Governance
Supervisory board
Mr Petros Katsoulas
Chairman of the Supervisory Board and Member of the Audit and Nomination & Remuneration Committee
Chairman of the Supervisory Board and Member of the Audit and Nomination & Remuneration Committee
Mr. Petros Katsoulas is a financial markets professional with over 27 years experience. He held senior executive positions in the areas of banking and stock broking and has extensive experience in equities investments and research. He also has expertise in management of financial institutions, including business development, strategy, capital raising, people management, operations management and restructuring. He is currently Chairman and Chief Investment Officer at Elikonos Capital A.I.F.M., sourcing investment opportunities and managing existing investments for Elikonos JEREMIE S.C.A. SICAR (€17.1 million technology private equity fund) and Elikonos 2 S.C.A. SICAR (€85 million private equity fund). From August 2013 to August 2015 he was General Manager, Strategy and Executive Board Member at Eurobank, where he led a €2.9 billion share capital increase and €500 million bond issue, executed major strategic initiatives, including integration of Hellenic Postbank, voluntary retirement plan, divestment of Grivalia REIC and the bank assurance agreement with Eurolife. From May 2010 to July 2013 he was Head of Institutional Equities Sales at NBG Securities and Chief Executive Officer from July 2011. He managed 125 employees in the number 2 (in terms of market share) Greek equities broker. From October 1996 to April 2010 he was Director, Equities Research at Credit Suisse (London), covering the European telecoms sector and Greece. From June 1993 to October 1996 he was Investment banking Associate at Barclays Bank, engaging in various corporate finance and capital markets transactions, due diligence and valuation projects. He holds a B.Sc. in Computer Science from the University of Crete, Greece (1984 – 1988), a M.Sc. in Software Engineering (1989 – 1990) and an MBA (1992 – 1993) from Aston University, Birmingham, United Kingdom.
Mr John Costopoulos
Vice Chairman of the Supervisory Board and Chairman of the Nomination and Remuneration Committee
Vice Chairman of the Supervisory Board and Chairman of the Nomination and Remuneration Committee
Mr. John Costopoulos currently holds the positions of Non-Executive Board Member of Frigoglass SAIC in Athens, Deputy Chairman of Supervisory Board of AUSTRIACARD HOLDINGS AG, Board Member of DMEP Ltd, in London, and is Founder and Managing Director of CCML Consulting Ltd (UK) in London and Athens. From 2015 to 2020, Mr. Costopoulos worked as Senior Advisor at SETE S.A. (Geneva) and SETE (London) Ltd. with focus on sector and company strategic and investment reviews, business development projects and operational enhancement reviews. From 2007 to 2015, Mr. Costopoulos served as Group CEO of Hellenic Petroleum S.A. in Athens, leading a major transformation and performance-enhancement program that doubled the Group’s EBITDA generation capacity and contributed to Hellenic Petroleum S.A.’s transformation it into a regional energy player with new electricity production and trading capabilities, expanded regional operations and a substantially enhanced export orientation. During his term, a major investment programme was completed, including the upgrade of Hellenic Petroleum S.A.’s productive assets and their modernization to world-class standards. Prior to that, from 2004 to 2007, Mr. Costopoulos worked as Executive Member of the Board of Hellenic Petroleum S.A., being responsible for the International and Domestic Retail Operations, as well as Corporate Strategy & Business Development. During his term, Mr. Costopoulos initiated the development of a new corporate strategy to transform the Group into a regional and broader-based energy group, while also improving its competitiveness, noting that organic growth and acquisitions strengthened the operating performance of the international activities. From 2001 to 2003, Mr. Costopoulos served as CEO of Petrola S.A. in Athens, driving a restructuring and cost-cutting program, enhancing overall competitiveness and developing a new regional growth strategy that led to the merger with Hellenic Petroleum S.A. and the creation of a group with the necessary scale to compete in the regional Southeast Europe and East Med. Markets. From 1997 to 2000, Mr. Costopoulos was Regional Director, CEE Region. Athens and Zug of Johnson & Johnson, leading the Johnson & Johnson Consumer businesses across the CEE region that included ten operating subsidiaries, during a difficult economic period, achieving a successful turnaround and ensuring that the businesses returned to profitability and positive cash flow generation, while ensuring a sustainable future growth path. From 1992 to 1997, Mr. Costopoulos was Managing Director of Diageo– Plc – METAXA in Athens and London, following the acquisition of the domestic distillery METAXA by Diageo Plc, and had the overall responsibility for transforming and integrating a family-owned business into the global spirits Group. From 1986 to 1991, Mr. Costopoulos worked as Principal in the London office of the leading management consulting firm Booz Allen & Hamilton, and prior to that served at Chase Manhattan Bank VP as an Assistant Treasurer in the Corporate Division in New York for two years and as Vice President in Corporate Finance in London, having been involved in risk management advisory and project finance work for clients in Europe and the Middle East. Mr. Costopoulos was also a Brand manager at Procter & Gamble in Geneva from 1980 to 1982. Mr. Costopoulos has also served as member of the Hellenic Federation of Enterprises (SEV) from 2008 to 2015, as Vice Chairman of SEV’s Sustainability Council from 2011 to 2015 and member of the Board of the Foundation for Economic & Industrial Research (IOBE) from 2005 to 2009. Mr. Costopoulos holds a BSc in Economics from the University of Southampton (UK) and an MBA from the University of Chicago (U.S.A.)
Mr Martin Wagner
Member of the Supervisory Board and Chairman and Expert of the Audit Committee
Member of the Supervisory Board and Chairman and Expert of the Audit Committee
Mr. Martin Wagner is a certified tax advisor and auditor as well as a court certified expert. From 1991 to 2017 he held the position of partner at KPMG Austria GmbH (senior partner from 2004 to 2014). He has extensive experience in the auditing of listed, national and international companies, the advising of company groups on restructuring and banks on restructuring according to the restructuring and liquidation act (BaSAG) as well as the auditing and advising of companies in relation to independence from the federal budget. He advised the Oesterreichische Nationalbank (Central Bank), the Östereichische Kontrollbank, the BMW-Group, the Volksbank-Group and other companies. He currently holds the position of member of the supervisory board in Covid 19 Finanzierungsagentur des Bundes GmbH, BMW Bank Austria GmbH and Bausparkasse Wüstenrot, respectively. He holds a PhD degree from the University in Vienna in law studies and from the University of Economics in Vienna.
Mr Michael Butz
Member of the Supervisory Board and Member of the Nomination & Remuneration Committee
Member of the Supervisory Board and Member of the Nomination & Remuneration Committee
Mr. Michael Butz currently holds the position of consultant at eudicon-European Digitalisation Consulting, which focuses on digitalization, digital identities, cybersecurity and change management and restructuring, and the position of chairman of the Board of Directors of the European Signature Dialog. From 2006 to 2021 he held the position of CEO in A-Trust GmbH, a leading company in the area of digital signature in Austria. From 2019 to 2021 he held the position of CEO in A-Trust Deutschland GmbH and from 2008 to 2020 the position of CEO in FLZ Liechtenstein. Previously, he held the position of CIO in A.S.A. Austria and A.S.A. Group and was responsible for the entire IT and telecommunications areas, as well as the position of CIO in Xerox Austria, the position of CEO in MB-Computer GmbH and other management positions. He holds an MBA degree from the Alaska Pacific University in strategic leadership and an MSc degree from the Donau University Krems.
Mr Anastasios Gabrielides
Member of the Supervisory Board and Member of the Audit Committee
Member of the Supervisory Board and Member of the Audit Committee
Mr. Anastasios Gabrielides is a lawyer specializing in capital markets and company law. He has been the General Counsel and Secretary of Costamare Inc. since 2013. From 2004 to 2011, Mr. Gabrielides served at the Hellenic Capital Markets Commission, first as Vice Chairman and then as Chairman. Mr. Gabrielides has also worked for the Alexander S. Onassis Foundation from 1991 to 1999 in various posts and was a member of the Executive Committee. Mr. Gabrielides has been a member of the board of supervisors of the European Securities and Markets Authority and has been a member of the Hellenic Financial Intelligence Unit. Mr. Gabrielides holds LL.M. degrees from Harvard Law School and the London School of Economics, a law degree from Athens University Law School, and a B.A. in economics from the American College of Greece, Deree College.
Management Board
Nikolaos Lykos
Executive Chairman of the Management Board
Executive Chairman of the Management Board
Mr. Nikolaos Lykos was born in Athens in 1957. A graduate of Lycée Leonin, he studied Philosophy at Essex University and Business Development at Templeton College, Oxford. After completing theoretical studies with the British Institute of Graphic Arts, he undertook industrial training at Harris Corporation in Dayton, Ohio and at Heidelberg College, Heidelberg. He has been active in the development of the family held Lykos company, founded in 1897, since 1980, representing the 4th generation of Lykos family. In 2000, he became Chairman of the Board and CEO INFORM LYKOS (LYK), listed on ATHEX since 1994. Since 2011, he is steering for the consolidation of all group operations in Vienna from the position of the Chairman of the Management Board. He has been in the Board of the International Business Forms Industries since 1984 and has served as its Chairman for two consecutive terms.
Emmanouil Kontos
Group CEO
Group CEO
Mr. Emmanouil Kontos was born in Australia in 1971. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the National University of Athens and a Master’s degree in Business Administration. He began his career in 1995 at Colgate Palmolive in Greece, where by 2000 he was Head of Financial Reporting. From 2000 to 2007 he was Finance Director Greece, MENA & European Development Markets, CEE at General Mills, taking then the role of Financial Controller Greek Business Unit at Coca Cola Hellenic. He continued as Group CFO at Korres Natural Products in Greece until 2011. From 2011 until 2018 he held leadership roles with General Mills initially as Finance Director Middle East, North Africa & Turkey based in Dubai, then GM Sub Saharan Africa in Johannesburg/Dubai and his last role before joining AC Group was Managing Director Middle East and Africa Region. In 2018, Mr. Kontos joined INFORM, listed on the ATHEX, as Managing Director of that division and then he hold the position of Group Deputy CEO. Currently, he is Group CEO of AUSTRIACARD HOLDINGS AG. Having over two decades of experience across Europe and Middle East Africa, Mr. Kontos is an international leader and operated in senior CFO and Managing Director roles.
Burak Bilge
Executive Vice President Türkiye, Middle East and Africa
Executive Vice President Türkiye, Middle East and Africa
Mr. Burak Bilge was born in İstanbul in 1975. Burak Bilge is a graduate of Boğaziçi University Department of International Trade and has a post-graduate degree in Banking and Finance from Yeditepe University, his PHD on political science and foreign relation is still on going.
He started his career in the banking sector as a management trainee for Cards and Payments Department in Yaşar Bank in 1996. He later served as a senior expert in the Kent Bank’s Retail Banking and Product Management division. Bilge worked as a senior vice president of International Business Development in Garanti Bank Payment System from 2002 to 2007 to develop payments and cards business further in the region where his last assignment was to establish famous Bonus Card loyalty program in Romania advising Garanti Romania. From 2007 until 2013 he held global leadership role in Austrian Erste Banking Group, where he managed and spearheaded cards business and innovation across the Central and Eastern European region.
In 2013 Mr Bilge joined AUSTRIACARD to establish and lead Group’s Turkish business, currently he is the Managing Director of AustriaCard Türkiye
Jon Neeraas
Executive Vice President Western Europe, UK, Nordics and Americas
Executive Vice President Western Europe, UK, Nordics and Americas
Mr. Jon Neeraas was born in Mo i Rana, Norway in 1966, he holds a Bachelor`s degree from the Norwegian School of economics (BI).
He started his career as co-founder of TAG Systems Norway in 1990, acting as the Sales Director Banking, a position he held until EDB Business Partner ASA acquired the business in 2005. EDB Business Partner was at that time a 3.500 employee company listed at the Oslo stock exchange and Jon acted as the CEO of their card division. In 2008 he decided to join TAG Systems Andorra, a company Jon also was a co-founder of back in 1999, now acting as the CEO developing the company from a card manufacturer into personalization services. During the next years he established local personalization businesses in Finland, Baltic, Poland, Spain, UK and USA, developing TAG Systems Group into a market leader in the Fintech space.
In 2019 Mr. Neeraas joined AUSTRIACARD, acting as the CEO of the TAG Systems brand after an M&A transaction between AC and TAG.
Markus Kirchmayr
Group CFO
Group CFO
Mr. Markus Kirchmayr was born in 1980 in Austria and holds a Master’s degree in Economic Sciences from Johannes Kepler University of Linz, Austria. As a part of his studies, he studied 2 semesters at HEC Montréal, Canada. In 2023 he began his career at KPMG Austria in Financial Advisory and then moving to Audit where he was responsible for statutory and group audits as well as advisory projects. During his time at KPMG, Markus Kirchmayr acquired the certifications of Certified IFRS Accountant, Chartered Tax Consultant and Certified Public Accountant in Austria and was seconded for 21 months to KPMG Switzerland as Audit Manager at the Lausanne office. In mid-2013, he continued as Head of Group Consolidation at the listed company Conwert Immobilien Invest SE, Austria being responsible for the preparation of the consolidated financial statements. In May 2015, Markus Kirchmayr joined AUSTRIACARD Group as Finance Director of Digital Security Division and the Vienna-based entities and subsequently also assumed responsibility for ERP, HR, Legal & Compliance and M&A. In 2021, he was promoted to his current position as Group CFO.