SEV Annual General Assembly 2025: Productivity, Investment, and Institutional Reform Take Center Stage

The Annual General Assembly of SEV Hellenic Federation of Enterprises took place on Tuesday, June 24, 2025, at Megaron the Athens Concert Hall, under the banner: “Rising Productivity: A National Imperative, A Shared Responsibility” #SEV4Growth.

The Federation’s leadership presented a detailed review of its work over the past year, while SEV members approved the activity report and the action plan for the 2025–2026 period.

In his address to SEV members, SEV’s Chairman of the Board Mr. Spyros Theodoropoulos emphasized:

• “Greece urgently needs more investment. Yet, Recovery Fund resources remain underutilized. Why? The answer is simple: we are not productive enough.”
• “Productivity is not just an economic indicator – it is a national goal and a shared responsibility. Workers are not to blame for low productivity. The primary responsibility lies with the state, and secondarily, with businesses.”
• “SEV negotiates 76 collective labor agreements, more than any other employer organization. As a key social partner, we are committed to contributing to the social dialogue with both realism and empathy.”
• “Businesses demand more flexibility, less bureaucracy, and operational independence. It is unacceptable that in 2025, we must still seek government permission on when to operate.”
• “We have failed to convince the state that the high energy costs for businesses must be addressed immediately. If the European Commission does not include provisions within the CISAF allowing member states to introduce targeted support for industrial electricity prices, both Greece and Europe will remain competitively disadvantaged.”
• “The new spatial planning framework is not industry-friendly. SEV is conducting its own study and will submit proposals for a functional, investment-oriented land use system.”
• “With the state budget now generating significant surpluses, part of these should be allocated to increase funding, either through the current Investments Law or new tools, and eligibility thresholds must be raised to support larger businesses as well.”
• “We believe that ELEK (formerly LAEK) funds should be made directly available to companies, allowing them to address their own workforce training needs.”

In her detailed report, SEV’s Executive Committee Chair and Vice President of the Board Ms. Rania Aikaterinari outlined SEV’s initiatives over the past year, focusing on the challenges and opportunities facing industry and enterprise. She emphasized SEV’s commitment to a modern and agile labor environment and highlighted efforts such as the Roadmap for greater collective bargaining coverage, the Skills4Jobs initiative, vocational training programs by IVEPE-SEV, and a new AI-focused bootcamp for member companies. She also spotlighted SEV’s actions on equality and inclusion, infrastructure and institutional reform, sustainable development, energy competitiveness, export support, SME and startup growth, and SEV’s active role in European policy dialogue. Finally, she presented SEV’s new organizational structure and efforts to strengthen member relations, regional outreach, and support for the next generation.

Mr. Ioannis Giotis, Executive Chairman of Giotis S.A. and President of the Hellenic Food Industries Association (SEVT), was elected Chair of the 2025 General Assembly. In his opening remarks, he noted: “The General Assembly takes place amid constant upheaval and shifting ground for industry. Globally, tariffs, geopolitical tensions, climate imperatives, and green transition demands pose complex challenges. Nationally, rising production costs and heavy regulation weigh on business activity. In this volatile environment, resilience, adaptability, and continuous evolution are vital. Greece must close the investment gap with the EU average, accelerate digital transformation, and adopt fast-track processes that enable innovation and access to modern financing tools—always with respect for society and the environment.”

Mr. Eftichios Vassilakis, SEV’s Vice President of the Board and Chairman of Aegean Airlines, stressed the pressing need for infrastructure upgrades, especially in ports and rail. While road and privatized airport projects have progressed, public airports and ports remain under-connected and overcrowded. “Privatization alone isn’t enough”, he noted, calling for faster permitting and execution of public works.

Mr. Markos Veremis, Treasurer of SEV’s Board, Partner at Big Pi Ventures, and Chairman of Upstream, emphasized the strong link between technology adoption and productivity. “Greece missed out on previous technological waves but has made great strides over the last five years. Leveraging the potential of AI could be a game-changer. At SEV, we are determined not to miss this opportunity, for our businesses and for the country as a whole.”

Mr. Aristotelis Panteliadis, SEV’s Board Member and CEO of METRO S.A., stated: “National productivity is a shared responsibility among the state, business, and institutions. We must rethink tax policy with citizens and enterprises in mind, aiming to raise incomes and drive sustainable growth. We urge the government to design targeted incentives that truly support entrepreneurship and allow the market to evolve, within the rules, but without excessive intervention.”

Ms. Alexandra Papalexopoulou, SEV’s General Secretary of the Board and Executive Board Member at TITAN Group, said: “Europe’s lagging productivity is now a central concern. Over the past two decades, the gap with global competitors -particularly China- has widened. From gross value added and high-tech exports to foreign direct investment, Europe is losing ground. Still, the EU is taking steps in the right direction, with the Letta report on single market integration and Mario Draghi’s upcoming recommendations on competitiveness widely embraced.”

Mr. Andreas Shiamishis, SEV’s Vice President of the Board and CEO of HELLENiQ ENERGY Holdings S.A., remarked: “Greece has made major strides in green transition, cutting power-sector CO₂ emissions by over 50% in the past decade through renewable energy. But as energy systems modernize across multiple fronts, gas-fired plants remain essential for system stability and their costs are driven by volatile global fuel markets. What’s needed now are grid upgrades, investment in self-production, and strong partnerships with suppliers. Above all, we need central, realistic policies for a truly just transition that preserves business competitiveness.”

Mr. Vassilis Psaltis, SEV’s Board Member and CEO of Alpha Bank, focused on competitiveness and financing: “Public finances -once Greece’s Achilles’ heel- have become a strength. Still, productivity remains low, due largely to the small average size of firms, lack of scale economies, and limited R&D culture.” He noted that bank lending to businesses rose by 9.5% in 2024, far above the Eurozone average of 1%, but access remains difficult for the many micro-enterprises with unresolved tax and social security obligations. “To improve financing flows to the real economy, we need better financial reporting, stronger governance, and greater focus on scale, extroversion, and innovation.”

As customary, the closed session of the Assembly concluded with remarks by the Leader of the Opposition and President of PASOK, Mr. Nikos Androulakis.

SEV also announces that its annual Open Event (by invitation only) will take place on Tuesday, October 7, 2025.

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GOLD SPONSORS        

• ALPHA BANK
• ION S.A. Cocoa & Chocolate Manufacturers
• JTI Hellas

SILVER SPONSORS      

• ACCENTURE
• AEGEAN
• ELVALHALCOR S.A. (ElvalHalcor)
• HELLENiQ ENERGY Holdings SA
• METRO S.A.
• MOTOR OIL (HELLAS) CORINTH REFINERIES S.A.
• Olympia Group
• Quest Holdings
• UNI-PHARMA S.A.

BRONZE SPONSORS   

• ELVIAL S.A.
• People for Business
• PUBLIC POWER CORPORATION S.A.

SPONSORS

• ABB SA
• ATHENS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT S.A.
• BAT Hellas
• Big Pi Ventures
• Coca-Cola Hellas
• DEMO SA
• DIADIKASIA BUSINESS CONSULTING S.A.
• DIS – Dynamic Integrated Solutions
• ELPEN S.A.
• Goldair Cargo
• HEDNO S.A. Hellenic Electricity Distribution Network Operator S.A.
• Hellas Gold
• HELLENIC DUTY FREE SHOPS
• HELLENIC HYPERMARKETS SKLAVENITIS S.A.
• IMERYS Greece S.A.
• METLEN – Energy & Metals
• NN Hellas
• PAPASTRATOS
• PIRAEUS
• SAP Hellas Single-Member S.A.
• TEMES
• V. KAFKAS SA ELECTRICAL & LIGHTING EQUIPMENT WHOLESALER
• YIOTIS S.A.

RECEPTION SPONSORS            

• Coca-Cola HBC Greece S.A.I.C
• Coca-Cola Hellas
• S. Mentekidis S.A. & Natural Mineral water DIOS