The Cyprus Institute of Directors & Corporate Governance (CyIoDCG) officially launched its activities on Monday, 9 March 2026, marking the establishment of a new professional body aiming to become a reference point for excellence in directorship and modern corporate governance in Cyprus.
The event took place at the Auditorium of the Bank of Cyprus Corporate Headquarters in Nicosia, in the presence of members of the business community, board directors, senior executives and representatives of institutional organisations.
The keynote speaker was Professor Ludo Van der Heyden, Chaired Professor Emeritus in Corporate Governance at INSEAD and Distinguished Scholar at IMD. In his address titled 'Why Governance Matters Always. The Role of Directors', Professor Van der Heyden highlighted the critical role of corporate governance in both times of growth and periods of crisis.
He emphasised the importance of governance culture, values and ethical leadership, while also addressing the distinction between governance and execution and the evolving responsibilities of Boards of Directors within an increasingly complex and rapidly changing global environment.
During the event, the vision and strategic direction of CyIoDCG were presented, along with the Institute’s Directors’ Certification & Development Programme, which aims to strengthen the skills, strategic judgement and institutional competence of board members and senior executives.
The Chairman of the CyIoDCG Board of Directors, Kyriacos Kokkinos, stated, “The establishment of the Cyprus Institute of Directors & Corporate Governance marks an important step towards strengthening corporate governance standards in Cyprus. Our ambition is to support the development of effective, responsible and forward-looking Boards of Directors, while promoting integrity, independent judgement and continuous professional development. Through the Institute’s initiatives and programmes, we aim to cultivate a strong community of directors that will contribute to the sustainable growth and resilience of organisations and the economy.”
CyIoDCG was founded with the vision of becoming the institutional reference body for effective and modern Boards of Directors in Cyprus, promoting principles such as integrity, accountability, independence of judgement, professional excellence and continuous development, while contributing to the advancement of governance practices across both the private and public sectors.
The Founding Board of Directors comprises distinguished professionals with significant experience in the business and institutional landscape, including Chairman Kyriacos Kokkinos, Vice-Chairwoman Demetra Kalogerou and Honorary Chairman Evdokimos Xenophontos, together with prominent members of the Cypriot business community.
Organiser: Cyprus Institute of Directors & Corporate Governance (CyIoDCG)
Sponsors: Bank of Cyprus Holdings Plc, Cyta Business, ECOMMBX LTD, Petrolina Holdings Public Ltd
