ANALYSTS

Konstantinos Anagnostakis is an undergraduate student in the Department of Political Sciences at the University of Crete. He has written many articles on the website PressNea concerning the security issues in the region of the South-East Mediterranean and the relations between Greece and Turkey. He speaks fluent English and very good French. He currently is an exchange student at the Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Grenoble in France.

Marios Batalias is a BA graduate in Political Science from University of Rethimno, Crete, and is also an MSc graduate in International Relations, Strategy and Security from Neapolis University, Cyprus. He is fluent in English and in intermediate level in German.

His research interests revolve around: Terrorism/Counter-Terrorism, International Relations, Geopolitics, Conflicts and Intelligence. During his Master’s thesis he
studied the nexus between Terrorism and Human Trafficking; How terrorist groups use human traficking to achieve strategic and operational goals, as well as the security implications that occur (Graded “A”).

He has also participated in the Summer Olympia Academy (July 2024), attending lectures in the “Terrorism” cycle under professors: Andreas Gofas, Sofia Galani and Diego Muro. Moreover, he is an OSINT (Open-Source Intelligence) enthusiast. In addition, he has published an article in the “Security Manager” magazine examining the security threats for the nation – states that arise from the Terrorism-Human Trafficking Nexus.

Apart from the academic curricula during his studies, Marios has also completed various courses such as: “The Threat of Nuclear Terrorism” from Stadford (Online), “Risk in Modern Society” from Leiden University, “Osint Workshop” from The Cyber Institute, “Social Media Research” from The Totem Project, “Open – Source Intelligence” from Basel Institute, and attends relevant webinars.

Katerina Daoutakou is a undergraduate student at the Department of Political Science and International Relations, University of the Peloponnese, and the direction in International Relations. She speaks English fluently and holds basic knowledge in Spanish. She has attended many seminars and lectures, participated in many simulations, contributed to the organization of conferences related to the field of her studies. In addition, she has been actively engaged in articles, analysis and researches over the last two years through the websites hosting her work and the think-tanks she is in. Her research interests include Foreign Policy, International Relations, Strategic Studies, Global Security, the section of Conflicts and the Terrorism.

Elpida Dalietou holds a Bachelor’s degree in Foreign Languages, Translation, and Interpreting from the Ionian University. She is currently a Marketing & Communications Coordinator at Lomar Shipping, a London-based ship owner and ship management company. Her research interests span environmental policy, the future of work, technology, foreign affairs, diplomacy, and human rights. Additionally, she has experience in journalism, project management, programming, and graphic design. Fluent in six foreign languages, she is an active member of various think tanks in Greece and abroad.

Evangelos is a graduate of the Department of Mediterranean Studies of the University of the Aegean, in the direction of International Relations. Currently he is a postgraduate student at the Mediterranean Studies postgraduate program at the University of Peloponnese in Corinth. He held a practical training at the Megara Land Registry, at the Western Attica Region and at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He has attended several courses related to the subject of his studies and has participated in the MRC Rhodes simulation and Mare Nostrum (as a volunteer and as a rapporteur). He knows quite well English, as well as he has basic knowledge of Arabic language. His research interests include issues of the Greater Middle East, of the Mediterranean, Geostrategy, Crisis Management and International Organizations.

Foundoukou Vasiliki Chrysovalanto is a graduate of Russian Language and Literature and Slavic Studies of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. She completed her postgraduate studies in International Strategic Relations and Security at the University of Neapolis Paphos in Cyprus in 2024. Vasiliki wrote articles with assignment country Russia during her internship at the Institute of Cultural Diplomacy. She speaks Greek, English and Russian. Research Interests: Diplomacy and Culture, International Affairs and Law of the Sea.

Lazaros Galanomatis has graduated from the Department of Sociology of the University of the Aegean. He is a master student of a European Studies program, in the module of EU’s External Relations at KU Leuven. He is currently an intern in the European Parliament. Among his research interests are issues of International Relations, Diplomacy, Security and Defense.

Ekaterina Genetzaki is an International Relations Expert. In July 2017 she graduated from the Department of Mediterranean Studies of the University of the Aegean. Her field of expertise is International Relations & Organisations. She then obtained a Master’s Degree in Governance, Development and Security in the Mediterranean from the same University.

Her research and scholarly interests include International Security, Energy Security, and Security Issues of the Greater Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean, having authored papers and articles published in think tanks, online journals, and organizations. She has participated in meetings concerning contemporary international and regional issues, while at the same time she has organized speeches on “The Approach of Radical Islamic Terrorism: International and Social Dimensions”, as well as the scientific conference “The Approach to the Human Trafficking Phenomenon in Greece”.She works in private and public sector bodies dealing with International Protection and Migration, while she is a Project Manager at the Civil Society Organization “Posidonia NPO” which deals with International Protection issues. She speaks Greek, English, and Arabic.

Nikolaos has graduated from the Hellenic Police Constable’s School (2008-2010). He holds a Bachelor degree in Accounting and Finance Department from the Alexander TEI of Thessaloniki (2010-2014). Currently, he is a Police Lieutenant Trainee at the Hellenic Police Lieutenant’s School (2015-2018). In addition, he is a postgraduate student in Public Audit at the University of Athens (2016-2018). He has attended summer academies of European Studies from the University of Macedonia, Financial Crime, Corruption and Money Laundering by the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Cyber-Security and Cyber-Crime from Europol and NATO NCI Agency in The Hague, The Netherlands. He has attended numerous of seminars and conferences and he has participated in simulations of the Hellenic Parliament, the European Parliament, and the NATO. He is attending massive online open courses (MOOCs) on the internet. At a young age, he was a scout and is now actively engaged in volunteering. He is speaking English. His research interests are focused on cybercrime, financial crime, digital currencies, open-source intelligence, police management, and terrorism. He is a committed lifelong learner.

Tigran Ghalumyan is a graduate of the Department of Economic Sciences of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. He has been a research assistant at the Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy. He has participated in various conferences and seminars both in Greece and abroad as well as being a member of multiple youth organizations such as the European Youth Parliament and the United Nations Major Group for Children and Youth. His research interests focus on the issues of global economy and diplomacy. He speaks Armenian, English, German, and Russian.

Giovanni Giacalone is an Italian sociologist and islamologist. Raised between Texas and northern Italy, he holds an MA in Islamic Studies at Trinity Saint David University of Wales with a thesis on the development of Islamic communities in Italy. Further specialization abroad in counter-terrorism. Bachelor degree in Sociology from the University of Bologna. His research interests and activities are focused on three areas: the study of Islamism in Italy, the analysis of Islamic radicalism in the Balkans and in the northern Caucasus, the phenomenon of street gangs in Italy, UK and the US. His expertise fields are profiling, networking and the study of radicalization process.
He is currently an analyst for the Italian Team for Security, Terroristic Issues and Managing Emergencies (Itstime) of Università Cattolica di Milano and he writes for “Il Giornale” and “Gli Occhi della Guerra”.
He has recently introduced the concept of “Balkanic Spiral” (Spirale Balcanica) in order to describe the progressive jihadist escalation in the Balkans, identifying and analyzing the different phases from the mid-90s to nowadays. A concept that he exposes in his book “La Spirale Balcanica”, published in 2016.
Among his other publications there are: “I pericoli di una Spirale Balcanica” in “L’Italia e la Minaccia Jihadista. Quale politica estera?” (Ispi 2015) and “La guerra al terrorismo della Russia” in “Rinascita di un Impero. La Russia di Vladimir Putin” (Proudhon 2015).

Ross Gower is an International Relations & Politics (BA) and International Development (MA) graduate of the University of East Anglia. He has experience working for NGOs such as the Centre for European Volunteering in Brussels and CodeYourFuture in London. Ross is currently working for an organisation called Defence Leaders who organise conferences for the defence community.

Ross’s main research interests are the European Union, international political economy, and regional/national non-state identities. During his studies he has written papers on topics such as: the Eurozone crisis, EU policy processes, Welsh and Catalan politics, economic voting, and the rise of populism.

Vasiliki is a graduate of the Department of International and European Studies at the University of Piraeus, with the direction of Energy Security and Diplomacy. Her academic interests include, among others, the fields of Energy, International Relations, Intelligence, Strategy and Geopolitics. She has held a three-month (March –May 2018) internship at the Center for International Strategic Analyses (KEDISA). She has participated in many conferences, seminars and lectures with subjects around the field of her studies. She has also participated as a Member of the Parliament in the 21st Pan-Hellenic Youth Parliament, with subject “The International Society in a deep crisis period”, in the committee of “Modern Espionage and the War of Intelligence”. She speaks fluently English and French. At her leisure time she occupies with reading (Literature and Ancient Greek Philosophy), playing the piano, going shooting and Kick Boxing.

Karavias Zafeiris is a graduate of the Department of Political Science and International Relations of the University of Peloponnese. He also holds a postgraduate degree on Maritime studies and Maritime management, from the Department of Maritime Studies of the University of Piraeus. He also gained work experience from a maritime company and from his family business. In the past he was member of two research teams where the first was working on the field of the Balkan politics (Department of P.S.I.R ) and the second one on the management of the Greek Migration Crisis (which was directed from YALE university). His main research interests are on the fields of political science, international relations, strategic studies and history.

Georgia Kiosi is a historian with a strong background in academic research. She has earned a Bachelor’s degree in History from Deree – The American College of Greece, graduating with Magna Cum Laude, and currently she is completing a Master’s degree in Strategic Studies at University College Cork focusing on topics such as the History of War, Small States and Peacekeeping Operations, Terrorism, Insurgency, Political Violence, and Nuclear Strategy.
Georgia has actively participated in academic seminars and workshops concerning antisemitism, philhellenism, Greek and Byzantine history, contemporary global politics and economy. She is proficient in English and Greek and has basic knowledge of Japanese, German, and French.

Irene Kozani is a graduate of the Department of International, European and Regional Studies at Panteion University. She has attended numerous seminars related to strategic analysis issues and international relations, while her studies are strategy oriented. She has an excellent knowledge of Greek, English and German.

Nikoleta Krevvata is a graduate of the International, European and Area Studies department of Panteion University and has selected International Relations as her main subject. She is currently doing her master on Modern and Contemporary Greek History at the Greek Open University. She did her internship as a researcher at the Institute of International Relations, having Middle Eastern, Balkan and Eurasian areas as her research subjects. She can use the English language very well and the Russian well. Foreign policy issues, geopolitics and diplomacy can be counted among her research interests. She has attended multiple seminars and lectures concerning her studies.

Lagoudis Michail is a graduate of the Department of Philosophy, Education and Psychology of the School of Philosophy of the University of Ioannina. He also holds a postgraduate degree in “Education Sciences”, with a specialization in the field of History of Education. He has been a Scholar of the State Scholarship Foundation (IKY) for the academic year 2011 – 2012. He has also served as an auxiliary employee in the Department of Philosophy, Education and Psychology at the University of Ioannina, and as a librarian at the Central Library of the University of Ioannina. His main research interests are the History of Education, Citizenship, Cultural Diplomacy and Soft Power issues.

Myrto Lyka is a high honors graduate of the Department of Political Sciences of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. During the academic year 2023-2024 she is going to complete her postgraduate studies in the MSc “Management of mass migration and of people on the move” of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. To date, she has attended numerous conferences and lectures on international and European policy issues. In addition to Greek, she is fluent in English and French and has a basic knowledge of Spanish. Her research interests vary, but focus mainly on the study of the migration phenomenon, as well as environmental and climate change issues.

Elena Makri is a graduate of English Language and Literature from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and a final-year master’s student in the Department of International and European Studies at the University of Piraeus. She has completed an internship in the Department of European Studies at the Hellenic Parliament. Her research interests are centered on EU and NATO affairs, Diplomacy and Contemporary Forms of Warfare.

Effrosyni Mantzorou is a graduate of the Department of International and European Studies of the University of Piraeus.
She believes in continuous education and development and has participated in seminars of various sectors, from political science and diplomacy to project management.
In recent years she has been working in the wider field of tourism and her research interest lies in cultural diplomacy as well as in issues of public law and strategic communication.

 

Francesco Mereu holds a Master of Science in International Relations from the London School of Economics and Political Science, graduating with distinction. He also earned a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Bologna, where he developed a strong foundation in global governance and public policy and cultivated a deep interest in EU affairs.

After completing his undergraduate studies, Francesco undertook an internship at the European Parliament as an assistant to MEP Pietro Bartolo. During this time, he developed a nuanced and practical understanding of EU policy processes, contributing to the organisation of events and research, with a focus on migration policies and humanitarian affairs. He also served as a city councillor in his hometown of Nuoro, Italy, where he advocated for policies to support the community and empower young people. Francesco’s research interests include the Middle East, American foreign policy in the region, and Iranian foreign policy, with a particular focus on Iran’s relations with armed militias in the region.

 

Efthymios Moutseras is a graduate of Philology from the University of Ioannina and a final-year student of the Postgraduate Programme in International and European Studies at the University of Piraeus. He has completed internships at the European Committee of the Regions in Brussels, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Hellenic Parliament. His research interests focus on defence, security, and diplomacy, as well as intelligence services. Speaks English and French.

Nakou Panagiota is a graduate of the Department of International, European and Area Studies of Panteion University. As part of her academic course, she carried out an internship at the European Center of Research and Training in Human Rights and Humanitarian Action (EKEKDAAD).Her research and academic interests include issues of International and European Law, Foreign Policy, International Relations, Strategic Studies, International Protection, Energy Security and Security Issues of the Greater Middle East, Eastern Mediterranean, etc. She has attended numerous workshops, seminars, and conferences and has participate in simulations of the Hellenic Parliament and NATO.She speaks Greek, English and French and is actively involved in volunteering.

Konstantinos Nikoletopoulos was born in 1996 and is a graduate of the journalism department of IEK AKMI. He did an internship at ERT from September 2016 to February 2017. He is currently working for the website “Time Machine” and he is also a regular contributor of the website Geopolitics & Daily News. His field of expertise is Eurasia and the Middle East.

Konstantina Nikou is a BA graduate in International and European Studies from the University of Macedonia in Greece, with a major in Political Studies αnd Diplomacy. As a university student she has participated in the NRDC-GR (NATO RAPID DEPLOYABLE CORPS-GR) Internship Program, as a full-time intern in the branch of Civil-Military Cooperation (CIMIC). In addition, she was a volunteer intern in the UNESCO Chair “Women, Peace and Security” in the University of Macedonia.
Her main scientific interests are International Relations and International Security, Strategic Studies, Common Security and Defence Policy of the EU and the politics of the Middle East.
She speaks Greek, English and Spanish.

Maria Ntampou is a graduate of the Department of Political Science of the Democritus University of Thrace and holds a Master’s degree in International Relations from the Department of International and European Studies of the University of Piraeus. She has completed internships at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in the Greek Parliament, in the Department of International and European Affairs. She has worked in Non-Profit Company for the management of European Programs. She has attended several conferences and seminars related to the subject of her studies. She speaks English, Spanish and French. She holds an ECDL diploma. Finally, her research interests include include International Relations, Diplomacy and Political Science.

Chrysa Palieraki is a graduate of the Department of Journalism and Mass Media Communication at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. Currently, she is a student in the postgraduate program in International and European Studies at the University of Piraeus. Throughout her academic journey, she completed an internship at the Hellenic Parliament, where she worked in the research-scientific sector of the European Centre for Parliamentary Research and Documentation (ECPRD). Simultaneously, she undertook an internship at the Institute of International and Economic Relations (IDOS), where she belonged to the team working on research related to Egypt’s policy in the Eastern Mediterranean. Her research interests include European affairs, foreign policy, strategy, and international relations. She is proficient in English and French and has attended numerous seminars and workshops on journalism, communication, diplomacy, and international relations.

Navy Officer, graduate from Hellenic Naval Academy and holds a Master diploma in Computer Science from the Athens University of Economics and Business. He is a PhD candidate at the School of Information Technology and Communications of the University of Piraeus in the field of cyber security, focusing on the study of artificial intelligence algorithms for digital security in industrial automation control and telemetry (SCADA) systems. Specialized by international organizations (NATO, EU, SANS) in Cyber War, Cyber Defense, Cyber Security, Media and Social Media operations and information operations.He has served as an executive and department head in the positions of analyst and consultant of cyber war, cyber security and information operations in several directorates at the General Staff of National Defense. Professor and lecturer in schools, seminars of the Armed Forces and International organizations related with Information Operations and Cyber Security Issues. He has prepared numerous studies and articles on cyber-warfare, cyber-security and information operations.

Theodoros Papadopoulos holds a bachelor degree from the Department of Political Science and Public Administration at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. He also holds a postgraduate degree from Queen Mary University of London in the field of International Relations. During his postgraduate studies, he participated in numerous seminars and discussions on topics related to international politics, which familiarized him with living and collaborating within a multicultural environment. Additionally, he has served as a research assistant at the Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy as part of his internship.
In addition to Greek, he speaks English fluently (C2) and has a satisfactory level of proficiency in French (C1). Finally, his primary research interests mainly concern International Relations, Geopolitics, and International Security. More specifically, he has extensively studied the actions of the United States in the global arena, as well as the resolution of international conflicts, with a particular focus on the Middle East.

 Petros Papantonakos holds a degree in International Relations and a Master of Science (MSc) in Energy: Strategy, Law, and Economics, for which he was awarded an Academic Excellence Award. Both degrees were obtained from the University of Piraeus. He works as a journalist specialized on energy issues. Since 2022, he has been an analyst at KEDISA, and he has also served as a Junior Researcher at the Institute of International Relations (IDIS).

Theodosis Pipis is a PhD candidate in History at University College London (UCL), with a thesis title ‘Nationalism in the Eastern Mediterranean: The Cypriot Identities 1931-1939.’ He has published numerous in-house articles about EU-Gulf and EU-MENA relations, predominantly on the field of Geostrategic relations, during his time at the European Parliament’s Euromed and Middle East Unit. His main areas of interest are bi-communal conflicts and relations, MENA security, EU Foreign Policy, the Cyprus Problem and Global Security. Besides Greek, Theodosis is also fluent in English and French.

Alex Saltout is a seasoned professional with significant experience in project management since 2019, having held leadership roles at Guidepoint, Contactout, Expertera, and Atheneum Partners. He specializes in liaising with diverse stakeholders, including government organizations, and global clients, driving successful projects and strategic initiatives. Academically, Alex holds an MPA from the University of Portsmouth, an MA in International Affairs and Diplomacy from UNITAR-UOC, an MA in European Law and Policies from UNINETTUNO, and a BA (Hons) in International Relations from the University of Malta. Certified in Political Marketing, SPSS, and Geopolitics, Alex has authored multiple research publications on European policy and international relations, and has published multiple research papers, including his latest on the role of expert network firms like GLG and AlphaSights in shaping policy.

Sagou Stavriani is a graduate of the Department of International Relations and Organizations of the University of the Aegean in Rhodes and is currently attending the postgraduate program International Relations in Strategy and Security at the Neapolis University of Pafos. As part of her academic course, she did an internship at the Dodecanese Tourism Directorate (EOT). Her research and academic interests include issues of International Politics with a particular emphasis on the Middle East, human rights, strategy and decision-making. She has attended numerous seminars and workshops related to the subject of her studies. In recent years he has been working in the private sector as a secretary and assistant accountant. She knows English, Arabic and has a basic knowledge of Spanish.

Dimitris Sergakis is a master student in International Negotiations at the Athens University of Economics and Business (formerly ASOEE). Holder of two master diplomas: Economic Analysis, Institutions, Organizations of the University of Amiens in France (UPJV) and Political Philosophy of the University of Sorbonne (Paris IV). He holds a degree(BA) in Business Administration (ISEG SUP Paris Business School) and a degree (BA) in Social Sciences (Univ. Paris V Réné Descartes). He has taught at the Universities of Amiens and Baruch College in New York as well as Visiting Scholar at Columbia University in New York. His articles have been published in academic journals: Journal of World Business, East-West Journal of Economics and Business. His research interests focus on International Political Economy, Economic Diplomacy and the political strategies of Multinational Corporations.

Michalina Sikorska is a student at the Department of Medicine (Molecular Medicine) at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. Moreover, she holds a Master’s Degree in Food Science and Human Nutrition from the University of Technology in Bydgoszcz in cooperation with the Agricultural University of Athens and a Bachelor’s Degree in Biotechnology (achieved at the above-mentioned Universities). She participated in two scientific projects, finishing with a publication in a high-rated medical magazine.
She gained experience during her work at the nutrition center and during the course “Clinical nutrition”, which she completed successfully.
Ms. Sikorska was deigned multiple times by the Rector by the scholarship for the best students. Her internship research interests included the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on nutrition.

She is a master´s programme student at the Department of Politics and European Studies at the Palacky University (Czechia). She speaks fluently English and Spanish and at the same time is learning the Chinese language. She has attended multiple seminars related to international relations in the Asian region and she is constantly educating herself in the field of politics and international affairs. Her research interests focus on International Relations, Politics, Geopolitics and European studies, Asian studies with emphasis on China.

Dimitris Sourilas has graduated from the Department of Sociology of the School of Social Sciences of the University of Crete and he holds a Master Degrre in International Relations, Strategy and Security of the Department of History, Politics and International Studies at University of Neapolis Paphos. He speaks excellent English and very good French. His research interests include issues of Diplomacy, International Relations, Strategy, Security and Defense in both at European and Global level.

Since 1/1/2024 he is a municipal councilor of the Municipality of Istiea-Edipsos, a regular member of the Municipal Committee and the Committee for Gender Equality.

Paris Thasitis is 27 years old and comes from Thessaloniki, a city where he lived most of his student years, with the exception of three years when he completed his high school obligations in Alexandria, Egypt.
He graduated in 2018 from the Law School of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and in parallel with his internship as a candidate lawyer he completed his postgraduate studies at Panteion University in the Department of International, European and Regional Studies in the field of Environmental Governance and Specialized in International Relations and Geopolitics.
His research interests include geopolitics and security, energy, political economy, history and sociology. He is a regular contributor to Hellenic Nexus and Third Eye magazines.

Spyridon Theocharakos is an officer in the Greek Army. He was born and came of age in Ptolemaida, Greece. He is a military school graduate and studies at the Department of Balkan, Slavic and Oriental Studies of the University of Macedonia. He considers multilingualism a great advantage, while he speaks Greek, English, Spanish, German and Russian. He writes articles on international politics, geopolitics, geostrategy, international relations, security and energy policy.

Vivian Tsoutsi holds a degree in Political Science from Panteion University of Athens. She has worked at two law firms and volunteered with Greenpeace, The Smile of the Child, CSI Institute, and What Politics Means. She holds certifications in criminology, global diplomacy, climate change, and human rights. She has a strong interest in diplomacy, international relations, and politics.

 George Zgardanas is officer at Hellenic Army. He was born in Athens on 9th December 1990. He graduated from the Hellenic Army Academy in 2012 and has completed all the foreseen courses and trainings regarding the tactical war and strategy. He holds the postgraduate degree in Applied Operational Research and Analysis of the Department of Production and Management Engineering of the Technical University of Crete and the Department of Military Sciences of the Hellenic Military Academy. He made a research for a high military asset value protection system for the Armed Forces which has been published at the Hellenic Army General Staff and the Hellenic Institute of Strategic Studies. He is a board member of the European Organization of Military Associations (EUROMIL) and international relations director of the Panhellenic Federation of Armed Forces Unions – PFEARFU.