Tell us about your educational and/or career journey since you graduated from Brunel?
With a vision to share with travellers from all over the world the place where I had my family holidays as a child, in 2015 I undertook the creation of the Avaton Luxury Hotel & Villas Resort; a proud member of Relais & Châteaux in Halkidiki, which now consists of 36 stylish rooms, suites and villas.
At the age of 23, I acquired the title of (probably) the youngest General Manager of a Relais & Châteaux hotel and I have been included in the "Forbes 30 under 30" Greek list for 2022. In 2017, Avaton was the first Greek company to participate in the gift packages given to Oscar nominees, winning a place in international television networks and magazines.
I now focus on the protection of biodiversity through hospitality - the environmental policy we have created in collaboration with national and international NGOs such as Slow Food, Ethic Ocean, Arcturus, etc. and the goals we have set for the future, continue my passion for creating a better world for the next generation. They also make Avaton a pioneer in the field of international partnerships in sustainability in the hospitality industry.
The idea of creating a better world had gripped me since I was a teenager. In this context, I participated in Model United Nations, where I started as auxiliary staff and won the highest position, that of Secretary General at Anatolia College MUN. I participated in Harvard and The Hague MUN and tried to make as many people as possible aware of global issues that needed our contribution in order to create a better tomorrow. At the same time, I represented Greece in the European Youth Parliament for the solution of the Cyprus issue.
As a student of the Business School at Brunel, I participated with a group of students on the Ready Programme, aiming to create a national clothing labelling system to promote ethical fashion in the UK while volunteering at local NGOs.
What does a typical day at work involve for you?
Checking every department in the hotel, going to the office to reply to emails and create reports, meet guests to get their feedback, speak to the guest relations team about incidents, and find immediate ways to resolve them and optimise our system.
What’s been the highlight of your career journey so far?
- Becoming the youngest Relais & Chateaux (association of 600 hotels worldwide) General Manager
- Having Avaton included in the gift packages given to Oscar nominees.
- Being awarded with World Travel Awards
- Being included in the Greek Forbes 30 under 30 list
How would you say your Brunel experience has helped you to get where you are today?
Definitely my experience at Brunel has played a major role to help me to get where I am today. The marvellous organisation of the University, the Academic Skills Services, the Volunteers and Careers office, the very good academic and accommodation facilities in the amazing campus and the inspirational faculty of the Business School have all helped me a lot in my life.
Why did you choose to study at Brunel and why would you recommend Brunel to others?
At Brunel you always have someone to talk to and help you. There are offices for all your needs that work hard to provide state of the art services. The students and the Union are very diverse and you always feel welcome. The campus is amazing and Uxbridge is the perfect place to study, just some minutes away from busy London. The Business School has very good relationships with big companies and everything you learn is very practical.
What is your best memory of studying here?
The inspiring lectures for creativity.
If you could give one piece of advice to current Brunel students, what would that be?
Get the most out of the extracurricular activities and services provided (Career Office, placements, etc) - they make a huge difference to your professional skills.
What would be your top tip or key advice for new graduates as they begin their career journey after leaving Brunel?
Be professional and results oriented.
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