Board of Directors
Dr. Athanase Lavidas
Chairman of the Board & CEO
Born in Athens, Dr Athanase Lavidas took helm of the family business in 1976 and he is today Chairman and C.E.O. of Lavipharm Group. He is actively involved in a variety of professional organizations where he holds key positions; he is Chairman of the Greece-United States Business Council and board member of many bilateral councils, whose mission is to strengthen the business ties between Greece and the respective countries. He is also Chairman Emeritus of the Hellenic Entrepreneurs Association (E.EN.E.). Since 2000, he has been a Member of the Board of Directors of the Hellenic Federation of Entreprises (SEV) where today he is Vice Chairman of the Board, Head of International Affairs. In 2011, he was awarded the Chevalier insignia in the French National Order of the Legion d’ Honneur by the French government as a recognition of his contribution to the promotion of the dialogue and cooperation between the two countries. He is also a Lead Director of the Board of Ariad Pharmaceuticals, a biotechnology company based in Boston and listed on Nasdaq. Moreover, he is an Honorary 49er of YPO (Young Presidents’ Organisation), Intercontinental Chapter. Dr. Lavidas holds a B.Sc. in Organic Chemistry and a M.Sc. in Physical Chemistry from the Ludwig Maximillan University, Munich, a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Chemistry from the University of Athens and a MBA of the Institut Supérieur de Marketing et de Management in Paris (MBA).
Minas Tanes
Vice Chairman of the Board, Indipendent, Non-Executive Member
Born in Athens, he studied in the Economic University. He holds a master in Management Science and Operational Research and a diploma for the Program of Executive Development from IMEDE in Switzerland. He started his career in 1966 at the British Iron and Steel Research Association. From 1970 to 1973 he worked in Esso Pappas as an executive member in Program and Research Financing. He joined Athenian Brewery as a Finance Director in 1973 and since 1976 he holds the position of CEO.
Tania Vranopoulos
Deputy Chief Executive Officer
Born in Athens, she studied Economics at the London School of Economics and Business Administration (MBA) at INSEAD. She started her career at the Marketing Department of Johnson & Johnson Hellas and joined Lavipharm in 1987 as Marketing Director for Cosmetics. In 1990 she became Marketing & Business Development Director, mainly in charge of the Group's international operations. In 1994 she became Director for Licensing & Corporate Affairs and in 1998 she was promoted to Executive Vice-President for Corporate Affairs & Business Development. Since 2002 and until 2007 she was Chief Operating Officer. Since 2008 she has assumed the responsibility of Deputy Chief Executive Officer.
Vana Lavidas
Non-Executive Board Member
Born in Athens, she studied economics at the Derree College and holds an MBA from La Verne University. She is fluent in english and french. She was founding member of "Elpida", a society for children with cancer, where she was Secretary General for seven years. Today she is the President of the Board of MDA HELLAS, an association for the care and welfare of those with neuromuscular disorders, founded in January 2000. She is also member of the Board of Directors of the Friends of National Gallery.
Dimitrios Gertsos
Independent Non Executive Board Member
Born in Athens, 1957, he studied Economics at Williams College, USA. He also holds a diploma from Harvard Business School, Program Management Development. He started his career at the Marketing Department of Procter & Gamble in Geneva. He, then, worked (1983-1998) at the Chemical Industry VIOCHROM S.A., where he held the positions of CEO as well as Chairman. Since 1988, he participated in the Board of Directors of DAMBERGIS S.A., Pharmaceutical Industry, where he held the position of CEO and Chairman (1996-1997). Also, up to 2005, he was CEO and Chairman of PAPASTRATOS BROS S.A. For various periods, he had been a member of the Board of the Cigarettes Industry PAPASTRATOS S.A., ALPHA INVESTMENTS S.A., the Hellenic Federation of Industries (SEV). Since 2000 he has been active on the sector of Real Estate Development.
Christos Diamandopoulos
Independent Non Executive Board Member
Born in Athens, Christos Diamandopoulos studied Administrative Science at the Kapodistriako University of Athens. He obtained his Masters degree in France from the Universite de Paris, and his Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania, USA. Both degrees were supported by full scholarships. He has worked abroad scientifically and professionally. In Greece, he served as special advisor on administrative affairs to the Prime Minister of the Hellenic Republic. He has also worked for many years as an advisor on financial, administrative and managerial affairs in large industries and multinational companies. He has lectured for many years in the National School of Public Administration (Organisation of State and Project Management), of which he has also been one of the founders in 1985. He has also lectured at the Democritus, University of Thrace (Human Resources Administration, Organisation models and Political Economy), at the Kapodistriako University of Athens (Decision Making Systems and Human Resources Administration), and at the University of Peloponese (Strategic Planning and Economics in Masters Degree level). Prof. Diamandopoulos is also responsible for all the research programs of the Research Institute of the University of Athens, Institute for European Integration. He has published many studies on organisation, economic methodology and history of economic thought in miscellaneous scientific journals as well as newspapers and online sources. He speaks fluently English, French and German.
Lito Ioannidou
Independent Non Executive Board Member
Born in Athens, she holds Bachelor of Commerce (1975) and Master of Business Administration (1978) degrees from McGill University in Canada. She worked for Citibank Greece for 22 years (1978-2000) at Senior Executive positions, alternatively as Deputy Market Manager, Country Risk Manager, Local Corporate/Corporate Finance Head and as President and Managing Director of Citi-Financial Leasing (1998-2000). She has also served as Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Athens (Stock) Exchange (2001-2005) as well as President of the Audit Committee and Member of the Working Committee (responsible for setting up common strategies and policies for its member Exchanges) of the European Exchange Federation (FESE). In 2006, she founded "Lito Ioannidou & Associates Ltd, Business Consultants" which specializes in consulting services for raising capital, M&A, organization and debt restructuring.
Ulysses Kyriacopoulos
Independent Non Executive Board Member
Born in 1952 in New York; he studied Mining Engineering at Montanuniversitaet Loeben in Austria and at the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne in England. He received his MBA at the European Institute of Business Administration (INSEAD) in Fontainebleau, France. Chairman of the Board of S&B Industrial Minerals SA and Motodynamics SA.. Former Chairman of the Federation of Greek Industries. Former Vice President of BusinessEurope (Confederation of European Business), leading organization representing the European Enterprises, and BusinessEurope Special Representative for Mediterranean Affairs. He is member of the General Council of Bank of Greece, Member of the Board of ALBA (Athens Laboratory of Business Administration), Member of the Board of Lamda Development SA. and Member of the Advisory Boards of INSEAD and Athens College.
Nikolaos Choulis
Non-Executive Board Member
Born in Athens, he was elected Member of the Board of Lavipharm S.A. in February 1999. He holds a PhD in Pharmacy from the University of London. He has served as Professor of Pharmacy with the Universities of Houston and W.Va. (Medical Center) (1965 - 1979). He was appointed Emeritus Professor in the chair of pharmaceutical technology at the University of Athens since 1979 and he has served as Dean of the School of Pharmacy for eight years. He has been advisor to the World Health Organisation since 1973 and Chairman of the Anti-Smoking Society since 1988. He is member of the Board of the Hellenic Society Against Cancer and Chairman of the Rizarion Foundation. He served as Chairman of the European Committee on Pharmaceutical Education in Europe (1989-1993) and is a member of the Board of the Hellenic Institute of Cardiology. He is the author of 24 books and chapters in books and 160 scientific publications.
(The term of the above Directors ends on 30.6.2014.)