CBN Young Dragon Awards: Meet the candidates in the Young Entrepreneur category

End of the day today is the final day for the public to vote for the young entrepreneurs and professionals under the age of 40 who will be awarded as part of the newly established CBN Young Dragon Awards.

The Awards Ceremony will be taking place in Nicosia on 2 December and attendance is by invitation only.

With three finalists in each award category have selected and announced by the Awards Committee, the public can, until the end of the day, today, 26 November, continue to cast their vote and shape the final result, contributing to and decisively determining the selection of each category's awardee. The public's vote will count on a 50%-50% scale with the Award Committee's vote.

The three finalists in the Young Entrepreneur award category, as selected by the Awards Committee, are:

• Nearchos Petrides | CEO | Ellinas Finance
• Marios Michael & Kyriakos Markou | Founders and owners | Kafeneio To Taxidromeio
• Alexander Eng | Founder, GM | Agora Lefkara

Nearchos Petrides

Company: Ellinas Finance

Position: ​CEO

Nearchos Petrides is CEO of Ellinas Finance Public Company Limited since 2019. Ellinas Finance, the leader in Alternative Financing in Cyprus, with 30 years of expertise, has provided more than €300 million in loans to consumers and SMEs, and maintains a Net Profit Margin of 30% since 2017. Petrides joined Ellinas Finance in 2015 as an Executive Officer, managing a lending portfolio of €14 million. In 2016, he led the company's Business Development strategy and the creation of new financing products. By 2017, he expanded the company’s Factoring business under the brand “Tech Enabled Smart Factoring”, making it Cyprus’ only independent factoring solutions provider. In 2018, Petrides secured a strategic partnership with Atradius, a global leader in Credit Reinsurance, significantly boosting the factoring business. Appointed CEO in 2019, he guided the company's digital transformation during the pandemic. The 2020 launch of the “Fast E-Loan” service enabled consumers and businesses to quickly apply for loans online, providing essential liquidity during the pandemic. In 2021, Petrides introduced Cyprus' first Buy-Now-Pay-Later service, “GoGet” allowing customers to spread payments at retail stores into installments of up to 36 months. This service, offered at major stores across Cyprus has transformed consumer behaviour. In 2023, Petrides launched “Ellinas Insurance Brokers” offering personalized insurance advice. Under his leadership, Ellinas Finance’s active loan portfolio has grown to €25 million, with a goal to reach €35 million by 2025 and €50 million by 2028.

Marios Michael & Kyriakos Markou

Company: Kafeneio To Tahidromeio

Position: Founders & Owners

Their journey in the world of hospitality began at a young age, when Kyriakos Markou and Marios Michael worked in kitchens and restaurants as cooks and waiters during their time in technical school. These experiences have taught them essential skills, which helped highlight their leadership abilities. Later, equipped with a diploma, a degree, and two Masters (Kyriakos) in Hotel and Tourism Business Management, they both worked at prestigious hotels and other establishments in the tourism sector. These experiences helped them explore their approach to management and fully understand both the operational and human aspects of successful hospitality business management. At 25, they decided to open a Greek-style cafe in Larnaka, called "Kafeneio To Tahidromeio", aiming to create a friendly space that promotes Cypriot hospitality. Their vision was bold but simple: to create a traditional space that would honor Cypriot hospitality and offer affordable prices, making it accessible to everyone, regardless of age, nationality, or financial status. Their cafe evolved into a "social hub," where people enjoy authentic human interaction, dancing, and laughter—something they strive to incorporate into their own daily lives. From serving 100 customers a day, they now serve 400, making their cafe a beloved spot in the city of Larnaka. Their success is based on innovation, dedication, and leadership. They are proud that their business has become a pillar of the community. Looking towards the future, they remain committed to leading and innovating in the hospitality sector, with a focus on excellence and community building.

Aleksander Eng

Company: Agora Lefkara LTD

Position: Founder & General Manager

Aleksander Eng is a born entrepreneur, having sold his first business in New York by the age of 27. He moved to Cyprus and opened The Agora Hotel in Lefkara. First managing the construction, design and concept development to now running a Team of 35 and the only Luxury Boutique hotel in Cyprus. A true disruptive visionary with lots of motivation and hard work.

Through the CBN Young Dragon Awards, Cyprus Business News will reward and celebrate new talents, potential and their early achievements in the business sector.

The CBN Young Dragon Awards will honour professionals/executives under the age of 40 who have demonstrated outstanding achievement, leadership and commitment to making a positive impact on their companies.

One person will receive the Dragon Award for each category, starting a new or renewed business and career path.

This year's awards ceremony is presented by Cyta Business and also supported by Punin Group and ECOMMBX, proudly highlighting the value and importance of the institution.

Those members of the public who wish to participate in the voting can only vote for one candidate per category, while you do not have to choose a candidate in all categories for your vote to be valid. You can vote via the same IP address only once.

To take part in the vote click HERE