Ready To Hear Views From The Most Influential Payments & Regtech Experts?
#npf
21st NextGen Payments & RegTech Forum
OUR SPEAKERS
Robert Courtneidge
Payment Industry Expert
Robert Courtneidge is valued and respected industry expert in the emerging payments industry. He is working with a number of businesses assisting them on their strategy and products using his 30+ years legal experience to give them practical and innovative solutions. He is co-author and Editor of The PAYTECH Book 2020. He was co-founder of the Prepaid International Forum and has worked with the Emerging Payments Association since it was founded.
He has been regularly featured in the prestigious Payments Power 10 (including being ranked #1 in 2015), a highly competitive ranking of the most influential contributors in payments. As a lawyer in payments he was voted in the top 10 in the world by US publication Paybefore in 2015 being the only European in the list. As a lawyer he has worked closely with The Payments Services Regulator, HM Treasury, UK Finance and Financial Conduct Association, in the UK as well as other compliance and industry bodies globally. Robert has deep expertise in electronic money and payment services and is highly skilled in all aspects of payment services including consumer protection, banking regulation and compliance, and AML/CTF. Robert is highly active on the conference front regularly chairing and moderating events as well as speaking on issues facing the European Payments’ Industry including laws relating to blockchain, digital assets and Central Bank Digital Currencies.
Andrew Doukanaris
Chief Executive Officer at Flotta Consulting Ltd
Andrew has been at the heart of the digital payments transformation for almost three decades, holding senior roles in issuing and acquiring with Chevron/Texaco, Visa Inc., JCB Cards, and a Mastercard advisor in The Middle East - During which time has been based in Singapore, San Francisco, New York and London.
He is a Fintech mentor/board advisor at Level39 in London and the former CEO and Chairman of multinational QR code payments Pomelo Pay. In January 2022, Andrew was appointed CEO of Blukite Network - an Open Banking network with revolutionary patented technology.
Peri Katana
Head of Compliance & Regulatory at COSMOTE Payments
Peri is Head of Compliance & Regulatory at COSMOTE Payments, member of OTE Group. She has over 10 years of experience in compliance, risk management and governance, with a focus on the fintech, technology and insurance sectors. She holds a Law degree from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and an LL.M. in International Business Law from Queen Mary University of London. She is a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) and holds additional certifications in compliance, AML and fraud prevention. Since 2022, she serves as a lecturer in compliance training programs.
Hartwig Gerhartinger
Global Head of Compliance Regulatory Enterprise Risk Government Affairs at Paysafe
Dr. Hartwig Gerhartinger is a dedicated payments industry professional, an expert in payment services and e-money regulation as well as in anti-money laundering legislation.
As Senior Vice President, Global Head of Regulatory and Government Affairs, Hartwig advises Paysafe on all regulatory matters, including payment services and electronic money regulations and global licensing. He has additional responsibility for governmental affairs, representing Paysafe with political stakeholders and regulatory authorities globally.
Hartwig is Managing Director of paysafecard.com, part of Paysafe Group and at the Boards of several regulated entities of Paysafe Group. He is also at the Board of Directors of the European Payment Institutions Federation (EPIF), the Payments Innovation Forum (PIF) and Prepaid Verband Deutschland (PVD). Further to this, Hartwig is member of the Payment Systems Market Expert Group (PSMEG) of the European Commission and member of that Digital Euro Rulebook Development Group at the European Central Bank.
He holds a doctorate in law and is currently a guest lecturer for e-payments law at Danube University. He is the author and co-author of numerous publications in the field of payments regulation and IT law.
Konstantinos Maragkakis
EEA CEO at Paysafe Payment Solutions Ltd
Konstantinos is a business executive with more than 17 years experience in corporate governance and operational management in highly regulated sectors in the EU related to e-platforms and digital businesses in-house or as consultant.
In 2018, Konstantinos was appointed as the EEA CEO of the eCash EEA business entity of the Paysafe Group and currently, as CEO of Paysafe Payments Solutions Ltd Konstantinos is managing the Digital Wallets, Issuing, and Acquiring division in the EEA ensuring that the Group’ attains its growth goals successfully and in line with the broader EEA regulatory framework.
Konstantinos is managing various EEA initiatives in embedded finance as well as payments services to create digital wallets ecosystems for merchants and consumers in crypto, games of chance, travel, gaming etc.
Elena Niki Karletidi
Director at ENAH Services Ltd and General Secretary at Cyprus Compliance Association
Elena is an experienced business lawyer with more than 15 years of expertise in legal advisory, regulatory compliance, and risk management across the financial sector in Cyprus, Greece, and the EU. She is Director of ENAH Services Ltd, a firm specialising in legal and regulatory compliance consultancy, regulatory audits, and professional training for financial institutions and corporate clients. She also teaches law and is recognised for her academic and practical knowledge in EU and Cyprus financial regulation. Elena holds an LL.B. from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, an LL.M. in International Commercial Law, and a PhD in Law, with published research on Crowdfunding regulation in the digital age. Her professional background includes advocacy in Greece, legal advisory roles in credit institutions, and senior compliance positions in systemic banks in Cyprus. She is a certified mediator and a professional member (MiCA) of the International Compliance Association. Elena is also a Founding and Board Member of the Cyprus Compliance Association and a Board Member of the Cyprus Integrity Forum.
Yiannis Pettemerides
Forensic Investigations, Sanctions Compliance, Anti Money Laundering Compliance
Yiannis is a Consultant, in the fields of Forensic, Anti-Money Laundering, Regulatory Compliance, Registered Auditor and Insolvency Practitioner, with more than 20 years of experience.
He was engaged, for more than 2 years, as an External Technical Expert, and leading the Onsite Inspection Teams, of the AML/Supervision Department of the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC). He was also the Chairman and a Member, for more than 5 years, of the Economic Crime and Forensic Accounting Committee of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Cyprus (ICPAC) and also the Vice-Chairman, for more than 4 years, of the Promotion of the Profession and Academic Relations Committee of the Cyprus Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA).
Yiannis is engaged as an External Technical Expert, in the fields of Forensic Investigations, Anti-money Laundering Investigations and Audit Investigations, by the Cyprus Police Economic Crime Unit, the Attorney General Office, the Audit General Office and the Private Sector.
Furthermore, Yiannis is a Member of the AML and Compliance Committee of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Cyprus (ICPAC), a Member of the Board of Directors of the Cyprus Chapter of the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) and a Founding Member of the Cyprus #209 Chapter of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE).
He holds a Bachelor and a Master’s degrees in Accounitng, Economics and Finance (BA, MA), a Fellowship and Practicing Audit Certificates from the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) and from the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Cyprus (ICPAC). He is also a Member of the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA), of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) and of the International Compliance Association (ICA).
Marianna Polykrati
Group Treasurer at AVRAMAR
Marianna Polykrati, recently appointed as the Group Treasurer of Avramar Group, one of the largest aquaculture groups in Europe, is a Finance leader, with extensive expertise in Treasury, Corporate Finance, and Banking. During her career, she has played a key role in the execution of complex M&A and funding transactions as well as in the financial crisis management. Her professional experience includes 16 years in Corporate Treasury as a Group Treasurer in the largest Greek market FMCG Groups of Avramar, Chipita and Vivartia and 8 years in the financial services sector Emporiki Bank in Venture Capital and Leasing, thus gaining insights from both the Corporate and the Financial sector.
She is a member of the Boardroom, a Think Tank dedicated to bridging the gender gap in the boardrooms, devoted to creating a strong network and know-how exchange among Greek treasury professionals. Utilising the wealth of corporate treasury and transaction experience, Marianna’s vision is to contribute to the future development of the Treasury profession and enhance the role of the Treasurer to advance in becoming a critical business partner, leading the transformation of the role both in sustainability and as a technology enabler, supporting the adoption of technology by the local businesses and finance community with a strong focus on FinTech, AI, and Blockchain.
George Mintzas
Former Head of FC AML, ABC, Tax and Functions, Europe at HSBC
George is the Europe Head of FC AML, AB&C, Tax, and Functions at HSBC, where he has worked for the last nine years. Before moving to London, George started his career at HSBC Greece in 2000, holding senior roles in the Transformation and Information and technology departments.
George holds an MSc in Operations Management from UMIST and a BSc in Mathematics from the National & Kapodistrian University of Athens. He has also obtained the International Diploma in AML from the International Compliance Association (ICA) and the University of Manchester.
Tasos Michas
Product Manager, Payments at Novibet
Tasos Michas leads the payments product at Novibet, overseeing payments across multiple markets worldwide. With significant experience in the iGaming industry and a solid background in payment operations, he shapes the payments vision, strategy, and roadmap, prioritising market trends, innovative solutions, and automation.
With a foundation in mathematics and statistics, Tasos takes a data-driven approach to product development, fostering collaboration between product, operations, and engineering teams. His combined experience in both traditional payment methods and recent advancements in digital payments provides him with valuable insights into the evolving challenges of the payments industry across more than three continents.
Eleni Panagiotopoulou
Head of AML at SOFTSWISS
Eleni Panagiotopoulou is a seasoned professional in the field of Anti-Money Laundering, with a focus on iGaming. She has worked for the MFSA (Malta Financial Services Authority), the single Regulatory Authority for financial Services in Malta, at which time she obtained her CAMS (Anti-Money Laundering Specialist Certification). She has over 8 years of experience in the iGaming industry in Malta, Greece, Curacao and the UK, and she currently acts as Head of AML for SOFTSWISS.
Lefteris Economides
Product Director at Plum Fintech
Lefteris Economides is an experienced product management leader with extensive expertise in fintech. Currently serving as Product Director at Plum Fintech, Lefteris leads product domains focused on user onboarding, payments and ledgers, fraud, and treasury operations, with the mission of helping people across the UK and EU grow their wealth. Throughout his 15+ year career, he has successfully built and scaled business domains and teams at companies like Beat (Free Now), Tripsta, and Alpha Bank, leading innovation in various areas of financial services. His proven track record in managing cross-functional teams, driving strategic projects, and launching impactful digital products positions him as a valuable contributor to a variety of fintech or tech-driven initiatives.
Athanasios Zoidis
Chief Information Officer at DirectPay - Payment Institution
Athanasios Zoidis is CIO at DirectPay S.A., with expertise in innovative payment solutions, digital transformation, and regulatory compliance (GDPR, ISO/IEC 27001, PCI DSS). He has led critical projects enhancing the efficiency, security, and interoperability of cross-border payments, combining strong technical expertise with strategic vision in the financial services sector.
Dimitris Petrilis
Sales Director Central Eastern Europe at Backbase
Dimitris Petrilis is Sales Director for Central & Eastern Europe at Backbase, with over 20 years of experience in Financial Services and Fintech. He specialises in guiding banks through digital transformation, with deep expertise in Core Banking, Digital Banking, and AI. Prior to Backbase, Dimitris held senior roles at Temenos, Oracle, Finastra, and ACI Worldwide. A pioneer in the Greek Fintech market, he co-founded one of the country’s first Open Banking start-ups. He also serves on boards across the financial and energy sectors, bringing global business experience spanning more than 50 countries.
Ioannis Arampatzis
Head of Finance GMCI (Greece, Malta, Cyprus, Israel) at BAT
Ioannis Arampatzis is the Head of Finance GMCI (Greece, Malta, Cyprus, Israel) at BAT, responsible for the markets of Greece, Malta, Cyprus and Israel. Holding extensive international experience in the areas of Financial Management, Business Partnering and Treasury, he has worked in 3 European countries (Greece, Estonia, Bulgaria). Prior to his current position, he was CFO of Timac Agro in Greece, Commercial Finance Business Partner at Coca-Cola HBC Baltics and Credit Controller at AP Moller Maersk. Ioannis holds the professional qualification of a Chartered Management Accountant (CIMA), Financial Planning Analyst (FPAC), an MBA in Finance as well as Professional Coaching Diploma (EMCC, AC qualified from Athens Coaching Institute).
Panagiotis Kriaris
Commercial Director - Business Development at Unzer
Panagiotis has spent his career in the borderline between business and technology with a leadership background at an international level.
Panagiotis brings senior expertise across Financial Services, Banking, Payments, FinTech and E-Commerce.
Innovation, Digitisation, Emerging Technologies, Strategy & Business Development have been at the center of his work and attention over the last years.
Thibaud Catry
Group Chief Compliance Officer at Payhawk
Thibaud Catry is the Group Chief Compliance Officer at Payhawk, a global spend management platform operating under multiple financial licenses across Europe and the UK. He oversees the company’s global compliance strategy and regulatory engagement, ensuring strong AML, risk, and governance frameworks across jurisdictions. A CAMS-certified compliance leader with over 15 years of experience, Thibaud has worked across Fortune 500 companies and fintechs, covering remittances, digital transformation in payments, and building compliance programs from the ground up in electronic money institutions. At Payhawk, he focuses on enabling secure, scalable innovation in global payment solutions.
Dimitris Anastassiou
Chief Financial Officer at Matrix Pack Group
Dimitris Anastassiou is CFO of Matrix Pack, a global leader in sustainable packaging, in wet and dry wood fiber molding. He brings over 25 years of finance leadership across global firms like Microsoft, GSK, Amgen, Novartis and SABO. Dimitris excels in financial transformation, M&A, and strategic restructuring. He’s driven record EBITDA growth and led demanding funding initiatives. He holds an MSc in Finance from Strathclyde and a BA in Economics from Athens. Named in Greece’s CFO 100 Powerlist, he’s a Gold Award winner for M&A excellence. A frequent speaker and contributor to CFO congresses, he shares insights on finance innovation. He’s passionate about aligning financial strategy with sustainability and long-term value.
Sotirios Papakonstantinou
Head of Risk Management at Optima bank
Experienced Risk Manager and Internal Auditor with a demonstrated history of working in the banking industry. Strong academic background as a holder of an MSc in Banking at Hellenic Open University, MSc in Computer Science from AUEB and MBA focused on Management - Economics from Hellenic Management Association. Since 2022, Head of Risk Management (CRO) at Optima bank. He leads Group Optima bank's Risk Management Unit in a new era. Bring changes to RMU's internal governance, policies and procedures to adopt new frameworks like ESG, DORA, Basel 4 etc. Motivates people to enhance their soft skills to embrace the future to come.
Dimitris Poutouris
Cloud Transformation Lead at Veracloud
Dimitris Poutouris is a technology executive with over 15 years of leadership across Cloud innovation, cybersecurity, and digital transformation. As Cloud Transformation Lead at Veracloud in Greece, Dimitris spearheads mission-critical Cloud strategies for enterprise and Corporate clients across all sizes or sectors. Previously, he held a pivotal role at Microsoft, overseeing the entire Microsoft Cloud portfolio across Greece, Cyprus, and Malta. He played a crucial key role in accelerating partners ecosystem growth - particularly in the cybersecurity space - through strategic collaborations and results-driven engagement partnerships.
As a certified expert in Microsoft Cloud & Security solutions, he covers a vast know-how from Cloud Infrastructure, Modern Workplace, Endpoints Management, SIEM, Vulnerability Management, DLP & Network Security. Dimitris brings a strategic blend of technical insights and business acumen, honed through roles spanning across cloud solutions, product management, and enterprise Sales, including the Telecom industry within his early career path. He holds a B.Eng. from the University of Crete and an M.Sc. in Personal & Mobile Communications from Lancaster University in the UK.
Theo Skagias
President & CEO at TH.C.SKAGIAS S.A. (SKAG)
Theo Skagias pursued his academic studies in the UK, earning a BA in Business Economics from Swansea University, followed by an MSc in Management with a focus on Marketing.
After completing his education, he remained in the UK, gaining valuable experience as an events and marketing coordinator.
Upon returning to Greece, Theo took on key roles within SKAG, initially leading the exports department before advancing to Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Procurement Director and also as an integral part of the company’s leadership as a member of the board of directors.
In addition to his work at SKAG, Theo serves as Vice President of the board of S.E.V.A. and is a member of the Deontology Committee at ELLA-DIKA MAS (Essentially Greek). He has also previously been a member of the board of directors at the Arab-Hellenic Chamber of Commerce. His professional achievements have been recognized, as he is listed on the prestigious CFO 100 Powerlist, published by Boussias Communications.
Daniel Jonas
Head of Research & Insight at Pay.UK
Daniel Jonas heads the Research and Insight unit at Pay.UK, working across industry to drive whole-system strategy and innovation and collaborating with peer organisations around the world. He is a specialist in driving technological and organisational change in complex industrial and societal “systems of systems”, with a long history of involvement in Critical National Infrastructure innovation and renewal.
Josip Tolić
Head of Regulatory and Government Affairs at Aircash
Josip holds a Master’s degree in Law obtained from the Faculty of Law of the University of Zagreb
and a title of Global Master of Business Administration with a major in Global Finance & Banking
from the Swiss School of Business and Management Geneva.
His key everyday task is to identify, analyse and evaluate new trends and developments in the
payments area and connected industries with an aim to formulate the impact and proposed
course of action for the company.
Skilled in EU digital payments, FinTech and digital policies, AML, GDPR, and connected regulatory
frameworks with a strong track record in EU policy debates, including the position of Aircash’s
representative within the European Digital Payments Industry Alliance (EDPIA).
George Haralabopoulos
Senior Head of Product, Payments at Kaizen Gaming
George is the Senior Head of Product, Payments in Kaizen Gaming, a leading online gaming and sports betting company. During the last years, the company has expanded its operations across multiple continents, offering a range of innovative and user-friendly gaming & betting platforms. Kaizen Gaming is known for its focus on responsible gambling, technological innovation, and providing localized gaming experiences to diverse markets.
George is an accomplished online payments expert who manages the whole payments product offering on a global level for Kaizen Gaming. Aim is to provide a seamless, secure, and efficient transaction experience that enhances customer satisfaction and loyalty. Facilitation of instant and reliable transactions, support of diverse payment methods, fulfillment of compliance and regulatory standards whilst ultimately enabling smooth financial interactions that drive user engagement, trust, and growth are the top priorities currently being in place.
Georgios Syntelis
CEO at EveryPay
Georgios Syntelis is the CEO of EveryPay, an EMI pioneering payments and fintech in Greece. Having studied at the Polytechnics University of Patras, UCL, and holding an MBA from Columbia and LBS, along with international experience at RBS and NatWest in London and the US, he brings, together with EveryPay, a unique blend of technological and financial expertise to drive the digital transformation of payments.
Sakis Theologis
Chief Risk Officer at Cooperative Bank of Karditsa LLC
Sakis is an experienced economist specialized in Risk Management with a solid track record in the banking sector. Since 2012, he has been working at Cooperative Bank of Karditsa, initially in the Finance Department and, since 2017, as Head of the Risk Management Unit (CRO), leading projects such as ICAAP-ILAAP, Stress Tests, NPE strategy, and the Risk Appetite Framework. Strong academic background as a holder of a degree in International Economic Relations and Development from Democritus University and a master’s degree in European studies with a focus on Economics. He has also completed numerous specialized training programs in banking and finance.
Alessio Alfonsi
Account Manager at Swift
Alessio is the Account and Country Manager at SWIFT for Greece, Cyprus, and select financial institutions in Italy. Alessio previously worked at Crédit Agricole Italy in correspondent banking, where he managed relationships with correspondent banks and corporate clients for trade finance activities.
Sotiris Prokopiou
Product Strategy Manager at Mastercard
Sotiris is the Product Strategy Manager at Mastercard in Cyprus, within the Greek Cluster, focusing on Core Products, Digital Solutions, and Innovation across the payments ecosystem.
He brings over 15 years of academic, research, and professional background and experience, holding a PhD in Digital Twins and AI with research roles in the UK, US, and France.
Sotiris’ career spans R&D as Systems Modeling Engineer and Consultancy as a Solution Consultant at a big French Tech start-up, along with Consultancy and Leadership roles in Technology and Digital Transformation at PwC and KPMG Cyprus.
Yannis Larios
Payments & Applied AI Strategist — ex SVP Strategy & Business Dev, Viva.com Bank
Yannis Larios is a payments and applied-AI strategist partnering with fintechs and enterprises on payments, growth and operating-model design.
Formerly Senior Vice President for Strategy & Business Development and Executive Board Member at Viva.com (Viva Wallet), where he helped scale European acquiring, product and go-to-market in 24 European countries. His focus spans AI-driven decisioning, new business models for growth, payments and merchant profitability.
He works with leadership teams to develop strategies with measurable outcomes and accountable P&L impact.
He writes The Next Agenda newsletter, exploring how AI and clear thinking reshape strategy and execution.
Based in Athens, he also creates fine-art landscape photography at larios.gr.
Nikos Polymenakos
Director Group Treasury and Subsidiaries Finance at DELTA FOODS SA
Nikos Polymenakos is a finance and treasury leader with over 20 years of experience in FMCG and financial services. He specialises in liquidity management, capital structure, trade finance, and risk mitigation, with a proven record of driving financial transformation and implementing digital finance systems. Certified in treasury and project management, he combines strategic insight with hands-on execution to align financial strategy with operational excellence. He also serves as GBBC Ambassador for Greece at the Global Blockchain Business Council (GBBC), contributing to international discussions on digital finance and innovation.
Chrysovalantis Koutsoumpos
Chief Technology Officer at xMoney
Chrysovalantis Koutsoumpos is a technology executive with extensive experience building high-performing engineering teams in regulated environments. His background spans online and offline payments, card issuing, regulatory compliance, and operational efficiency in payment flows. He focuses on delivering secure, customer-driven payment solutions while enabling innovation and resilience in financial services.
Andreas Mantis
Head of Business Development & Innovation at Interbanking Systems DIAS S.A.
Andreas Mantis is the Head of Business Development & Innovation at Interbanking Systems DIAS S.A.
His work experience includes Alpha Bank where for 14 years, he covered areas such as Retail Banking, International Network and from 2019 as Head of Merchant Acquiring, worked intensively for the development of electronic payments in Greece, focusing on eCommerce.
In addition, he led the business and commercial workstream and actively participated in the due diligence team as a member of the strategic taskforce for the carve-out process of the merchant acquiring sector and the creation of Nexi Payments Greece, assuming the position of the Chief Business Officer until December 2023.
Andreas is an active member of the European Mobile Payment Systems Association (EMPSA) working group and holds a ΒSc degree in European Business and an MA in International Business Economics, both from Anglia Ruskin University.
Constantinos Frydakis
Managing Partner at ConFryd Business Consultants
Constantinos Frydakis is the Managing Partner of Confryd Business Consultants, a boutique advisory firm specialising in digital transformation, consumer banking, embedded finance, retail, payments & cards, change management, and go-to-market strategy. With more than 26 years of leadership experience spanning universal banks, fintechs, big tech, and strategic advisory, he is recognised as a subject-matter expert in the Payments and Cards industry. He has also served on multiple Boards of Directors and Executive Committees across diverse sectors.
Thomas Barkias
Team Lead, Banking Supervision at the European Central Bank (ECB)
Thomas leads supervisory work on ICT risk, cyber resilience, and third-party risk at the European Central Bank (ECB). His primary focus is on DORA implementation and conducting horizontal reviews. He supports Joint Supervisory Teams (JSTs) across the Single Supervisory Mechanism (SSM) and contributes to policy development related to operational resilience and third party reliance. Thomas is a frequent speaker at industry events, where he discusses topics such as digitalisation, crypto finance, and the impact of AI on banking supervision.
Angelina Simoudi
Head of Digital Solutions & Business Development Corporate Transaction Banking at National Bank of Greece
Angelina is a senior executive with over 17 years of experience in payments, transaction banking and digital transformation. As Head of Digital Solutions & Business Development at the National Bank of Greece, she leads corporate digital banking initiatives that deliver measurable revenue growth and operational excellence. With extensive experience in managing diverse, high-performing teams across functions, Angelina has also driven the transformation of digital solutions offerings, from strategy and design through to launch and adoption, reshaping the way clients access and use payment services. Her expertise spans the end-to-end payments lifecycle, regulatory compliance, e-money and Banking-as-a-Service ecosystems. She is passionate about harnessing emerging technologies to improve payment processes, fraud prevention ,and deliver innovative client solutions.
Kostas Apostolidis
Incoming & Outgoing Payments Manager, Treasury at OTE Group of Companies (HTO)
Konstantinos V. Apostolidis is an accomplished Greek professional with extensive experience in business management within the telecommunications industry. He is currently the Senior Manager Incoming & Outgoing Payments for OTE Group Treasury, handling treasury operations for 13 subsidiaries in Greece. He has demonstrated expertise in payments, cash flow, budgeting, project implementation, and team building.
He has a Business Administration degree from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, an MBA in Telecoms from Athens University of Economics and Business and a Master’s in Management from Vrije Universiteit Brussel (with Distinction).
Konstantinos Apostolidis combines strong leadership and financial expertise with a dedication to enhancing operational efficiency and achieving long-term business success.
Vassiliki Lazarakou
Chair of the Hellenic Capital Market Commission
Vassiliki Lazarakou has served as Chair of the Hellenic Capital Market Commission (HCMC) since September 2019.
She is also a Member of the Board of Supervisors of the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) and a Member of the Management Board of ESMA since 2020, with a term until December 2025.
Until December 2024, Vassiliki chaired the European Supervisory Authorities’ Joint Committee Securitisation Committee (JCSC).
Since October 2022, she has been a Member of the Board of the International Organisation of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) (term until May 2026), representing the European Regional Committee (ERC). She also chairs the newly established IOSCO Diversity Network (2024).
She has been a Member of the Bureau of the Corporate Governance Committee of the OECD since November 2022.
In addition, Vassiliki was elected Vice Chair of the Mediterranean Partnership of Securities Regulators for 2025 and 2026. She is also a Member of the Women Climate Leaders Network (WCLN) of the European Investment Bank Group (EIB Group).
Vassiliki Lazarakou holds a Doctorate in Law (JSD) and an LLM in International Legal Studies from New York University School of Law, as well as a Bachelor of Law from the University of Athens, School of Law. She is admitted to both the Athens Bar and the New York Bar Association, with expertise in capital markets, M&A, privatisations, corporate and commercial law, and related areas.
She has worked for over 20 years as a Partner at several law firms, and for more than 10 years led the Banking, Capital Markets and Finance Departments of such firms. From 2012 to 2015, Vassiliki also served as First Vice-Chair of the HCMC.
Eftychia Chatziantoniou
Chief Operating Officer at Snappi
Efi is the Chief Operating Officer of Snappi, where she brings the business plan to life - across operations, payments, and customer experience. At Snappi, everything is built from scratch, and her focus is on executing the roadmap in an agile way and scaling with impact. With more than three decades in banking and financial services, she has led large-scale initiatives in digital payments, cash management, and operational strategy at Piraeus Bank Group. She also represents Greece in SWIFT. Passionate about innovation and sustainable growth, she focuses on bridging strategy with execution, empowering teams, and creating customer-first solutions that shape the future of banking.
Evangelos Tzolos
Card Senior Business Specialist at TORA WALLET S.A. (Member of OPAP Group)
Evangelos Tzolos is a Senior Business Specialist at Tora, part of OPAP Group, where he drives high-impact initiatives in Business Analytics and acquiring operations. With extensive expertise in digital payments, he oversees international scheme mandates, driving data-driven strategies and cross-functional projects that align operations, technology, and compliance to deliver efficiency, resilience, and measurable business growth.
With over 8 years of experience across banking and multinational organisations, Evangelos combines business and technical expertise to deliver measurable impact aligned with business goals in digital payments. His leadership focuses on leveraging advanced analytics and AI to optimise cost forecasting, enhance operational excellence, and deliver responsible innovation that builds trust and creates sustainable value in the global payments landscape.
Ali el Hassouni
Founder & CEO at MarvelX
Ali is the Founder & CEO of MarvelX, where he’s on a mission to build the AI Operating System for Financial Services. With a PhD in Artificial Intelligence and over 10 years leading AI at bunq, Ali brings deep experience in turning cutting-edge tech into real-world impact. At MarvelX, he and his team are redefining how insurers and financial institutions run claims, customer support, and compliance, making processes faster, smarter, and more trustworthy.
Sophia Bantanidis
Future of Finance, Citi Global Insights at Citi
Sophia Bantanidis is an Analyst in the Future of Finance team within the Institute, covering the key trends, technologies and market developments that shape the future of financial services. She joined Citi in 2016 as the Head of Regulatory Strategy and Policy for Innovation and has held various positions at 2 financial services regulators in the UK and France (the FCA and La Commission Bancaire in Paris), numerous banks and an asset management firm.
In April 2021, she was awarded Greek International Woman of the Year in Finance and has been on the Women in FinTech Powerlist for 5 consecutive years. She enjoys mentoring start-ups and was on the advisory board of Nifty World NFT (a non-fungible token business) and P.S. Online Styling (digital fashion), both female-led start-ups.
She speaks 5 languages, has a degree in Law and German Law from University College London and the University of Cologne and a Master’s degree in European Business from ESCP Europe.
Maria Tsiliakou
Head of Payments & Digital Services Compliance Sub-Division within the Group Compliance Function at the National Bank of Greece (NBG)
Maria Tsiliakou is the Head of Payments & Digital Services Compliance Sub-Division within the Group Compliance Function at the National Bank of Greece (NBG) in Athens. She is a seasoned professional with nearly 22 years of experience at NBG. Maria specializes in banking regulation, covering multiple products and transactions, as well as the EU payment regulatory framework, EU digital laws, and GDPR compliance. Before her current role, Maria served in multiple Compliance Officer positions at NBG, dating back to July 2008, and also worked as a Retail Loan Officer. She is a Certified Compliance Officer, holds a COSO Internal Control Certificate Program certification and is Certified Information Privacy Professional/Europe (CIPPE/E).
Yannis Dinapoyias
Founder and CEO at Travelr
Yannis Dinapogias is the Founder and CEO of Travelr, a travel-fintech SaaS platform building the infrastructure layer of travel. Travelr empowers businesses and travel professionals to save time and money by automating travel and expense management, while unlocking extreme time and cost savings. By providing the technological backbone for both inbound and outbound leisure and business travel across B2B and B2C markets, Travelr is redefining how the industry operates - creating a scalable, tech-enabled ecosystem that connects decades of travel expertise with cutting-edge innovation.
Yannis holds a degree in Economics from the University of Chicago and has further studied Game Theory at Harvard University. His career spans more than 20 years in both finance and tourism, beginning in the U.S. financial sector before returning to Greece in 2013. Following his service with the Hellenic Special Forces, he dedicated himself to entrepreneurship building two successful startups, while drawing on his early experience in his family’s travel agency, a company that enjoyed 45 years of distinction in the Greek market.
Through leadership roles with tour operators, travel agencies, and global industry participation, Yannis has combined deep financial expertise, operational knowledge, and a passion for innovation. His mission with Travelr is to create the digital rails on which the future of travel runs - where automation, transparency, and smart infrastructure drive growth for businesses and professionals worldwide.
Kostas Kontogiannis
Chief Financial Officer at Skroutz Group
Chief Financial Officer at Skroutz Group, the dominant E-commerce brand operating the leading Marketplace & price comparison engine in Greece. Acting as a Business Partner to the operations of the Group and as the Head of Finance and Digital Payments. Before joining the Skroutz team, I worked for 4 years at PwC Greece, Deals - Transaction Services team, specialising in the provision of Financial Due Diligence (buy side and sell side), IBRs and SPA support services to private equity and corporate clients.
During my time in Deals – Transaction Services, I have been involved in numerous Μ&Α projects mainly in the Technology, Retail, Hospitality, Energy, Insurance and Telco sectors. Before joining PwC Deals team in 2016, I worked as an Auditor in the Assurance department of Mazars Greece for 2 years providing financial audit and agreed-upon-procedures services for a number of clients in a broad range of industry sectors.
I am a member of the Association of Certified Chartered Accountant (ACCA) and a member of the Greek Institute of Certified Public Accountants (SOEL). I hold a Masters Degree in Applied Accounting and Auditing from the University of Macedonia and a BSc in Economics from the University of Thessaly.
.jpg)
Panos Papagiannakopoulos
Partner - Technology Consulting at EY
After a 4 years’ period working for an Oil & Gas Company in the IT & Security domains, Panagiotis joined EY in 2008.
He is a highly experienced member within EY’s Consulting Practice, specialising in Technology services and Cyber Security. He has more than 20 years of experience in IT and Cybersecurity services on various industries, including Financial Services, Energy, Consumer, Telecommunications, and Government & Public Sector.
He is the EY EMEIA Microsoft Cloud Security Leader and the EY Microsoft Alliance Leader in Greece.
He holds a BSc degree in Informatics, a MSc degree in Information System from Athens University of Economic and Business, while he is CISSP, CDPSE, and CISA certified.
He is a frequent speaker in conferences and business events, while he is an occasional lecturer at the Athens University of Economics and Business.
Manos Valsamakis
Treasury Manager at Stoiximan
Manos Valsamakis is the Treasury Manager at Stoiximan, the leading GameTech company in Greece and Cyprus. With more than 12 years of experience in treasury roles across international tech organisations, Manos has extensive expertise in cash and liquidity management, banking relationships, and treasury controls, and has a strong track record in streamlining processes and driving automation through new technologies.
Andreas Koidis
Founder at Merklebaum
Andreas is a Bitcoin engineer and founder of Merklebaum, helping teams ship production-ready systems for payments, digital assets and custody. Building on Bitcoin since 2017, he moved from banking and consulting into hands-on solution design and full-stack delivery across the US and Europe. He built c13n.io, an opensource middleware for streaming value and messaging over Lightning, and has led work across banking, e-commerce, shipping and telecom. He is a certified security and operational risk professional, who provides outcomes AI can't own: novelty, accountability, and clarity under pressure.
Evangelos Markopoulos
Head of Information Security at Snappi Bank
Evangelos Markopoulos is Head of Information Security at Snappi Bank, Greece’s first fully digital bank, where he built from scratch and designed the bank’s end-to-end cybersecurity framework. As one of the first member of Snappi family, he helped secure the ECB banking license and built a cloud-native security program on Microsoft Azure. With 14+ years across sectors such as fintech, retail, healthcare and tech, he leads security-by-design initiatives spanning SOC/SIEM, IAM, and third-party risk, and drives ISO 27001and PCI DSS certifications. He focuses on aligning payments innovation with robust governance and regulatory compliance (EBA/ECB, PSD2, GDPR, NIS2, DORA) using frameworks such as NIST CSF and CIS Controls to enhance efficiency and resilience. He also brings blockchain experience in healthcare-designing privacy‑preserving data platforms with Hyperledger Fabric and holds CISSP and CCSK credentials.
George Theocharides
Chairman at Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC)
Dr. George Theocharides (BΕng (Hons), MBA, PhD) is the Chairman of the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC). He has served as CySEC’s Vice Chairman between July 2020 – September 2021and was previously a CySEC Board member. As Associate Professor of Finance at the Cyprus International Institute of Management (CIIM) and Director of the MSc in its Financial Services Programme from September 2010 until July 2020, he has extensive professional experience in the financial sector. Prior, he worked as Assistant Professor of Finance at Sungkyunkwan University in South Korea, from 2006 until 2010. In 2006, he also worked as an International Faculty Fellow at the Sloan School of Management of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Previously, he served as a member of the Bank of Cyprus Interim Board and Board Chairman of Cyprus Blockchain Technologies Ltd, among others.