Storytelling Night: Alumni on Stage - Turning Points

Nefeli Agkyridou is the Director of Star Channel's online media. She is also the Digital Media Director of other news websites within the media group, including Sportdog and Newpost. After graduating from Pierce College, she went on to study International and European Relations, starting her career as a journalist for Star Channel during her studies. She later earned a Master’s Degree in International Journalism from City, University of London, which opened the door to an international career in journalism.

She worked as a broadcast journalist and producer for the BBC World Service, covering the Arab Spring, and later for Bloomberg TV and CNBC, where she specialized in financial and business journalism, covering the European economic crisis from 2010 to 2016. She complemented her professional experience with a Graduate Diploma in Economics from the Open University of London, in collaboration with the London School of Economics. 

After completing an Executive MBA at Cass Business School in London (recently renamed Bayes Business School), she transitioned from active journalism to a managerial career in the media industry. 

Speakers 

Athena Polina Dova, Alba ‘13 

Athena Polina Dova is a serial entrepreneur, Founder of Owiwi and the OffensiveX Hacking Conference, and Creator of the Xpressions documentary series. 

She holds a Law degree, an MSc in International Business and Management, and diplomas in Game Theory and Inclusion Management. In addition, she has extensive volunteering experience in developing inclusion programs for children living in child care. 

Athena has served on the Board of Directors of the Gaming Cluster by Corallia and as Vice President of the International Union of Professional Trainers. She has received recognition in both local and international media, including features in The New York Times – Turning Points, Fortune Magazine’s 40 Under 40, and awards such as the Women Entrepreneur Award, Female Role Model of the Year at the Global Startup Awards, and inclusion in the Top 100 Most Influential People in Talent Acquisition. 

Fridoon Joinda, Deree ‘24 

Multimedia Producer & Startup Founder – The European Social Media Platform 

Fridoon was born in Kabul and fled in 2016 due to his family’s media work, eventually arriving at the Moria Refugee Camp in Greece, where he lived for over a year. There, he documented refugee experiences. 

He holds a BA in Communication from The American College of Greece and completed a Harvard field course on Migration and Refugee Studies. Over the past decade, he has produced internationally screened documentaries, interviewed influential individuals, and spoken at major events. 

Fridoon has received multiple awards and recognition from institutions such as the UN, is a two-time finalist for the Obama Foundation Scholars Program, and was selected for the International Visitor Leadership Program. He has also been featured by Business Partner Magazine among influential changemakers, as well as among distinguished ACG alumni in its 150th-anniversary publication. 

He is currently developing a European social media platform designed to secure Europe’s digital sovereignty and strengthen democratic resilience. 

Ioannis Vidras, Deree ‘99 

Yiannis Vidras, Deree ’99, is Group Revenue Growth Manager at Coca-Cola HBC, one of the largest bottlers of The Coca-Cola Company worldwide. With over two decades of experience in commercial strategy, revenue growth, and team capability development, Yiannis has held senior leadership roles, including Commercial Excellence Director and Agile Acceleration Lead. 

He holds a degree in Business Administration from The American College of Greece and a Master’s in Total Quality Management from the United Kingdom — studies that shaped his analytical mindset and leadership approach. 

Beyond his corporate career, Yiannis is an Ironman triathlete and Mindset Transformational Coach, known for his personal transformation from being overweight to competing in the Ironman World Championships. 

In 2023, he founded CravingNoBorders, an initiative that promotes mindset transformation and inclusion while raising awareness for childhood Type 1 diabetes — inspired by his daughter Olga’s diagnosis at nine months old. 

Yiannis lives in Athens with his wife, Mara — also a Deree alumna — and their two children, George and Olga. 

Ioannis Volikakis, Alba ‘24 

Ioannis Volikakis is a former Greek Special Forces Officer and a graduate of the Hellenic Military Academy (Class of 2014) and ALBA Graduate Business School, with an MSc in Strategic Human Resources Management (Class of 2024). With over fifteen years of leadership experience in high-performance teams across Europe and Africa, he transitioned from the military to the corporate world in 2023, joining Amazon in Germany as a Manager in Logistics Operations. 

Translating his military skills into business leadership, he bridges discipline with empathy and structure with purpose. In his free time, he enjoys reading, writing, skydiving, and CrossFit — embracing growth through challenge and reflection.