Philippe Jougleux
Professor, School of Law, European University Cyprus
Dr Philippe Jougleux is a Professor at the School of Law of the European University Cyprus. He holds a postgraduate degree in Media Law (France), which he completed with distinction, and obtained his PhD in 2002 from Aix-Marseille III University, with a dissertation on the protection of information in the age of new technologies. He was admitted to the Thessaloniki Bar Association and moved to Cyprus in 2010. He teaches Cypriot civil law (tort and contract law), EU intellectual property law, and EU internet law. He has published extensively in Greek and English on copyright in the digital environment, data protection, cybercrime, and artificial intelligence law. He has also authored books on Cypriot law of obligations, EU internet law, and, in 2025, EU artificial intelligence law. He is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (HEA), Editor-in-Chief of the journal ENTHA, and a founding member of the Cypriot chapter of ALAI.
Sylvia Koukounidou
University of Cyprus Library; Cyprus Copyright Association (EDPI); OpenAIRE
Sylvia Koukounidou is a University Officer at the University of Cyprus and Coordinator of the Digitisation and Archives Office of the University of Cyprus Library. She has extensive experience in the fields of Open Science, Open Access, research data management, digital repositories, digitisation, and archives management.
Since 2009, she has coordinated the OpenAIRE National Open Access Desk (NOAD) for Cyprus, actively contributing to the promotion and implementation of Open Science policies at both national and institutional levels. She has participated in numerous European projects and collaborated with research organisations, universities, and public authorities to develop policies, services, and training initiatives related to Open Access, the FAIR principles, and the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC). Additionally, she has served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Cyprus Copyright Association since 2015, and in 2026, she was elected to the Executive Board of OpenAIRE, a pan-European organisation.
During 2024 and 2025, she was appointed by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture (DG EAC) as the National Ambassador for Cyprus for the Digital Education Hackathon (DigiEduHack).
Fotini Tsiridou
Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Legal Affairs, House of Representatives
Fotini Tsiridou is a member οf parliament at the House of Representatives of the Republic of Cyprus, representing Limassol since 2021. She is Deputy Chairperson of the House Standing Committee on Legal Affairs, Justice and Public Order and a Member of the House Standing Committee on Transport, Communications and Works, of the House Standing Committee on Labour, Welfare and Social Insurance and of the House Standing Committee on Human Rights and on Equal Opportunities for Men and Women. She holds a Bachelor of Law (LLB) from City University of London and a Master of Laws in Maritime Law (LLM) from University College London (UCL). She is Barrister-at-Law as member of the Middle Temple of England. She is a lawyer and partner at Costas Tsirides & Co. LLC.
George Glossiotis
Librarian; National Coordinator in Greece and Cyprus, Knowledge Rights 21
Giorgos Glossiotis holds a degree from the Department of Librarianship (ΤΕΙ Athens) and a Post-graduate Diploma in IT and Management. Currently works for the Organisation for Mediation and Arbitration as Head of the Library and of the IT department. Member of the Association of Greek Librarians and Information Scientists since 2000, has served it from many positions as General Secretary of EC, Vice President, and President. He was elected as EC of EBLIDA, SC of MLASand of the IFLA’s Regional Division Committee Europe for two terms. He is national coordinator for Greece and Cyprus for the project KR21.
Dr Charalambos Vrasidas
Executive Director, CARDET (Center for the Advancement of Research and Development in Educational Technology)
Charalambos Vrasidas is the Founder and Executive Director of CARDET (www.cardet.org), an international non-profit educational center with more than two decades of global activity. He is Professor of Learning Innovations and Policy at the University of Nicosia. He has led the design and implementation of projects and initiatives in more than 40 countries. With a strong commitment to education, digital transformation, wellbeing, and social justice, he represents Cyprus in European and international networks. He co-directs the European Observatory for Teacher Careers and Wellbeing (www.teacherwellbeing.eu) and the pan-European PERMA-Digital initiative, focusing on a holistic, whole-school approach to digital wellbeing. He chairs the Cyprus Education Summit and the international Learning Innovations Summit (www.learningsummit.eu).
Dr Nicodemos Damianou
Deputy Minister, Deputy Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy
Dr. Nikodemos Damianou was born in Nicosia in 1973. He holds a Sc.B. degree in Computer Science from Brown University in the United States, a Ph.D. in Computer Systems and Security Management of Large Enterprise Networks from Imperial College London in the United Kingdom, a Diploma of Information Security (DIC) from Imperial College, and an MBA from the University of Cyprus.
He is an information technology and information security professional with extensive experience in payment systems and fintech, risk management methodologies, and digital transformation technologies.
He served as an executive at Bank of Cyprus and, from November 2017 to January 2024, served as Chief Executive Officer of JCC Payment Systems Ltd.
Athena Evagorou
Athena Evagorou holds a degree in Archival and Library Science from the Ionian University (2005) and an MBA from the Open University of Cyprus (2013). She is a PhD candidate in the Department of Communication and Internet Studies at the Cyprus University of Technology (CUT).
Since 2007, she has worked at the CUT Library and, since 2009, as a Subject Librarian, supporting the School of Communication and Media Studies and the School of Fine and Applied Arts. Her work focuses on developing information literacy skills through seminars and educational activities.
Her research interests include information literacy in higher education and the development of information skills in the era of Artificial Intelligence (AI). She participated in the Erasmus+ project “Building the Capacity of Educators & Librarians in Information Literacy”, which received the European Commission’s 2025 Innovative Teaching Award. She also contributed to the development of CUT’s “Artificial Intelligence” guide, providing guidance on the effective and ethical use of AI.
Anthi Baliou
MSc, Librarian; Head of the Library and Information Centre, University of Macedonia
Anthi Baliou is a Librarian and Head of the Library of the University of Macedonia. At the same time, she is a PhD Candidate in the Department of Journalism and Mass Media at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. She holds a Master’s degree in “Management of Cultural Organizations” from the Hellenic Open University.She has participated in various research projects as a Researcher and Project Manager (EUFactCheck, JRP, Refugees Fact-checking, DCN Global, Nedlib), focusing on fact-checking, misinformation, and media literacy.For the past three years, she has taught as an Academic Fellow in the Department of Library, Archival and Information Studies at the International Hellenic University. Her research interests include Information, News and Media Literacy, Misinformation, and Reading Literacy.
Eleni Singou
Senior Collection Management and Development Librarian, University of Nicosia Library
Eleni Singou is the Senior Collection Management and Development Librarian at the University of Nicosia Library, where she has served since 2011. She is also the system administrator for Alma, the Library’s new services platform. Her areas of specialization include information literacy and media literacy.
Her experience spans several areas of the Library, including user services, distance learning services, user instruction, cataloguing, systems administration, and the management of electronic resources and subscriptions.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in Library Science and Information Systems from the International Hellenic University (formerly ATEITh), a master’s degree in Educational Psychology from the University of Nicosia, and a certificate in Library Instruction from Library Juice Academy.
She is a member of the Standing Committee of the IFLA Information Literacy Section.
Theodora Petrou
Representative, Cyprus Association of Librarians and Information Scientists (CALIS); Librarian, Head of the Systems Office, University of Cyprus Library
Theodora Petrou graduated from the Department of Library Science and Information Systems in Athens and holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA), as well as a Master’s degree in Computer and Network Security.Since 2011, she has worked in academic libraries, with experience in research support and promotion, research data management, institutional repositories, the collection and management of research activity, and the preparation of reports and statistical data. She has also been involved in developing policies related to libraries and research, Open Access, copyright, and other related areas.From 2021 to 2025, she served as President of the Cyprus Association of Librarians and Information Scientists (CALIS), actively contributing to the promotion and recognition of the role of libraries and information professionals in Cyprus.She currently works at the University of Cyprus Library, in the Systems and Information Technologies Sector, as Head of the Systems Office, where she is responsible for the management and development of the Library’s information systems and digital services.
Despoina Herakleous
Cultural Education Coordinator, Department of Contemporary Culture, Deputy Ministry of Culture
Despina Heracleous is Coordinator of Cultural Education in the Department of Contemporary Culture of the Deputy Ministry of Culture of Cyprus. She graduated from the University of Cyprus, Department of Education. She holds a Master’s degree from the University of Manchester (MEd in Communication, Education and Technology) and is an author of children’s and young adult literature.
She has received the Cyprus State Literary Award for Young Children twice (2023 and 2024), the First Prize of the Cyprus Association of Children’s and Young Adult Books - CYBBY (2019), and was included in the IBBY Honour List 2024, the Honour List of the International Board on Books for Young People. Her books have been shortlisted for the Greek State Literary Awards, shortlisted by the literary magazine O Anagnostis, and included in the Golden List of the online magazine Elniplex.
She is responsible for the Furry Book Club of CYBBY a reading club featuring reading dogs that promotes Cypriot children’s and young adult literature.
She was also nominated for the international IBBY-iRead Awards for the Promotion of Reading.
Andreas Apostolou
Member of the House of Representatives of Cyprus; Apostolou Foundation
Andreas Apostolou was born on 16 July 1986 in Larnaca, Cyprus. He graduated with distinction from the Pancyprian Lyceum of Larnaca and, following his military service, studied Civil and Transportation Engineering at the National Technical University of Athens on a scholarship. He later completed an MSc in Business Management at Bristol Business School (UWE).
He has held managerial positions in the private sector and worked as a parliamentary associate at the House of Representatives. He was elected Member of Parliament for Larnaca in 2021 and re-elected in 2026.
His parliamentary and social work focuses on healthcare, social welfare, human rights, education and issues affecting Larnaca. He is a member of the Cyprus Federation of Patients’ Associations’ Permanent Cancer Committee and the European Cancer Organisation’s network of politicians supporting cancer policies. He also serves as Vice-Chairman of the Christina A. Apostolou Foundation, which supports children and young people with chronic illnesses.
Koula Panagou
Educational Programmes Coordinator, Network for Children’s Rights
Koula Panagou holds degrees in Education, Psychology, and Children’s Literature and has been working with children and families for the past 28 years. She is responsible for educational programs at the Network for Children’s Rights and also works privately as a therapist. She collaborates with cultural institutions such as the Museum of Cycladic Art and the Childhood Museum, while also designing and implementing reading programs for publishing houses. She is also a member of the authors’ team of the First Grade Language textbook published by Nisos Publications.
Ypapanti (Dia) Kytta
Archivist–Librarian, Cyprus Library; International Relations Secretary, Cyprus Association of Librarians and Information Scientists (CALIS)
Ypapanti (Dia) Kytta is a Librarian at the Cyprus Library, Department of Modern Culture of the Deputy Ministry of Culture, and Secretary for International Relations of Cyprus Association of Librarians and Information Scientists (CALIS). She has worked as an Archivist–Librarian managing libraries, archives, and special collections, collaborating with academic, cultural, and economic organisations in Greece and Cyprus.
She holds a degree in Archives, Library Science and Museology from the Ionian University and an MSc in Library and Information Management from the University of the West of England, Bristol. Her expertise includes metadata and descriptive standards, information management, and long-term digital preservation. She has served on national and international professional associations and technical standardisation committees (ISO TC46/SC11, ΕΛΟΤ/ΤΕ22, SAA TS EAC and ΕΑΕ).
She is also co-founder of Next BooThink, a book-focused platform organising readings, events, and discussions.
Barbara Aristidou
President, Cyprus Association of Librarians – Information Scientists (CALIS); Librarian, Cyprus University of Technology (CUT)
Barbara Aristeidou is a Librarian with a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Nicosia and a degree from the Higher Technological Institute of Athens.
She has been professionally active in the field of librarianship since 2001. Throughout her career, she has worked at the University of Cyprus Library and at the Cultural Services of the Ministry of Education and Culture. She currently works at the Cyprus University of Technology (CUT) Library, where she is responsible for the Materials Processing Office.
Her professional interests and experience include library cataloguing, materials processing, library development, and collaboration among academic, school, and public libraries. She has also participated in conferences and professional activities focusing on good practices in library cooperation and the educational and social role of libraries.
Mina Charalambous
Director, University of Nicosia Library; Member, IFLA Regional Division Committee Europe
Mina Charalambous is the Director of Libraries at the University of Nicosia since 2011. She holds a degree in Communication Studies and a postgraduate diploma in Library Science. She has more than 30 years of professional experience in the library sector.
Since 2010, she has served on the EBSCO Advisory Committee and, since 2018, has been a member of the Board of Directors of the Cyprus Libraries Consortium (CALC). At the Cyprus Association of Librarians – Information Scientists (CALIS), she served as Organizing Secretary from 2008 to 2012 and as Secretary for International Relations from 2023 to 2026. Since 2025, she has been a member of the Europe Regional Division Committee of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA).
Her professional interests include developing libraries and their services, promoting reading, strengthening information literacy skills, and advancing cultural literacy in Cyprus. She is committed to ensuring equal access to evidence-based information and highlighting the role of Cypriot libraries as cultural institutions, while supporting their alignment with European and international standards.
Miha Kovač
Prof. Miha Kovač, Department of Library and Information Science and Book Studies, University of Ljubljana
Miha Kovač is Professor at the Department of Library and Information Science and Book Studies at the University of Ljubljana in Slovenia. He has served as director of two of Slovenia’s largest publishing houses, as well as editor-in-chief of the Slovenian edition of National Geographic. He was Head of Research and Development at the publishing house Mladinska Knjiga and dissemination officer of the E-READ COST network. He has written more than fifty articles and four books in Slovenian, Croatian, and English on book reading and publishing. In 2023, he curated Slovenia’s Guest of Honour programme at the Frankfurt Book Fair. He is co-author of the Ljubljana Reading Manifesto. His book Read to Breathe , translated into eight languages, is available in Greek from To Mellon Publications (trans. Vicky Porfyridou).
Luis González
Director General, Fundación Germán Sánchez Ruipérez (FGSR)
A graduate in Law, with a master’s degree in HR and Tax Consulting (UAM) and a postgraduate degree in Senior Management (INAP), he joined the Senior civil service of the national administration of Spain in 1992. During this period, he was a member of the Steering Committee of the International Entity for Nuclear Fusion (JET), and was awarded the Distinguished Cross of S.R. Peñafort and designed the 2001-2004 Reading Promotion Plan. Since joining the Germán Sánchez Ruipérez Foundation in 2004, he has launched projects such as Readmagine, Renodo, Lecturalab, Lectylab, and PARIX, and has led or participated in several European projects. He is Vice President of the Spanish Association of Foundations and co-chair of the Reading Subcommittee of the International Publishers Association (IPA). He is the author of several books.
Christoph Bläsi
Department of Book Studies, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz
Christoph Bläsi (born 1960) is a professor for book / publishing studies at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (Germany). His research focusses include AI in publishing, economic aspects of educational media as well as reading. From 1992 to 2004 he had worked in digital publishing and strategic information management positions in various German publishing houses.
Dr Anna Koupannou
Coordinator of the Network for the Support of Reading Promotion, Cyprus Pedagogical Institute
Anna Kouppanou is an educator, author, academic lecturer, and researcher with an active presence in education and children’s literature. She was Cyprus’s nominee for the Hans Christian Andersen Award in 2022 and 2024. She coordinates the Reading Promotion Network of the Cyprus Pedagogical Institute and founded the Cyprus Children’s Conference on Literature and Reading Promotion, “What If We Broke the World a Little?”, which creates space for children to reflect, create, and engage in dialogue with literature.
She studied Education (BEd) at the University of Cyprus and for an MA in Intercultural Education and Psychology at the same university. She completed her doctoral studies in Philosophy of Education at the UCL Institute of Education (University College London) and carried out postdoctoral research at the University of Cyprus. She collaborates with universities in Cyprus and has an extensive research record on education, childhood studies, literacies, literature, and technology. Her most recent scholarly book is Technologies of Being in Martin Heidegger (Routledge).
Her work has received major distinctions, including the Cyprus State Literary Award for Books for Older Children and Young Adults (2005, 2015, 2025), the State Award for Young Adult Literature in Greece (2026), the First Prize of the Cyprus Association of Children’s and Young Adult Books (2001, 2015), and the Children’s Literature Award of O Anagnostis (2015). Her books appear on the IBBY Honour List (2018) and have been repeatedly shortlisted for major literary awards in Cyprus and Greece.
Dr Christina Christodoulou
President, Cyprus Association on Books for Young People (CYBBY), Cypriot section of IBBY
Dr Christina Christodoulou is a primary school educator, a researcher in the field of children’s literature, and President of the Cyprus Association of Children’s and Young Adult Books, The National Section of the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) in Cyprus. She is a graduate of the Department of Education at the University of Cyprus. She pursued further studies in the United Kingdom, where she obtained a Master’s degree in Children’s Literature from the University of Surrey Roehampton. Her postgraduate research, entitled Visual Literacy and the Dynamism of Picturebooks as a Strategy for Developing Children’s Visual Literacy Skills, focused on visual literacy and the dynamic role of picturebooks. She also holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Art, Craft and Design in Education from the same university.
In 2014, she was awarded a PhD in Education from the University of Brighton. Her research, Developing Year One Pupils’ Language through Children’s Literature and the Local Dialect in the Republic of Cyprus, examined the contribution of Cypriot children’s literature and especially the pedagogical use of traditional folk tales of Cyprus, written in the Cypriot dialect, and their contribution on children’s linguistic and literary development. Her work explores the potential of these texts to serve as educational tools for the development of language and literacy, both for children whose first language is Greek and for children learning Greek as an additional language.
She has presented her work at academic conferences in Cyprus and abroad, including the Literacy and Contemporary Society Conference (2015) and the 35th IBBY World Congress in New Zealand (2016). She has also represented Cyprus at international children’s book events, including the Bologna Children’s Book Fair, the Thessaloniki International Book Fair, the IBBY World Congresses in Athens and Trieste, Italy, as well as the Limassol Book Fair.
She has published articles in the annual publication of the Cyprus Association of Children’s and Young Adult Books, “Anemi”. She serves on judging panels for literacy competitions and actively helps organise educational conferences, events and initiatives related to children’s literature and storytelling.
As President of the Cyprus Association of Children’s and Young Adult Books, she is actively engaged in promoting high-quality literature for children and young adults, fostering a culture of reading, and supporting and promoting Cypriot literary creativity both in Cyprus and internationally. Her professional and academic career brings together education, research, literature and culture, with a consistent focus on fostering meaningful, creative relationships between children, language and books.
Charalambos Demetriou
Vice-president, Cyprus Association on Books for Young People (CYBBY); member, Executive Committee, IBBY
Charalambos Demetriou is a primary school teacher in Cyprus with a particular interest in children’s literature. He holds an M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction, specialising in Literature. For the past seven years, he has served as a Curriculum Officer at the Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth, and this year he also became an adviser for Literature in Primary Education.
He is an active board member of the Cyprus Association on Books for Young People (Cyprus IBBY). In 2024, he was elected to IBBY’s ten-member international Executive Committee, where he was appointed liaison for the European sections.
He regularly attends and presents on children’s literature at international and local conferences and seminars on reading promotion. He is a founding member of “Mythoporoi”, an informal reading promotion group.
Emilios Solomou
Author, educator
Born in 1971, Emilios Solomou studied History and Archaeology, Journalism, and Modern Greek Philology at postgraduate level. He worked as a journalist for a morning daily newspaper and currently teaches in secondary education. His short stories have appeared in magazines and anthologies in Cyprus, Greece and abroad. He has published the children’s books The Scarecrow (self-published in 2000; Patakis, 2018) The River (2020, Patakis) and the novels You Flew Away Quickly as a Sparrow (2003), An Axe in Your Hands (Anef, 2007; Cyprus State Prize for the Novel), The Diary of an Infidelity (Psichogios, 2012; European Union Prize for Literature), Hatred Is Half Revenge (Psichogios, 2015), and Hold Your Breath (Kastaniotis, 2023).
Vaggelis Gettos
Culture & Arts Specialist, Center for Social Innovation - CSI
Vaggelis Gettos was born in Patras in 1986. He studied at the School of Law of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. He holds master’s degrees in Criminal Sciences from the Faculty of Law of the University of Nice Sophia Antipolis, France, and in Organisational Behaviour and Human Resource Management from CIIM, Cyprus.
He has written three plays—The Last Apology of Nikos Koemtzis, Snow for the First Time and Tifl—which have been staged in Greece and Cyprus. He has also written educational children’s stories: In Search of the Lost Vulture (BirdLife Cyprus, 2020), The Blue Conference (Enalia Physis, 2021), Here Only Monachus (Enalia Physis, 2022), The Museum of Humans (Enalia Physis, 2022), and Poseidon’s Complaint (Enalia Physis, 2023), as well as the comic Birds (BirdLife Cyprus, 2020).
He is also the founder of the musical ensemble Idaeon Project. As a musician, he has composed music for theatre, contemporary dance, storytelling performances and other productions, and has performed at numerous festivals and cultural venues abroad.
He works as a Culture and Arts Specialist at the Center for Social Innovation – CSI.
Elias Epiphaniou
President, Cyprus Publishers Association; Publisher, Elias Epiphaniou Publications
Elias Epiphaniou is the founder and managing director of Elias Epiphaniou Publications, a company established in 2005. He has served as president of the Cyprus Publishers Association since its establishment in 2023. With business studies from the State University of New York at Albany, Elias has been active in publishing for over 35 years. Coming from a family with a long tradition in book publishing, Elias founded his own company in 1996, with the aim of providing readers with books of the highest quality. Over the years, Elias Epiphaniou Publications has become one of the most dynamic and influential publishing companies of the island.
Demetris Skourides
Chief Scientist for Research, Innovation and Technology, Republic of Cyprus; Chair of the National AI Taskforce; Chairman of the Board of Directors, Research and Innovation Foundation (RIF)
Demetris Skourides is the Chief Scientist of the Republic of Cyprus, appointed in 2023 to lead the country’s strategy in research, innovation, technology, and artificial intelligence. He chairs both the National AI Taskforce and the Board of the Research and Innovation Foundation and represents Cyprus in leading European and global networks on technology policy.
Since taking office, Skourides has prioritized industry engagement, holding over 1,300 meetings to map Cyprus’s AI adoption landscape. He actively connects research centres and startups with industry, facilitating proof-of-concept collaborations and guiding policy around digital infrastructure, AI, and emerging technologies. He has accelerated Cyprus’s internationalization, playing a key role in securing MoUs with Japan, Israel, and the UAE, and initiating strategic partnerships with Singapore, the USA, and India.
He holds a BSc in Computer Science from Arizona State University and an MBA from Henley Management College, with additional executive training at Columbia, Stanford, MIT, and Harvard. With over 17 years at Oracle and later AWS, he led multi-partner cloud transformation programmes and industry-specific AI strategies across EMEA and APAC.
Skourides is committed to positioning Cyprus as a regional hub for AI innovation, startup growth, and technology leadership. A passionate advocate for an AI-powered future with humans at the centre, Skourides embodies a model of leadership that is both visionary and humanistic, catalyzing transformation across generations and borders.
His leadership has received international recognition. In 2025, he was honoured with the CYDIA Impact Award at the Cyprus Diaspora Forum for his contribution to the internationalization of Cyprus’s research and innovation ecosystem. That same year, he was named among the Top 100 Global Power Leaders at the Global Business Conclave, held at the House of Lords in London, and was inducted into the G100 Denim Club, where he serves on the Global Advisory Council for Humanity, Innovation, and Technology. In September, he was honoured with the title of Exemplary Leader of the Year 2025 in Human-Centric AI Governance (Global 200 Inspirational Leaders) at the White Page Leadership Conclave 2025 award ceremony.
Nadim Sadek
Founder & CEO, Shimmr AI
Nadim Sadek is Founder & CEO of Shimmr AI, ‘The Discoverability Engine’, winner of AI Startup of the Year London 2024, Frankfurt 2025, FutureBook 2025, and the International Publishers Association’s 2026 ‘Innovation in Publishing’ Laureate. He is author of Shimmer, Don’t Shake and Quiver, Don’t Quake (Mensch, 2023, 2025), described by The New Publishing Standard as “the Most Important Book Publishing Professionals Will Read This Decade”. Shimmer, Don’t Shake has been published in Greek by Kastaniotis Editions as ‘Λάμψε, μην τρέμεις: Πώς οι εκδότες μπορούν να υιοθετήσουν την τεχνητή νοημοσύνη’. Forthcoming books include The Farlands Adventures (Wonder House) and RIDES – The Marques & Minds of Motorcycling (Veloce). Nadim writes for The Bookseller, speaks globally on AI, and advises BookBrunch, Ailaysa and Sinai AI.
Yiannos Georgiades
Managing Partner, Y. Georgiades & Associates LLC; Co-Founder, Kinisis Ventures
Yiannos Georgiades is the Managing Partner of the law firm Y. Georgiades & Associates LLC, which is based in Nicosia, Cyprus, with presence in the UK and Greece. He graduated from West London University (LL.B. Hons.) in 1989 and Inns of Court School of Law, Honourable Society of Gray’s Inn, London (Barrister-at-Law) in 1990. Apart from becoming a Barrister, he has previously worked in a reputable solicitor’s firm in London, as well as worked as a visiting attorney at Corboy & Demetrio in Chicago and Baker & Hostetler in Washington, D.C. in the US.
Yiannos Georgiades is a member of the Cyprus Bar Association, member of the Law Society in the UK as a European Registered Lawyer and President of the Cyprus Chapter of the European Court of Arbitration and Mediation for commercial disputes (CEAM). He is a co-founder of the business accelerator KV Kinisis Ventures Limited, which aims at scaling up innovative and technology companies to the US market. In addition, he has been approved as nominated advisor for the Emerging Companies Market (the ECM) of the Cyprus Stock Exchange and has been appointed to the CY-Biobank Independent Bioethics Advisory Board. He is the President of GLAWBUS Global Law and Business Organisation and Past President of Rotary Club of Nicosia.
Mirella Batziania
Responsible for the content and management of bookpoint.gr, Greek Collecting Society for Literary Works (OSDEL)
Mirella Batziania was born in 1968 and attended studies in the IT field. For 22 years she worked as a freelancer in sales and sales training. Since 2014, she has been working at OSDEL, the Greek Collecting Society for Literary Works, and is currently responsible for the content and management of the Books in Print database, bookpoint.gr
Gautier Chomel
Head of Accessibility & Quality Management, European Digital Reading Lab - EDRLab
Project manager and Head of Accessibility & Quality Management for EDRLab, Gautier Chomel is a 25 years experienced editorial and book production designer with a 15 years specialization in accessible content for visually impaired people. Gautier is also a confirmed trainer who worked for international organizations like World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the Daisy Consortium and has operated éditadapt, a certified training center. His passion for book production technics goes as far as hand printing using 3d matrices during his spare time.
Carlo Carrenho
Publishing consultant, Carrenho Publishing Consulting; journalist, Publishing Perspectives
Carlo Carrenho is a Brazilian-Swedish publishing consultant based in Stockhom. As the founder of book trade media PublishNews in Brazil and Spain, he has dedicated his career to understanding and developing digital publishing. He is a partner at Pop Stories, an audiobook company he helped establish in Brazil in 2021. Carlo recently served as Audio Book Ambassador for the Frankfurt Book Fair in 2023 and 2024. He has recently worked as an advisor for Dreamscape (US) and Beletrina (Slovenia).
His experience in digital publishing and business development has led him to consult for companies across Brazil, Germany, Finland, Spain, Portugal, Argentina, Canada, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Slovenia, Greece, and the US. An Economics graduate from the University of São Paulo and alumnus of the Radcliffe Publishing Course, Carlo lives in the Swedish town of Trosa with his wife Carla and their two children, spending summers in the Sardinian town of Santu Lussurgiu. He enjoys films, books, traveling, and divides his contemplative moments between the Baltic and Mediterranean seas.
Marios Tannousis
CEO, Invest Cyprus - Cyprus Investment Promotion Agency (CIPA)
Marios Tannousis is the CEO of Invest Cyprus. He has more than twenty-nine years of international corporate experience, with twelve years in the international banking and Financial Services group Societe Generale, where he served various key posts.
He is a Member of the Board of the European Fund and Asset Management Association (EFAMA) and co-founder and member of the Cyprus Investment Funds Association (CIFA). He also served as President of the Cyprus Finance & Leasing Association and Board Member in various other organizations and bodies
He is a Member of the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment (CISI) and holds a Bachelor's degree in Economics from Rutgers University, NJ, USA and an MBA from Mankato State University (MSU), MN, USA. He has also completed the FinTech program of Oxford University, Said Business School and the program on Transformational Leadership of the University of Cambridge Judge Business School.
He is certified for offering investment services and has a special interest in Economic Development and job creation through Investments especially in Banking, Financial Services, FinTech, Investment Funds and Private Public Partnerships across economic sectors.
He represents Cyprus in various international and European Conferences.
Ali Abdel-Moneim Ahmed
Co-founder & CEO, Arabookverse International
Ali Abd El-Moneim Ahmed is a publishing leader from Egypt with over 25 years of experience across the Arab and global markets. He is the CEO and Co-Founder of Arabookverse International (UAE & Egypt), driving innovation in Arabic digital publishing and global distribution of audiobooks and eBooks. Previously, he headed Arabic content acquisition at Storytel and played an active role in the Egyptian Publishers Association. With a strong focus on digital transformation, international partnerships, and market expansion, Ali is dedicated to elevating Arabic content on the global stage.
Nisreen Kreidieh
Publisher, Dar Annahda Al Arabia for printing, publishing & distribution
Nisreen Kreidieh is the General Manager of Dar Annahda Al Αrabiyya for Publishing and Distribution. Born in Beirut, Lebanon, she graduated from the Lebanese American University, where she studied business marketing and advertising (graphic design).
Since joining Dar Annahda, she has worked to enrich Arabic publishing with new research, knowledge, and literary works. She has participated in international fellowships and book fairs, developed her marketing expertise, and strengthened the publisher’s digital presence. Her ambition is to publish books that endure and resonate with future generations.
Hanife İçten
Key Account Manager for English-Language World, Cyprus, Greece, Türkiye & Azerbaijan, Frankfurt Book Fair
Hanife was born in a village near Kütahya, Turkey, close to Aizanoi. She came to Germany at 9 months old and considers herself a cosmopolit and a Greek by heart. She lived in Cologne until University and she studied at Münster, Cardiff (Wales), Strassburg and Frankfurt am Main. Hanife holds a Masters in English Philology and loves reading in German, English and Turkish. She Started working for Frankfurt Book Fair in the year 2000. Since 2017 she has been responsible for customers from the English-language world, Cyprus, Greece, Türkiye and Azerbaijan. She lives currently on a remote German island in the North Sea, where no cars or other vehicles are allowed.
Haris Ioannides
Co-founder, Limassol International Book Fair; publisher, Armida Books; Board Member, Cyprus Publishers Association
Haris Ioannides grew up in Nicosia, Cyprus and studied in Canada and the US. He has been in charge of Armida Books for over 22 years. He has dedicated his professional life to promoting Cypriot authors overseas, with Armida now boasting several titles in translation in over a dozen languages. He is also one of the founders of the Limassol International Book Fair, a member of the board of the Cyprus Publishers Association, and a member of the Advisory Committee of the Cyprus Library. Established in 1997, Armida is a multiple award-winning indie publisher based in Nicosia, Cyprus. Armida publishes intelligent contemporary Fiction and distinguished Non-Fiction of the highest standard, by both local and international authors, with a focus on the Eastern Mediterranean region. After receiving the EUPL prize in 2011, Armida became and has since remained one of the leading exporter of literary rights of Cypriot Greek literature overseas.
Established in 1997, Armida is a multiple award-winning indie publisher based in Nicosia, Cyprus. Armida publishes intelligent contemporary Fiction and distinguished Non-Fiction of the highest standard, by both local and international authors, with a focus on the Eastern Mediterranean region. After receiving the EUPL prize for 'The Experiment' by Myrto Azina Chronides, Armida became and has since remained one of the leading exporter of literary rights of Cypriot Greek literature overseas.
Fabio Stassi
Author; editor, minimum fax; Director, Library of Oriental Studies, Sapienza University of Rome
Fabio Stassi was born in Rome in 1962. He is the head of Italian literature at a well-known Italian publishing house and also runs a university library in Rome. He made his literary debut in 2006. He has written thirteen novels, short stories, essays and children’s books. In 2013, he achieved great success with his novel “Carlo’s Last Dance”, which was translated into 19 languages and won six awards in Italy, including the Premio Selezione Campiello. In 2016, he won the Scerbanenco Award for the best noir novel of the year with his book “The Lost Reader” (Ikaros, 2018), which was much loved by Greek readers, as were the subsequent books in the series featuring the bibliotherapist Vince Corso: “Every Coincidence Has a Soul” (Ikaros, 2019), “I Kill Whoever I Want” (Ikaros, 2022), and “Night-time in France” (Ikaros, 2025). He won the Dessì, Benedetto Croce and Stresa awards for his book “Mastro-Geppetto” (Ikaros, 2023).
Manolis Pimplis
Journalist
Manolis Pimplis was born in Athens in 1966 and is a journalist. He studied Law at the University of Athens, where he also pursued postgraduate studies in Political Science. He worked for the newspaper Ta Nea (1994–2018) and the television channel ET1 (2006–2008). Since 2018, he has worked at the Hellenic Parliament Television channel, where he produces and presents the programme Vivliovoulio. From 2010 to 2014, he was responsible for the “Words and Thoughts” series of events at the Onassis Cultural Centre. He served as Director of the Thessaloniki International Book Fair from 2017 to 2020. In 2022, he founded the annual Chania Book Festival, which he has directed ever since. Since 2022, he has also headed Hellenic Open University Press. He has published a poetry collection and contributed short stories to anthologies. He has translated fourteen literary books from French. Since 2026, he has been Curator of the General Fair Programme at the Limassol International Book Fair.
George Andrew Zannos
Managing Director, Greek Collecting Society for Literary Works (OSDEL)
Since 2016 George Andrew Zannos has been the Managing Director of the Greek Collective Management Organization OSDEL (in the field of reprography). He has extensive experience in the field of intellectual property, especially in relation to the cultural sector.
He studied law in Germany (University of Freiburg) and Greece (University of Athens) and went on to obtain an LL.M in Intellectual Property from UCL (London). Since 1989 has been a member of the Athens Bar Association with rights of audience before the Hellenic Supreme Court. In his professional practice as a lawyer he has represented many important music authors, organizations such as the Union of Greek Composers, the Collective Management Organizations ERATO (performers) and OSDEL (reprography), the Orchestra of Colours, the Camerata of Megaron, BSA (Business Software Alliance), recording companies, publishers, film producers, and others. He has also served as legal counsel (advisor) in the Office of the Greek Minister of Culture (2009-2012) coordinating the Minister’s legal team and contributing to policy issues in the field of copyright and culture and has sat on the Boards of the Greek National Opera, Greek Public Radio and Television (ERT) and the Greek Film Festival.
Andrey Mishenev
CEO and co-founder, ABP Publishing and Booka
Andrey Mishenev studied as engineer-physicist at National Research Nuclear University (MEPHI) in Moscow and early on in his career turned to digital projects for books and education as a serial entrepreneur. He co-founded and served as Chief Development Officer at TeachVideo.ru, an educational videos production and distribution service, and as CEO at Bookee, a digital books distribution service. Based today in Limassol, Cyprus, he is the CEO of three companies he has co-founded: ABP Publishing, an audiobook production company in European languages; LoudBook, which specialises in audiobook production and distribution; and Booka, a platform with with educational e-books for children from 0 to 9.
Maria Lavithi
Founder & CEO, Heroes Made
Maria Lavithi is an entrepreneur, educator, mentor, and storyteller who believes that the best ideas begin with people.
Originally from Cyprus, Maria studied Creative Writing at Louisiana State University and spent nearly fifteen years living and working in the United States. Her career took her through hospitality, marketing, public relations, business development, and medical sales, including roles connected to Hilton, Marriott, and the Washington, D.C. market. Along the way, she developed a powerful combination of creativity, commercial awareness, and a natural ability to connect with people.
Today, Maria is the CEO and co-founder of Heroes Made, an education company created with her husband, Daniel Howard. The inspiration came from a deeply personal place. After their daughter, Sienna, experienced bullying, Maria wanted to create something that could help children feel seen, valued, and part of the story. Heroes Made now brings character education, connection, and resilience into elementary classrooms through personalized stories and classroom-ready lessons. The company has been recognized as Cyprus’s Best Start Up in various competitions.
Maria also serves as a Special Entrepreneurial Scientist at the University of Cyprus Entrepreneurship Centre and has mentored more than 150 startups. Since 2018, she has supported founders through IDEAcy Accelerator as a mentor, workshop leader, and selection committee member, helping entrepreneurs turn early ideas into strong business plans, investment-ready ventures, and clear, compelling stories.
Whether she is building a company, mentoring a founder, or speaking to an audience, Maria brings practicality, energy, and heart to the work. Her belief is simple: always see the world through the lens of possibility.
Mary Panousi
Representative of the Directorate-General for Translation (DGT) of the European Commission in Cyprus, Responsible for Communication and Outreach Activities, Promotion of AI-Powered Language Tools, Translation and Multilingualism
Mary Panousi is the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Translation (DGT) representative in Cyprus, promoting AI-powered language technologies, multilingualism and translation-related professions.
With extensive experience across European institutions, including the European Commission, European Parliament and European Economic and Social Committee, she has worked in Strategic Communication, European Policy and International Relations, as well as Translation and Conference Interpretation. She has served as Press Attaché at the Permanent Representation of Cyprus to the EU and as Special Adviser on Communication and European Affairs in the Greek public administration. Her career also spans the private sector in Greece and internationally.
Fluent in six languages, she holds a degree in Classical Philology from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, with postgraduate studies in Translation & Interpretation (University of Mons-Hainaut), Marketing & Advertising (Université libre de Bruxelles and Solvay Brussels School of Economics & Management), and Business, International Relations and Political Economy (London School of Economics & Political Science), alongside further specialised studies at Sorbonne University and the European University Institute in Florence.
Maria A. Ioannou
Author
Maria A. Ioannou was born in Limassol in 1982. She has published three short-story collections: The Gigantic Fall of an Eyelash (Gavrielides Publications, 2011), Cauldron (Nefeli Publishing, 2015), and Inbetweens (Nefeli Publishing, 2022), as well as two children’s books: The Fly and the Jug (illustrated by Philippos Theodorides, Patakis Publishers, 2019), the poetry collection Fireworks Under the Sun (Ikaros Publishing, 2026), and My Mum Is an Astronaut (illustrated by Vassilis Koutsogiannis, Teleia Publications, 2023). Her books have been shortlisted for awards in Cyprus and Greece, including the Klepsydra Magazine Young Writer Award in 2016 and the Hartis Awards in 2022, and she has twice received a Cyprus State Prize for Literature. She studied English Literature at the University of Reading and completed an MA in Twentieth-Century Literature at King’s College London and a PhD in Creative Writing at the University of Winchester. Her flash fiction has been nominated for Best Small Fictions 2020 (USA) and Best of the Net 2021 and translated into several languages. In 2013, she founded SARDAM, the international interdisciplinary literature festival.
Michalis Kalamaras
Co-curator, Limassol International Book Fair Conference; publishing consultant, Thinking; founder, eAnagnostis.gr
Michalis, with studies in Greek philology, has more than 15 years of experience as a book professional. Since 2013, he works in consulting, digital marketing and content development at Thinking, an Athens-based technology and design agency providing digital services and products for the book industry in Greece and abroad. His work focuses on integrating digital transformation in the wider business strategy of publishers and booksellers, on planning and implementing marketing strategies across digital channels, and on interfacing between publishers and booksellers priorities, designer and development projects, reader’s needs and content expertise.
Since its inception in 2022, he is Curator of the Professional Programme of the Limassol International Book Fair in Cyprus. He founded eAnagnostis.gr (“e-reader” in Greek), in 2008, a news and analysis website on digital editions, ebooks and audiobooks, and the digital transformation of the book industry. He is a co-founder of BookTech Collective, an international initiative by book professionals.
He has participated in conferences and seminars including FutureBook, ReBoot Books, SIDT Books, Readmagine, Digital Publishing Summit and Let’s Talk!, and he has attended international book fairs in Abu Dhabi, Bologna, Cairo, Chennai, Frankfurt, London, Sharjah and Thessaloniki. He is a member of the Network for the Research on Typography and Publishing (DETE) and of PEN Greece.
Christos Michalaros
Journalist
Christos Michalaros is a journalist, author and creator of cultural projects. He has worked in television, radio and print media for more than 15 years, presenting programmes on social, political and cultural affairs in Cyprus and Greece. He currently presents the daily news and current affairs programme Mesimeri kai Kati on SIGMA TV. He is a member of the organising team and the main presenter of the Limassol International Book Fair, co-creator of the photographic oral history project People of Cyprus, and actively involved in designing and delivering cultural initiatives. He has published four books of poetry, with his third poetry collection, Anepidota (“Undelivered”), released recently. He studied Banking and Financial Management at the University of Piraeus and Media and Journalism at Newcastle University. He also writes song lyrics. He loves listening to stories and telling them.