Kounenaki Efraimoglou Sophia

First Vice-President of the Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry

 

Mrs. Sophia Kounenaki – Efraimoglou serves as the President of the Foundation of the Hellenic World USA,  Executive Vice President of the Foundation of the Hellenic World Greece as well as President of the Cultural Center “Hellenic Cosmos”. She is the elected First Vice President of the Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI). She is the Vice President of the Hellenic Association of Entrepreneurs (EENE), Vice President of the U.S. Greece Trade and Investment Council, Board Member of the American – Hellenic Chamber of Commerce, Board Member at the UN Global Compact,  Member of the General Council of the Hellenic Federation of Enterprises (SEV) and Treasurer at the ALBA Association.

In addition, she is the President and CEO of ARDITTOS Holdings, Technologies and Development S.A., President of the listed company Lavipharm SA and Vice President of Technopolis Acropolis SA.

Mrs Kounenaki – Efraimoglou is a member of the Non-Executive Directors’ Club and serves on the Business Advisory Council of the MBA International Program at the Athens University of Economics and Business. She sits on the Advisory Committee of the think tank diaNEOsis as well as of the Maniatakeion Foundation. She is the  of President of the Jury for the Responsible Business Awards and participates in the “KOMBOS” Initiative Committee, comprising distinguished figures of Hellenism

In 2008, during her tenure on the Board of SEV, she spearheaded the development of the Hellenic Corporate Governance Code and its subsequent promotion among Greek enterprises. She was instrumental in the establishment of the Hellenic Corporate Governance Council, where she continues to serve as a Member of its 15-member board.

A pioneering entrepreneur, Mrs Kounenaki – Efraimoglou founded and served as President and CEO of Vivodi Telecom, a telecommunications company, as well as of Fortius Finance S.A., an investment services firm. She previously served for two and a half years as the President of ACCI and for eleven consecutive years she was a Board Member at the Hellenic Exchanges Group. She was BoD member at the Hellenic Centre for European Studies under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and at TERNA ENERGY S.A.

In academia, she has taught for several years in the Departments of Accounting, Business Administration, and Computer Science at the University of West Attica. She holds academic degrees and postgraduate qualifications in Philosophy, Business Administration, and Computer Programming. She is fluent in English, French, and Italian, and is the mother of three children.

Mrs. Kounenaki – Efraimoglou has received numerous honors in recognition of her business achievements, as well as for civic and cultural contributions. These include distinctions from the Region of Attica, the ACCI, the Union of Smyrnaeans, the Hellenic Navy, the Hellenic National Defence General Staff, the Municipality of Filothei–Psychiko, the UNESCO Group of Piraeus and Islands, and the Tourism Awards for her cultural impact. She has also been recognized by Rotary Greece for her social initiatives, by the Lions Club of Athens Specialty New Voices, and by the Who is Who International Awards for her support of women’s entrepreneurship and cultural advancement. Further accolades include the “Made in Greece” Award by the Hellenic Marketing Academy, the 3rd Greek Top Women Awards 2024, and recognition from AHEPA Hellas. In June 2024, for the UN International Day of Women in Diplomacy Celebration, the Mayor of Washington DC, Ms Muriel Bowser, issued a proclamation honoring Mrs. Kounenaki – Efraimoglou for her exemplary work in supporting entrepreneurship. At the Startupper Awards 2025, she received an award in recognition of her distinguished and enduring contribution to the innovation ecosystem.