TEDxAUTH

Speakers

Speakers may not be confirmed. Check the event website for the latest lineup.

• Avgi Metaxa

  Avgi Metaxa is a mother to two girls and five dogs, a spouse, a sister, a daughter, a freelancer, a two-time national basketball champion, a snowboarder and an extreme sports lover. Through alternative and creative thinking, and motivated by her need to give back, she founded the Greek Eco Project. The Greek Eco Project is an environmental organization founded in 2020 and based in Thessaloniki. Its ultimate goal is the creation of a multidimensional, inter-Balkan ecological park in the prefect of Thessaloniki that is 100% energy autonomous.

• Christina Zarafonitou

  Christina M. Zarafonitou is a graduate of the Law School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. She completed her postgraduate studies and earned her PhD at Panthéon-Sorbonne University (Paris II). She joined the academic staff of Panteion University in 1992 and has been a Full Professor since 2007. She has been directing the Master’s Program in “Criminology” since 2009 and the Laboratory of Urban Criminology since 2015. She is the author of scientific books and articles, as well as an editor and editor-in-chief of academic publications. She teaches courses in Criminology and Criminal Policy and serves as the scientific coordinator of national and European research programs. She is the National Representative in the European Crime Prevention Network and Vice President of the Hellenic Society of Criminology. She is also a member of the European Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters and of the Scientific Council of the Institute of Local Government.

• Giannis Davvetas

  Giannis Davvetas is a filmmaker, screenwriter, film critic, and content creator. He creates content about cinema and television, having built one of the most active Greek communities around film. He approaches the art of cinema in a direct and accessible way, translating complex concepts into simple language and bridging the gap between analysis and the way audiences experience cinema today. He has conducted interviews with international filmmakers and actors, while also developing his own projects for film and television. He studied History and Aesthetics of Cinema in Paris.

• Kostas Siafis

  Kostas Siafis is a content creator who stands out on TikTok and Instagram for his humor, authenticity, and creativity. Originally from Trikala, his journey took him through Koroni and Kalamata, then to Corfu for his studies, before settling in Thessaloniki. He has appeared in talks and on television, constantly exploring new ways of expression. A lesser-known passion of his is photography.

• Nemesis Marnezou

  Nemesis Marnezou is a tattoo artist and co-owner of Barcode Tattoo, a space that continues a family legacy deeply rooted in the Greek tattoo scene. Born in the world of tattoos, she grew up observing the art form evolve up close and in turn, developed into one of the artists redefining its contemporary aesthetic. She is the artist who introduced and further developed the handpoke tattoo technique in Greece, contributing to the recognition of a more modern, delicate, and refined artistic approach to tattooing. Her practice combines tradition, aesthetic precision and a contemporary artistic vision, as she continues to shape the new generation of tattoo artists through her work.

• Nikos Zachariadis

  Nikos Zachariadis is COO and Partner of Lancom Group (Lancom / Balkan Gate / Battlenet), with 27 years of leadership experience in the Technology sector. Having spent more than 11 years under the Group, 8 of which he served as Chief Commercial Officer, he has been leading the operational functions of the company in Greece and internationally since 2022. As COO, he focuses on the holistic management of service delivery and cost control, ensuring quality through strategic roadmaps and thought-out KPIs. Furthermore, he invests in team development and in supporting the country’s innovation ecosystem, as an active mentor within the startup community and through his consistent presence in conferences abroad.

• Padelis Papadopoulos

  Padelis Papadopoulos is a Professor of Physics at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH). Observational astronomy and astrophysics with an extension to theoretical astrophysics are the main areas of his research interest. His work abroad includes attendance in worldwide research programs, with a notable presence in Hawaii, Australia and Arizona, not only as a member of a research unit but also as the main researcher. With his work he has made a significant contribution to the understanding of the interstellar matter and the star formation processes in the universe; And recently along with his colleagues he has helped with the study of the shadow of the supermassive black hole in the center of galaxies.

• Thomas Douzis

  Thomas Douzis is founder and CEO of ERGON Foods, a visionary entrepreneur who guided the brand’s development towards a global, F&B-led lifestyle brand, by introducing a hybrid philosophy in which food lies at the core of the guest experience. In 2008, together with his brother and cofounder George Douzis (COO), they identified a significant gap between the exceptional quality of Greek producers and their access to international markets. As a result, they created a global ecosystem of gastronomy, which integrates premium delicatessens, restaurants and innovative hospitality concepts. Today, this model continues to expand across multiple countries, creating interconnected ecosystems, where retail, the F&B industry, and hospitality coexist as a common experience of international scope.

• Vivi Ntrigkogia

  Vivi Ntrigkogia loves working with ideas and teams that carry purpose and impact. Throughout her career, she managed to combine science, technology and communication, taking on complex projects and innovative initiatives with an emphasis on impact. In her work the common denominator is her ability to simplify, guide and give structure to complex notions. Through science and innovative storytelling, she helps the audience understand complex ideas, align with one another and move forward with a common goal. She lives in Thessaloniki and is a mother of three children — motherhood is an experience, a daily reminder that empathy, curiosity and intention are very powerful entities.