With a dynamic program of institutional, business, and cultural events, JTI concluded its participation in the 90th Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF), which this year honored Japan as its Guest Country — giving the company’s involvement a distinctly special significance.
A standout moment for JTI was the visit of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to the company’s stand at the Japan Pavilion. JTI had the honor of welcoming the Prime Minister and presenting firsthand its presence and activities at this year’s event.
With Japanese roots and more than four decades of presence in the country, JTI leveraged the TIF — one of the most important forums for economic and business dialogue — to highlight its steady investment, production, and export footprint in the Greek economy.
Greece and Japan: A relationship with a strong present and a promising future
JTI’s presence kicked off on Friday, September 4, with the event “An Evening at the Japanese Water Garden”, held at the Japanese Water Garden on the New Waterfront of Thessaloniki. Representatives from government, local authorities, the diplomatic community, and the business world came together for an evening dedicated to the bonds between Greece and Japan.
Addresses were delivered by Minister of Rural Development and Food Margitis Schinas, Mayor of Thessaloniki Stelios Angeloudis, Ambassador of Japan to Greece Ito Koichi, and General Manager of JTI Hellas Janine Neuhaus.
The evening was enriched by the performance of “The Eternal Song of the Four Heavens – Lafcadio Hearn”, an opera composed by Giorgos Voukanos with a libretto by Efi Panagopoulou, which explored the timeless cultural connection between Greece and Japan through a contemporary artistic lens.
JTI in the dialogue on investment, growth, and technology
JTI also maintained an active presence in key institutional and business discussions held throughout this year’s TIF.
Janine Neuhaus, General Manager of JTI Hellas, participated in the 2nd N-TIF Forum organized by Naftemporiki, taking part in the fireside chat “Japan & Greece: Building the Future Together,” alongside Japanese Ambassador Ito Koichi and Deputy Foreign Minister Haris Theoharis.
As Janine Neuhaus noted: “JTI is a global company with more than 40,000 employees worldwide, headquartered in Geneva. We are especially proud of our Japanese heritage, which underpins everything we do and is reflected in the way we operate on a daily basis. Japanese values are an essential part of how we function.”
Dr. Simeon Sidiropulos, Head of Corporate Affairs & Communications for JTI in Greece, Cyprus, and Malta, participated in the Imerisia Conference in a discussion titled “The economy after the RRF: Resources, investments, and prospects,” alongside, among others, Nikos Papathanasis, Deputy Minister of National Economy and Finance.
As he stated: “JTI has been in Greece for more than four decades. In 2018, we acquired the historic SEKAP plant in the border region of Xanthi, with the goal of transforming the factory into a modern production facility. Today, 74% of annual production is exported to eight European countries, while we directly employ more than 300 workers in Greece.”
Dr. Sidiropulos also took part in the Roundtable Discussion “Redefining Business Strategies in the Age of AI”, organized by the Delphi Economic Forum.
People, production, and investment at the Japan Pavilion
On Saturday, September 5, JTI continued its program at the Japan Pavilion with thematic discussions focusing on critical aspects of the modern workplace and business environment.
The panel “Shaping the workplace of tomorrow” brought together Katerina Fragkoudaki, People & Culture Manager, JTI Hellas; Dimitra Benou, People & Culture Manager, SEKAP; Ilias Galinos, Founder-Coach, The Flow Partners; Konstantina Sotiropoulou, Rewards & Organization Design Manager, JTI Hellas; Vasiliki Marinou, HR Managed Services Manager, PwC Greece; and Panagiotis Skeofylax, Corporate Affairs & Communications Manager, JTI Hellas. The discussion was moderated by Georgia Petropoulou, Legal Director, JTI Hellas. Central themes included Japanese corporate culture within a modern organization, evolving employee expectations, and the trends shaping tomorrow’s workplace.
This was followed by the panel “JTI: Production, Investment & Retail Support”, featuring Ilias Kekos, Sales Director, JTI Hellas; Charalampos Thamnidis, Finance Director, JTI Hellas; and Michalis Kokkinos, owner of My Smiley, moderated by journalist Irini Syraki. The discussion highlighted the connection between JTI’s production and investment activities and the market, as well as the company’s ongoing support for retail partners.
Building resilience in the face of tomorrow’s challenges
The program concluded on Sunday, September 6, on the main stage of the Japan Pavilion, with the panel “Understanding risk, acting earlier: Building resilience together.”
Participants included Teppei Yasunari, Senior Scientist, Weathernews; Ciro Borrelli, Head of Business Development, Weathernews; Alexander Arkhipov, Managing Director, JTI Foundation; Dimitris Kirmikiroglou, Secretary General of Communication and Information; Dr. Giorgos Papavasileiou, Atmospheric Scientist PhD, National Observatory of Athens; and Giannis Mavroudis, Vice President of the Board of Directors & Managing Director, Neuropublic, moderated by journalist Maria Akrivou.
Japanese roots, a strong Greek footprint
JTI’s participation in the 90th Thessaloniki International Fair offered a compelling portrait of the company’s identity: a global organization with Japanese roots and, at the same time, a modern and dynamic company with a deep, long-standing presence in Greece — one that continues to move forward for what truly matters.
