Rolls-Royce Holdings PLC has appointed Panos Kakoullis as its new Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Executive Director, succeeding Stephen Daintith.
The London-listed engineering company said that Mr Kakoullis will take his post on May 3, and that Mr Daintith will leave the company on March 19, shortly after the release of the company’s 2020 results.
In the transition period, Deputy CFO, Ben Fidler, will be appointed interim CFO.
Rolls-Royce Holdings PLC has appointed Panos Kakoullis as its new Chief Financial Officer.
Mr Kakoullis has spent his career at Deloitte, which he joined as a graduate. He worked with a wide range of multinational corporations combining audit, advisory and transaction services and was, until May 2019, Global Head of Deloitte’s Audit and Assurance Practice. More recently, Mr Kakoullis joined PA Consulting.
“We are delighted to announce the appointment of Panos as Chief Financial Officer who will join us in May this year,” CEO of Rolls-Royce, Warren East, said in a media release.
“Panos delivered significant transformational change at Deloitte, streamlining and simplifying the business and we look forward to benefiting from his expertise and experience as we deliver on our fundamental reorganisation and secure a sustainable and prosperous future for Rolls-Royce.”
Mr Kakoullis said he was excited to be joining Rolls-Royce.
“I am very excited to be joining Rolls-Royce at such a pivotal time. I have great admiration for Warren, the wider leadership team and the business as a whole and am proud to become part of the team,” Mr Kakoullis said.
Greek Foreign Minister, Nikos Dendias, held his first phone call with US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, earlier on Monday.
The US Department of State issued a statement after the phone call, saying the two officials stressed their commitment to further strengthening bilateral relations between Greece and the US, through the US-Greece Strategic Dialogue and the 3+1 process with Cyprus and Israel.
Ways of further enhancing the strategic cooperation between both countries was also discussed, with an emphasis on defence, energy diversification and stability in the broader Eastern Mediterranean region.
Dendias also spoke about developments in the broader region, including Libya, Syria and the Eastern Mediterranean, with the Secretary voicing his support for ongoing explanatory talks between Greece and Turkey.
Secretary Blinken concluded the call by congratulating Greece on the occasion of their Greece Bicentennial celebrations this year.
Stefanos Tsitsipas has advanced to the Australian Open quarter-finals after Matteo Berrettini withdrew prior to their match on Monday night due to an abdominal strain.
Ninth seed Berrettini suffered the injury in the third set of his 7-6(1), 7-6(5), 7-6(5) victory over Karen Khachanov on Saturday. He received a medical time out during the match to relieve pain in his abdomen.
“I’m really sorry to say that I got injured in the last match that I played,” Berrettini told reporters on Monday after news emerged.
“I had a problem with my abs, and I spoke to the doctors and they said it can get worse…Obviously I'm not 100 per cent.”
Tsitsipas earned a spot in the final eight as an ailing Berrettini withdrew before his match.#AusOpen | #AO2021
“I’m not 100 per cent. To beat these guys, you have to be 100 per cent. I think it’s not really professional to step [onto court] when you’re not the best.”
Greek tennis player and fifth seed, Tsitsipas, will now prepare to face 2009 champion and second seed, Rafael Nadal, on Wednesday in a bid to reach his second Australian Open semi-final.
Nadal booked a ticket to his 13th Australian Open quarter-final with a straight-sets win 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 against Fabio Fognini on Monday.
It’s the 43rd time Nadal has progressed to the quarter-finals of a grand slam. He currently leads Tsitsipas 6-1 in their ATP Head2Head series.
Mourners were left in disbelief and horror last week when they went to say their final goodbyes to their loved one, only to find it was the wrong person.
The mix-up of two bodies by Greek-owned funeral parlour, Euro Funeral Services, came to the attention of The Greek Herald on Friday after we received multiple phone calls by mourners expressing their shock at the incident.
According to these sources, the mix up of the bodies of two Greek males, who had passed away on the same day earlier this month, was only realised by the family of the older man at the end of the funeral service.
The mix-up of two bodies by Greek-owned funeral parlour, Euro Funeral Services, came to the attention of The Greek Herald on Friday.
Screams echoed through St Euphemia Greek Orthodox Church in Bankstown, Sydney, as the family opened the casket to pay their respects to their beloved husband, father and grandfather, and saw the body in the coffin was not their family member.
Their family member had allegedly already been buried by the other man’s family on Friday morning, February 12 at Rookwood Cemetery, following a funeral service at All Saints Greek Orthodox Church in Belmore, and mourners had no idea the wrong body was in the coffin.
Our sources say this body was exhumed on Friday afternoon, hours after the funeral, and both men were laid to rest by their respective families – the correct ones this time – at Rookwood cemetery.
Euro Funeral Services Director and O Kosmos Publisher, Mr Spiro Haralambous.
The Greek Herald reached out to Euro Funeral Services for a comment but Funeral Director and O Kosmos Publisher, Mr Spiro Haralambous, declined the request “due to the sensitive nature of this predicament.”
“First and foremost, on the basis of specific requests by family to refrain from doing so, secondly we are bound by confidentiality of ALL our dealings with our families,” reads the message sent by Euro Funeral Services.
This traumatic turn of events leads to questions of whether its time for stricter controls on the funeral industry, which for now remains unregulated.
The Euro Funeral Services Facebook page has since been deleted.
*Family names have remained hidden to protect privacy.
The future of Modern Greek Studies at Macquarie University was one of the main topics of discussion at a public meeting held by the Macquarie University Greek Studies Foundation Limited on Thursday, February 11.
With over 40 people in attendance, the meeting became heated and confusing at times. Some questioned the Foundation’s “transparency,” while others tried desperately to steer the conversation towards ensuring the survival of the Modern Greek Studies major at the university.
As noted in a past media release from the Foundation, in the 2021 academic year, Modern Greek at Macquarie will be offered as a minor, but “students who are presently enrolled will be able to complete their studies if they had nominated Greek as a major.”
In documents received by The Greek Herald, and handed out to attendees on the night, the Foundation clarified that a number of other issues were also discussed with the university during negotiations which began on March 26, 2020 and concluded on November 25, 2020. These are:
The Foundation would donate $55,000 to Macquarie University Greek Studies, even though the university had initially asked for an annual sum of $150,000;
The existing agreement whereby the Foundation would provide the necessary funds for “one academic position in Modern Greek Studies,” would remain in place;
And the university will decide on their language policy sometime in 2021.
The future of Modern Greek Studies at Macquarie University was discussed at a public meeting held by the Macquarie University Greek Studies Foundation Limited on Thursday, February 11. Photo: The Greek Herald / Andriana Simos.
The Greek Herald asked the Foundation’s President, Mr Theo Premetis, to elaborate on these negotiations, with a specific emphasis on whether they were given a specific student threshold that needed to be met to ensure the viability of the Greek major.
“Currently, Modern Greek Studies [overall] has 69 students… But we were told that for the Greek Studies major [to remain viable], there needs to be at least 50 students who want to do it. We’ve never had 50 students,” Mr Premetis replied.
The Foundation’s Secretary, Mr Theodoridis, added that there are only six students who are currently taking the Greek major at Macquarie University.
“Unfortunately, we only have six students in that category and that is one of the major problems in convincing the university to keep Greek as a major,” Mr Theodoridis said.
“Our problem is not so much a financial problem. Our problem is getting, excuse the expression, ‘bums on seats.’ That is the sad reality.”
This news shocked many in attendance as questions quickly turned to what the Greek community can do to ensure the survival of Modern Greek Studies at the university. Some suggested the need to engage more with Greek Orthodox colleges in Sydney, while others thought the Greek language needed to be spoken more at home.
On a broader issue, others brought up the question of the Foundation’s transparency and said the way forward was to hold elections, accept Macquarie University graduates as life members of the Foundation “unconditionally,” and then begin negotiations with the university.
As Lecturer of Modern Greek Studies at Macquarie University, Dr Patricia Koromvokis, also had an important point to make, stressing that her Department will be working closely with the student-led Macquarie University Greek Association (MUGA) to help ensure the survival of the Greek major.
“For 2021 only, we have already had a very successful virtual event with the Greek Education Minister, in co-operation with the students,” Dr Koromvokis said.
“We have a conference with the University of Ioannina in July and we are also co-operating with the Greek Archdiocese, where I will make presentations for the Greek Independence celebrations. So we are going closer to the community because the community is very important for us.”
With such a big year ahead, The Greek Herald plans to keep our readers informed on the future of Modern Greek Studies at Macquarie University.
Greek Australian girls will be proudly wearing the blue and white jersey on Saturday, February 20, as they compete for the first time in the Sydney Nines tournament at Cabramatta Sports Ground.
Over the last two weekends, the Greek girls have been training hard for the tournament with the help of Head Coach, Stuart McLennan.
In fact, the Manager of Greek Rugby League Australia, Terry Liberopoulos, tells The Greek Herald they’re now ready to face their competitors.
“We’re all pretty excited because this is the start of another chapter for the Greek Rugby League. But it’s not about the results. If we win, great, but just to see the girls pull on that jersey is the start of something for us in Australia,” Mr Liberopoulos says.
Manager of Greek Rugby League Australia, Terry Liberopoulos, says the team is ready to face its competitors. Photo: Facebook / Greek Rugby League Australia.
The Greek National Women’s team already made their international debut in 2019 when a side made up of all players from Greece competed against Turkey in Edirne.
But in Australia, the idea for an all Greek girls team only really kicked off when Alexis Mavrantonis, a young Greek Australian who works for the South Sydney Rabbitohs, reached out to Mr Liberopoulos and recommended some players.
“I was always looking for girl players but I just couldn’t find any. But then Alexis rang me, because she wanted to get more involved with the Greek community, and said ‘I’ve got four Greek girls here at Souths’,” Mr Liberopoulos explains.
Since then, the team has grown to over 20 girls from across Australia including Brisbane, Canberra, St Marys, Cronulla and Glebe. Whilst some haven’t been able to attend training and others have been injured, Mr Liberopoulos says the game must still go on.
“The whole thing is to help the girls in Greece. We’ll have some games here and then after that, we’ll start playing in Greece,” Mr Liberopoulos says.
“We’re also aiming for the 2025 Women’s World Cup, which will more than likely be played in Australia or New Zealand.”
Sydney Nines Tournament:
Greece vs Malta at 12.05pm – Cabramatta Sports Ground.
Greece vs Cabramatta at 1.20pm – Cabramatta Sports Ground.
Dimitrios Vikelas was not only a poet and novelist, but he was also the first President of the International Olympic Committee. To make the occasion of his birth today, we take a look back at some of his life achievements.
Early Life:
Dimitrios Vikelas was born in Ermoupolis, Syros, on February 15, 1835. His father was a merchant originally from Veria and his name was Emmanuel Bikelas or Bekelas, until he changed his surname to Vikelas. His uncle was the writer Leon Melas, who with his novel “O Gerostathis” nurtured generations of Greek children.
Due to his father’s frequent travels, as well as his own health problems, Dimitrios did not attend school regularly. His mother, however, was very cultured and offered him several homework lessons. He later confessed that he owed his inclination to literature to it.
During one of the many trips of his family, he found himself again in Syros, where he attended the Lyceum of Christos Evangelidis. There, he and his classmate Emmanuel Roidis, published a handwritten newspaper.
At the age of 17, Dimitrios settled in London, first as an accountant in his uncle’s trading business, ‘Mela Bros,’ and then as a partner. His diligence, method, honesty and open-mindedness were appreciated by the London business community.
Dimitrios Vikelas was born in Ermoupolis, Syros, on February 15, 1835.
Dimitrios developed a friendship with the Greek ambassador to London, Spyridon Trikoupis, who played a key role in undertaking and organising the first modern Olympic Games in 1896.
His work in literature:
In his spare time, Dimitrios took classes in Botany and Architecture at University College, while practicing his talent in foreign languages. At the same time, he wrote short stories, poems and translated into Greek the tales of Hans Christian Andersen and the tragedies of Shakespeare.
In 1876, the Mela company was dissolved due to the financial crisis and Dimitrios, having made a respectable fortune and at the age of 41, decided to leave the business and turn exclusively to letters and social action.
In 1877, due to his wife’s illness, he settled in Paris, where he developed a wide circle of acquaintances.
The Olympic Games:
In the summer of 1894, the International Sports Conference was held in the French capital and Dimitrios monitored his work as a representative of the Panhellenic Gymnastics Association.
In 1894, Dimitrios was also elected the first President of the International Olympic Committee.
On June 23, the closing day of the Conference, it was decided to revive the Olympic Games, with the holding of the first event in 1896 in Athens. The contribution of Dimitrios was decisive, acting voluntarily and without the authorisation of the Panhellenic to handle such a serious issue.
Baron de Coubertin’s original idea was for the first Olympic Games to take place in 1900 in Paris, but Dimitrios’ inspirational speech turned the tide.
“… In Athens, we will certainly not be able to organise majestic celebrations, but our many shortcomings will be filled by the cordiality of our reception. We will not offer our guests entertainment worthy of the occasion, but we have to show the ruins of antiquity and lead them to the places where the ancient Greeks held their games,” Dimitrios said in his speech, causing delegates to vote unanimously in favour of Athens.
Dimitrios’ bold initiative aroused enthusiasm in the Greek public and the press and was the reason that contributed to the unexpected success of the revival of the Olympic Games then, but also to the consolidation of the institution in the following years.
Legacy and Death:
In 1894, Dimitrios was also elected the first President of the International Olympic Committee. He remained in this position until 1896, when he was succeeded by Baron de Coubertin. Dimitrios spent the rest of his life in Athens, where he died on July 7, 1908, suffering from an incurable disease.
Dimitrios is considered, together with Georgios Vizyinos, the rapporteur of the ethnographic narrative in Greece.
‘Loukis Laras’ is his most famous work. A prose with realistic and social content, written in 1879, it refers to the effects of the 1821 Revolution on ordinary people. His other important short stories are ‘Papa-Narcissus,’ ‘The Tearful,’ ‘The Ugly Sister,’ ‘Philip Martha’ and ‘Why I Became a Lawyer.’
Dimitrios also founded the ‘House of the Blind,’ the ‘Sevastopoulio School’ and in 1899, the ‘Association for the Distribution of Useful Books’ for the publication of books at a cheap price. After his death he bequeathed his rich library to the municipality of Heraklion, Crete, where it can know be found in the well-known Vikelaia Municipal Library.
Three men have been arrested after dozens of people were protesting Melbourne’s lockdown at Eaton Mall in Oakleigh today.
The Greek Herald‘s Melbourne correspondent was on the scene and he said an estimated 50 police were attending.
The largely maskless group clashed with police and became vocal towards them, swearing and shouting, according to Nine News.
Protesters in Oakleigh. Photo: Bill Roumeliotis.
“A 40-year-old Huntingdale man was released pending summons for breaching Chief Health Officer directions and failing to obey police direction,” police said in a statement.
“Two men, aged 43 and 65, were issued with an infringement notice for breaching Chief Health Officer directions.”
Earlier, Mr Kostas Kountanis told The Greek Herald, they were there to “protest quietly.”
“We are here to protest quietly against the lockdown as it deprives us from our rights and freedoms,” Mr Kountanis said.
Home and Away star, Ada Nicodemou, is returning to the ballroom with her original dance partner, Aric Yegudkin, when Channel Seven premieres Dancing With The Stars: All Stars later this year.
The Greek Australian mother-of-one was confirmed on Sunday as the first big name from the show’s past seasons to sign on for the anticipated ‘All Stars’ season.
“I basically told (Seven) that I wouldn’t do it without Aric,” Ada told The Daily Telegraph, while adding that at 43 years old, she was worried she was “too old” to return.
Ada, and her dance partner Aria Yegudkin, won Dancing With The Stars in 2005.
“But then I just thought: ‘You know what? Why not. It’s a challenge and that’s what life is all about at the end of the day. New challenges’.”
Ada, who won Dancing With The Stars in 2005, is one of five former champions rumoured to be taking part in the new season.
The other rumoured contestants for the All Stars series are Chris Hemsworth, Nikki Webster, Kerri-Anne Kennerley and Pauline Hanson. Whilst not confirmed, it is expected that more cast announcements will be made over the coming weeks in the lead up to the show.
Gerry and Chris Apostolatos, banned from the poultry industry for a total of 17 years after starving more than a million chickens, were involved in the acquisition of two aged care homes in Melbourne, despite being bankrupt at the time and having no experience.
This news is according to The Sunday Age, which also reports that the Apostolatos brothers used aliases, dummy directors and a family trust to conceal their roles with Chronos Care, which owns aged care facilities in Alphington and Mount Eliza, and has received millions of dollars in Commonwealth funding.
Mr Peter Arvanitis, co-owner of Epping Gardens aged care home where 38 residents died from COVID-19 last year, also provided advice to Chronos Care when it was first established in 2014, according to emails obtained by The Sunday Age.
In 2014, the Apostolatos brothers did not appear on any corporate documents related to the purchase of Chronos Care homes in Alphington and Mount Eliza.
They based themselves in offices near Camberwell Junction and appointed Gerry Apostolatos’ step-daughter, Rita Kohu, as the director of a company called Mali Nominees, which was approved by the federal government as an aged care provider.
Brothers Chris, front, and Gerry Apostolatos pleaded guilty at the Melbourne Magistrates Court to animal cruelty charges. Photo: Jason South.
Despite this, four senior former employees of Chronos Care, who were unable to speak on the record because they had signed confidentiality contracts when leaving the company, told The Sunday Age that the Apostolatos brothers were “pulling all the strings.”
They did this by concealing their real identities with the use of aliases – ‘Andrian Gorman’ for Gerry and ‘Ross Epson’ for Chris – in all internal communication with Chronos Care staff, the company’s laywer and also a NAB business banker.
At the time of purchasing the homes, both men were bankrupt after their company Tip Top Livestock and several other subsidiary companies were placed into liquidation in 2012.
Chris Apostolatos was declared bankrupt in November 2012 with debts of more than $2.46 million and just $600 in the bank. Gerry Apostolatos owed $2.55 million to creditors when he was declared bankrupt in August 2013.
The pair were also facing serious animal cruelty charges and eventually pleaded guilty in March 2015 – about five months after they purchased the Mount Eliza aged care home known as Ranelagh.
Gerry Apostolatos admitted in the Melbourne Magistrates Court that he was responsible for the deaths of more than 86,000 chickens at six commercial farms, and was banned from the poultry industry for 10 years.
Chris Apostolatos was found to have caused the deaths of more than 63,000 chickens, which had starved at three of their farms, and was disqualified from the industry for seven years.
According to the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission Act, a person is prohibited from being an approved provider if they have been convicted of an indictable offence or insolvent.
Gerry Apostolatos recently stepped out of the shadows and became a director of Mali Nominees and another company called Mt Eliza Aged Care Pty Ltd in 2019.
According to The Sunday Age, Chris Apostolatos and Chronos Care did not respond to requests for comment. Gerry Apostolatos initially denied any involvement with Chronos Care, before claiming he was a consultant. He then hung up.
