Fabio is a dynamic leader with over 20 years of experience at both country and regional levels, spanning three different industries, three business functions, two continents, and ten countries. With 18 successful years in the pharmaceutical industry, nearly half of which in General Management roles, Fabio has most recently led the Novartis Cyprus & Malta operations during a dynamic growth phase marked by significant healthcare system shifts and an intense launch program across multiple therapeutic areas.

Fabio has a proven track record in business and portfolio transformation, digital innovation, product launches, and business and cultural turnarounds, consistently achieving above-market growth. His expertise extends across Finance, Marketing, IT, ERP implementation, Commercial, and General Management.

Professor Reverent George Samoutis is a prominent academic and medical professional currently serving as a Professor of General Practice at the University of Nicosia Medical School. Uniquely, he is also a clergyman in the Orthodox Church.

Professional Roles & Experience

• Clinical & Academic Leadership: He is the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) and a founder of the Apostolos Loukas Medical Centre
• Government & Policy: He previously served as the for the Cyprus National Health Insurance Organisation (NHIO/OAY) for seven years.
• International Affiliations: He has held honorary appointments with St George’s, University of London and served as an International Associate for the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in the UK.
• Advocacy: He is the Managing Director of the International Institute for Compassionate Care and founder of the Guardian Angel mobile health app.

Ms. Iphigenia (Efi) Kammitsi is the Director General of the Health Insurance Organisation (HIO) in Cyprus, as of early 2026. She has been a key figure in the design and implementation of the General Healthcare System (GHS/GeSY) since joining the HIO in 2006.

Better known as Brusselsgeek, Jennifer has been a journalist in print, radio and television for 20 years, the last 10+ specialising in EU policy.

She has worked across a wide range of media, from editing a national daily paper in Malta, to reporting on European affairs for Middle Eastern television, and has a wealth of experience in navigating the political quagmire of the EU.

Regularly listed as one of the top influencers in the EU bubble, Jennifer was awarded #1 Tech Influencer 2019 by ZN, was listed by Politico as one of the Top 20 Women Shaping Brussels in 2017 , and was named by Onalytica as one of the world’s Top 100 Influencers on Data Security 2016 . She is also a GLG expert Council Member providing advice on EU Policy, and was an original member of the Expert Council of the Good Technology Collective.

Jennifer regularly features as an EU expert on BBC radio, Euronews, SkyNews and others, and hosts Brussels’ must-watch weekly roundup show TOTW for Euractiv.

Kyriakos Mikellis is a prominent figure in the Cypriot pharmaceutical sector, currently serving as the Country Lead for Cyprus and Malta at Pfizer. With approximately 30 years of experience in the industry, he plays a significant role in shaping the healthcare landscape in Cyprus through various leadership positions in professional associations.

Professor Leonidas A. Phylactou is the Chief Executive Officer and Medical Director of The Cyprus Institute of Neurology & Genetics (CING) and Provost of the Cyprus School of Molecular Medicine (CSMM), leading the Department of Molecular Genetics, Function and Therapy since 1998. He has over 25 years of experience in molecular genetics and gene therapy, including post-doctoral work at the University of Oxford.

Loukia is a senior pharmaceutical professional with over 18 years of experience in the Cypriot healthcare and life sciences sector. She has extensive expertise across market access, public affairs, sales, marketing, business operations, and strategic leadership. Since 2023, she has been serving as Access & Partnership Head for Cyprus and Malta at Novartis, where she leads initiatives at the intersection of policy, access, and sustainable healthcare solutions.

Loukia holds a Bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and a Master’s degree in Pharmacy from the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow.

Dr Marianna Prokopi-Demetriades is a biotech innovator and entrepreneur, and Associate Clinical Professor of Oncology Research at the Medical School of the European University Cyprus. She is the co-founder of three biotechnology companies headquartered in Limassol, collectively forming an emerging EU-based biotech cluster operating across personalised oncology, advanced biomaterials, and medical-grade supportive care.

She holds Executive Education in Transformational Leadership from the University of Cambridge – Judge Business School, completed postdoctoral research in nanotechnology and oncology at Hannover Medical School (Germany), and earned a PhD in Cardiovascular Medical Research from King’s College London (British Heart Foundation), following an MSc in Medical Microbiology from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and undergraduate and research degrees in Molecular and Cellular Biology and Biochemistry from the University of Kent.

Michael Damianos was appointed Minister of Energy, Commerce and Industry on 8 December 2025. He had previously served, since 10 January 2024, as Minister of Health. He is a lawyer and studied Law (LLB) at the University of Southampton, from where he graduated with honours and received the best academic performance award. He holds a Master of Laws (LLM), specialised in International Law, awarded by the University of Cambridge. He received the best academic performance award by the Fitzwilliam College of the University of Cambridge.

He holds the professional title of Solicitor, granted by the Supreme Court of England and Wales. He worked at the international law firms of Simmons & Simmons and Hogan Lovells in London, specialised in corporate, commercial and energy matters. Upon his return to Cyprus, he worked at a law firm in Nicosia and in 2010 he founded his own law firm, which bears his name. He served as a Municipal Councillor at Strovolos Municipality (2011-2016). Since 2018, he is the Vice President of Democratic Party (DIKO). Mr Damianos was born in Archangelos, Lefkosia. Originally, he comes from Polystypos, Larnaka. He is married and has two children.

Michael Hadjipantela is Member of the European Parliament, in EPP Group, where he is a member on several key committees, including Budgets (BUDG), Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON), Tax Matters (FISC), Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE), Public Health (SANT), and Environment, Climate and Food Safety (ENVI).

His election to the European Parliament followed a distinguished term as Minister of Health of the Republic of Cyprus (2021–2023), during which he led the country’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Under his leadership, Cyprus maintained one of the EU’s lowest mortality rates while strengthening the resilience of its healthcare system. He is a qualified chartered accountant, member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) and is also affiliated with the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Cyprus (ICPAC) and the Association of International Accountants (AIA).

Academically, Michael holds an MSc (Honours) in Economics from Queen Mary & Westfield College, University of London, and a BA (Honours) in Economics from Thames Valley University, where he graduated with Upper Second Class Honours and received a scholarship for academic excellence.

Nathalie holds an Honours Degree in Biochemistry and Biotechnology from St Andrews University, Scotland and has since worked 30 years for the biotech & pharma industries at EU and national level in corporate and association positions.

She has been the Director General of the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) since 2017. EFPIA represents the pharmaceutical industry operating in Europe. Together with its direct membership 40 leading pharmaceutical companies, 33 national associations representing over 1,900 companies and in collaboration with health and research players, EFPIA’s mission is to create an environment that enables our members to innovate, discover, develop and deliver new therapies and vaccines for people across Europe, as well as contribute to the European economy. EFPIA was named Best Business EU Trade Association in Brussels in 2022.

Prior to her current role at EFPIA, Nathalie served at EuropaBio, lastly as Secretary General for 7 years, during which time the association was ranked most effective trade association in Brussels in 2013.

In 2013, Nathalie won the Technovisionaries Women Innovation Award organised by Women & Technologies® while in 2009, Nathalie and the Green Biotech Team of EuropaBio were presented with the Leadership and Excellence in Advancing Ag-Biotech and Food Issues Award. Nathalie was also named one of the 15 leading women in biotech in Europe in 2017,  recognised as one of the “20 Women Who Shape Brussels” by POLITICO Europe in 2020 and Among the Women who advance associations in 2021.

Mr Neophytos Charalambides was born in Limassol. He holds a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B), a Master of Laws (LL.M), and the professional title of Barrister-at-Law, from Gray’s Inn. He is a lawyer and a member of the Limassol Bar Association, the Cyprus Bar Association and the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) for the United Kingdom, with extensive litigation experience.

He served as Municipal Councillor (2012–2021) and as Deputy Mayor (2021–2024) of the Municipality of Limassol. He also served as the Alternate Representative of the Union of Cyprus Municipalities to the Association of European Border Regions (2017–2024). He holds the position of the Vice President of the Democratic Party since 2021. He is married and has two daughters.

I hold a degree in Chemistry from the University of Thessaloniki and a Master’s degree in Food Science from the University of Gothenburg. My professional journey has shaped my expertise in various domains.

Following my five-year experience at a prominent beverage company in Greece, I joined the European Commission in 2001. Over two decades, I gained experience in the field of food safety, in areas such as food additives, enzymes, and food contact materials and in the past 12 years in the area of pharmaceuticals.

Since May 2017, I am Head of Unit SANTE D.1 ‘Medicines: policy, authorisation, and monitoring’.

My professional journey has equipped me with extensive knowledge and skills in health policies, risk assessment, management and communication. Throughout my career, I have navigated complex stakeholder landscapes and negotiated with the European Parliament and the Council on proposals related to food and pharmaceuticals. In close collaboration with Member States and European Agencies, such as the European Food Safety Authority and the European Medicines Agency, I have fostered fruitful partnerships. Beyond the European stage, my influence has extended to international forums. Notably, I successfully negotiated food standards within the Codex Alimentarius and spearheaded activities pertaining to bilateral and multilateral relations with global partners in the pharmaceutical field.

I have guided my team through preparedness and crisis management activities during crucial events such as Brexit and the COVID-19 pandemic, including the expedited authorisation of vaccines and therapeutics. One of my notable achievements lies in my pivotal role in shaping the Pharmaceutical Strategy for Europe. Moreover, I led the implementation of this strategy, including the adoption in April 2023 of a comprehensive package of proposals for the revision of the pharmaceutical legislation.

Olivér Várhelyi is a Hungarian lawyer and diplomat who is serving as European Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare since December 1, 2024, in the second von der Leyen Commission. His mandate focuses on advancing EU health policy, strengthening the resilience and competitiveness of the European health sector, and responding to societal expectations on animal welfare and food safety.

Before taking on his current role, he was European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement (2019–2024). He previously held several senior positions in Hungary’s Permanent Representation to the EU, including Permanent Representative (2015–2019) and Deputy Permanent Representative (2011–2015). Earlier in his career, he served as Head of Unit for Industrial Property Rights in the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Internal Market and Services, and held legal and diplomatic roles in the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Justice.

Born in Szeged in 1972, Várhelyi graduated in law at the University of Szeged and earned a Master of European Legal Studies from Aalborg University in Denmark.

Otello founded Omega Funds in 2003 and leads the firm’s investor relations and strategic initiatives. He is a member of the firm’s investment committee and is also heavily involved in a number of Omega’s therapeutic areas of interest, particularly in oncology, rare diseases and inflammatory disorders.

Previously, Otello was in charge of life sciences direct investments and diligence for healthcare venture fund of fund investments at AlpInvest Partners, one of the largest private equity asset managers worldwide. Before AlpInvest, he was the portfolio manager of the Lombard Odier Immunology Fund, a $3 billion listed investment vehicle in Geneva, Switzerland, investing in public and private healthcare companies worldwide. Previously, Otello was a member of the HealthCare corporate finance and M&A team at Goldman Sachs (London and New York offices).

Before Goldman, he helped co-found the healthcare investment activities at Index Securities (now Index Ventures). Otello has a PhD in Molecular Biology from the University of Geneva, holds a European Doctorate in Biotechnology from the EU, and obtained an MSc in Genetics from the University of Pavia.

Padraic Ward’s career at Roche spans more than two decades. As Head of Pharma International, he is responsible for the business operations of the Roche Pharmaceutical Division worldwide, across Europe, Asia, Latin America, Canada, Middle East and Africa (all markets ex-US and Japan).

He joined Roche in 2004 and has worked in a number of key roles including leading the team bringing a new medicine for breast cancer through the final stages of development and regulatory approval, and leading the commercial organisation first in France and then in Europe.

Padraic left his native Ireland for France in the late 80’s while working for the Irish Export Board. His first introduction to the pharmaceutical industry came while working for a strategic consultancy in London and before he then joined Glaxo Wellcome. Since then he held roles of increasing responsibility and worked in countries such as the US, Brazil, Portugal, France and Italy.

He holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University College Dublin and an MBA from INSEAD

Spyros Polyviou is Director of the Cyprus Alliance for Rare Disorders, where he leads national and European initiatives supporting the advancement of treatments for rare diseases through policy development, patient engagement, and system-level collaboration. He holds an MBA and a degree in Sociology and is a trained patient expert through the EURORDIS Academy in Medicines Research & Development and Scientific Innovation & Translational Research, as well as the EUPATI Patient Experts Programme.

He contributes to national health committees and EU-funded projects addressing diagnostic pathways, research translation, and equitable access to innovative therapies for people living with rare diseases.

Thomas Allvin is Executive Director for Strategy & Board Coordination; Health Systems Policy & Partnerships at the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA), where his responsibilities include overall strategic coordination and priority setting, support to the EFPIA Board and Executive Committee and leading EFPIA’s work on policies for more sustainable, value-based and patient-centric health systems, including patient and stakeholder relations.

Before joining EFPIA in 2015, Thomas was Health Counsellor at the Permanent Representation of Sweden to the European Union, representing Sweden in the Council working parties for public health and pharmaceuticals & medical devices, and previously worked in several positions in the Swedish Ministry of Health and the Swedish Parliament. Thomas is a member of the Office of Health Economics Board of Trustees.

Dr. Triantafyllos Stylianopoulos is a Professor and Head of the Cancer Biophysics Laboratory at the University of Cyprus. His research on optimizing the efficacy of anticancer therapies has led to more than 180 scientific publications and has initiated clinical studies both at Harvard Medical School in the United States and in Cyprus at the Bank of Cyprus Oncology Centre and the German Oncology Centre. The first successful clinical trial doubled the proportion of pancreatic cancer patients whose tumors became surgically resectable and potentially curable. Dr. Stylianopoulos also collaborates with pharmaceutical companies in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Japan on the testing of novel drug formulations.

Dr. Stylianopoulos is among the very few scientists in Europe to have succeeded in all individual funding categories of the European Research Council (ERC — Starting, Consolidator, and Advanced Grants). In 2024, he received the internationally prestigious UNESCO–Equatorial Guinea International Prize for Research in the Life Sciences, which is awarded to three researchers worldwide in recognition of their significant contribution to improving the quality of human life. He has also been honored by the US Biomedical Engineering Society for two of his articles, and in 2016 was awarded with the Y. C. Fung Early Career Award by the Bioengineering Division of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers for outstanding research on the fluid and solid mechanics of tumors and on the design of novel drug delivery systems to enhance therapy.