Demetris Skourides appointed new Chief Scientist

Demetris Skourides has been appointed as the new Chief Scientist for Research & Innovation of the Republic of Cyprus.

In a press release, the government said the significance it attaches to research, innovation and the digital transition was what prompted President Nikos Christodoulides to choose Skourides for the post.

It is noted that the Chief Scientist’s mandate has been broadened to include technology matters, on top research and innovation. This will encourage closer cooperation with the industry and the best possible utilisation of emerging technologies, significantly boosting the country’s ability to increase its productivity and growth, the government said.

Among other, the Chief Scientist will take on an advisory role in meeting the digital Europe 2030 targets and will be a catalyst in implementing them.

“The expansion of the role of the Chief Scientist represents a strategic investment in the future of Cyprus, fully aligned with Vision 2035, to create a resilient economy, able to face the challenges of the modern era,” the government said.

The Chief Scientist chairs, ex officio, the Board of Directors of the Research and Innovation Foundation.

Demetris Skourides holds a Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, with an emphasis on Software Engineering, from Arizona State University in the USA and an MBA from Henley Management College in the United Kingdom. Among other things, he has been trained in digital transformation, artificial intelligence, data monetisation and sales, in programs at Columbia, Stanford, MIT and Harvard Universities respectively.

Skourides has worked with technology giants Oracle and Amazon Web Services. He joined Oracle Cyprus in 2006 after two years at the Cyprus Organisation for Standardisation and has since followed an international career with Oracle, taking on management roles since 2010 across South East Europe and Commonwealth countries.

He has since held executive positions since 2016 in Europe, the Middle East and Africa and in the Asia-Pacific countries, as a Cloud & ISV Solutions transformation leader.

Through his work, he spearheaded the establishment of Cloud Partner Centres of Excellence in Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Dubai, South Korea, Kenya, South Africa, which enabled partners to innovate, create new solutions and bring them to the market, creating new revenue streams.

In his most recent role, the new Chief Scientist worked at Amazon Web Services, Dubai, UAE, as Industry Strategist for EMEA Commercial Sales driving innovative solutions for the financial services, retail, manufacturing and energy sectors.