Eurobank’s management is making a three-day tour of Thessaloniki and the wider region from 9 to 11 November 2026, underscoring the strategic importance the Bank attaches to Northern Greece. The visit forms part of its broader plan to support businesses, with a focus on strengthening the competitiveness and international reach of the regional economy.
Chairman of the Board George P. Zanias, Chief Executive Officer Fokion Karavias and Deputy Chief Executive Officers Konstantinos Vassiliou, Iakovos Giannaklis and Stavros Ioannou, accompanied by a group of senior Bank executives, are holding a series of meetings with representatives of the region’s business, institutional and academic communities.
As the announcement notes, the discussions are focused on the needs of the local market and exploring new opportunities for collaboration that could support its further development. The management is also meeting Bank employees and executives in the region, recognising their crucial contribution to implementing the strategy and achieving the Group’s objectives.
With a strong presence in Northern Greece, Eurobank supports key sectors of the regional economy, including trade, manufacturing, services, construction, real estate and tourism. Through tailored financing solutions and the use of European and national development programmes, it supports investment projects of all sizes, helping to strengthen the region’s productive base.
For 2023-2028, Eurobank’s total financing in Thessaloniki and Halkidiki is expected to exceed €2bn. Almost €1.3bn had been disbursed by September 2026, while a further €722m in financing is scheduled through the end of 2028.
Eurobank Chief Executive Officer Fokion Karavias said: “Thessaloniki and Northern Greece are well placed to play an even more meaningful role in the investment and productive transformation of the Greek economy.
Their strong business base, strategic geographical position and growing innovation ecosystem create significant opportunities to attract capital and develop new partnerships. The challenge today is to turn these opportunities into productive activity that creates long-term value for the economy and society.
Eurobank is actively contributing to this effort by financing investment projects and strengthening links between business, research, education and new technologies. With a steady focus on the real economy, we support the development of a more dynamic and competitive production model that creates new prospects for businesses and the younger generation.”
As part of the tour, Eurobank is hosting a dinner this evening at the Hyatt Regency Thessaloniki for business leaders and Bank clients, under the theme “The New Investment Landscape in Greece”. Eurobank Chief Executive Officer Fokion Karavias will deliver the opening address, focusing on the Greek economy’s investment prospects and Northern Greece’s role in the new growth landscape.
This will be followed by a discussion featuring Giannos Kontopoulos, Chief Executive Officer of Euronext Athens and a member of the Euronext Managing Board; Alex Fotakidis, Managing Partner and Head of CVC Greece; and Konstantinos Vassiliou, Eurobank Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Head of Corporate & Investment Banking. Journalist Foivos Karzis will moderate the discussion, which will focus on the challenges and opportunities facing Greek businesses.
Partnerships with Northern Greece’s academic community
Eurobank is set to sign Memoranda of Cooperation with the University of Macedonia (UoM), the International Hellenic University (IHU) and the American Farm School.
As part of the partnerships with the two universities, a meeting will be held at the Bank’s Private Banking and Corporate & Investment Banking centre, in its landmark building on Agias Sofias Street. It will be attended by Deputy Minister of Development Stavros Kalafatis and Eurobank Chairman of the Board George P. Zanias, alongside the universities’ rectors, Konstantinos Papadopoulos (UoM) and Stamatis Angelopoulos (IHU), representatives of the academic and investment communities, and Bank executives.
The discussion will focus on strengthening links between academia and business and exploring opportunities to develop joint initiatives. A Memorandum of Cooperation with the American Farm School is also scheduled to be signed on Tuesday, 10 November, in the presence of its President, Dr Jeff Lansdale. These partnerships provide a framework for joint initiatives in education, research, innovation and entrepreneurship, with an emphasis on developing skills and connecting education with the labour market.
The initiative is part of Eurobank’s longstanding strategy to support education and create opportunities for the younger generation. Together with the other systemic banks, it is taking part in “Academy 2030”, which aims to upgrade the facilities of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, the National Technical University of Athens and the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, as well as the “Marietta Giannakou” programme to modernise schools across the country.
Through its “Forward for Education” programme, now in its 24th year, Eurobank has recognised a total of 25,505 top-performing students. It also fully funds the professional master’s programme “MSc in AI for Digital Transformation” at the Athens University of Economics and Business, while supporting “English on the Mountains” in partnership with Anatolia College. The programme promotes empowerment and equal access to education for children from the Pomak community in mountainous Thrace.