Summary
Overview
Work history
Education
Skills
Websites
Certification
Languages
Additional Experience
Other personal data
Affiliations
Timeline
Generic

Kostas Athanasopoulos

Riyadh,United Arab Emirates

Summary

Accomplished professional with expertise in data centres, cloud business, and solution selling, driving operational efficiency and strategic partnership building. Demonstrates proficiency in pre-sales and after-sales services, DCIM, UPS products, and energy efficiency solutions. Skilled in tactical execution, vendor management, project portfolio management, and budgeting and forecasting. Committed to continuous improvement implementation and value-centred strategy development. Adept at profit and loss analysis, market intelligence gathering, operational planning and forecasting, performance monitoring, KPI development, and staff development.

Overview

30
30
years of professional experience
4025
4025
years of post-secondary education
1
1
Certification

Work history

Country Operations Director

SYSKA HENNESSY MENA
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
11.2023 - 09.2025
  • Spearheaded operations in KSA, aligning activities with corporate goals and strategic direction.
  • Developed comprehensive business strategies to enhance market presence and drive revenue growth.
  • Led and mentored a diverse team, fostering a culture of excellence and collaboration.
  • Cultivated strong relationships with stakeholders, negotiating contracts to support business objectives.
  • Supervised critical projects from inception to completion, ensuring timely delivery and quality adherence.
  • Optimised operational efficiency while managing budgets, resources, and timelines effectively.
  • Implemented training programmes to enhance team capabilities and improve performance metrics.
  • Expanded market presence, increasing market share through targeted initiatives.

Business development manager

Mitsumi Distribution
Dubai, UAE
08.2021 - 10.2023
  • Supervised operational effectiveness across sectors to drive results.
  • Led sales teams, enhancing performance and exceeding targets.
  • Established legal entities in GCC, ensuring regulatory compliance.
  • Spearheaded market entry into Saudi Arabia, optimising distribution activities.
  • Executed strategies for sales, marketing, and distribution across multiple countries.
  • Managed vendor, channel partner, and retail network relationships.
  • Oversaw an $80 million budget for consumer and commercial products.
  • Pioneered new sales streams and introduced value-added services to boost revenue.

General Manager

Logicom KSA
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
01.2017 - 01.2021
  • Executed full P&L responsibility for $260 million USD budget, enhancing turnover and profitability.
  • Increased brand awareness through strategic management of marketing operations.
  • Streamlined operations by collaborating with top IT vendors, optimising efficiency.
  • Maintained professional vendor relationships, maximising sales and net profitability.
  • Restructured local entity to improve solution selling, upselling, and cross-selling capabilities.
  • Established Microsoft cloud business sector, significantly expanding service offerings.
  • Directed 120 professionals across Riyadh, Jeddah, and Khobar, boosting productivity.
  • Achieved sales revenue growth of 100% within four years.

General Manager

ASL
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
01.2015 - 01.2016
  • Assumed full P&L responsibility to enhance productivity through operational management.
  • Supervised operational performance, reporting directly to Group CEO.
  • Implemented a new organisational structure, establishing verticals for various product lines.
  • Executed action plans to transition company focus from product sales to value-added integration.
  • Collaborated with leading brands to drive brand engagement and product visibility.
  • Engaged consultants to promote products and identify early project opportunities.
  • Boosted sales and profitability by increasing sales team productivity by 10% per capita.
  • Expanded partner and contractor network by 25%, enhancing market reach.

Country Manager Service Operations

GUTOR LLC
Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia
01.2013 - 01.2014
  • Directed operations for presales and after-sales services, solutions sales, and contract negotiation.
  • Managed maintenance, technical support, refurbishments, and upgrades for UPSs and battery chargers.
  • Enhanced brand presence locally by devising effective marketing strategies.
  • Expanded customer portfolio through active engagement with partners and end users.
  • Oversaw full P&L management, boosting revenue growth across key clients.
  • Secured business deals by negotiating contracts and integrating comprehensive solutions.
  • Improved client satisfaction, achieving a 35% customer base expansion.
  • Reduced operating costs by 11% through strategic operational coordination.

Managing Director

APC, GREECE, CYPRUS, MALTA (Schneider Electric Group)
Athens, Greece
01.1996 - 01.2012
  • Managed organisational efficiency, reporting to Vice President of Mediterranean area and Country President of South-East Europe.
  • Achieved business objectives through development and execution of national and international strategies.
  • Defined performance targets and KPIs, delivering comprehensive business plans.
  • Introduced new services to market, collaborating with departments for effective cross-selling.
  • Oversaw ad hoc projects, including mergers with MGE and APC under Schneider Electric SA.
  • Introduced distribution activities for MGE products across Greece, Cyprus, and Malta.
  • Increased company sales by 26 times over seven years through strategic initiatives.
  • Negotiated Athens 2004 Olympic Games project valued at approximately €2 million.

Education

Master of Philosophy (MPhil) -

UCAM

Master’s in business administration (MBA) -

ALBA

Bachelor’s - electrical engineering

Technical University of Chalkida

Skills

  • Data Centres Cloud business Solution Selling Energy Efficiency Presales & After Sales Services DCIM UPS Products Cooling for DC and CR D/G Sets Battery Chargers AC & DC drives KNX / Automation Lighting and wiring Devices
  • Tactical execution
  • Vendor management capability
  • Project portfolio management
  • Strategic partnership building
  • Budgeting and forecasting
  • Value-centred strategy
  • Operational efficiency
  • Continuous Improvement implementation
  • Profit and Loss Analysis
  • Market intelligence
  • Operational planning and forecasting
  • Performance monitoring
  • KPI development
  • Staff development

Websites

Certification

  • Postgraduate diploma in Leadership” EMERITUS 2020 (with distinction)
  • Leadership and Coaching Program” Specifically Designed for Management Team of SE Greece, 2012
  • Energy management Professional” Schneider Electric Energy & Solutions University 2012
  • Energy management Associate” Schneider Electric Energy & Solutions University 2011
  • Decision Base Diploma” By CELEMI 2008
  • Leadership and Team Effectiveness” YALE – ALBA, 2004
  • Trained Public speaker.

Languages

English (Fluent - Proficiency, Michigan) and Greek (Native)

Additional Experience

  • Sales Engineer ABB Hellas ABEE (Greece) – AC / DC Drives and UPS’s
  • Sales/ Computer Network Installation Engineer Mantsys Technical Services Inc (Montreal - Canada)

Other personal data

Holder of European passport and ability to travel in GCC.

Affiliations

  • sailing, scuba diving, bicycling, driving

Timeline

Country Operations Director

SYSKA HENNESSY MENA
11.2023 - 09.2025

Business development manager

Mitsumi Distribution
08.2021 - 10.2023

General Manager

Logicom KSA
01.2017 - 01.2021

General Manager

ASL
01.2015 - 01.2016

Country Manager Service Operations

GUTOR LLC
01.2013 - 01.2014

Managing Director

APC, GREECE, CYPRUS, MALTA (Schneider Electric Group)
01.1996 - 01.2012

Master of Philosophy (MPhil) -

UCAM

Master’s in business administration (MBA) -

ALBA

Bachelor’s - electrical engineering

Technical University of Chalkida

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Kostas Athanasopoulos