I4: Cyprus's Connectivity

The view of the current situation from stakeholders.
Can we overcome these challenges?

(2nd Brainstorming event pictures of the team's presentation on highlighted link).

Andreas Christophides (Initiative Leader)
I am enthusiastic, professional, highly motivated, team player, hard working with more than 20 years’ experience in the shipping industry.
I am the founder of Lapwings Maritime Services providing spare parts and services to our worldwide customers.
In my spare time I enjoy playing bowling with my team in a Friends league.
I love travelling and networking with people during social events.

Elena Tanou
A prominent and highly respected business professional, Ms. Tanou has built and expanded a publicly listed international travel and tourism business Top Kinisis Travel Public Ltd over the past thirty years. Ms Tanou was educated at the University of Nancy, France and is an active proponent of private sector development in the Cyprus economy.
Ms. Tanou is the Vice President of the Nicosia Chamber of Commerce and Industry, President of the Nicosia Tourism Board, Vice President of the Cyprus Integrity Forum. She is on the Board of the Cyprus Investment Promotion Agency (CIPA).
She is Vice President of the International Chambers of Commerce in Cyprus and is a highly respected activist on matters of commercial transparency and entrepreneurship. Ms. Tanou is former President of the Cyprus Federation of Business and Professional Women, the Cyprus European Ambassador of Women Entrepreneurs and a recipient of the prestigious Madam Figaro Business Woman of the Year Award in 2012.
She serves on the Board of the Business Advisory Council of the University of Cyprus, the University of Nicosia and the European University.
She is a founding member of the Rotary Club Nicosia Aspelia since 1995 and held the position of Deputy District Governor for the 2452 region 2017/18. She is also on the Board of Directors of World Vision.

Beate Christeleit
Beate is the Director of BTM Travel Logistics Management Lab Ltd., offering consultancy, sales & marketing services for the tourism and real estate industry.
As a German “alien” in Cyprus, extensive traveller, corporate travel management and hospitality expert she knows how important it is to be connected to the world not only through internet.
This initivative to examine how to increase the connectivity of Cyprus to the rest of the world is very important for the island’s economy, as all industry sectors depend on a reliable, flexible and affordable means of transport to do business outside of Cyprus or to attract more tourists and businesses to the island. She really hopes this initiative will help increasing the current situation.

Uta Steffen is the Managing Director of JPC Shipmanagement (Cyprus) Ltd.
She is a German national and has been living in Cyprus since 1991. Uta is looking back on over 27 years in the shipping industry. She worked in the Crewing Dept of two well-established ship owning and ship management companies prior to joining JPC in 2015.
Since 2012, Uta is an active member of the Manning & Training Committee of the Cyprus Shipping Chamber and a Member of the Board of Directors of a Cyprus Charity Ltd. She is also on the Board of Directors of WISTA Cyprus (Women’s International Shipping & Trading Association) since 2018 and recently has been elected onto the Board of Directors of the Cyprus Germany Business Association.

Jochen Niemann
I am an experienced Hotel General Manager with international background and extensive exposure to the luxury, corporate and boutique hotel sector.
Since over 14 years I am managing the Londa boutique hotel in Limassol, Cyprus. My background further includes various operational positions in hotels in Europe, USA and the Middle East with specialities in overseeing day to day operations as well as in property openings with emphasis on recruitment, concept and philosophy development and their implementation in a corporate culture.
A better flight connectivity to new and existing markets means an increase in seat capacity with lower prices. The result will be additional tourist arrivals all year round which will benefit our island’s hospitality sector.
In my spare time I enjoy spending quality with my family. My hobbies are sports and reading.

Per Korsgaard Nielsen, Master Mariner and Mariner Engineer
I came to Cyprus in 2017 and like the culture and the weather. I am an expat from the company Unifeeder A/S – This is a shipping company which is specialized in transporting containers from HUB ports to small point ports. (Ocean vessels from Far East, South America etc. are bringing to HUB ports in Europe).
I am very interested in this brainstorming hence it is important to be connected to the outside of Cyprus regards to Flights, vessels and internet.
Myself: Business and development Manager with a background as Vessel operator at Unifeeder A/S, Operations Manager, Master Mariner and Dual officer at Maersk (Marine Engineer and Navigator). Highly experienced in process optimization, KPI-implementations and creation, cross culture, change management, logistic and transport operations.
Personal characteristics: I am structured, 110% committed, innovative, ambitious, focused, effective and a team player with strong leadership skills. Open minded, humoristic and a good colleague. Key values: Commercial awareness, commitment and trust.