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THE ENGLISH SCHOOL MA GA ZINE 2020

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE ENGLISH SCHOOL CLASS OF 2020. YOU
MADE IT THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL, AND YOU ARE ABOUT TO EMBARK ON
ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING JOURNEYS OF YOUR ADULT LIFE. YOU ARE
A SPECIAL CLASS TOO: THE FIRST CLASS IN THE SCHOOL’S LONG HISTORY
TO GRADUATE IN THE MIDDLE OF A ONCE-IN-A-CENTURY PANDEMIC
AND ONE WHO WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER “THE LOCKDOWN” AND THE
CANCELLATION OF THEIR FINAL EXAMS.

EMILIOS the actual journey that counts and not the Athena Peletie 4J
destination. Collect experiences, mature
through them and take joy and happiness
MARKOU from every living second of your lives.
Keep learning, seek challenges and ride
with the changes. You probably think you
ESL89 know everything by now because you
rocked those A’ levels. Think again: I majored
in Computer Science at university before the
GUEST SPEAKER AT THE 2020 internet was even a word. So much about
“knowing everything” at a young age! Never
GRADUATION CEREMONY stop learning, keep challenging yourselves
On a personal note you are one of the first and embrace changes however disruptive or
guest speaker graduation 2020
graduating classes my generation can actually even destructive these are.
call “our children” or perhaps “our classmates’ There will be troubles ahead and you will
children” – I know this will embarrass most certainly mess up. The road ahead is never a
of you, but we do remember you all as babies smooth, easy one. You will experience
not so long ago. unpredictable twists and turns, and you will Emilios is the Co-Founder and Executive
Over the past 30 years since my graduation fail, fail and then fail again some more. But Director of Hellas Direct. Hellas Direct is a
the world around us has changed so much. after every single failure rise up, build grit digital-first, full-stack insurance company,
When we were in your shoes there was no and the will to continue to work even harder empowered by cutting-edge technology and
internet, no mobile phones and no Facebook armed with all the lessons you have learnt artificial intelligence. Founded in 2011, the
or Instagram and TikTok to tag our friends. during each and every failure. Michael Jordan, company aims to revolutionize the insurance
During your graduation celebrations, you will our generation’s basketball hero, once said: value chain by adopting an extreme focus
create so many digital pictures, videos, and “I've failed over and over and over again in on operational excellence.
data the quantum of which will far exceed my life. And that is why I succeed." Prior to Hellas Direct, Emilios was a
everything that had been generated from Relationships, connections, mentors. One Director in the European Financial Institutions
the dawn of time until our own graduation of the world’s longest studies of adult life Structuring team at Barclays Capital. Before
in 1989. The world has changed and will started at Harvard in 1938 during the Great that, he was an Executive Director at the
continue to do so in the decades to come in Depression and still going. It has shown that Goldman Sachs Investment Banking Division
the most unpredictable, unthinkable and the people who fared the best were those where he led a number of projects within
dare I say exciting ways! who leaned into relationships, with family, the firm’s European insurance practice.
You are also about to join a new global with friends, with community. Personal A former strategy consultant with
family, the few thousand other English connection creates mental and emotional McKinsey & Company, Emilios advised a
School alumni carrying the school’s legacy stimulation, gives a sense of purpose, a number of European, US and Asian clients
around the world, on every single continent direction, a North Star. Keep long term friends on numerous strategic issues in insurance,
covering the widest spectrum of education and relationships, listen to them, follow your banking, energy and transportation.
Over the past few years, Emilios has
backgrounds and careers. A truly impressive teachers, your mentors and first your bosses. privately invested in a number of different
global network of some of the best people I
Fall in love (and stay in love!), get inspired,
08 have met in my life – and yes, all graduates learn from other’s trail blazing experiences ventures, focusing on angel financing and the
strategic use of technology in the financial
of this same school in Nicosia, Cyprus!
and dare to walk in their footsteps.
So, what can I tell you guys, what would Love your parents. They are your foundation, services and healthcare space. He has held
be my advice, my words of “wisdom” to you your springboard and your safety net but be advisory roles and participated at Board
as I am about to complete my fifth decade ready to challenge their “sacred cows” and old level across a number of different start-up
on this planet? Here’s a few lessons our school way of doing things. Respect them companies.
generation discovered along the way through but remember you are responsible to run Emilios graduated with a BSc(Hons) in
our own experiences, successes and failures your own life and seek your own happiness. Computer Science from the University of
which I would love to share with you. Now, run out of those school doors you Manchester, an MSc in Actuarial Science
A marathon ahead, not a sprint. Sounds like walked through daily in the past few years, from City University and an MSc in Finance
something you read on a summer t-shirt, but say a brief goodbye and open your wings. from London Business School. Emilios is a
it’s so true. Enjoy the ride ahead guys, every Here’s to The English School Graduation Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries (FIA) in
step (or fall), and pace yourselves because the Class of 2020. In the words of NASA’s launch the United Kingdom and an Endeavor
road to Ithaca is a long one. And it’s really control: "Good luck and Godspeed." Global Entrepreneur.