George Pantelides tipped to be the new OEB President

The Employers and Industrialists Federation (OEB) is entering the final stretch to elect its new leadership. The 40-day period for candidate submissions is coming to an end today, 14 March, with the vote scheduled to take place at OEB’s Annual General Assembly on 7 May.

Outgoing OEB president Antonis Antoniou will be vacating the post after completing two, two-year terms, after first being elected in 2021 and then re-elected in 2023, competing against Pavlos Paradeisiotis at the time.

With the candidate submission process closing at noon today, InBusinessNews reports that the only confirmed candidate for the presidency so far is the current Deputy President of OEB, George A. Pantelides. He is also the Lead Partner of the Advisory Services Department and Chief Strategy Officer at Deloitte Cyprus.

However, other OEB executives may express interest, possibly at the last moment (the deadline expires at 12:00 noon). A similar phenomenon—where candidacies are submitted right at the deadline—has been observed in previous election assemblies.

If no other candidate ultimately comes forward, which appears to be the most likely scenario given the current situation and the reported support for his candidacy, George A. Pantelides is expected to be elected as OEB president unopposed for the next two years. He will assume his duties during the upcoming General Assembly.

It is worth noting that, following a constitutional amendment in 2023, starting from the next election assembly in 2027, the OEB president’s term will be extended to four years, with no possibility of re-election after its completion. Until now, the term has been two years, with the option to seek re-election for an additional two-year term.

However, the new president elected this year will, according to a transitional provision in the amended statute, be eligible to run again in 2027 for a four-year term. If re-elected, they could potentially lead OEB for a total of six years (two years plus four).

Beyond the presidency, at the General Assembly on May 7, OEB’s 150 members will also elect 15 of the 20 members of the Executive Committee, as the remaining five members are appointed.

Specifically, three positions are filled ex officio, one of which is held by OEB’s Director General, while the other two are appointed after the election process.

The Executive Committee of OEB also includes a Deputy President and four Vice Presidents.