George Alexandratos

George Sp. Alexandratos, was born in Athens in 1973 ,hails from the island of Kefalonia and graduated from Moraitis school. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Shipping Business from Plymouth University and a Master of Science in Maritime Policy from Cardiff University. He is currently the Director of Apollonia Lines S.A., a company established by his father Spyros in 1974. The company is maintaining a consistent presence in the bulk carrier sector for several decades. Since January 2025, George ιs serving as the President of the Hellenic Chamber of Shipping, He has also been the General Secreteriat of the Hellenic Short Sea Shipowners Association since 2015. Furthermore, he was elected President of the Piraeus Marine Club in 2022. Between 2014 and 2016, he served as President of the Hellenic Hull Mutual. George is a staunch supporter of Maritime Hellas, the official Hellenic Maritime Cluster, and believes in the power of synergies to drive the industry's advancement as also in the philosophy and realism that only through unity can we achieve great success.

Konstantinos Arvanitopoulos

Constantine Arvanitopoulos is a former Greek Minister of Education, and Professor of International Politics at the Department of International, European and Area Studies at Panteion University, Athens. He is Director General of the “Konstantinos G. Karamanlis” Foundation beginning September 2022.

He is a graduate of Panteion University, Department of Political Sciences (1982), he holds an MA (1985) and a PhD (1989) in International Relations and Comparative Politics, from the School of International Service, American University, Washington DC, both with honors, and also a post-doc (1990-1992) from the Center for European Studies of Harvard University. He has been Lecturer on International Relations and Comparative Politics at the School of International Service at the American University (1987-89) and Assistant Professor of Government and European Politics at the Department of Public and International Affairs at George Mason University (1992-95). In 1995 he became Assistant Professor of International Relations at the Department of International and European Studies at Panteion University, in Athens, Greece. In 2008 he became Professor at the same Department. He chaired the Department from 2006 to 2010. Beginning September 2019 and for three consecutive years he was the "Constantine G. Karamanlis" Chair in Hellenic and European Studies at Fletcher School at Tufts University in Boston, USA. His research interests are in International Relations Theory, Political Theory, European Politics and US Foreign Policy Analysis. He has taught courses on theory and methodology of International Relations, European Politics, and Comparative Analysis. He has given lectures on numerous academic institutions (Harvard, Princeton, Columbia, Georgetown, University of Chicago, Tsinghua University, Peking University). He has published articles on the EU, the non-aligned movement, Greek-Turkish relations, the study of leadership and authoritarian regimes. He has written books on the transitions from authoritarianism to democracy, on transatlantic relations, on US foreign policy and a textbook on international relations. His latest book is entitled "The Transatlantic Partnership at a Crossroads: Renewal or Decoupling".

Rodger Baker

Rodger Baker is a Senior Geopolitical Analyst with Periplous and the Executive Director of the Stratfor Center for Applied Geopolitics at RANE. Baker has helped businesses and organizations manage geopolitical challenges for nearly 25 years. He focuses on the broader Indo-Pacific region and its relations with the United States, and addresses the strategic dynamics of an evolving world system, looking at great power competition, the role of middle powers, and the impacts of technological, environmental, and demographic changes on geopolitical relationships - all with an eye on the impact for globally engaged businesses and organizations. Mr. Baker is a Senior Fellow at the George H. W. Bush Foundation for U.S. - China Relations, a Steering Fellow for the Mackinder Forum, and teaches a certificate program in Geopolitical Analysis at Florida Atlantic University.

Konstantina Botsiou

Konstantina Botsiou is Professor of Political History and International Relations at the Department of International and European Studies, University of Piraeus, and Dean of the School of Economics, Business and International Studies of the University of Piraeus. She graduated with honors from the Department of History and Archaeology, University of Athens, and holds a PhD from the University of Tübingen. She has taught at the Department of Political Science and Public Administration, University of Athens, and at the Department of Political Science and International Relations, University of the Peloponnese, where she also served as Vice Rector for Economics, Education and Quality Assurance (2012-15). Since 2016 she is Visiting Professor at the Hellenic National Defense College (HNDC) and since 2020 Director of the Council for International Relations-Greece. Between 2001 and 2018 she was also Director of Publications, General Director and Vice President at the Konstantinos Karamanlis Institute for Democracy. Among others she has been a research fellow at the Jean Monnet European Center of Excellence, University of Athens (2006-2008), the Hellenic National Audiovisual Archive (2007-2009), the LSE-IDEAS (2013-2015), the Bank of Greece (2019-23). Between 2001 and 2018 she was Director of Publications, General Director and Vice President at the Konstantinos Karamanlis Institute for Democracy. She was a member of the academic council of the Martin‘s Centre for European Studies, the Hellenic Parliament Foundation for Parliamentarism and Democracy and the Political Academy of the Hellenic Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as a member of the Board of Directors at the National Library of Greece. She has received grants and scholarships from Greek and international organizations (Erasmus, ECTS, European Teachers Association, LSE-IDEAS, US-IVLP, US Embassy in Greece, DAAD, Konstantinos Karamanlis Foundation, A. Andreadis Fund, a.o.) Her publications focus on modern and contemporary Greek and European history, European integration, the Cold War, Balkan history, Euro-Atlantic relations, political parties, defense and foreign policy. She has authored and edited over 15 books and over 120 academic articles and book chapters.

John N. Cotzias

John N. Cotzias is President of the Hellenic Shipbrokers Association, serving his 4th term since 2013. With 37 years of experience, he represents the 4th generation of Greece’s oldest shipbroking family, active since 1893 in sale & purchase and chartering. In 2017, he co-founded Xclusiv Shipbrokers Inc., a leading firm in S&P, projects, and finance. He serves as Maritime Advisor to NATO’s TGOS and AMSCC and has advised numerous shipping companies, financial institutions, and academic bodies. A frequent moderator, speaker, and panelist at major conferences, he also co-hosted Greece’s first live weekly shipping program on national TV. Throughout his career, he has concluded numerous S&P transactions and structured complex projects involving finance and long-term employment. Mr. Cotzias holds an MSc in Shipping, Trade & Finance from City University Cass Business School and a BSc in Economics from the University of Buckingham. He is married to Dr. Maria-Evgenia Kosmopoulou and has two daughters.

Nikos Dendias

Nikolaos Dendias was born in Corfu and hails from Paxi. He is a graduate of the Athens College and of the Athens University Law School (with honors). He holds a Master of Laws (LL.M) from the University of London, specializing in Maritime and Insurance Law (University College – UCL) and Criminology (London School of Economics – LSE). He is a Supreme Court Lawyer. Nikolaos Dendias was first elected Member of Parliament in 2004 and has been re-elected ever since. He has served as Minister of Justice (2009), Minister of Public Order and Citizen Protection (2012-2014), Minister of Development and Competitiveness (2014), Minister of National Defense (2014-2015) and Minister of Foreign Affairs (2019-2023). In June 2023 he was reappointed Minister of National Defense. He is married to Dafni Lala and has three children.

Leonidas Dimitriadis-Eugenides

Leonidas Dimitriadis-Eugenides was born in Athens Greece, in 1958. He studied Economics at the University of Athens and completed his M.Sc. degree in Transport Economics at PCL in London. In 1976, Mr. Dimitriadis-Eugenides joined Eugenides Group. He was appointed President and CEO of the Group in 1995 and President of the Eugenides Foundation in 2000. He was elected for the first time Member of the Board of the Greek Shipowners Union, in 1996. He served as Secretary of the Union from February 2000 to February 2003 and as Treasurer from February 2003 to February 2012. He has also served as representative of the Greek Shipowners Union at the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. He is a Member of the Chartered Institute of Transport, M.C.I.T, and the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers. From March 2013 to December 2013 he was a Member of the Supervisory Committee of the National Library of Greece. The Academy of Athens awarded him in December 2015. Mr. Dimitriadis-Eugenides was appointed as IMO Ambassador representing Greece in May 2018. In June 2018, he was awarded an Honorary Doctoral Degree from the Department of Maritime Studies, University of Piraeus.

Dominick Donald

Dominick Donald has spent 25 years helping corporations, governments, the media and multinational organisations understand the implications of global and regional developments. This has included being an advisor to the Joint War risks Committee of the Lloyds insurance market for two decades advising financial institutions on how to anticipate future events, and how markets will respond to them helping to devise Afghanistan economic reconstruction strategy for the US Department of Defense and working on social rehabilitation of former combatants in Sierra Leone, Mozambique and the DRC, for the UN. He has a Modern History MA from Magdalen College Oxford and a War Studies PhD from King’s College London, and his analysis has appeared in publications ranging from UN Security Council resolutions to The Times.

Stelios Fenekos

Stelios Fenekos is Senior Advisor in the Research Institute for European and American Studies (RIEAS). He is a retired Rear Admiral of the Hellenic Navy. He concluded his career as a member of the Supreme Naval Council, having served extensively in operational, command, and staff positions both in Greece and within NATO. He is currently the President of the Alexandros Papanastasiou Institute of Political and Social Sciences (IN.A.P.) and Chairman of the Scientific Board of the international forum G3 Foresight Forum. His academic background includes studies in: (1) Greece: Hellenic Naval Academy; Naval War College (Strategic Studies); and an MSc in International Politics, Strategy, and European Studies from Panteion University; (2) United States: Foreign and National Policy, Decision Making, Strategy, and Defense Planning at the U.S. Naval War College (Rhode Island); Harvard Kennedy School of Government: Executive Program in Foreign Policy in Eastern Europe; (3) United Kingdom: Crisis Management Course at the Maritime Tactical Centre (Portsmouth).

Stelios Fenekos is the President of the Alexander Papanastasiou Scientific Institute is an independent think tank dedicated to advancing knowledge in fields such as geopolitics, geostrategy, and geoeconomics. As part of its commitment to fostering meaningful research, analysis, and dialogue on global affairs, the Institute proudly organizes the annual G3 Foresight Forum, in collaboration with leading scientific institutions in Greece and abroad. Stelios Fenekos is the Chairman of the Scientific Board of The G3 Foresight Forum serves as a platform for international experts and scholars to analyze and discuss critical geopolitical challenges and their global implications.

Athanasios Feidakis

Athanasios (“Thanos”) Feidakis is the President, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer at Globus Maritime Limited, an international provider of marine dry bulk shipping services through the ownership and operation of dry bulk vessels that transport iron ore, coal, grain, steel products, cement, alumina and other dry bulk cargoes worldwide.

Costis Frangoulis

Costis J. Frangoulis is a Greek entrepreneur and holds a B.A. in Economics and Business Administration from the University of Richmond, U.K.

He is the Founder, President, and CEO of Franman Group, a leading international trading house established in Athens in 1991.

He has been President of the Propeller Club, Port of Piraeus since 2019 and is currently in his third and final term, making him the longest-serving President in the Club’s history.

In October 2025, he was elected President of the International Propeller Club, becoming the first non-American to hold this position since the organization’s inception in 1927.

He also serves as Ambassador for the Sailors’ Society in Greece, Trustee of the U.S.–Greece Trade & Investment Council, and a member of the Advisory Board of the Council for International Relations – Greece (CfIR-GR).

Sofia Galani

Dr Sofia Galani (LLB, LLM, PhD, FHEA) is an Assistant Professor at the Panteio University of Athens (since 2021) and a Scientific Advisor to the Scientific Council of the Hellenic Parliament (since 2022). Previously, she held a Senior Lectureship (2021), a Lectureship (2015-2020) and a Teaching Assistant position (2013-2015) at the University of Bristol. She holds an LLB from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, an LLM in Public Law and a PhD in International Law from the University of Bristol. She has also taught at the undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in UK, German and Japanese Universities as well as the Open University of Greece and the School of National Defence. Her research interests lie on maritime security, the law of the sea, human rights and terrorism and she has published in these areas. She is the author of Hostages and Human Rights: Towards a Victim-Centred Approach? (CUP, 2021) and a co-editor (with Professor Sir Malcolm Evans) of Maritime Security and the Law of the Sea: Help or Hindrance? (EE, 2020). She is an academic consultant to the Global Maritime Crime Programme of the United Nations Office for Drugs and Crime. She sits at the Non-Executive Board of Advisors of Human Rights at Sea and is one of the authors of the Geneva Declaration of Human Rights at Sea.

Nikos Georgopoulos

With 20 years of service in the Hellenic Navy, Nikos Georgopoulos commanded Special Forces Units and served as the Commanding Officer of both the Navy Seals Command and Naval Warships. His academic background includes training at the Hellenic Naval Academy and the Strategy Operations program at the Hellenic Naval War College, as well as NATO Special Forces training and operations. Beyond his military career, he has held senior positions as a Director and Vice President in multinational companies. Currently, he is the Chief Business Development Officer at the Diaplous Group.

Spyros Hirdaris

Spyros Ηirdaris is the Manager of the Global Ship Systems Center of the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS). He holds a PhD in Naval Architecture from the University of Southampton and is a chartered engi¬neer. He represents ABS at the Nuclear Energy and Maritime Organization (NEMO), he is a member of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine En¬gineers (SNAME) in the U.S. and a member of the Technical Chamber of Greece.

Leonard Hochberg

Dr. Leonard Hochberg is a Senior Fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute and Coordinator of the Mackinder Forum-US. Len Hochberg received his PhD from Cornell University in political science. Initially he studied political philosophy; eventually, however, he worked under the direction of Professor Edward W. Fox, a geo-historian of modern Europe. Before his retirement from academia, Hochberg was a member of the faculty at the School of Interdisciplinary Studies, Miami University (Oxford, OH), the Department of Sociology, Stanford University, and the Louisiana State University. At Stanford, he was named a fellow at the Hoover Institution. While at LSU, he co-founded and co-directed the Center for Geopolitical Studies, where he worked with research teams on applications of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to ethnic mobilization, supply chains, and war games. He co-founded Strategic Forecasting, Inc. (i.e. STRATFOR), which was one of the world’s premier companies engaged in geopolitical analysis of contemporary international crises. Since his retirement from academia, he has served as the U.S. Coordinator of the Mackinder Forum—a group of diplomats, entrepreneurs, retired diplomats and flag officers, historians, and social scientists interested in discussing geopolitical theories and developments.

Michael Hochberg

Michael Hochberg is a visiting scholar at the Cambridge University Centre for Geopolitics, where he is now working on a book devoted to applied geopolitics. Hochberg has been a physicist, an engineer, a professor, a startup founder, an executive at startup companies, an executive at a large multinational, and a freelance advisor and board member. He is fluent in the languages of technology, geopolitics, policy, business and strategy, and is particularly interested in the areas where these different fields intersect. Michael won several awards for his work, including an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship, a U.S. Air Force Young Investigator Program Award, a Singapore National Research Foundation Fellowship, and a Presidential Early Career Award in Science and Engineering, which is the highest honor granted by the U.S. government to young scientists. His work has been cited over 20,000 times in the scientific literature. His articles have appeared in Science, Nature, and other top scientific journals. Hochberg is the President of Periplous LLC, which provides advisory services on strategy, technology, policy, and organization design.

Marilena Koppa

Marilena Koppa, PhD, is Professor of Comparative Politics at the Department of European, International and Area Studies of Panteion University and author of several articles on Balkan Politics, minority issues, democratization, nationalism and European Security and Defence. She is an Athens Law school graduate. She obtained her Ph.D on Comparative Politics at Paris–X Nanterre University (1991). For years she worked as a special adviser to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on issues pertaining to European integration and enlargement.

She has been a member of the European Parliament from 2007 to 2014. She was the Coordinator of the S&D Group at the Subcommittee on Security and Defense and also Vice-chairperson of the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee. She has been a member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and a substitute member of the Committee on International Trade and the Subcommittee on Human Rights. Among others, she was the rapporteur of the European Parliament “On the implementation of the CSDP based on the Annual Report from the Council to the EU on the Common Foreign and Security Policy” in 2013 as well as the EP Rapporteur on ‘Enlargement: policies, criteria and the EU’s strategic interests” in 2012. She has published three books on South-eastern Europe: “A Fragile Democracy: The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia between the past and the future” (Papazisis, Athens, 1994), «The minorities in the post-communist Balkans” (Nea Synora-Livanis, Athens, 1997), «The creation of states in the Balkans» (Nea Synora-Livanis, Athens, 1997). Ιn 2017 she published “CSDP: the history, the institutions, the strategies” (Patakis, Athens). Her latest book is “The Evolution of the Common Security and Defence Policy. Critical Junctures and the quest for the EU’s Strategic Autonomy” (Palgrave McMillan, St Anthony Series, London, 2022).

Daniel Mueller

Daniel serves as Ambrey's Analyst for the Indian Ocean and Middle East. He has led the response to heightened war risks in the Gulf region in light of the Israel/US-war on Iran and the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden as a consequence of the Israel-Gaza conflict. Daniel authored Ambrey’s Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) threat analysis and regional threat actor affiliation methodology, which accompanies advanced BMP gap analysis, affiliation checks and voyage risk analytics. In support of Ambrey’s wider Guardian assurance programme, Daniel routinely engages with authorities. He holds a Master’s degree in War and Conflict Studies and served with the German Navy.

Punit Oza

Punit Oza is the founder & Director of Maritime NXT, Singapore, which is focussed on driving the “Next” in Maritime through training, teaching, mentoring, consulting & collaborating in commercial shipping & digital transformation space. He is a Senior Adjunct Fellow at Maritime & Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) Academy, an Affiliated Research Fellow at Singapore Management University and a guest lecturer at multiple business schools in China, Singapore, India, Greece, UK & Denmark lecturing on “Geopolitical Risks & their impact on Supply Chain and Trade Flows”. Punit hosts a monthly podcast on Geopolitics & Trade with Seatrade Maritime Podcast, interviewing prominent shipping, trade & technology leaders.

Punit is also the current President & Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers, UK and sits on the board of Netbulk, Singapore as a Non-Executive Director.

Punit started his career in Dry Bulk Shipping over 30 years ago and has held senior management positions in some leading shipping companies including Precious Shipping, Noble Group & Torvald Klaveness, holding senior commercial positions in the group as well as Head of Digital Transformation at Klaveness Dry Bulk.

Punit previously served as the Executive Director of Singapore Chamber of Maritime Arbitration, driving transformation & positive changes, combining legal & commercial expertise. Prior to that, Punit was on the board of Singapore Maritime Foundation.

Mr. Punit Oza is currently the Chief Commercial Officer of FrontM, which is pioneering a holistic digital toolbox bridging the ship-shore divide and optimizing maritime operations.

Punit is deeply involved with the maritime tech-startup space and is also an angel investor and advisor in Motion Ventures, a VC fund focused on sustainable maritime and supply chain startups.

Punit holds a Masters in Shipping, Trade and Finance from Bayes (previously CASS) Business School, UK and an LLB and Post Graduate Diploma in Maritime Law from the University of London.

Angelos Pantouvakis

Angelos Pantouvakis was born in Athens Greece and studied Civil and Transport Engineering at the National Technical University of Athens, (M.. Eng.) He continued his studies at the Nottingham Business School, UK, M.B.A. (Masters in Business Administration) and he did his Ph.D. at the Judge Business School, University of Cambridge in Modeling and Measuring Quality aspects on companies’ performance. He spends more than twenty-five years in all levels of managerial positions –from plant supervisor to CEO and Chairman of the BoD- at the professional arena in Greece and abroad in Leading consulting firms (Delloitte, HAY), Banking (ALFA Bank, NATWEST), Pharmaceutical and Food Industries (VETERIN, Karamolegos), Health Care sector and Maritime Sector.

He is at the present Chairman of The European Institute of Shipping and Transport, Chairman of the Hellenic Association of Maritime Economists, acting director and member of the Board in several corporations in the maritime cluster and an active academic in the University of Piraeus, Department of Maritime Studies where he teaches Marketing and Quality of services.

He has extensive experience on managing, consulting and advising profit, non-for profit and governmental agencies (Stock Exchange Listed Corporations, Ministries and Governments) in Service Quality and ISO/ISM issues, Business Process re-engineering, innovative methods of managing people, marketing orientation and optimal sizing etc.

He has published in the field of services marketing in many outlets such as Managing Service Quality, Total Quality Management and Business Excellence, Journal of Targeting, Measurement and Analysis for Marketing, Maritime Policy and Management, International Journal for Shipping and Transport Logistics etc.

He has been awarded the Best Commented paper award from EMERALD LITERATI twice at 2010 (MSQ) and 2014 (TQM) whereas two of his articles have been announced as among the most influential work presented in The Learning Organization Journal (2013) and Managing Service Quality Journal (2013)

Ioannis Pavlopoulos

Retired Vice Admiral, Honorary Commander in Chief of the Hellenic Fleet, President of SEA GUARDIAN SG LTD

Pavlopoulos graduated from the Hellenic Naval Academy in 1983 and subsequently earned a Master of Arts in Strategic Studies and Naval Science from the Naval War College in 2000. Early in his career, he served in operational roles with the Navy Special Forces Command, including as a boarding officer and security team leader from 1989 to 1994, and participated in international deployments such as Operation Desert Shield in 1990 and UN peacekeeping in Iraqi Kurdistan in 1991. He commanded amphibious ships HS Rodos (1995–1997) and HS Samos (2005–2006), led the Hellenic Navy Special Forces (Underwater Demolition Command) from 2006 to 2008, and directed the NATO Maritime Interdiction Operational Training Centre in Souda Bay, Crete, from 2012 to 2015—the longest tenure in that role. Promoted to Vice Admiral in 2017, he served as Commander in Chief of the Hellenic Fleet until November 2019, followed by appointments as Greece's National Military Representative to NATO (2019–2023) and to the European Union (from 2020). His service earned decorations including the Gold Cross of the Order of Phoenix, the Medal of Military Merit, and international honors from France, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait for operational contributions. Pavlopoulos retired after 44 years of service in 2023, having advanced Greece's naval capabilities in multinational frameworks.

Kyriakos Pierrakakis

Kyriakos Pierrakakis is Greece’s Minister of Economy and Finance and an elected Member of Parliament representing Athens. In his current role, he leads the country’s economic and fiscal strategy, with a focus on strengthening fiscal credibility, modernising economic governance, and improving the long-term resilience of the Greek economy. His priorities include reforming the tax system to incorporate advanced technology and to address the consequences of demographic change, strengthening medium-term fiscal planning, improving the quality of public expenditure, enhancing productivity, and attracting strategic investment. His work is closely aligned with Europe’s broader economic agenda, particularly the drive to strengthen competitiveness, deepen integration and support long-term stability in the euro area. Previously, as Greece’s Minister of Digital Governance (2019–2023), he oversaw a nationwide transformation of public administration, creating platforms such as gov.gr, the Gov.gr Wallet, and MyHealth, and significantly expanding digital public services. These reforms ensured continuity of state operations during the COVID-19 pandemic and improved institutional capacity. His leadership in digital governance led to his appointment – and reappointment – as Chair of the OECD Global Strategy Group (2021, 2024). As Minister of Education (2023–2025), he advanced reforms to modernise Greece’s education system, including a new legal framework for foreign universities, the establishment of national digital learning infrastructures, and policies to improve learning environments such as a nationwide smartphone restriction in schools. Earlier in his career, he served as Director of Research at the think-tank Dianeosis, working on structural reform, institutional performance, and evidence-based policymaking. He holds a Master in Public Policy from Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government, a Master of Science in Technology and Policy from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from the Athens University of Economics and Business. He speaks English and French and is married with three children.

Athanasios Platias

Athanasios G. Platias is a Professor Emeritus of Strategy at the University of Piraeus, the President of the Council of International Relations-Greece, an Athens based think tank, and the Coordinator for Europe of the Mackinder Forum. He received an MA and a PhD in international relations from the Department of Government at Cornell University. He has been a Ford Foundation Fellow at Harvard University, a MacArthur Fellow in International Peace and Security at Harvard/MIT, and a NATO Fellow.

Professor Platias has held several senior advisory positions in the Greek public sector over the last thirty-five years, and has served as non-executive director in publicly listed companies for more than three decades. He also held several senior academic positions, such as Dean of the School of Economics, Business and International Studies, and Chairman of the Department of International and European Studies at the University of Piraeus.

Professor Platias is the author of numerous books and articles. His research and teaching focus on four principal areas: grand strategy; geopolitics and geoeconomics; international security; and leadership.

Reed Simmons

Reed Simmons serves as the Head of Strategy Development for Metrea, where he is responsible for developing strategic and operational level guidance acrocc Metrea’s portfolio. He joined Metrea in 2023.

Prior to joining Metrea, Reed worked in venture capital as an investor at First In, an early-stage fund focused on cybersecurity, dual-use and defense technologies. He previously served for six years in the U.S. Navy as an Intelligence Officer, spending two years deployed in the Asia-Pacific (onboard the USS RONALD REAGAN) before moving to the Pentagon as the intelligence briefer for the Chief of Naval Operations and Secretary of the Navy (CNO-IP). Reed holds a B.A. in History from Harvard College, a MBA from The Wharton School, and a MPA from Harvard Kennedy School.

Scott A. Smitson

Dr. Scott A. Smitson is a strategist, global futures forecaster, political scientist, and educator. He is the founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Geopolitics, Incorporated, advising investors and private-sector leaders on geopolitical risk and its implications for global markets. A retired U.S. Army officer with more than 21 years of service, Dr. Smitson served in both combat arms and as an Army strategist. He led multidisciplinary teams and advised senior leaders on national and international policy, strategy, and planning, integrating defense, diplomacy, and development. His career culminated as Strategy Chief at U.S. Southern Command, where he served as principal strategic advisor to the Commander on regional operations and long-term strategy across Latin America and the Caribbean. He also advised U.S. Special Operations Command and represented it at the 2022 NATO Summit. Dr. Smitson previously served on the Joint Staff and in U.S. Central Command’s Commander’s Action Group, contributing to strategy for the Middle East, including counter-ISIS planning and support to Iran nuclear negotiations. He is the Professor of Practice of Grand Strategy and Director of the Grand Strategy Program at Denison University and a Non-Resident Senior Fellow at the University of South Florida. He holds a joint PhD in Political Science and Public Policy from Indiana University and has published widely on grand strategy and security.

Mike St-Pierre

Lieutenant Commander Mike St-Pierre is a Clearance Diving and Bomb Disposal Officer, and Commanding Officer of Fleet Diving Unit (Atlantic). Notable assignments include XO of FDU(P), postings abroad with all ABCANZ partners, and three years on exchange with the Royal Navy as Officer in Charge of Southern Diving and Bomb Disposal Unit 2, in Portsmouth, UK. Graduating his CLDO course in 2011, he then qualified as an Explosives Ordnance Disposal Operator in Canada, the US, and the UK. He is also a graduate of the UK's IEDD Operator Course and qualified as a Royal Navy Amphibious Operations Officer.

Mike graduated with Masters degrees from the Canadian Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Toronto, with specialization in CCP unrestricted warfare, currency-war, and elite capture, and IDC Herzliya, Israel, with focus on Middle Eastern Studies, OPEC, and the Straits of Hormuz. His work and research have required extensive travel to all FVEYS partners, numerous NATO allies, the greater Middle East, Latin America, and recent studies in Taiwan. He is a graduate of the Royal Military College of Canada’s Military & Strategic Studies program, with focus on U.S. Foreign Policy. He was inducted into the Order of Military Merit in 2019, currently serves as a Policy Insights Forum International Security Fellow, a Life Member of the Inter-University Seminar on Armed Forces and Society, and member of the US National Security Forum. He and his wife, Kristen, spend their evenings and weekends tending to the needs of Lord Howard of Salisbury, a tuxedo cat.

Katerina Tasiopoulou

Ms. Tasiopoulou is the CEO of ThreatScene in Greece and Exelasis in the United Kingdom. She serves as a trusted security advisor to numerous global figures, as well as members of the Greek Government, while collaborating with intelligence agencies to provide invaluable support in the field of cybersecurity. Her professional career began at IBM, where she contributed to the handling of numerous security incidents. She is included in the Forbes 30 Under 30 2026 list as well as the Fortune Greece 40 Under 40 2025 list, and has been honored with several prestigious awards in the United Kingdom.

Vassilios Terzis

Capt. Vassilios Terzis was born in Athens in 1955.

In 1976, he graduated from the Merchant Marine Academy of Hydra (Greece), ranking second in his class. He initially served as a Second Officer aboard commercial vessels (1976–1978) and subsequently as an officer in the Hellenic Navy (1978–1981). He then resumed his career in the merchant marine as a deck officer, while also engaging in private business and trading activities. Between 1986 and 1990, he served as Port Captain for a maritime company.

In 1990, he founded the Queensway Group of Companies, with offices in Athens and Batumi (Georgia), where he continues to serve as Managing Director.

He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Hellenic Chamber of Shipping (HCS), a member of the Hellenic and Black Sea Committee of Bureau Veritas (BV), and serves as Secretary General of the Hellenic African Chamber of Commerce and Development. From 2005 to 2025, he served as Senior Vice President of the Hellenic Shortsea Shipowners Association (HSSA).

In recognition of his longstanding contribution to the maritime industry and his leadership of Queensway, Capt. Vassilios Terzis received the Efkranti Manager of the Year Award 2024.

He is married and has two sons.

Maria Theofili

Head of Task Force for the United Nations Security Council

Ambassador Theofili served, among other important positions / missions, as Ambassador of the Hellenic Republic to France and Monaco (2015 - 2017), followed by her tenure as Permanent Representative of Greece to the UN (2017-2022). Her extensive experience in the field of International Organisations, was crowned by her appointment as Director General for International Organisations and International Security & Cooperation and as Special Envoy of the MFA for the candidature of Greece at the UNSC, while back in Athens in 2023. Greece was elected as a non permanent member of the Security Council for the 2025 - 2026 term and Ambassador Theofili was appointed as Head of the newly established Task Force for the United Nations Security Council / Ministry for Foreign Affairs.

George Tsavliris

Mr. George A. Tsavliris was born in London. He graduated from Athens College in 1968 and having acquired professional qualifications in Shipping (F.I.C.S., ACI.Arb), he concluded his graduate and post graduate studies in Shipping Law at University College London in 1973, with an L.L.M. degree. In 2009 he was qualified as a Mediator at the ADR Group London and in 2014 was certified as a Mediator by the Greek Ministry of Justice, Transparency and Human Rights.

He familiarized himself with the shipping and salvage sectors from a very early age by being engaged in the family business. George is a Principal at “Tsavliris Salvage Group” and represents the business on both a commercial and environmental basis internationally. He holds the position of Vice Chairperson of INTERMEPA (International Marine Environment Protection Association), President of CYMEPA (Cyprus Marine Environmental Protection Association), which received the “Cyprus Maritime Prize 2007”, as well as member of the Board of Directors of Cyprus Union of Shipowners, Board Member of ECSA (European Community Shipowners’ Associations), Board Member of The Yacht Club of Greece, Board Member of Friends of Hellas Liberty Association and the Jubilee Sailing Trust in the UK and Honorary Chairman of the Tsavliris Cultural Foundation. Furthermore, Mr. George Tsavliris is Member of the Academic Board of Metropolitan College / Solent Southampton University. Mr George Tsavliris was awarded the 2016 Capital Link Greek Shipping Leadership Award, in recognition of his unique and extensive contribution to Shipping and Greece and for his overall outstanding service to the shipping industry made by him individually, as a family and by his company as a Group. In Jan 2019, Mr Tsavliris received the Cyprus Environmental Award on behalf of CYMEPA by the President of the Cypriot Republic Mr Nikos Anastasiades and on March 12th, 2019, Mr Tsavliris was recognized with the Safety4Sea Leadership Award 2019 for his work with CYMEPA and other national & international organizations, toward the protection of the marine environment. On July 1st, 2019, Mr Tsavliris was appointed Non-Executive Chairman of OneGlobal Broking, Greece & Cyprus. Mr Tsavliris is a Founding Member and Vice President of The Propeller Club, Port of Limassol, Cyprus. In March 2024, Mr Tsavliris was elected President of Friends of Liberty Group and the floating Museum SS HELLAS LIBERTY.

In Dec. 2019, Mr Tsavliris published the book, which he co-wrote with Alba University Professor, Paul Emmanuelides, Winning Shipping Strategies: Theory and Evidence from Leading Shipowners. The book was translated into the Greek language and published in March 2021.

George is a frequent keynote speaker and panelist at numerous maritime related conferences. He is an avid supporter of various charities, an art and music enthusiast and has completed ten London marathons. He is a father of six children.

Miltiadis Varvitsiotis

Miltiadis Varvitsiotis has graduated from Athens College and the Athens Law School. He holds a Masters degree from Harvard University. He has worked as a shipping and business lawyer. Since 2000 he has been elected 11 times as a member of Parliament. He has served twice as Minister of Shipping, as Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs for European Affairs, and as a vice Foreign Minister for international economic relations. He has served in several parliamentarian position including twice as chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Standing Committee.

In 2024 he resigned from parliament and now he is the Chairman of the Skaramangas Shipyard under the new ownership after privatization.

Simon Ward

Simon Ward is Director of ship sale and purchase at URSA Shipbrokers in Piraeus, a role he has held since 2013. .

He started his shipping career in Liverpool prior to moving to London, during which time he was divisional director at HSBC Shipping Services. In 2008 he opened an office for HSBC Shipping Services in Piraeus which he ran for four years. He remains an active ship sale and purchase broker, with a global client base.

He is also heavily involved in maritime education, and a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers, where he lectures primarily at the Greek Branch. He is also a guest lecturer at the University of Piraeus, Athens University of Economics and Business, Alba Business School, Bayes Business School and the Shanghai Maritime University. He is a supporting member of the LMAA and author of the influential and widely-read URSABLOG.

Panagiotis Zafet

Panagiotis Zafet is the Managing Director of Balthellas Group, a ship management and shipbroking company he founded in 1991. He took over the family ship agency business and expanded the company into full-scale management of dry cargo vessels. In the years 2016-2017, Panagiotis initiated a new venture currently operating Panamax/Kamsarmax bulk carriers. During the years of 2004-2008, he co-founded and led as CEO and Co-Chairman Seanergy Maritime Corp., a Special Purpose Acquisition Company initially listed in the AMEX and presently at NASDAQ.

Prior to founding Balthellas, he served as the CEO of Hellasco Shipping Ltd. during 1986 –1991 and as the company’s Director during 1991-2016, a company specializing in the liner shipping industry and transportation of forestry products.

Panagiotis holds a law degree from the Aristotelis University of Thessaloniki and is married with three children. He is a Board Member & Governor of the Propeller Club of Piraeus and President of the Membership Committee and an Hellenic Shipbrokers Association member since 1991.