BEYOND BANKING:
THE EVOLUTION OF FINANCE

Martin Neisen oversees the Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) practice at PwC Germany, which includes a team of 500 professionals focused on GRC matters for banks, insurance companies, and asset managers. With over 20 years of experience in the financial services industry, he is regarded as an authority in regulatory compliance, risk management, and the implementation of global standards such as Basel IV. He also leads the SSM Office within PwC, coordinating collaboration with SSM-supervised banks across the Eurozone.

Anna leads Accenture’s UK/I Core Banking Transformation and Modernisation practice, specialising in Next Gen tech transformation and unlocking business value from digital core change. She has worked on some of Accenture’s most iconic and complex financial services transformations, helping banks simplify complex systems and deliver sustainable business change. She lives in London with her husband and two young children. Outside of work she enjoys reading, Hyrox and running.

Christina Kokkalou is the founder and Managing Director of IMR/University of Nicosia™, one of the leading Data Analysis and Strategic Consultancy organizations in Cyprus. With over 25 years of industry expertise, Christina has partnered with top-tier organizations, including major banking institutions, to deliver impactful, data-driven strategies that align with the complex demands of the financial sector. Under her leadership, IMR has been at the forefront of digital transformation, establishing a Market Business Intelligence unit. This unit offers innovative, customized solutions through advanced real-time and predictive analytics, enhancing customer experience, strengthening the bank’s public image, refining market positioning, and enabling precise customer profiling and segmentation. It also supports the development of new products and services, ensuring that financial institutions remain agile and responsive to market demands.

He joined the Bank in January 2001 and started his career serving at various positions, mainly in the Corporate and Credit Risk departments. He was the Manager in the Restructuring and Recoveries Division from April 2014 until June 2016. From June 2016 until August 2019, he served as Director of Corporate Banking Division. He holds a diploma (5-year degree) in Mechanical Engineering from National Technical University of Athens (Metsovio Polytechnic) in Greece, and an MSc in Mechanical & Industrial Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in the USA. He also holds a BSc in Financial Services/ACIB from the School of Management, UMIST in the UK. Panicos is a member of the Board of Directors of the Association of Cyprus Banks (ACB), member of the Board of Directors of the Employers’ Association of Cyprus Banks, and member of the Executive Committee of the Cyprus Employers & Industrialists Federation (OEB).

Michalis Louis was appointed Chief Executive Officer and Executive Board Member of Hellenic Bank in September 2024. He is also a Member of the Executive Board of the Eurobank Group. Previously, he served as Chief Executive Officer and Member of the Board of Directors of Eurobank Cyprus since 2007, and as Head of International Activities General Division since 2014 and Group Private Banking of Eurobank Group since 2019. Additionally, he was a Member of various Committees within Eurobank Group and served on the Boards of multiple Eurobank Group subsidiaries abroad. Earlier in his career, Michalis held Senior Management roles at Laiki Bank of Cyprus and at an HSBC subsidiary in New York, specializing in Corporate Finance. Michalis holds a B.Sc. in Accounting Studies from Ealing College, London, and an M.Sc. in Corporate Finance & Accounting from the London School of Economics.

Miltos graduated from Aston University (BSc Management and Computer Science) and also holds an MBA in Financial Studies from Nottingham University. He is a Chartered Director as awarded by the Institute of Directors (UK), and was also an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Bankers. He has served in a number of executive positions and in boards of directors with banks in different countries. He started his career in 1992 at Laiki Bank, where he held several roles for 7 years leading to the position of Manager, Nicosia Corporate and Institutional Banking. He then moved to Petrolina Group (1999 to 2001) where he held the position of the Group Financial Manager for 2 years. In 2001, he moved to the top position of Laiki Bank (Australia) Ltd, (since renamed to Bank of Sydney), as General Manager, a post he held for 5 years. From 2006 until 2013 he worked at Laiki Bank (Cyprus) as the General Manager of International and Financial Services. For 2013 to 2016 he served at Bank of Cyprus as the Director of International Operations which expanded to include the Real Estate Management Unit (REMU) in 2015. In 2016 he returned to Bank of Sydney in Australia and held the position of the CEO until 2023. In 2023 he was appointed CEO of Alpha Bank Cyprus Ltd and an Executive Member of the Bank’s Board of Directors.

Aristidis Vourakis is the Chief Executive Officer of Astrobank Public Company Limited, appointed in September 2020. He became Chairman of the Association of Cyprus Banks in June 2024. With over 20 years of international banking experience, Vourakis held roles at JPMorgan in London and as Deputy CEO of Bank Audi Group. He led significant transactions involving financial institutions in Europe, Greece and the Middle East. His expertise includes capital restructuring and management enhancements. He holds an M.Sc. in Accounting and Finance from the London School of Economics and a B.Sc. in Banking and Financial Management from the University of Piraeus.

Fotis Panagiotopoulos is a Managing Director leading the Strategy & Consulting practice of Accenture in Greece. He has over 15 years of experience in shaping and delivering large scale transformation programs for companies across industries in Greece and abroad. Fotis holds an MBA with Highest Distinction from the Athens University of Economics & Business, a BSc and an MSc degree in Information Systems & Communication Networks from the National & Kapodistrian University of Athens.

Michael Charalambides comes from a banking background with solid academic and strategic foundation in macro-economics and politics. Since the dawn of the Fin-Tech industry Michael has become a part of many leading industry projects and regulatory bodies via contribution through his network of projects. He was part of the project that launched the first private POS payments terminal in Cyprus and now has taken on a new venture and created the family of ECOMMBX as an EMI regulated under the CBC. Michael’s favourite words that lead his vision are: “positive disruption” and “always work in the light”.

Vasilis Charalambous is a Senior Lawyer at George Z. Georgiou & Associates LLC and the Head of GZG Tech, advising public and private sector clients on emerging technologies including Blockchain, Cryptocurrencies, Artificial Intelligence and personal data issues. He is the President of the Technology Committee of the Cyprus Bar Association and a member of the International Association for Trusted Blockchain Applications (INATBA) and the Tech London Advocates Blockchain Legal and Regulatory Group. He is a regular speaker at conferences and seminars and writes for various publications on topics related to innovation and technology.

Christos Eojourian is the Head of Technology & Digital at Hellenic Bank since August 2021. He joined Hellenic Bank in 2018 as Manager, Channels & Digital Products responsible for the Digital Strategy of the Bank. Christos has 16 years of experience in the financial services sector. He started his career in 2007 at UBS in London working within Prime Brokerage Technology before taking a senior role within the Hedge Fund Client Integration team at Bank of America Merrill Lynch (BAML). Prior to joining Hellenic Bank, Christos was a Director at BlackRock leading, a global team for the Aladdin platform, which provides portfolio management, trading, operations, compliance, and accounting tools. Christos graduated from the University College London (UCL) with a BEng degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering.

Strong background and over 30 years of experience with a proven track record in leading the IT Strategy and innovation in the Banking and Insurance sectors, focusing on the implementation of Digital transformation programs driving operational efficiency and delivery of customer centric solutions promoting self Service and Sufficiency.

Demetris Nicolaou is the Chief Digital Officer at Bank of Cyprus and is responsible for the Bank’s Digital Channels, the Digital Economy Platform and the delivery of the Digital Transformation initiatives. He joined the Bank of Cyprus in 2017 as Manager Digital Transformation to oversee the delivery of the Bank’s Digital Transformation program. Prior to joining Bank of Cyprus, Demetris held various technology roles in the UK working for UBS Investment Bank from 2007 until 2012 and Citibank from 2012 until 2016 where he was most recently the Global Head of Futures eTrading technology. Upon his repatriation to Cyprus, he took the role of Chief Product Developent Officer at FxPro Financial Services. Demetris holds a BEng in Computing from Imperial College, London, UK and is also a CFA Charterholder.

Stalo is an independent financial advisor with extensive experience across the financial sector, specializing in capital and debt markets, public takeovers, investment banking transactions and corporate financial advisory. She has in-depth knowledge of the EU harmonized regulatory framework for investment firms, publicly listed entities and funds. Stalo holds a BSc (Hons) in Financial and Business Economics from Royal Holloway University of London and an MSc in Finance and Economics from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). She is a Qualified Risk Director® and holds the Certificate in Risk Governance® from The DCRO Institute. Stalo serves on the Board of Directors of The Cyprus Development Bank and Cosmos Insurance.

An experienced Assurance Partner with over two decades of expertise in Financial Services audits, Androulla Pittas has a track record of managing major audit clients, both publicly listed and private, across various sectors, including insurance, banking, investment holdings, real estate funds, and regulated entities. She currently offers business consulting services, and serves as a non-executive director. Recognized for leadership in corporate governance, diversity, and sustainability, she is also the Honorary President of the Cyprus-UK Business Association.