Minister Floridis has in the past also served as Minister of Public Order and as Deputy Minister of Sports with the organization of the 2004 Athens Olympic Games being his special portfolio in both cases. Previously, Minister Floridis had also served as Deputy Minister in the Ministry of Interior.

Minister Floridis is known not only for his efficiency but also for his integrity as well which makes us particularly proud and honored in making this announcement.

Minister Floridis will primarily advise in complex matters involving the Ministry of Finance, tax and banking regulation and the public administration in general.

Mr. Paraskevas spoke on the privatisation framework and process as a source of foreign investments in Greece giving his insights on its challenges. He focused on the 10 years’ privatisation program in Greece, identified future opportunities, commented on the underperformance in meeting the targets and critically analysed the privatisation proceeds up to and until 2013, while also addressing major changes in the Greek economy, especially in the post-PSI era.

Mr. Paraskevas analysed Greece's financial turmoil covering a wide range of relevant topics, including the Greek PSI, the country’s sovereign debt and possible opportunities present within such an economic environment. Mr. Paraskevas also covered major projects undertaken, such as the recapitalization of Greek banks and the implementation of the privatization program, while also comprehensively addressing other investment opportunities in the real estate and the art sector. Closing his lecture, Mr. Paraskevas presented potential ways of making Greece an attractive investment destination.

The panel discussed the recent developments in the restructuring of Greece's sovereign debt, the Argentina sovereign debt case and the downgrades in the sovereign credit ratings of certain countries such as Italy and France, with a particular address of the lessons to be learned from hold-out litigation strategies, attachment options and the use of injunctions. Mr Paraskevas focused on the liability management exercises of Greek banks, the management of litigation risk during such exercises, the bail-in of the Cypriot banking sector and the ICSID arbitration remedy to bail-ins and sovereign debt restructurings.

Super Salesman 

Dimitris Paraskevas, the unflappable lawyer who runs the privatisation unit at Greece’s development ministry, is looking for a new job.

After nearly three years of trying he’s just sold Athens Paper Mills to a bunch of international investors for over $100m. a sizeable whack for  a near-bankrupt producer of toilet rolls. What’s more, he’s talked them into keeping all 1,300 workers – at least for a while.  No wonder Paraskevas is popular with his political bosses.

Trouble is, there’s nothing left to sell. Paraskevas is shutting up shop after unloading all 60 companies in the ministry portfolio. Most, he says were “wrecks” after being run by friends of the governing Socialist party. But did that stop him lining up buyers? Of course not.

Financial Times
June 4, 1999.

The firm’s Managing Partner, Dimitris Paraskevas, participated as a speaker in a panel discussion entitled “The Greek Economy After the Olympics,” along with other distinguished speakers including Professor Helen Louri, Economic Advisor to the Prime Minister, and Paul Mylonas, Director of Research, Chief Economist of the Group and Head of Investor Relations, National Bank of Greece.