85th TIF – HCAP DAY MEETING “Sustainable Development: The role of State-Owned Enterprises and the strategy towards the future”

Athens, 14 September 2021. A day meeting entitled “Sustainable Development: The role of State-Owned Enterprises and the strategy towards the future” was hosted yesterday by HCAP at the “Ioannis Vellidis” Congress Centre in the context of the 85th Thessaloniki International Fair.

Opening the day meeting, HCAP CEO, Mr. Gregory D. Dimitriadis noted that “our will to secure a decisive role for HCAP, which will contribute to strengthening the national wealth and ensuring upgraded services for citizens, is reflected in the HCAP Strategic Plan 2022-2024, which will be presented shortly. Our vision is to further develop HCAP into a Public Wealth Fund, which will allow the utilization of valuable international experience in order to maximize the value of public property, while also making it easier to attract investors”. Mr. Dimitriadis stated, among other things, that: “The goal of even better modern State-Owned Enterprises, which will be profitable and provide a high level of goods and services, is shared by all those involved in their operation or supervision. The modernization and improvement of their operation is one of the goals of HCAP, as demonstrated by our actions so far. We are in constant cooperation with the senior management of all our subsidiaries for this purpose”.

During a discussion on the Impact of the development of public property, between the Director General of the Foundation for Economic and Industrial Research (IOBE) Mr. Nikos Vettas, and Mr. Dimitriadis, the latter said that “until recently, there was neither the flexibility nor the trust required to proceed with the utilization of public property. Today we are highly active, having – for the first time – conducted a valuation of the real estate value of all our businesses and participations, in order to look at how we can increase their value and therefore also estimate their potential return. Regarding real estate (ETAD, GAIAOSE, HRADF etc.), we are promoting a group policy”. Mr. Vettas stressed the importance of the measurable utilization of public property and referred to the cooperation with HCAP, noting that “anything that you do not measure, the power of habit makes you ignore it. In order to grow, it is crucial to know: a) what you have, b) how you can measure its value, but also c) what the social impact of this value is. International measurements indicate that countries exercise good public property management have 3 to 5 times more possibilities to respond quickly after a depression”.

In the “Opportunities and Tools of Public Property Utilization” section, the President of the Central Union of Municipalities of Greece (KEDE), Mr. Dimitris Papastergiou, said that the HRADF or NSRF tools will give a significant boost to the response rates of local authorities. Mr. Dimitris Skalkos, Secretary General of Public Investments and NSRF stated that the priority for the next period will be climate change, with policies on lignite use elimination, e-mobility, clean drinking water, sustainable urban mobility, etc. HRADF CEO Mr. Dimitris Politis pointed out that priorities include the tenders for Egnatia Odos and DEPA Infrastructure and that the tenders for the ports of Alexandroupolis, Kavala and Igoumenitsa are in progress, while he stressed that the new concession of the Attiki Odos highway after 2023 will constitute a great opportunity.

The Project Preparation Facility (PPF) of the Unit of Maturation of Strategic Contracts was presented by HRADF Executive Director Mr. Panagiotis Stampoulidis. Mr. Stampoulidis stated that “the new project maturation unit works as a catalyst, from the design, licensing, and tendering process, to monitoring the implementation of a tender. Reduced bureaucracy helps us achieve a faster absorption of resources and boosts green and digital transition”.

In the section on Water, Open Future: “Management of water resources and sustainability”, Mr. Charalambos Sachinis, CEO of EYDAP, stated that “the projects of the last decades have ensured water adequacy. However, this does not mean that we manage it without due attention; on the contrary, we invest in smart new networks. Thanks to the new projects being implemented, the network replacement rate has tripled to 1.5%, with a target of 2%”. He also referred to the emblematic project for the development of Hadrian’s Aqueduct. EYATH CEO Mr. Anthimos Amanatidis referred, inter alia, to the smart water meters which will reduce water losses from 28% to 14%. He also underlined the prospects related to the establishment of the Water Institute, which will coordinate academic institutions and research bodies, highlighting best international practices. Finally, he stressed the importance of working with HCAP to ensure the most effective integration of ESGs. Mr. Spyros Kouvelis, Director of the Institute for Sustainable Development of EPLO, noted that “water management will be one of the most critical issues in the coming decades due to the climate crisis that leads us to the need for large investments in infrastructure, before the imminent changes arrive. In this context, it is crucial that we take care of the natural ecosystems that ensure our water well in advance”.

In the section on Sustainable Mobility, HCAP Deputy CEO Mr. Stefanos Giourelis stated that “we focus on e-mobility for company fleets, electrification and alternative fuels. The support of PPC, through its subsidiary PPC blue, is of particular importance”. KINEO CEO Mr. Adam Markakis pointed out that micro-mobility is our best hope for achieving the European goals. He noted that 50% of our commutes involve distances under 8km. This means that a perception of micro-mobility can help us cover these needs without burdening the environment and the quality of life in the city.

In the section on Electrification: The future of commuting, Mr. Nikolaos Athanasopoulos, CEO of the Transport for Athens Organization, noted that “Urban Transport is getting in line with the goals of green energy, by renewing its fleet to include a sufficient ratio of green vehicles. Electrification is related to a holistic process that involves new design, new infrastructure and a new overall concept”. OSY S.A. Chairman Mr. Vassilis Xipolitas stated that “we are now ready for the next step. In the next few days a tender will be issued for 770 new ecological buses, of which 350 will be electrically powered”. Dr. Giorgos Pechlivanoglou, Chief Technical Officer, BLINK Charging Europe noted that “Currently, there are 300 charging points for electric cars. Our aim is to have at least one charger in every village and town, without there being large distances between chargers throughout the network”.

In the section regarding Food Waste: Looking at a green economy, CMFO CEO Mr. Apostolos Apostolakos presented data according to which today in Greece we throw away 143 kg of food each year, as per a survey conducted by Harokopio University. Our goal is to prevent this waste by prioritising information and awareness. Mr. Theodoros Papadopoulos, Chairman of the Board of CMT S.A., underlined the important role of merchants. CMT has created an infrastructure that accepts and registers non-tradable products, which are then sorted by the staff as well as volunteers, in order to address the problem of feeding vulnerable groups of people. On behalf of the Food Bank, Mr. Dimitris Nentas stressed that tackling food waste is both a social matter as well as a sustainability issue. He also stated that a more positive institutional framework is now in place, while a new culture is gradually starting to emerge.

Opening the day meeting, TIF HELEXPO President Mr. Anastasios Tzikas underlined the importance of highlighting sustainability issues and stated that the TIF HELEXPO development plan, which involves new facilities and infrastructure, is also along these lines.