Thessaloniki as a
Regional Logistics Hub
Challenges, Opportunities,
and Strategic Perspectives
Opening the dialogue with GASCM / EELBE
Co-organized by the Greek Association of Supply Chain Management and O.MIND CREATIVES.
A shared direction for Thessaloniki.
GASCM / EELBE takes a leading role in the opening of the LOGI.C logistics conferences, initiating the dialogue on the challenges and opportunities that will shape Thessaloniki’s place in the logistics landscape of Southeastern Europe.
We bring together the city’s institutional, productive and business communities for an open discussion on priorities and strategic choices. The aim is to establish a common direction, build on the city’s comparative advantages and strengthen its role as a dynamic hub for logistics and combined transport.
Connecting market experience with regional development, this opening conference creates a starting point for meaningful cooperation and a strategy with a long-term perspective.
Friday, 16 October 2026
13:30–17:00 · Local time, Greece
Select a session to meet its speakers.
- – 13:50Opening
Welcome Addresses
Konstantinos Gkioulekas · Mairy Efthymiatou · Dr. Dimitrios Tsitsamis
View speakers & roles - – 14:00Fireside chat
SC&L Magazine in Conversation with Dr. Ioannis Tsaras
Dr. Ioannis Tsaras
View speakers & roles - – 14:50Roundtable A
Thessaloniki’s Prospects as a Transport Hub
Kyriakos Merelis · Emmanouil Vlachoyiannis · Marios Papadopoulos · Dr. Panagiotis Ketikidis · Panagiotis Hasapis · Nikolaos Fokas
Moderator: Dr. Dimitrios Tsitsamis
View speakers & roles - – 15:00Main speech
Main Speech
Diana Cristescu
View speakers & roles - – 15:10Keynote speech
Keynote Speech
Karlov Rumen
View speakers & roles - – 15:50Roundtable B
Challenges for the Logistics Development of Northern Greece & Cross-Border Cooperation
Savvas Karafyllidis · Prof. Simeon Ananiev · Karlo Zmajshek
Moderator: Dr. Stavros Karamperidis
View speakers & roles - – 16:00Research presentation
Cyprus–Northern Greece 2026: Common Prospects, Supply Chain Flows and Regional Development
Giorgos Loizidis
View speakers & roles - – 16:45Roundtable C
How Does the Private Sector View Supply Chain Operations? Recommendations for Northern Greece and International Cooperation
Anastassios Manos · Dimitris Bleris · Dr. Andreas Zervos · Christos Athanasiadis · Giorgos Loizidis · Chrysanthos Marouchos
Moderator: Mairy Efthymiatou
View speakers & roles - – 17:00Closing
Discussion – Conclusions – Closing Remarks
Dr. Dimitrios Tsitsamis
View speakers & roles
Draft programme · Updated 09 October 2026. Speakers marked “To be confirmed” are awaiting an official reply. Programme and participation may be updated.
The people behind the conversation.
Welcome Addresses
↑ Back to programme
Konstantinos Gkioulekas
Deputy Minister of the Interior – Macedonia and Thrace Sector
Mairy Efthymiatou
Editor-in-Chief, SC&L Magazine
Dr. Dimitrios Tsitsamis
President, Greek Association of Supply Chain Management (GASCM)
SC&L Magazine in Conversation with Dr. Ioannis Tsaras
↑ Back to programme
Dr. Ioannis Tsaras
CEO, Port of Thessaloniki (ThPA SA)
Thessaloniki’s Prospects as a Transport Hub
↑ Back to programme
Kyriakos Merelis
President, Thessaloniki Chamber of Professionals (EETh)
Emmanouil Vlachoyiannis
Honorary President, Thessaloniki Chamber of Commerce and Industry (EBETh)
Marios Papadopoulos
President, Chamber of Small and Medium Sized Industries of Thessaloniki (VETh)
Dr. Panagiotis Ketikidis
President, Alexander Innovation Zone S.A.
Panagiotis Hasapis
Executive Vice President, SEVE – Greek Exporters Association
Nikolaos Fokas
Commercial Director, Port of Thessaloniki S.A. (ThPA)
Dr. Dimitrios Tsitsamis
President, Greek Association of Supply Chain Management (GASCM)
Main Speech
↑ Back to programme
Diana Cristescu
General Secretary, Freight Forwarders Association of Romania (USER)
Keynote Speech
↑ Back to programme
Karlov Rumen
Manager, Large Infrastructure Projects, Ministry of Transport of Bulgaria
Challenges for the Logistics Development of Northern Greece & Cross-Border Cooperation
↑ Back to programme
Savvas Karafyllidis
President, Bulgarian-Hellenic Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Prof. Simeon Ananiev
President, Green Transport Center (GTC), Bulgaria
Karlo Zmajshek
Transport Logistics Manager, Makpetrol; President, MIFA (Macedonian Association of International Freight Forwarders and Logistics Operators)
Dr. Stavros Karamperidis
Associate Professor in Maritime Economics and Logistics, International Hellenic University
Cyprus–Northern Greece 2026: Common Prospects, Supply Chain Flows and Regional Development
↑ Back to programme
Giorgos Loizidis
President, Cyprus Association of Supply Chain & Operations Professionals; General Manager, iMinder; Director, ECR CYPRUS
How Does the Private Sector View Supply Chain Operations? Recommendations for Northern Greece and International Cooperation
↑ Back to programme
Anastassios Manos
President and Chief Executive Officer, DOTSOFT SA
Dimitris Bleris
Managing Director, UTILIZE
Dr. Andreas Zervos
Chief Operating Officer, Mobile Technology
Christos Athanasiadis
Chief Executive Officer, ROBOVISION
Giorgos Loizidis
President, Cyprus Association of Supply Chain & Operations Professionals; General Manager, iMinder; Director, ECR CYPRUS
Chrysanthos Marouchos
Director, Value Creation Consulting Ltd
Mairy Efthymiatou
Editor-in-Chief, SC&L Magazine
Discussion – Conclusions – Closing Remarks
↑ Back to programmeDr. Dimitrios Tsitsamis
President, Greek Association of Supply Chain Management (GASCM)
Be part of Thessaloniki’s
next chapter in logistics.
Meet the institutions, businesses and regional voices shaping the future of the supply chain. Participation is through the official registration form.
At the heart of
Logistics Expo 2026.
Thessaloniki International Exhibition Centre
Friday, 16 October 2026 · 13:30–17:00
Greek Association of Supply Chain Management
In the framework of LOGI.C Conferences
at Logistics Expo 2026.
