MSc in Business Economics with Analytics hosts EIB Group Lectures 9th & 16th Dec. 2024

Marianna Nathanail is Head of the European Investment Bank Group (EIBG) Office in Greece, engaging actively with EU delegations, national, local, public, and private sector stakeholders, business associations and academia partners in Greece and Cyprus to promote the strategic orientations and priorities of the EIB, supporting sustainable investments, energy transition, climate adaptation, research, innovation, female entrepreneurship, social investments and skills. 

A professional with 25 years of service in the banking, finance, and legal sector. Having joined the EIB in 2015, she worked at the EIB Headquarters in Luxembourg in Capital Markets and Risk Management positions, participating in horizontal EIB Group working groups for the development of Group policies on Market Conduct, Regulatory Compliance, Sustainable Finance and Corporate Governance. Prior to joining the EIB, she worked for the European Commission, DG FISMA and DG Internal Market, representing the European Commission in the Interinstitutional negotiations with the European Parliament and the Council (trilogues) for major financial services regulations.Before joining the European Commission, she served as Legal Advisor to the Hellenic Capital Markets Commission, also representing Greece as Delegate in Council negotiations, and Legal Counsel for major international and Greek groups of companies in the energy, construction, and shipping sector. She holds a degree from the Athens University Law School, a master’s degree in law (LL.M.) and a master’s degree (MSc) in Banking and Finance.p

George Passaris is a Director and the Senior Regional Representative for Greece and Cyprus, a position he assumed at the beginning of 2024. His role focuses on further building and managing EIF’s strategic relationships and enhancing the cooperation with all key stakeholders in Greece & Cyprus. Prior to that he headed the Credit Market Products Department at the European Investment Fund (EIF), covering the areas of securitisation and senior private credit investments.

George has been a financial market professional for 35 years, working in multiple asset classes in debt, structured finance, and private credit. Prior to the EIF, he worked as a consultant with BlackRock’s Financial Market Advisory Group in the aftermath of the Great Financial Crisis, in various projects for a number of banks in Ireland and in Greece. In the past, he was a Managing Director in structured finance with Prudential Financial in London and prior to that, George also held senior positions in structured finance, debt capital markets and derivatives with Bear Stearns, ABN AMRO Bank and Bank of America. George holds an MBA from Manchester Business School and a BA (Hons) in Economics from the Economic University of Athens.

Alexandros Karvounis is an Urban and Regional Economist by training. He holds an MPhil from the University of Cambridge and a PhD from the University of Sheffield, UK. With extensive experience in fostering sustainable economic growth and infrastructure development, he specializes in designing and implementing strategic investment projects that align with the EU's goals for regional development and cohesion. He is working at the European Investment Bank as a Senior Economist 

for the last 8 years. He is responsible for the due diligence and monitoring of territorial development projects at the Regional Development Division of the Projects Directorate. He is also the Team Leader of Project Advisory Support Team, based in Athens Before joining the Bank, he worked for the European Commission (Directorate General for Regional Policy). In his 20 years career, he has worked for various assignments and published several articles regarding planning and development. His expertise supports impactful initiatives that drive regional competitiveness and socio-economic progress across Europe.

Sofia Kalogirou is a loan officer in the Investment Team for Greece and Cyprus of the EIB. She is responsible for public sector financing operations in Greece and Cyprus, with a main focus on promoting sustainable investments across a broad range of areas, including just transition, climate resilience and adaptation, energy efficiency and social infrastructure. She is an experienced financial services professional with background education in law and finance and has previously worked as a counsel in the legal departments of the EIB and the ECB.