Hellenic Business Council News | Issue 2

Providing a Platform for Members to Connect and Expand Their Business Activities

As the official body representing Greek businesses, entrepreneurs and professionals operating in Dubai and the UAE, we aim to be a platform for our members to expand their network and collaborate with like-minded organisations and individuals.  

NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES: TURNING CONVERSATIONS INTO CONNECTIONS

HBC members have access to our thematic meetings and events, and enjoy exclusive access to Dubai Chambers’ networking events and workshops, thus fostering interaction between the private sector and the government.

Additionally, our members benefit from access to meetings and events organised by, or in collaboration with, other national Business Councils. Our goal is to enable our members to leverage networking opportunities and expand their footprint in the UAE. 

AT A GLANCE: PAST EVENTS

We have had a busy first half of the year, with a focus on creating opportunities to turn conversations into connections, and connections into collaborations. Our HBC-led events and those in collaboration with our Greek partners and other organisations have promoted professional synergies and knowledge sharing.

January
10/1	Inter-Council networking dinner event at Merak Restaurant, jointly organised with the Czech, Polish, Serbian, Ukrainian, and Turkish Business Councils.
27/1	Food & Beverage Chapter networking event “Greeks in F&B” at Tagomago Restaurant at The Palm Jumeirah. Professionals attending had the opportunity to hear from Shangri-La Group Executive Chef Nikolaos Tsimidakis and HBC Board Member Ilias Assimakopoulos about the emerging trends in the food service industry and restaurant business.
February
18/2	“Greeking Out in Dubai” event held at Conrad Dubai, in collaboration with Endeavor Greece, Embassy of Greece to the UAE, and Enterprise Greece. Highly esteemed speakers and moderators of the three main panels focused on tech, innovation and investments including Antigoni Lymperopoulou (CEO of HDBI), Marinos Giannopoulos (CEO of Enterprise Greece), Paschalis Bouchoris (Blackrock), Nikolaos Passaris (MAF), Christos Mastoras (Iliad Partners) and moderated by Panagiotis Karampinis (Managing Director of Endeavor Greece), as well as of the Food & Beverage panel discussion that preceded the main event moderated by Ilias Assimakopoulos, shared insights on the challenges and opportunities in rapidly evolving industries, and on connecting the Greek and the UAE ecosystems.
27/2	Finance Chapter Head Christos Mastoras hosted a senior delegation from Piraeus Bank, led by CEO Christos Megalou. A private dinner held at Zuma Dubai brought together a select group of HBC members that are senior investment and finance professionals in the UAE, to explore potential opportunities.
March
14/3	During the Holy month of Ramadan, the Education and Women in Business Chapters hosted an Iftar dinner at Al Habtoor Grand Resort, celebrating unity and deeper connections within the Greek community.
27/3	The HBC Annual General Assembly Meeting was held at the premises of the Dubai Chambers, in attendance of a representative of the Embassy of Greece in the UAE. HBC members present at the Annual General Assembly Meeting approved a series of resolutions.
April
16/4	A private dinner with the Minister of Health of the Hellenic Republic H.E. Adonis Georgiadis at the Conrad Abu Dhabi brought together professionals in Pharmaceuticals and Healthcare Services, and furthered commercial opportunities for the Greek business community.
May
1/5	Finance Chapter Head Christos Mastoras hosted a senior delegation from Piraeus Bank, led by CEO Christos Megalou. A private dinner held at Coya in Abu Dhabi brought together a select group of senior investment and finance professionals in the UAE, to further explore potential opportunities.
2/5	The HBC Annual Gala was held at the JA Resort Beach Hotel, bringing together members and friends to celebrate achievements of the Greek community during a festive evening with live music.
8/5	A unique after-work networking event was held aboard the Kronos yacht by Centaurus Charter – Yachts & Boat Rental Dubai, jointly organised with the Italian Business Council and the Spanish Business Council in the UAE
12/5	Consumer Goods and Retailing Chapters seminar was held at the DIFC Academy, focusing on the modern retail trade in the UAE. Panelists Bernardo Perloiro, former COO at Majid Al Futtaim Retail, and Nikos Sarvanakis, Senior Finance Director for the Middle East at The Coca-Cola Company, gave an insightful analysis of current and emerging trends, with discussion revolving around market transformation, e-commerce and sustainability.
June
23/6	Participation in a special session chaired by the President of the Federal National Council, on the occasion of the visit of H.E. Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament, highlighting the strong EU-UAE partnership.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: 2025 ANNUAL GENERAL ASSEMBLY MEETING

The HBC held its first-ever Annual General Assembly Meeting on 27 March 2025 at the premises of the Dubai Chambers, in attendance of a representative of the Embassy of Greece in the UAE. Annual General Assembly meetings are of utmost importance as approval of resolutions impact on the success of the HBC. All HBC corporate members are entitled to two votes whilst individual members have one vote at General Assembly meetings.

The Chairman Thanos Karvelis gave an overview of the mission and activities of the HBC during its first year of formation, and presented the reports for the financial year ended 31 December 2024 to the members attending for their consideration.

The following resolutions were duly adopted by the members of the HBC present at the Annual General Assembly Meeting:

Approval of Reports

The Annual Report, the Audit Report and the Financial Statements for the financial year ended 31 December 2024 were unanimously approved.

Approval of 2025 Budget

The proposed budget for the financial year ending 31 December 2025 was unanimously approved.

HBC GALA

To mark a successful first year of operations, the HBC held its first-ever Annual Gala on 2 May 2025. Bringing together 250 members and friends, we celebrated collective achievements in promoting the business interests of the Greek community in a festive evening with live Greek music at the JA Resort Beach Hotel.

Thank you to our Gold sponsors Akron Trade and Transport, and Archirodon, and our Silver sponsors Asca Maritime, Atlantis Marine Services, Fujairah Marine Services & Trading, Galaxy Shipping Agency, and Theon International for their invaluable support.

OPERATIONS

We operate under the umbrella and supervision of Dubai Chamber of Commerce in accordance with the Regulations Organising Business Councils of Dubai Chambers.

Bank account/Business address: We are pleased to announce that we now have an official bank account and have acquired a physical office in Al Barsha, offering all necessary office infrastructure to support our business needs and allow us to work on-site.

UPCOMING EVENTS

We aim to continue providing platforms for dialogue in collaboration with Greek partners and other organisations in the second half of 2025.

This year’s Big Inter-Council Networking event, bringing together professionals from various business communities, will be held on 10 September.

Together with Dubai Chambers and Enterprise Greece, we are working to deliver a high-level networking and investment event entitled “Unveiling Prime Tourism Investment Opportunities in Greece and Dubai” in October 2025. Similarly, we are considering a series of cultural events as part of a close collaboration with the Ministry of Culture of the Hellenic Republic, to take place in conjunction with the Sharjah International Book Fair in November 2025.

The Board is also considering other thematic events and meetings to take place in autumn 2025, and more details will be shared when these are finalised.