Yiannis Retsos Appointed President of IOBE Think Tank

Greek tourism professional and former president of the Greek Tourism Confederation (SETE), Yiannis Retsos, has assumed the role of President of the Board of Directors at the Foundation for Economic and Industrial Research (IOBE).

On Thursday, IOBE’s Board of Directors named Retsos as the successor to Panagiotis–Aristidis (Takis) Thomopoulos, who recently completed a four-year tenure as president.

Established in 1975, IOBE is a private, non-profit, public-benefit research organization focused on promoting research on pressing issues and opportunities within the Greek economy. It generates reliable information, analysis, and action proposals that are invaluable to policymakers in economic policy-making contexts.

“Led by its Director General Nikos Vettas and his team, and guided by its Board of Directors and past Presidents – most recently Takis Thomopoulos – IOBE has emerged as a leading think tank over the past few decades,” Retsos said in a social media post following his appointment.

The new president brings extensive experience from the tourism and hospitality sectors, having served as the president of SETE for two consecutive terms from 2017 to 2023. Retsos has also held roles as president of the Hellenic Hoteliers Federation (HHF) and the Athens-Attica & Argosaronic Hotel Association (EXAAA). Additionally, he has served on the General Council of the Bank of Greece since 2020.

Reflecting on his new role, Retsos stated, “When I stepped down as SETE president in May 2023, I said I would continue to engage on matters of broader social and economic interest, sharing my experience and insights. Today, I am honored to be elected president of IOBE. As an independent, fully private institution, IOBE’s contributions to Greek society on key economic issues are truly unique.”

Retsos: ‘IOBE’s mission is to address future challenges’

Archive photo of Yiannis Retsos during his tenure as president of SETE.

Retsos explained that IOBE’s mission is to address future challenges by conducting applied scientific research, analyzing short-term economic trends, tracking the business climate, forecasting the Greek economy’s prospects, and participating in public discussions on economic policy issues.

“It is a great honor and a significant responsibility. My commitment to this role is steadfast, my appetite for the work boundless, and my vision clear: to foster an outward-looking approach, translating IOBE’s research into practical insights for wider societal impact. I hope to underscore past errors to avoid their repetition and to ensure that economic well-being also equates to social well-being,” he added.

Retsos holds a law degree from the University of Athens and a master’s degree in hotel management, with a specialization in Hospitality Real Estate Finance, from Cornell University. He is currently the CEO and a major shareholder of Electra Hotels & Resorts.

The new Board of Directors at IOBE also includes Gikas Hardouvelis as 1st Vice President, Dimitris Papalexopoulos as 2nd Vice President, Panos Papazoglou as 3rd Vice President, Katerina Karatza as Secretary, Ioannis Manos as Advisor to the President on Strategic Development Matters and Treasurer, and Nikos Vettas as General Director.