11th September 2009

Introduced to acclaim in 2008, the Stelios Award for Young Entrepreneur of the Year in Greece builds on Stelios' entrepreneurial drive and his desire to inspire other young, future business leaders in Greece.

While Greece has produced its share of business successes – think of the dynasties built up in shipping and trade – it is a country not often associated with entrepreneurship. "Even within Greece, many people perceive that Greek businesses are typically big conglomerates or small mom-and-pop shops; so there aren't many opportunities to celebrate the dynamic young growing ventures resulting from modern entrepreneurial activity" says Sarah Dodd, professor at ALBA Graduate School of Business, a leading business school in Athens and administrator of the Stelios Award. "As a native son of Greece and a highly successful entrepreneur Europe-wide, Stelios can make a real, positive impact on the business scene here by inspiring young, future business mavericks."

Case in point: the Karey brothers, winners of the 2008 Stelios Entrepreneur of the Year Award. Brian and Aris Karey grew up in the US but knew they'd want to return to Greece to seek their success. While both had studied engineering and worked as investment bankers, their Big Idea came from a quest for the right burger. From its basic beginnings, Simply Burgers today offers a fresh, healthy fast-food experience at 10 franchised locations throughout Athens.

Presented to the brothers during the prestigious Annual Kouros Awards for Entrepreneurship hosted by the Hellenic Entrepreneurship Association, the 50.000EU Stelios Award not only financed important systems changes at Simply Burgers but, more importantly, garnered well-deserved recognition for their achievements.

For more information on the Stelios Haji-Ioannou Award for Entrepreneur of the Year, visit www.alba.edu.gr

To see the latest on the Greece Awards click HERE