Plumber or lawyer?
Electrician or doctor?
Aircraft engineer or professor?
In just 45 minutes, perceptions began to shift.
At the start of the discussion, a live poll showed that 70% of participants would advise their children to pursue an academic path.
By the end, that figure had dropped to 56%, with technical skills gaining ground.
What changed wasn’t the market.
It was the perspective.
The discussion highlighted a fundamental contradiction:
the market demands skills, while society continues to invest in titles.
The balance between academic and technical pathways is shifting.
The real question is not the “right” direction, but the skills required for the future.
Ultimately, what the next generation needs is not just options, but the ability to choose wisely.
Moderator
Byron Nicolaides, Founder & Group CEO, PeopleCert
Speakers
Eleni Vrettou, CEO, CrediaBank
Spyros Theodoropoulos, Chairman, SEV Hellenic Federation of Enterprises & President and CEO, Bespoke SGA Holdings S.A.
George Doukidis, Professor of eBusiness, Athens University of Economics & Business
Can the Greek community of Istanbul have a future?
The discussion went beyond numbers and data, touching on the identity and continuity of a community.
Through the perspectives of Istanbul-born speakers, both the challenges and opportunities became clear, from preserving language and cultural identity to strengthening institutions and encouraging the return and active participation of younger generations.
The message was clear:
the revival of the community is not only about history.
It is about choice and action.
Moderator
Manolis Kostidis, Turkey Correspondent, Kathimerini & SKAI TV
Speakers
Byron Nicolaides, Founder & CEO, PeopleCert
Aris Portosalte, Journalist, SKAI
Nikolaos Kolman, President, Association of Zografio School Alumni
Is Artificial Intelligence the peak or just the beginning?
The discussion highlighted a key truth: it is not the end of change, but its acceleration.
Technological developments are already reshaping economies, societies and policy.
The real challenge, however, is not the technology itself. It is how we use it.
Because the advantage will not come from technology alone,
but from the strategy we apply to it.
Moderator
Eliza Gkritsi Tech Reporter, Politico, Belgium
Speakers
Eleni Nicolaidou, Chief Corporate Development Officer, PeopleCert
Alvin Wang Graylin, Author & Digital Fellow, Stanford HAI
Vasilis Koutsoumpas, Digital Policy & AI Advisor, Office of the Prime Minister
Sten-Kristian Saluveer, Strategic Advisor, Tallinn Digital Summit
Alex Kotsopoulos, Partner, RSM Canada
Do classical studies still have a place in the modern world?
The discussion highlighted something essential: Ancient Greek is not just knowledge of the past, but a living tool for developing critical thinking and cultural awareness.
The challenge today is not whether to preserve it but how to teach it differently.
Because education is not only about the past.
It is about how we think about the future.
Moderator
Eugenia Manolidou, Director, Elliniki Agogi
Speakers
Byron Nicolaides, Founder & Group CEO, PeopleCert
Eleanor Dickey, Professor, University of Reading
Han Lamers, Professor, University of Oslo
Evelien Bracke, Professor, Ghent University
Helena Walters, Haileybury College
