Representatives (via connection)

  • 4:10 PM EEST

    Discussion

  • 4:15 PM EEST

    YOUNG INVENTORS IN THE ERA OF COVID-19

    • How does the pandemic affect inventiveness?
    • Can such a crisis provide impetus to young inventors?
    • What does humanity have to "invent" in order to regain vision?

    Diana Voutyrakou

    Coach, Plaisiobots, gold medal at the International Robotics Olympiad for Youngsters

  • 4:25 PM EEST

    Discussion

  • 4:40 PM EEST

    THE HELLINIKON PROJECT: MOVING FORWARD

    The impact on the economy and the community

    Adonis Georgiadis

    Minister of development and investments, Greece

    Odisseas Athanasiou

    Chief executive officer, Lamda Development

  • 5:00 PM EEST

    RESTARTING BUSINESS AFTER COVID-19

    • The government’s strategy and new incentives for business growth
    • Recovery after covid-19: slowly but surely
    • Exploiting culture and tradition within the context of the circular economy

    Adonis Georgiadis

    Minister of development and investments, Greece

    Christos Christodoulou

    CEO, Delphi Alliance

    Stavros Konstantas

    CEO, Ethniki Insurance Company

    Kostas Axarloglou

    Dean and professor of international business and strategy, Alba Graduate Business School, The American College of Greece

    Constantine Michalos

    President, Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry

    Demetri Argyropoulos

    CEO, Avant Global

    Aikaterini Polymerou – Kamilaki

    Emer. researcher, former director of the Hellenic Folklore Research Centre of the Academy of Athens

  • 5:35 PM EEST

    Discussion

  • 6:15 PM EEST

    End of conference sessions

  • 8:00 PM EEST

    Arrival of guests – Welcome drinks

  • 9:00 PM EEST

    Closing gala dinner

    Guest of honour and keynote speaker:

    Alexis Tsipras

    President of the Coalition of Radical Left (SYRIZA)-Progressive Alliance, leader of the main opposition, Greece

Venue

Escape in a haven of relaxation and grandeur by the azure of the sea, delve in the pleasures of luxury and experience the epitome of indulgence in the dreamiest island-like resort of the Athenian Riviera.
Nuzzled in a 72-acre private peninsula in the Athenian Riviera with stunning views to the Saronic Gulf, the 5 star Grand Resort Lagonissi exceeds all expectations of a luxury sea front summer resort.

Click here for more information on the conference venue.

Grand Resort Lagonissi 40th km Athens Sounion, Lagonissi Attica, Athens

Grand Resort Lagonissi

40th km Athens Sounion, Lagonissi Attica - Athens

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