"Entrepreneurs in our country have strong resilience to crises, vision, and new ideas, and they know how to survive in adverse conditions," said the President of the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KEBE), Stavros Stavrou, in his address at the official ceremony of the 11th "KEBE Business Leader Awards" on Monday evening.

The event was also addressed by the President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, the CEO of IMH, George Michael, and the Executive Chairman of General Insurance, Louis Pohanis.

Mr. Stavrou stated that through the "KEBE Business Leader Awards," the Chamber recognizes distinguished business leaders and honors Cypriot entrepreneurship.

"As KEBE, we are proud that in these challenging times for the economy and business, we have Cypriot entrepreneurs who, through their actions, initiatives, and work, achieve high goals and new accomplishments," he said.

He added, "This success demonstrates, among other things, that our country's entrepreneurs possess strong resilience to crises, vision, and new ideas, and they know how to survive in adverse conditions."

Mr. Stavrou noted that the entrepreneurs awarded at the event are those who have managed over time to navigate through difficult challenges, those who had a vision and dared to realize it with integrity and dynamism, and those who brought new ideas, earning them this recognition.

He further mentioned that, for KEBE, it is important for entrepreneurs not only to appear but also to be people-centered, explaining that "the significance of the term 'business ethics' is universally recognized, and the emphasis placed on it by all international organizations is constantly increasing."

He added that business ethics are intertwined with economic recovery, noting that "it is proven that economies that uphold high levels of business ethics are healthier and more promising."

Mr. Stavrou emphasized that KEBE equally prioritizes business ethics through its vision, which focuses on the stable promotion of well-intended entrepreneurship for a robust economy and a healthy, prosperous society.

He also highlighted that the awards send the right message to young entrepreneurs that entrepreneurship should be based on values such as mutual respect, healthy competition, and the application of best practices.

In his remarks, Mr. Pohanis noted that, in recent years, we have witnessed sweeping changes across all levels and that entrepreneurship has been tested and continues to adapt to new realities, such as artificial intelligence.

He added that businesses, at this critical juncture, have managed to gain the trust of people worldwide, as reflected in the Trust Barometer, a globally significant survey published annually during the Davos Economic Forum.

Mr. Pohanis:

Mr. Michael noted that, for 11 years, this institution has been rewarding business leaders for their timeless contribution to the development of their sector and, in general, to Cypriot entrepreneurship.

"Today, we reward business leaders who dared, envisioned, and, with respect for good entrepreneurship, their customers, and society, succeeded," he said.

He added that today’s award recipients lead pioneering, innovative, and successful organizations that employ thousands of workers, emphasizing that "above all, they are business leaders who are respected by their staff, customers, collaborators, and the Cypriot business community at large."

The awards, co-organized by KEBE and IMH, were attended by, among others, the President of the House of Representatives, Ministers, Members of Parliament, and individuals active in the business sector.