Steve Forbes, President and CEO of Forbes Media and publisher of Forbes Magazine, headed the group of international business leaders for the 1st Greek Power Summit which took place in Athens this past June. Despite the adverse and difficult times, prominent business people of the Greek Diaspora such as Elena Ambrosiadou, John Calamos, Nick Lazares, George Koukis, Con Makris, Andreas Pittas, Panos Georghiadis, Nicholas Gouletas and Nikos Gitsis were in attendance. They were joined by Stephen Cucchiaro, Windhaven Investment Management (U.S.), Stephen Kinnoch, Director, Head of Europe and Central Asia, World Economic Forum (Switzerland) and Krzysztof Walenczak, Under- Secretary of State and Finance Minister (Poland).
In a closed Round Table Discussion these international financiers and entrepreneurs exchanged views and shared experiences with prominent Greek representatives from key sectors of the Greek economy including tourism, construction, banking, commerce, industry, shipping, energy and technology and explored potential ways of cooperation.
Significant guideposts for the future of the Greek economy were discussed by Dr. Haralambos Ziogas ( MFS Shipping Management), Mihalis Madianos (Global Finance), Aris Kefaloyiannis ( Gaia) and Mihalis Pagidas ( EASE), George Vernicos ( Vernicos Yachts) and Aris Karytinos (National Bank of Greece), Professor Vassilis Makios (Corallia) and Christos Tsangos (Junior Achievement Greece). More than 50 renowned business people from Greece and abroad contributed their views to the discussion which was moderated by journalist Pavlos Tsimas.
“Scrap your tax system and put in place a new and simpler one,” said Steve Forbes in his keynote speech at the Gala dinner of the 1st Greek Power Summit, while he stressed the “need for a holistic economic policy where growth measures will play a decisive part so that Greece can become the Hong Kong or New Zealand of the Balkans.”
“It is very easy to criticize,” said Elena Ambrosiadou, President and CEO IKOS Group, in a discussion panel on the 2nd day of the Greek Power Summit. “Growth and progress is a process that needs to start in each and everyone of us,” and she called for “the reform of the public sector, for the creation of a tax efficient modern company structure abolishing the archaic forms of companies which keep Greece small minded and corruptible, for the restructure of the IT plan of the public sector to make it more efficient and to allow it to reduce its workforce, for a regulatory framework for the services sector to allow it to grow with credibility and quality.”
Discussing “Capital goes where it is treated best,” John Calamos, President of Calamos Investments (USA), insisted that the measures being taken are not enough for development and growth. “Culture needs to change, Greece needs a New Deal,” said Mr. Calamos.
“Dignity and solvency are Greece’s two basic problems that keep investors away,” stated Stephen Cucchiaro, CIO of Windward Investment (USA), and he gave an idea on how to finance business plans: “Many US based companies have cash in Europe which they want to use. Find these companies and take advantage of them.”
Krzysztof Walenczak, Secretary of State and Finance Ministry offered his experience in privatizations in Poland, while Mihalis Pagidas, President of the Association of Chief Executive Officers, discussed the views of the Greek business community on the current situation. The panel discussions were moderated by INSEAD Emeritus Professor Spyros Makridakis.
The 1st Greek Power Summit was organized by Honeystone Limited, since 2007 publishers of the Greek Rich List Magazine, and International Advantage Corporation (IAC) which was established in 1993.
Savvas Pavlou of Honeystone (Cyprus) and publisher of the Greek Rich List said: “We were overwhelmed by the response from successful Greeks from around the world. They came from the USA, the UK, Australia, Cyprus, Switzerland, Canada and the Philippines to name a few. The Greek Power Summit will be an annual event aiming to attract industry leaders globally to share their knowledge and ideas in hope to make Greece great once again.”
Georgette Alithinos, of IAC stated: “We are very happy that in spite of the difficulties, we attracted so many important professionals from around the globe in a two day gathering to share knowledge and experience that will be invaluable for the creation of a new Greek economy and the entrepreneurship needed to make it a reality.”
The Greek Power Summit was sponsored by Elena Ambrosiadou –IKOS Group, John Calamos-Calamos Investments, Nicholas Lazares-Admirals Bank, Alki David-Film On, and Panos Georghiadis –Southern Bulk Carriers.
