In the intricate world of family businesses, succession often comes with emotional weight, generational expectations, and operational inertia. For George Koshis, Director and Co-owner of Cyprus Millers by Hadjigiorkis, the journey to leadership wasn’t immediate acceptance—it was earned transformation.

At 22, when asked by his father to take over the reins of the family’s 45-year-old flour milling business alongside his younger brother, George hesitated. The weight of heritage, responsibility, and expectations loomed large. Yet, his eventual decision marked not just a generational shift but a strategic inflection point for Cyprus Millers.

George approached leadership with humility and vision. While his brother focused on governance, George turned his energy to reengineering the production process, standardizing operations, and modernizing workflows. His ability to bridge tradition with contemporary practices allowed him to introduce innovation without alienating the legacy that preceded him. He did not disrupt for the sake of change—he elevated what worked and rebuilt what didn’t.

Exporting internationally brought further complexity. One defining crisis was Cyprus’s financial haircut. A narrowly avoided catastrophe—had they delayed a key machinery payment by just a few weeks—taught George the critical value of precision and discipline in financial planning. It was a lesson in resilience and foresight: calm seas don’t make skilled sailors, but neither do reckless ones.

George also credits the success of their co-leadership model to a vital external factor: the chairman of the board, a non-family member. This external voice acts as the ballast between familial ambition and operational pragmatism. For George, it’s this balance—between internal legacy and external accountability—that defines healthy succession.

As the third generation begins to enter the business, George remains committed to evolution. His leadership is marked by constant learning, a deep respect for past wisdom, and an unwavering commitment to future relevance. He exemplifies a principle crucial to all family-run enterprises: tradition isn’t a chain that holds you back—it’s the foundation you build on, provided you have the courage to innovate.