Page 114 - ATHENS RIVIERA JOURNAL 2024

ATHENS RIVIERA JOURNAL
influence

THE AMBASSADOR I n the wake of Athens Riviera’s evolution, Ioanna Samprakou has

visioned and shaped an economic meeting point with worldwide reso-
nance. Founding the Athens Riviera Forum, she defined the cross-market
essence of the independent, non-profit organization that will lead the

Ioanna Samprakou, Founder and President Riviera’s development course. Waiting for ARF’s first annual summit,
the Athens Riviera Summit 2024, the Founder and President of
Athens Riviera Forum initiates us into the dynamic nexus where ideas
of Athens Riviera Forum fosters converge and partnerships are forged.
Can you share an overview of the Athens Riviera Forum? What mo-
Greece’s and the Riviera's dynamic tivated you to establish this organization and what is its core mission?
Athens Riviera Forum (ARF) is an independent, non-profit organization driving
multi-stakeholder engagement and dialogue among business, investment, and polit-
for international investments. ical leaders. Its primary focus is on economic cooperation, sustainable development,
and investments, nationally, regionally, and on a global scale.
The establishment of ARF was driven by the metamorphosis of the Athens Rivi-
Interview by ELSA SOIMIRI
era into a leading hub for growth in Southeast Europe, which is reshaping Greece’s
impact in the global investment arena. We envisioned a forum that could serve as
a platform for multilateral economic dialogue and structured interactions among
leading figures, policymakers, investors, and company leaders, having the Athens
Riviera as a both symbolic and integral point of reference.
Through executive, high-level convenings, strategic dialogues and, of course, our
flagship annual summit - the Athens Riviera Summit -, our organization cultivates
constructive collaboration and strategizes insightful discussions with leaders, placing
at the same time the Athens Riviera at the forefront of the relative developments.
The Athens Riviera Summit is your flagship event. Can you provide some in-
sights of this international summit which is to take place in the Athens Riviera
in June 2024?
The upcoming Athens Riviera Summit will take place between 18 - 20 June 2024 at
the Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel Athens. It is an international forum for dialogue
and synergies, uniting leaders across the spheres of government, investment, busi-
ness, and institutions, from Greece, Europe, the USA, the Middle East, and beyond.
Under the Auspices of the Ministries of National Economy & Finance, Foreign Af-
fairs, Development, Environment & Energy, Infrastructure & Transport, Tourism,
Maritime Affairs & Insular Policy, Interior, the Region of Attica, and the Bank of
Greece, the Summit serves as a hub of convergence among influential stakeholders,
creating an ideal context for multi-participatory dialogue, knowledge-sharing, and
the establishment of strategic alliances, while promoting sustainable investment and
global economic cooperation.
The Athens Riviera Summit initiates the first-ever, official, and high-level dialogue
on the Athens Riviera’s role and impact as a hub for growth in Greece and Southeast
Europe in the period of its structural regeneration, offering a comprehensive over-
view and analysis of the investments and mega-development projects in the Athens
Riviera, bringing together all the involved stakeholders. On this occasion, it sheds
light on Greece’s overall investment landscape, focusing on significant Mergers and
Acquisitions, as well as investment opportunities that reposition our country as a
global center for sustainable investment. Aspiring to deepen global economic syn-
ergies, the International Economic Cooperation Dialogue of the Athens Riviera
Summit emphasizes foreign direct investment (FDI), economic diplomacy, as well
as multilateral and bilateral cooperation, building bridges among representatives
from governments, businesses, and international organizations.
What can we expect from the open dialogue, business interactions and exchange
of knowledge and strategy among the speakers and participants of the Athens
Riviera Summit? And what are the messages you have received so far as Founder
GEORGE BOLBASSIS & President of the Athens Riviera Forum?
Through its high-level panel discussions, roundtables, keynote speeches, B2B
& B2G meetings, pitch sessions, the Athens Riviera Symposium, and exclusive
networking opportunities, the 3-day Athens Riviera Summit strengthens multi- >