Yiannos Pantazis, Group General Manager and Member of the Board of Directors of Leptos Calypso Public Ltd, has been elected the new President of the Cyprus Hotel Association (PASYXE).
His election was confirmed following the procedure that took place after the Association's Annual General Meeting. Pantazis was elected unopposed.
Pantazis succeeds Thanos Michaelides as President of the Association. He brings with him an extensive professional background, having served as General Manager of several hotels in Cyprus and Greece, while also working in New York, Paris and Abu Dhabi.
Born in Nicosia, he is fluent in Greek, English and French and possesses extensive knowledge of international markets.
Until today, he served as a member of the PASYXE Board of Directors. He is also a member of the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee of the Cyprus Employers & Industrialists Federation (OEB).
He also serves as the official responsible for the tourism portfolio on the DISY Government Monitoring Council.
Pantazis holds a Bachelor of Science in Hotel Administration from Cornell University, New York, and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Harvard University, USA.
Professional Career
Pantazis began his professional career in 1981 at the Ministry of Defence. Since 2010, he has served as Group General Manager and Member of the Board of Directors of Leptos Calypso Public Ltd.
His professional career is outlined below.
1981–1983: Ministry of Defence
Assistant to the Director of Finance
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Conducted internal audits across 50 military camps.
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Developed and implemented financial control programmes to strengthen financial management within military camps.
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Participated in committees responsible for evaluating and implementing capital expenditure projects.
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Proposed alternative financing solutions based on cost-benefit analysis.
Summer 1985: Trusthouse Forte – Tulsa, USA
Assistant Restaurant Manager
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Assisted in managing a 400-seat restaurant employing 60 staff.
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Developed a food and beverage control study that resulted in significant cost savings for the Food & Beverage department.
Summer 1987: Cyprus Airways Inc.
Assistant Catering Director
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Developed and implemented a new costing system for the catering department.
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Provided management consultancy on airline menu selection and kitchen organisation.
Summer 1988: Divi Resorts – Ithaca, New York, USA
Assistant Vice President, Marketing
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Developed the company's first marketing plan.
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Proposed action plans based on product positioning, customer requirements, competitor analysis and market research.
July 1989 – February 1992: Meridien S.A. – Paris, France
Regional Vice President, Development
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Led and negotiated the acquisition of the Meridien Hotel in Barcelona, Spain.
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Coordinated legal teams in Spain, France and the Netherlands.
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Negotiated financing agreements with banks.
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Worked closely with one of the world's leading accounting firms on financial and tax matters, carrying out legal and financial due diligence.
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Acquired extensive expertise in international hotel and property markets.
February 1992 – September 1994: Meridien Middle East – Abu Dhabi, UAE
Vice President, Sales, Marketing and Development
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Responsible for total annual revenues of US$120 million generated by ten businesses across the Middle East.
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Advised the marketing and sales directors of the ten companies on pricing, market segmentation, positioning, advertising and promotional strategy.
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Established strategic objectives and action plans.
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Ensured marketing policies were consistently implemented throughout Meridien hotels.
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Represented Meridien Middle East at major international trade exhibitions.
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Negotiated and concluded the agreement for a new Meridien hotel in Hurghada, Egypt.
September 1994 – September 1997: Amathus Aviation Division – Nicosia, Cyprus
Chief Executive Officer
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Managed the aviation operations of the division.
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Served as General Sales Agent for Olympic Airways, Emirates, Air France, Air 2000, SAS, Air Mauritius, Aer Lingus and LTU.
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Oversaw ticket sales, cargo operations, aircraft handling services and tour operations.
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Managed a workforce of between 150 and 200 employees, depending on the season, with offices in every major city in Cyprus and at both airports.
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Responsible for strategic planning, industrial relations and overall executive management.
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Successfully transformed a US$200,000 loss into a US$1 million profit over a three-year period.
September 1997 – April 2000: Amathus Group – Limassol, Cyprus
Chief Executive Officer
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Responsible for the entire Amathus Group, including:
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Two five-star hotels (Leading Hotels of the World)
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One four-star hotel in Rhodes
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The Aviation Division
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Shipping operations
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Tourism businesses
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UK-based tour operations
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Supervised approximately 1,200 employees.
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Led the Group's strategic direction, implementing organisational restructuring focused on cost efficiency and customer orientation.
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His leadership played a significant role in the company's expansion.
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Also supervised the acquisition of a hotel in Rhodes in 2000 on behalf of the Group.
May 2000 – November 2000: Louis Hotels – Nicosia, Cyprus
General Manager, Development – Louis Hotels & Catering
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Negotiated and completed the acquisition of Louis Hotels in Kefalonia and Kos.
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Also served as Secretary General of PASYXE (Cyprus Hotel Association).
November 2000 – May 2001: Louis Cruise Lines – Nicosia, Cyprus
Chief Executive Officer
(Louis Ship Management, Louis Cruise Centre and Louis Duty Free)
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Responsible for all shipping operations of Louis Cruise Lines.
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Subsequently transferred to Royal Olympic Cruises in Piraeus at the request of the Royal Olympic Cruises Board of Directors, in which the Louis Group was a shareholder.
May 2001 – February 2004: Royal Olympic Cruises – Piraeus, Greece
Chief Executive Officer
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Led one of the Mediterranean's leading cruise companies, listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market.
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Managed a fleet of more than ten vessels generating annual revenues exceeding US$150 million.
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Oversaw offices in Europe and the United States employing more than 5,000 people.
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Directed the company's restructuring and implementation of new strategies during exceptionally challenging circumstances, including the 11 September terrorist attacks and the Iraq War.
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Negotiated and delivered the construction of two new company buildings representing a total investment of US$320 million.
July 2004 – February 2005: Louis Public Company – Nicosia, Cyprus
Group Director of Development Policy
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Responsible for all development activities of Louis Public Company, including both its shipping fleet and hotel management operations.
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The Group operated 26 hotels in Cyprus and Greece and a fleet of ten cruise ships worldwide.
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Responsible for strategic partnerships and the restructuring of the Group's assets.
February 2005 – November 2010: D.H. Cyprotels Public Ltd – Limassol, Cyprus
Chief Executive Officer
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Managed a publicly listed hotel and property company on the Cyprus Stock Exchange with assets exceeding US$200 million.
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Responsible for corporate strategy, marketing and business development.
November 2010 – Present: Leptos Calypso Public Ltd – Paphos, Cyprus
Group General Manager and Member of the Board of Directors
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Responsible for the management and operations of the company, which is listed on the Cyprus Stock Exchange.
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Oversees corporate assets exceeding €350 million.
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Successfully increased gross hotel profits from €1 million to €5 million.
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Responsible for operations, marketing and corporate strategy.
(Source: InBusinessNews)
