Vassilios Demetriades

Chief Strategy Officer – UW Group

Vassilios DEMETRIADES served as Shipping Deputy Minister to the President of the Republic of Cyprus from July 2020 to February 2023. During his tenure, the strategic vision for Cyprus Shipping “SEA change 2030” was formulated, promoting an extroverted approach and a new philosophy and working structure within the Shipping Deputy Ministry (SDM).

Vassilios demonstrated leadership at global and EU level in effectively responding to crises (COVID-19 and Ukraine war) taking charge of key actions to enable safe crew changes, formulating and implementing a national vaccination plan to cover 40000 seafarers, facilitating a fast-track process for seafarers affected by the war in Ukraine to open bank accounts and access their salaries.

He put forward a number of incentives and funding programs aiming to decarbonize shipping (Green Tax Incentives, “Research Innovation Shipping Environment” Program), and was actively involved in the formulation of
a broad and diverse set of actions required to achieve emissions reduction targets at EU and IMO level. During his tenure Cyprus’ Blue Economy was further developed through the formulation of Cyprus’ Maritime Spatial Plan. He also took initiatives at global and regional level proposing an Agenda for the sustainable use of the Oceans by Commonwealth and promoting maritime safety in the Mediterranean through a proposal for a harmonized ship inspections regime.

The efficiency of SDM was further developed by creating the framework conditions for one-stop-shipping-shop through an EU funded project for the digital transformation of all SDM services already under implementation. During the same period a maritime passenger link between Cyprus and Greece was reinstated, after a 21-year hiatus, providing alternative connectivity through an effective framework of public subsidy. Vassilios placed great emphasis to the young generation aiming to create a culture for seafaring, maritime and blue studies and professions through innovative and interactive campaigns and initiatives.

Prior to his appointment he served as a Policy Officer in the Directorate General of Mobility and Transport of the European Commission coordinating the EU maritime transport strategy and EU’s external maritime transport relations for 5 years, promoting the interests of the EU shipping industry at bilateral and multilateral level with all the major trading partners of the EU (US, China, India, Japan, Brazil, Iran). He was previously involved in the formulation and coordination of European Sustainable Shipping Forum and he has also served the European Commission as a Member of Cabinet of Commissioner Vassiliou in the formulation, communication and implementation of EU policies on education and vocational training.

He has formerly served the Cyprus Public Administration as the Head of EU Affairs Unit at the Cypriot Ministry of Transport, Communications and Works formulating Cyprus’ national position to the EU on transport, telecommunications, shipping and integrated maritime policies and he was in charge of the overall coordination of the Cyprus Presidency to the EU pertaining to these areas.

Vassilios served as the first Maritime Counsellor of Cyprus to the EU, from Cyprus accession to the EU in 2004 until the end of 2008, representing Cyprus to the EU in the fields of maritime transport, intermodal transport and networks, EU Integrated Maritime Policy, EU Space Policy, Global Navigation Satellite Systems. Previously he served the Maritime Administration of Cyprus from various posts putting forward visionary ideas and initiatives such as the Limassol Declaration on the EU Integrated Maritime Policy – one of the main priorities of the 2012 Cyprus Presidency to the Council of the EU. Vassilios was also a lecturer at the Cyprus Academy of Public Administration on EU policies and decision-making processes.

He is the Chief Strategy Officer of UW Group leading the formulation and implementation of the Group’s vision and its strategic development. He is also the Founder of the VisionDo Advisory Ltd providing consultancy services to companies in meeting effectively their global and EU policy and regulatory challenges, promoting an extrovert and proactive approach in their organizational behavior. Since September 2024, he also holds the position of Director of Shipping, Yachting and Blue Economy at the Cyprus Investment Hub.

He holds a BSc degree in Business Economics from Surrey University and an MSc degree in Management Science from the same University.