It is with genuine pride and conviction that we nominate Akis Demosthenous, our Finance Director at Cedar Rose, for the Young Dragon Professional Award.
Akis joined Cedar Rose, a leading provider of business intelligence and credit risk solutions across the Middle East and Africa, based here in Cyprus, as Financial Controller just two years ago. His strategic insight, unwavering dedication, and profound understanding of our financial landscape quickly set him apart, leading to his well-deserved promotion to Financial Director within the first year.
In his pivotal role as Finance Director, Akis proved instrumental during the recent landmark acquisition of Cedar Rose by Coface, a global leader in trade credit insurance publicly listed in France. He orchestrated the complex financial coordination and ensured stringent compliance throughout this transformative transaction, which represents a major milestone in Cedar Rose’s growth trajectory and strategic integration into a global group. His ability to navigate the intricacies of such a significant cross-border deal was truly exemplary.
Furthermore, Akis spearheaded the financial planning and execution for our highly successful application to the Cyprus IPBOX regime. This strategic initiative, under his leadership, secured substantial tax incentives on our qualifying intellectual property, delivering significant long-term financial benefits to the company. This achievement demanded exceptional collaborative prowess, working seamlessly across our tax, legal, and innovation teams, and Akis delivered with remarkable precision and foresight.