CIFA Annual General Meeting

Maria Panayiotou is the Board Secretary of the Cyprus Investment Funds Association (CIFA) and the Managing Director AML & Compliance Officer of GMM Fund Management. She holds an MSc in Finance (University of Cyprus) and a BSc in Economics (University of Cyprus). She has passed the Advanced Examination on Financial Services Legal Framework with the Cyprus Securities & Exchange Commission. In the past, she was the Head of Administration at LLPO Law Firm, with 14 years of experience in the fields of Company Registration and Administration under various professional sectors and industries. She also served as the AML Officer at LLPO Law Firm from 2016 onwards, and previously served as the Compliance Officer’s Assistant at LLPO Law Firm. She is the Board Secretary of the Cyprus Investment Funds Association (CIFA) since November 2019. Maria was appointed to GMM Global Money Managers AIFM Ltd Board of Directors in March of 2019.

Andreas Yiasemides is a Partner at PwC and Head of Risk, Compliance & Regulation Advisory of the organisation. He previously served for a period of 5 years as the Partner In Charge of the organisation’s Fund Services department. On his graduation from the University of Manchester with a first-class degree in Economics, he joined PwC in 1999 and qualified as a Chartered Accountant (FCA). He continued his career with the Bank of Cyprus, holding various positions including heading the Custody and Trusts Unit. He then moved on to an organisation of professional services where he set up and led the Fund Services Unit. He has served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Bank of Cyprus and of the Central Bank of Cyprus and is the President of the Board of Directors of the Cyprus Investment Fund Association (CIFA). He is also the President and a member of the Cyprus National Advisory Council of the Charter Institute for Securities and Investment (CISI).

Constantinos Petrides assumed office as Minister of Finance of the Republic of Cyprus on the 3rd of December 2019. Prior to his appointment, he served as Minister of Interior (1 May 2017 - 3 December 2019) and Deputy Minister to the President of the Republic of Cyprus (1st March 2013 – 30 April 2017). From September 2011 to February 2013 was the Director of the Office of the President of the Democratic Rally. In 2006 he was hired at the European Commission in Brussels where he worked as an economist at the Directorate-General for Agriculture and the Directorate General for Competition until September 2011. During his stay at the European Commission, he served as a negotiator of trade liberalization agreements between the EU and third countries and also worked on issues of public aid in the field of transportation. From 2000 until 2006 he served as Senior Officer at the Association of Cyprus Banks and as representative of the Association to the European Banking Federation and the National Euro Changeover Committee. During the negotiations for Cyprus’ accession to the EU in 2000, he worked on issues of harmonization at the Directorate for EU-Cyprus relations of the Planning Bureau. He studied Economics at the University of Nottingham and then acquired an MSc in Political Economy of Transition in Europe from the London School of Economics and Political Sciences.

George Karatzias is the Vice-Chairman of the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission. He led Alter Domus fund services in Cyprus until 31 December 2020, having joined in 2011. He also served as a board member and the vice-chairman of the Fund Administrators Committee of the Cyprus Investment Funds Association (CIFA). He was also a member of the Funds Committee of ICPAC (Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Cyprus). He is a Fellow member of ACCA and holds a Master’s degree in Marketing and Financial Services from the University of Exeter. He has accumulated significant experience in international fund structuring, management as well as provision of ancillary, middle and back-office services including fund administration.

Spyros Vassiliou is the Vice Chairman the Board of Directors of Invest Cyprus. He served as the CEO of P.I. Provident Investments Ltd and he is the Founder of the Law Firm Spyros Vassiliou & Associates LLC and Managing Partner of P.C.S. Provident Corporate Services Ltd. With more than 15 years of experience in both the Legal and Financial sectors, Spyros provides advice and counsel to private and corporate clients, focusing on corporate & commercial law, trusts, estate, tax planning, and IP rights. He is also well established in cross-border commercial litigation. He is passionate about Fin-Tech, mainly niche products and structures, and has a long-established business presence in technology and innovation-oriented markets. An international speaker promoting Cyprus and sophisticated solutions and structures to High Net Worth Individuals (HNWIs) and Institutional Investors worldwide.

John Sergides is the CEO of MUFG Investor Services where he is responsible for the day-to-day running of the business focusing on MUFG’s strategic growth plan and building a strong organization with exceptional service to clients. Working closely with the executive team to deliver on the company’s financial, cultural, and client commitments, John’s reporting lines oversee Strategy, Operations, HR, and the firm's Sales, Product, and Marketing functions. John is a highly experienced professional with a long track record and a demonstrated history of working in the financial services industry. He has strong business development professional skills in transaction banking products, acquisitions, foreign exchange, options, market risk, asset management & securities.

IMH is a leading Corporate Events, Media, Business Intelligence and Networking organisation with a vast annual agenda of over 200 conferences, business forums, exhibitions, investment summits, client events and business awards ceremonies. Organised by IMH in Cyprus and abroad, these are considered to be Cyprus’ largest business and professional networking platforms. Our Business Media Department publishes Cyprus’ two most popular monthly business magazines– IN Business and GOLD –and two digital media platforms, IN Business News and CBN (Cyprus Business News) with their Daily Newsletters providing executives with news and updates on the local business and economic landscape, in Greek and English respectively. Our Consumer Media Department operates REPORTER, one of the country's most popular news portals, as well as SUPER FM, Cyprus’ Number 1 Greek music radio station. IMH also participates in Cyprus Government, EU and other international organisations’ projects and programmes. www.imhbusiness.com