KEY SPEAKERS

YIANNIS MARKIDES, OSEOK Vice President

A holder of an M.Sc. degree in Civil Engineering-Construction Management from the University of Colorado at Boulder, U.S.A.. Founder and Managing Director of MARKIDES BROTHERS (CONSTRUCTIONS) LTD, a small family construction company founded in 1989 specializing in civil engineering projects, road building and infrastructure projects throughout Cyprus.  He has been an active member of the Limassol Association of Building Contractors, L.A.B.C., in his home town since 1994. Currently he is the president of the Association for a second term while also representing the Federation of the Building Contractors’ Associations of Cyprus, O.S.E.O.K. from the position of the Vice President.


PIERO PETRUCCO, FIEC Vice-President

Mr. Piero Petrucco, in 1998 started working in I.CO.P. S.P.A, a family construction company, which operates foundations and microtunnel construction, as well as in  the field of road and hydraulic works. Today it is one of the leading European companies in microtunnel and special foundation works. With his brother, Vittorio Petrucco, collaborates in the management of all Italian and Foreign companies I.CO.P. S.P.A Group.Since 2019, he has been the president of ANCE’s Specialisations National Council, Vice-President of ANCE’s National Council and FIEC Vice-President.


STELIOS YIATROS, Cyprus University of Technology

Dr. Stelios Yiatros is an Assistant Professor in Structural Engineering in the Department of Civil Engineering and Geomatics at the Cyprus University of Technology. Prior to his election at CUT, he was a Lecturer in Structural Design at Brunel University in the UK. Between 2015-2017 Stelios was a Marie Curie Intra Fellow at Cranfield University (UK) where he undertook experimental structural integrity and stability research metal foam sandwich components. Stelios was in the core team to lead the successful entry of CUT in the EIT Climate Knowledge and Innovation Community (KIC), and became the Education Lead for the local network, while he being also one of the co-founders of Chrysalis LEAP, the first cleantech business idea accelerator in Cyprus. Stelios holds a MEng in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Imperial College London (UK) and a PhD in nonlinear structural mechanics. He is a Member of the Cyprus Scientific and Technical Chamber (ETEK), Graduate Member of the Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE), Associate Member of the American Association of Civil Engineers (ASCE), Control Group member of Stability Committee of the ASCE Engineering Mechanics Institute and Associate of the City and Guilds of London Institute. In 2008, Stelios and his collaborators received the Trevithick Prize for the Best Paper in Engineering Sustainability from the Institution of Civil Engineers. In 2015 he was awarded merit in Excellence in Structural Engineering Education by the Institution of Structural Engineers for his innovative teaching case study for Integrated Design.


NICOS HADJINIKOLAOU, Ministry of Energy, Commerce and Industry

Mr. Nicos Hadjinikolaou has been working since 2008 at the Energy Service of the Ministry of Energy, Commerce and Industry. Coordinates the Energy Efficiency in Buildings Team, whose mission is to implement policies and measures that will increase the energy efficiency of the existing building stock and promote buildings with virtually zero energy consumption. Represents Cyprus as a National Expert in the Monitoring Committee of EPBD Directives (2010/31 / EU and 2018/844 / EU), which is formed and chaired by the European Commission and the Member States. He has previously worked as a production engineer in the building materials industry as well as in a mechanical engineering company in buildings. He holds a Bachelor and Master of Science (MSc) in Mechanical Engineering and a Masters Degree in Public Sector Management (MPSM).


ANTONIS KOUNTOURIS, Nicolaides & Kountouris Metal Company

Mr. Antonis Kountouris is a PhD Candidate at the Department of Mechanical Engineering of the National Technical University of Athens (N.T.U.A), studying the development of thermal insulating building materials from polymeric waste materials. He holds a Diploma and a master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens (N.T.U.A) and a second master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, from University of Cyprus. He is leading the Research and Development department of Nicolaides & Kountouris Metal Company LTD, since 2013. He was a Member of the project team of 3 innovative projects of the company that are part of the Business Innovation Enhancement Plan of the Ministry of Energy, Commerce and Industry of Cyprus.

Mr. Kountouris was the founder of the internal quality laboratory of the company. He was the Quality Control Manager of the Company until 2012. He is also the founder of the in house training center of Nicolaides & Kountouris Metal Company LTD which is exclusively aimed at the construction sector.

Mr. Kountouris is also a member of many scientific/professional organizations such: 1. Vice-President of the executive committee of the Research and Technology Platform in constructions in Cyprus , 2. Member of the National Technical Committee CYS/TE 20 –windows, doors and metal coatings in buildings, 3. Chairman of the Innovation and Digital Transformation of Cyprus Employees and Industrialist Federation (as an elected member of executive committee of the board), 4.Chairman of the committee of European Affairs, Research and development of the municipality of Strovolos, in Cyprus (as member of Strovolos City Council), 5. Member of the Cyprus Organization for Standardization CYS, where he represents Cyprus on the European commission of standards CEN/TC128- Roof covering products for discontinuous laying and products for wall cladding.

Mr. Kountouris due to his achievements (design and management/coordination of projects aiming the production of an eco-friendly, innovative construction products) was awarded by: 1) The Scientific Technical Chamber of Cyprus and the President of the Republic of Cyprus, with the Engineering Prize 2017. 2) The Cyprus Youth Board with the Youth Prize (2016) in the Environment Category.


 ANDREAS PAPADOPOULOS

Mr. Andreas Papadopoulos started off his career as a chemical engineer at Unilever in the United States and subsequently moved to Germany as product manager. After about a decade in the food industry he turned to banking in Cyprus. Andreas led Hellenic Bank’s Group Strategy unit throughout the economic crisis and currently leads the bank’s efforts in business development in Small and Medium Enterprises. With degrees from Cambridge University and the Wharton Business School, Andreas combines analytical skills with business acumen and strategic thinking. Andreas is passionate about protecting our planet and sits on various boards of NGOs linked to entrepreneurship education, the cyclical economy and protection of the seas.


MODERATOR

ANTHI CHARALAMBOUS

Anthi Charalambous is a Chemical Engineer by background, graduated from the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), and holds MSc in Environmental Engineering, Master Degree in Business Administration (MBA) and P.Dipl. in Renewable Energy and Energy Management.

Anthi Charalambous has 24 years of professional experience in several posts and positions and countries in the fields of energy and environment i.e. environmental protection, climate change, circular economy, renewables, energy efficiency; out of which 5 years in the Cyprus Employers and Industrialists Federation (OEB) as the Director of Energy & Environment Department, 8 years as the Director of the Cyprus Energy Agency, 1 year in the European Commission DG ENER (former DG TREN), 3 years as Energy Attaché of Cyprus in Brussels, 3 years in the Cyprus Institute of Energy (Technical Advisor to the Ministry of Energy, Commerce & Industry in Cyprus), and several years as expert. Therefore, her experience covers a wide range of stakeholders: NGOs, Public administration, Policy Makers, EU institutions, Private Sector etc.

During her professional career has organised many hundreds of capacity building workshops, has developed participatory processes for stakeholders for several environmental/energy topics. Particular attention was given in her professional education. She is an approved VET trainer for the topics of renewables, energy management, greenhouse gases verification, circular economy and solid waste management. Participating as national expert in the ISO Committees: ISO/TC 207/SC 5/JWG 14 Joint ISO/TC 207/SC 5 – ISO/TC 323 WG: Secondary materials, ISO/TC 323 Circular economy, ISO/TC 323/WG 5 Product circularity data sheet, ISO/TMBG/SAG_ESG Strategic Advisory Group on Environmental, social, governance (ESG) ecosystem, CYS/MC 5/SC 2 Energy Performance of Buildings, CYS/MC 14.3 Sustainable & Resilient Cities, CYS/MC 15.01 Circular Economy, CYS/MC 15.04 Environmental Advisory Bodies (IEC ACEA, CEN-CLC SABE). Nominated also as member in the CEN/CENELEC Industry Advisory Forum, and nominated as champion for the circular economy Working Group for the year 2021. Is also elected Chairperson of the International Solar Energy Society Cyprus (ISES-CY) for a period of three years 2022-2025.