On September 27, 2016 the Hellenic Society Prometheas organized a presentation by Dr. Yanos Michopoulos at the Greek Embassy on the topic:
Is Greece Now Open for Business?
Dr Michopoulos is Director of Vennergy Partners, a boutique Energy advisory firm, and a member of the steering committee of the Greek Energy Forum, London, UK.
Dr. Michopoulos discussed a number of investment opportunities in various sectors, especially in the energy, power generation and infrastructure sectors.
He began by speaking about the ongoing privatisations of state-owned companies e.g. port of Piraeus, regional airports, the Railway Company, etc. More privatizations are planned in the Energy sector, for instance a privatisation of the gas distribution company, upgrades to the electrical grid, and hydrocarbon exploration. He also discussed opportunities in the private sector, including new gas pipelines, renewable energy projects, and various M&A opportunities. Last but not least, he explored options in the smaller, family-owned companies operating both in traditional sectors such as retail, tourism and services that are the backbone of the Greek economy, but also in emerging and highly productive, niche sectors such as pharmaceuticals and technology.
According to Dr. Michopoulos, many investment opportunities can be found in a number of sectors of the Greek economy, especially after the structural reforms introduced by the EU/ECB/IMF programme will have been implemented and various planned infrastructure projects are completed. However, foreign investors would need expert guidance as well as strong local partnerships in order to develop and implement successful investment and market entry strategies.
Elina Karmokolias, Washington Metropolitan Area
