Spyros Kouvelis, Senior Advisor on Sustainable Development, Environmental Economist, Former Minister of State of Foreign Economic and Development Affairs, Former MP. Honorary Member of GIBA

Spyros Kouvelis served as Minister of State for Foreign Economic, Environmental, and Cultural Affairs until 2011.  His duties included environmental and cultural diplomacy, economic and energy issues, development cooperation and humanitarian assistance.

First elected as Member of the Hellenic Parliament in 2007 and re-elected in 2009. During 2007-2009 he was the Shadow Minister of Environment, Energy, and Planning for the leading opposition party.

Senior Associate of the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL), acting as an ambassador of the programme in the South-East Europe and East Mediterranean regions, and teaching in selected programmes of the Institute.

Founder and Director of the Institute for Sustainable Development of the European Public Law Organization (EPLO), which started as a joint initiative between the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) and EPLO. Since November 2019 the Institute is fully incorporated within EPLO, enjoying its status of International Organization and Permanent Observer of the UN General Assembly. 

Senior Advisor with Verture, a consultancy on business development for new technologies / innovation, with a global portfolio of client companies.

Founder and Patent holder with BabylonGardens, a company that develops and uses cutting-edge technologies for lightweight, water-saving green urban solutions.

Senior Advisor to the UNEP Mediterranean Action Plan for the Mediterranean Strategy on Sustainable development 2016-2025, and the Sustainable Consumption and Production Plan (Circular Economy).  

Programme Director of WWF in Greece for a number of years, and the Mediterranean Unit of the Ramsar Convention (MedWet).

President of Ecofilms, the International Film Festival of Rhodes until 2007.

Born in Athens, Greece in 1964. He studied Economics at the University of Athens (BSc) and Agricultural/Environmental Economics at the University of Reading (MSc), and is fluent in Greek, English, French, and speaks some Italian and Spanish. Married, two daughters.