Gold Magazine February - March 2013, Issue 23

1 1. MARIA KYRIACOU Advocate/Partner, Andreas Neocleous & Co LLC 2. MELINA KARAOLIA Partner, M. Eliades & Partners LLC 3. YIOTA KYTHREOTOU-THEODOROU Managing Partner, Pamboridis LLC 4. MELINA PYRGOU Director, Pyrgou Law Firm 5. ELOIZA SAVVIDOU Co-founder & Director, Vryonidou & Savvidou LLC; Chrysalis LEAP Ltd 5 2 3 4 CHRYSO PITSILLI-DEKATRIS SENIOR PARTNER, DR. K. CHRYSOSTOMIDES & CO LLC, LAW OFFICE In numbers, the profession is not dominated by men but they mainly hold the senior ranks in law firms and there are many more male than female single practitioners. This, however, is changing and in other aspects, it is not “a man’s world” as women do not face any additional challenges simply because of their gender. Women can make an equal contribution which does not depend on gender. CHANGE: We need a super-fast, fully computerised, proactive government agency with one vision, efficiently servicing foreign investors. ELEANA ECONOMIDES CHAIRWOMAN, E. ECONOMIDES & PARTNERS LLC It is no longer “a man’s world”. There are many women in senior positions in our sector It is no longer “a man’s world”. who have earned the right to stand side by side with their male counterparts thanks to their skills, education, hard work and character. Men and women contribute equally to the sector. Who does it better or differently is not a matter of gender but of the individual’s skill set, educational and vocational background. CHANGE: We need more action and less bureaucracy from the authorities to boost the competitiveness of our jurisdiction. ELENA PAPANDREOU MANAGING DIRECTOR, E. PAPANDREOU & CO LLC Men have traditionally held leading positions but in my profession this has changed in recent years and women have proved that they can be equally good leaders, although combining a career and motherhood is very challenging. Men and women contribute to the professional services sector in their own way. Professionalism has nothing to do with gender but everything to do with each individual’s attitude towards work and life in general. CHANGE: The public sector needs to become more efficient and responsive to change. CONSTANTINA ECONOMOU SENIOR LAWYER, GEORGE Z. GEORGIOU & ASSOCIATES LLC While the legal services sector has undergone significant changes regarding gender equality, elements of male dominance are still evident. While women may now be found in senior managerial positions, they rarely become partners in big law firms. Women have a stronger Emotional Intelligence capability, which is extremely valuable, especially in the legal services sector where interaction is the most important element in everyday transactions. CHANGE: We need to ensure the provision of high quality service to international clients and to adopt more simple and transparent procedures. 30 Gold THE INTERNATIONAL INVESTMENT, FINANCE & PROFESSIONAL SERVICES MAGAZINE OF CYPRUS cover_story.indd 30 01/02/2013 14:06

Gold Magazine February - March 2013, Issue 23 | Page 32