PRESS RELEASE
A Landmark Gala Dinner to celebrate the 80th Anniversary
of the British Hellenic Chamber of Commerce
Athens, October 15, 2025 – With great formality and remarkable success, the British Hellenic Chamber of Commerce (BHCC) hosted its milestone “Back-to-Business Gala Dinner” on Thursday, October 9th 2025, at the Hotel Grande Bretagne, marking 80 years of continuous contribution and bilateral cooperation between Greece and the United Kingdom.
This celebratory event highlighted the Chamber’s historic journey and brought together esteemed members of the BHCC, senior executives from Greek and British enterprises, representatives of the political leadership and institutional stakeholders, for a prestigious evening of emotion and forward-looking inspiration.
The Gala Dinner commenced with a warm welcome by Ms Anna Kalliani, Greek President of the British Hellenic Chamber of Commerce, who set the tone for a night rich in symbolism and meaningful recognition. In her address, Ms Kalliani referred to the Chamber’s long-standing history and mission, emphasizing that strong institutions endure over time, as they are built on values, vision, and collaboration. She also reaffirmed the Chamber’s critical role in shaping the future and underscored the importance of the strategic partnership between Greece and the UK in a constantly evolving global environment, with a focus on innovation, education, and new investment opportunities.
Following her remarks, H.E. Matthew Lodge, His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Hellenic Republic, delivered a short speech, highlighting the close and productive cooperation between the British Embassy in Athens and the Chamber, particularly in strengthening UK-Greece business ties.
Next to take the stage was Mr Kenny Evangelou, British President of the British Hellenic Chamber, who extended his own warm welcome to attendees and expressed his appreciation to the evening’s sponsors.
A key moment of the night was the official address by Mr Kostas Hatzidakis, Vice President of the Hellenic Government, who honored the occasion with his presence and insightful remarks. The Vice President of the Government extended an invitation to British enterprises to invest in Greece, emphasizing the substantial investment opportunities currently available. He also highlighted the significant progress of the Greek economy in recent years, as well as the strong and longstanding bilateral relations between the two countries.
Mrs Chloé Laskaridis, President of LAMPSA Hellenic Hotels, then took the floor, followed by Mrs Sarah Howard MBE, Chair of the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), who concluded the series of speeches. Mrs Sarah Howard spoke on the importance of strengthening bilateral ties between Greece and the UK within today’s interconnected global business landscape. She emphasized the pivotal role of the British Chambers of Commerce in linking businesses around the world with the UK economy and contributing to policy development and recommendations to the UK government, with the aim of fostering growth and international cooperation.
As part of the festive atmosphere, the evening featured a special anniversary tribute video, showcasing key milestones and memorable moments from the Chamber’s 80-year history and impact. The programme also included heartfelt messages and warm wishes from members, partners, and friends of the Chamber, expressing their deep appreciation and support for its mission and legacy.
A particularly emotional highlight was the presentation of honorary recognitions to distinguished members and valued partners, in recognition of their longstanding and meaningful contributions to the Chamber’s work.
Guests had the opportunity to engage in dialogue, explore new prospects for collaboration, and celebrate a legacy of 80 years of partnership, inspiration, and achievement.
The British Hellenic Chamber of Commerce extends its sincere gratitude to the Event Sponsors, whose generous support greatly contributed to the evening’s outstanding success.
BHCC 80-YEARS ANNIVERSARY PLATINUM PARTNERS 2025: AECOM, LAMDA Development
PLATINUM GALA SPONSORS: Bernitsas Law, METLEN Energy & Metals, PeopleCert
GOLD GALA SPONSORS: Coca Cola 3E, CrediaBank, Energean, GSK, Inchcape Hellas, the official automotive distributor of Toyota and Lexus for Greece, New York College Educational Group
SILVER GALA SPONSORS: 8G Capital Partners Limited, AstraZeneca S.A., Baker Tilly, bp Oil Hellenic S.M.S.A., Centrus, Choose, OCTANE Management Consultants, Olympia Group, Qualco Group, RECO Exports, Sardelas Petsa Law Firm
VIDEO DESIGN: NorroGroup Films
WINES: The Winery Ktima Skouras
BHCC SUPPORTERS: Accounting Solutions, KLC Law Firm, PwC Greece
Photo Gallery: here
Photo Credits: Studio Kominis:https://studiokominis.com/ - https://www.instagram.com/nikolaskominis/
The Board of Directors of the British Hellenic Chamber of Commerce, Kostas Hatzidakis | Vice President of the Hellenic Government, Matthew Lodge | His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Hellenic Republic and Sarah Howard | Chair of the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) on the stage.
Matthew Lodge | His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Hellenic Republic, Kostas Hatzidakis | Vice President of the Hellenic Government, Anna Kalliani | Greek President of the British Hellenic Chamber of Commerce, Sarah Howard | Chair of the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) and Kenny Evangelou | British President of the British Hellenic Chamber of Commerce.
