Anestis Chatzidiakos | Curator
Anestis wanted to study Economics and work on Management, but ended up in the Computer Science Department at Aristotle's University in Thessaloniki at Networks, Communications and Systems' Architecture field. He is also working on several online projects and he is co-founder and Editor-in-chief of Cinefreaks.gr (cinema portal and blog) since 2008 and editor at Away.gr (greek online media for technology, games and startups) since 2006. He was a member of TEDxAthens organizing committee (May 2009 - Μay 2010).
Eleni Andreadis | Curator
After starting her career as a strategic management consultant in London, Eleni focused on environmental issues, earning her Master’s in environmental policy and media at Harvard University. As a strategy and environmental consultant she has worked for, among others, Ford Motor Company, the British Home Office, EnergyWatch, presenting to UK Environment Minister Hilary Benn on ways consumers can reduce their carbon footprint at the home, the Participant Productions follow-up documentary to Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth, Friends of the Earth, and the Ministry of Tourism in Greece on designing an environmental hotel certification scheme. Eleni has worked as a producer and TV presenter for a variety of environmental channels, such as Green TV, New Consumer TV and Current TV, as well as the BBC, in the UK, US and Canada. She is now based in Greece, where alongside running Planet Agents, an environmental non-profit she founded, she is active in the tourism industry and her family business, Sani SA.
Elena Papadopoulou | Event Architect
Elena studied European Politics in the UK and France. In the course of her studies for the BA degree at the University of Essex and Paris X, she focused on the UN’s role in the process of Peace- making and Peace-keeping. She completed her Master’s degree following a joined course offered between the University of Bath and the Institut de Sciences Politiques in Paris, examining the Franco-American Conundrum in the peace process. Elena also spent considerable time in Australia, working for the Olympic/ Paraolympic Games in Sydney in 2000 as an Assistant Manager - Protocol and IOC Relations Officer, and subsequently took back her valuable experience to Athens in 2004. In 2001, she joined Paratiritis SA as executive coordinator operating a network of bookstores and schools in six Balkan countries. In the meantime, she received her MBA from ACT. Since 2005, she has been working in the field of “black gold” as an agent for industrial and marine fuels and lubricants.
Lazaros Boudakidis | Production Manager
Lazaros studied physics, worked for the Astronomical Observatory of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, but ended up in the I.T. side of life. He's been working as the I.T. manager for the Thessaloniki International Film Festival since 2003 designing the event network, telecommunications, helpdesk, ticketing and customer care procedures. He has also worked as an I.T and ticketing consultant for festivals around the world. Lazaros is a TED translator.
Georgios Gatos | Marketing Director
Georgios is interested on Startups, Innovation, Urban Activism and anything else considered as fun. He is a Business Developer, with expertise on small and medium size innovative companies. Has an active participation in groups fostering entrepreneurship and innovation, co-hosts the Open Coffee Thessaloniki meetings and belongs to the advisors of the Openfund, a seed capital fund in Greece. He began his career in the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Florida and later worked as a consultant responsible for business planning and raising of funds for innovative companies. Today he runs his own personal company FuIT and THERMI LINK a new coworking and pre-incubation project.
Irina Taka | Speakers Coordinator
After earning her dual bachelor's degree in International Relations and Art History from Stanford University, Irina worked at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris and was involved with conflict resolution projects in the Balkan peninsula. Irina has also worked for the NY Mayor's office on drafting policy on matters of domestic violence and practiced as a certified mediator in the Manhattan small claims court. After receiving her JD degree in International law from NYU and Paris II Assas, she worked as a legal consultant in New York, London and Paris representing large international companies such as Microsoft, British Petroleum, Coca-Cola, Philips and working on projects such as the BTC pipeline, mining projects in Africa and various other international finance, mergers & acquisitions projects. She has recently returned to Greece where in addition to being involved in the production and development of innovative products for organic agriculture such as Amino 16 through her family business, EBIE Michaelides SA, and serving as a Trustee for Anatolia College in Thessaloniki she is also the general counsel to Nasdaq listed Capital Product Partners LP.
Tania Akritidou | Project Manager
Tania studied Business Economics at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece, and began her carrier in Public Relations. She got involved with non-profit organizations such as the UNESCO Center for Woman and Peace in the Balkan Countries and later moved to Events Management which remains her field since 2003. During her 8-year carrier at Symvoli Conference & Events Organisers she has been assigned various projects ranging from organization of national and international conferences to cultural events management, planning and production management. She has also been involved in institutions such as the Thessaloniki Film Festival and Photo Biennale of the Thessaloniki Museum of Photography. Tania is a great team player but equally enjoys the role of the team’s leader. She travels to discover and has an eye for innovative and constructive ideas.
Argyro Barata | Music Producer
Argyro studied management specialized on the tourism sector and holds a MA in Marketing, Advertising and Public Relations from the University of Sheffield. She started her career as an editor at the local newspapers, Macedonia and Thessaloniki, since writing has always been her thing. However, one summer she decided to go and work for the production of Sani Festival, which proved to be a lifechanging experience. Now eleven years after she is the Production Manager of the festival, also responsible for Sani Gourmet and has organized numerous cultural events for independent artists and major Greek festivals. The past year she is member of the urban activist group “Thessaloniki Allios”, working towards the idea of shaping a new cultural mentality to the citizens of her hometown.
Marios Spiroglou | Director, Film & Video
Mario was born in Thessaloniki. When he was young he used to paint a lot and dreamt of studying Fine Arts in Florence. Today he has set aside the brushes and the oil paints and uses his camera as a paintbrush. He studied in Britain and he has worked in cinema, television, theater and advertising. He has directed short films, video clips, commercials and various other performances. In 2008 he founded the interventionistic group Sfina, whose objective is the agitation of the routine of the urban scenery. Today he runs his own studio HELLOKINETIK.
Katerina Biliouri | PR Officer-Speakers Coordinator
Katerina is a museologist. She holds a degree in Archaeology from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and an MPhil on Archaeological Heritage Management and Museums from the University of Cambridge. She completed an internship at the DG for Education and Culture at the European Commission in Brussels and until recently she was a contributor on art & design in Yatzer. Katerina is currently working as a museologist at the Museum of Byzantine Culture in Thessaloniki and is involved in several cultural projects.
Revecca Pedi | Communications Coordinator
Revecca has an academic background in Politics and International Relations. She graduated from the department of Balkan, Slavic and Oriental Studies, University of Macedonia, and then followed postgraduate studies at the University of Sheffield (MA in International Political Economy), at the University of Cambridge (MPhil in International Relations) and now she is in the final stage of her Phd thesis. Her professional background includes communication and strategy consulting. She has worked for the Hellenic Culture Organization, the University of Macedonia, eresus. As a freelance copywriter she has also taken part in many other political and corporate communication projects.
Avgi Vogiatzoglou | Legal Advisor
Avgi is a lawyer with experience in the field of preventing youth crime and promoting social inclusion for vulnerable young people. After practicing law for three years in Thessaloniki and being a member of the Board of Directors of the charity named Friends - Volunteers Juvenile Protection Association, Avgi decided to combine her legal background with managerial studies in the area of voluntary organisations. She continued her studies in London where she obtained her MSc in Voluntary Action Management at Roehampton University. As part of her postgraduate studies she was placed at The Prince's Trust where she worked on developing partnerships between charities and the statutory agencies involved in preventing youth crime. Today, she practices law in partnership in Thessaloniki and specializes on NGOs. She is an active member in several voluntary organisations, such as Friends - Volunteers Juvenile Protection Association of Thessaloniki, Hellenic League for Human Rights and Papafeio Centre of Thessaloniki for Boy's Welfare where she is on the Board of Directors.
Angelika Tzemou | Speakers Coach
Angelika has been in the field of Human Resource Management since 1997. Her career background includes various international HR consulting roles in London and in-house HR management positions in Athens, across many industries. She currently holds the position of HR Manager at LEO Pharma in Greece and she is a Teaching Fellow, since 2008, for a Masters Degree programme at AIT. As a certified Coach, NLP Practitioner and Founding Member of the Hellenic Coaching Association, Angelika integrates coaching into her multifaceted work. Her approach relies on supporting insight and creating the circumstances for people to achieve their full potential.
She holds a MSc in Human Resource Management from Surrey University School of Management and a BA in Sociology from the American College of Greece.
She is a passionate volunteer, systematically involved in supporting environmental and community projects.
Maria Terkenli | Public Space Designer
Maria is a Public Space Designer, specializing in public events, exhibitions and installations. She holds a BA (Hons) in Interior Design, UCLan, UK and a M.A. in Public Space Design, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona. After completing her studies in Barcelona, she collaborated with public and private agencies of the city, taking part as a public artistand curator. Currently lives in Thessaloniki, where she works as a freelancer in her own firm.
Stamatios Giannikis | Architect
Stamatios is an architect. He has studied music and piano at New Conservatory of Thessaloniki and holds a Diploma in Architecture from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and a Master of Architecture from Harvard Graduate School of Design. He has previously worked as an architect for internationally renowned Office for Metropolitan Architecture in Rotterdam and for AECOM in Los Angeles and has taught architecture as an Adjunct Lecturer at the University of Thessaly and the University of Patras. In 2009 he established his own architectural practice www.giannikis.gr in Thessaloniki, Greece.
Dimitra Themeli | Visual Communication Designer
Dimitra studied Photography and Graphic Design. Until 2003 she worked as a Photographer. In 2000, she started her career as a Graphic Designer, working in the publications sector. Later, she worked for the PC Magazine – Greek Edition as an Art-Director. Currently she is working as a web designer with an amazing team in the eresus, a new media shop fascinated with the conceptual web.
Dimitra holds also her own brand, ThePopEye, which according to her is her “design-break” from designing. When she was a young girl, she wanted to become a stewardess. Now she is afraid of airplanes. Dimitra, apart from design, loves music, food, ingenious conversations, dogs and dreams.
She wouldn’t love anything that makes her feeling bored.
Christina Biliouri | Creative Director
Christina is a multi disciplinary designer and innovation strategist based in London. Her work has a profound philosophical and social starting point and she enjoys producing outcomes that provoke and work as social experiments. From designing installations & experiences to innovative products, Christina is passionate about fusing science, art and research in a creative way. Her self-initiated work is investigating whether we can design through touch & sound to tackling over-consumption by enhancing an object's longevity.
In the past she had led various Design Thinking workshops [London, Tokyo, Thessaloniki] and worked for clients such as LG Electronics, Royal College of Art, University of Tokyo and Designersblock. She holds an MA from the RCA, an MSc from Imperial College and a diploma [BSc & MSc] in Product and System Design Engineering from the University of the Aegean, Greece.
Nick Papanotas | Web Entrepreneur
Nick Papanotas has been involved with the web and online business since 1996. He is a web developer, a blogger and a social media addict. Currently he is working with VentureGeeks, a web property network he founded in 2010. He has also founded Social Whale a new social media client, and he still works on that project. Nick currently lives in Thessaloniki, Greece.
Ioannis Karavas | Social Media Enthusiast
Ioannis is an Undergraduate Information Management Student at the Technological Educational Institution of Kavala. He is currently affiliated with several online projects, and he is a technology news editor at Away.gr. He is a strong supporter of Social Media and TED talks.
Anargyros Chaliotis | TEDxThessaloniki.com Editor
Anargyros is an Undergraduate Biochemistry and Biotechnology student at University of Thessaly in Larissa, since 2007. He is working on several online projects and he is a technology news editor at Away.gr and editor at Inbox free press magazine.