The Forum explores how democratic values can guide the development of accountable AI and how we can promote broader AI literacy across society. Subsequent sessions will take place in Athens, Nicosia, Brussels, and Washington.
The inaugural event in a global series exploring how democratic values can shape and keep pace with rapid AI innovation. The Forum brings together policymakers, technologists, academics and civic leaders to discuss the intersection of Artificial Intelligence and democratic governance in an open, accessible dialogue. an initiative born from the collaboration of the Hellenic Tech Network and the Board of British Cypriots – seeks to answer the question of whether democratic values can keep pace with technological power.
The forum examines, on the one hand, how democratic values can guide the development of Artificial Intelligence, and on the other, how and to what extent AI can influence democratic processes. It also explores ways to promote and deepen public understanding of AI so that it does not remain a powerful tool accessible only to the few and privileged.
This Forum was hosted under the auspices of Rt Hon Sir Roger Gale MP, in partnership between the Hellenic Tech Network and the Board of British Cypriots, aiming to deepen public understanding of AI’s impact on democracy and society.
Chair , Conservative MP for Herne Bay and Sandwich
The Rt Hon Sir Roger Gale MP is the long-serving Conservative Member of Parliament for Herne Bay and Sandwich, elected in 1983, with a background in journalism, broadcasting, and policing, known for his focus on animal welfare, media, and tourism, and has held roles like acting Deputy Speaker. He actively represents his constituency from his official House of Commons address and engages with local and national issues.
Software Engineer , Apple
Dimitris Alexandridis is a software engineer at Apple and a co-founder and General Secretary of the Hellenic Tech Network, an international non-profit community that connects tech professionals and founders of Hellenic origin around the world to foster collaboration, dialogue, and innovation. At Apple, he works on advanced software engineering, and through HTN he helps lead efforts to build networks and organize discussions on technology’s impact on society and the global Greek tech ecosystem.
Director, The Democracy Index , Economist Intelligence: EIU
Joan Hoey is Director of The Democracy Index at the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), where she leads the flagship annual global measure of democracy used by governments, international organisations, academia, and the private sector. She is an expert in European political economy with a focus on democracy, governance, political risk and geopolitics, and has extensive experience analysing political and economic developments across Europe and beyond.
Founder & CEO , Pathbuddy
Louis Loizou is the Founder & CEO of Pathbuddy, a technology company focused on personalised digital experiences, and the Founder & Chairman of the Hellenic Tech Network (HTN), a global community connecting Hellenic tech professionals and founders to foster collaboration and innovation across the global tech ecosystem. He is also a seasoned strategic advisor and entrepreneur with extensive experience in finance, consulting and technology.
Professor of Natural Language Processing and Machine Learning , University of Cambridge
Prof Andreas Vlachos is a Professor of Natural Language Processing and Machine Learning at the Department of Computer Science and Technology, University of Cambridge, and a Dinesh Dhamija Fellow of Fitzwilliam College. His research focuses on dialogue modelling, automated fact-checking, imitation learning, and broader topics in NLP such as semantic parsing, language generation, summarisation, and information extraction.
Professor in International Conflict Analysis , University of Warwick
Prof. Neophytos Loizides is Professor of International Conflict Analysis at the University of Warwick, where he specialises in the study of conflict resolution, power-sharing, forced migration and political institution building in deeply divided societies. He leads major research projects funded by prestigious international grants and has authored several books and over fifty academic articles on conflict regulation and peace processes.
Co-Founder and Vice-Chair , Hellenic Tech Network
Marina Antoniou is Co-Founder and Vice-Chair of the Hellenic Tech Network (HTN), a global non-profit community connecting Hellenic tech professionals and founders to foster collaboration, knowledge-sharing and innovation across the global Greek tech ecosystem. She is an experienced risk management professional specialising in digital transformation and non-financial risks in global capital markets, with deep expertise in the use of AI, Large Language Models (LLMs) and Python to drive innovation in risk management.
Academic and National Coordinator , Board of British Cypriots
Prof. Elias Dinenis is an academic and the Academic and National Coordinator of the Board of British Cypriots, a London-based organisation advocating for the interests of British Cypriots and the pursuit of a peaceful and just solution to the Cyprus issue. He has a long engagement with academic and community work—including roles in higher education and contributions to diaspora advocacy—and has represented the Board in public forums and discussions on policy and democratic values.
Senior Advisor & Global Lead, Digital Identity , Tony Blair Institute for Global Change
Yiannis Theodorou is Senior Advisor and Global Lead for Digital Identity at the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, where he guides strategy, policy and global engagement on digital identity systems that help governments deliver secure, inclusive and modern public-service access. In his role, he works with policymakers, international partners and technology stakeholders to promote digital identity adoption as a foundation for trusted online interactions and economic participation.