Despo Andreou is a Director and one of the founding partners of Pyrgou Vakis Law Firm. She has been a registered Lawyer with the Cyprus Bar Association since 1999. Despo holds a Law degree from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece.

Despo has extensive experience in litigation and advisory work, representing and advising local and international companies, individuals and foreign corporations. Her practice encompasses Civil and Commercial Litigation, Banking Law, Contract Law, Family Law, Employment Law, Personal Injury Claims, Insurance Law, Human Rights, Privacy and Data Protection, as well as private client matters including wills and estate administration.

In recent years, Despo has developed a particular focus on Employment Law and Family Law. She advises employers and employees on a wide range of employment matters, including employment contracts, termination of employment, disciplinary matters, remuneration, leave and working arrangements, workplace policies and employment- related compliance. She regularly delivers workshops, seminars and training sessions on Employment Law to businesses, HR professionals and other professionals, addressing practical employment issues and developments in employment legislation.

Despo is an active member of the Employment Law Committee of the Cyprus Bar Association and is involved in professional initiatives and discussions concerning employment law and practice in Cyprus.

Since January 2026, Despo has been responsible for Pyrgou Vakis Law Firm’s relationship and participation in Innangard, an international employment law alliance bringing together leading employment law and human resources specialists from around the world. Through her involvement in Innangard, she participates in the network’s international knowledge-sharing and professional initiatives and contributes to the exchange of knowledge and experience among employment law practitioners across jurisdictions.

Despo has also developed significant experience in Family Law in recent years, advising and representing clients in family and related financial and property matters. Despo is an Arbitrator at the Cyprus Center for Alternative Dispute Resolution and has extensive experience in dispute resolution and litigation.

She has been recognized as a Recommended Lawyer by Legal 500 for several years.

Charalambos Prountzos is a Partner and Director at PYRGOU VAKIS LLC and has more than 20 years of experience in the legal profession. He founded Prountzos & Prountzos LLC in 2010 and served as its Managing Partner. From 2019 to 2023, he led the legal services practice of a Big Four firm across Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe and Central Asia, overseeing legal teams in 32 countries comprising more than 500 professionals. In January 2025, following the merger of Prountzos & Prountzos LLC with PYRGOU VAKIS LLC, he joined the firm as Partner and Director.

Charalambos has extensive experience advising on regulated markets and has handled significant matters in competition law, mergers and acquisitions, public procurement, data protection and regulatory compliance. He has particular expertise in the energy sector, advising on legislative and regulatory matters concerning renewable energy and natural gas, as well as on major infrastructure, renewable energy and waste management projects. He has also successfully handled landmark constitutional, employment and public procurement cases.

He is a member of Gray’s Inn and the Cyprus Bar Association and is a licensed insolvency practitioner. He has participated in the Cyprus Bar Association’s Committee for Corporate and Tax Matters and has contributed to bilateral business initiatives, including the Cyprus–Canada Business Association.

Charalambos has also held a number of prominent positions in the fields of higher education, research and innovation. From 2011 to 2018, he served as a member and Vice Chairman for Administration and Finance of the Governing Committee of the Open University of Cyprus. In 2018, he was elected the first Chairman of the Council of the Open University of Cyprus following the University’s transition to autonomous governance.

Currently, he serves as Chairman of the Board of CYENS Centre of Excellence, a research and innovation centre established through a joint venture involving the University of Cyprus, Cyprus University of Technology and the Open University of Cyprus, together with international partners the Max Planck Institute for Informatics and University College London.
In June 2024, Charalambos was elected Mayor of Nicosia and assumed office as the first Mayor of the new, enlarged Nicosia Municipality, comprising Nicosia, Aglantzia, Engomi and Agios Dometios.

Charalambos graduated from the University of Bristol in 2001 with an LLB (Hons). He subsequently qualified as a Barrister-at-Law through the Inns of Court School of Law in London and obtained a Diploma in Professional Legal Skills from City University, London.

Georgia Papa is a Director at Pyrgou Vakis Law Firm and an experienced corporate and commercial lawyer, advising both local and international clients on a broad range of complex and cross-border transactions.

Her practice focuses primarily on mergers and acquisitions, corporate and commercial law, banking and finance, corporate restructurings, joint ventures and regulatory and compliance matters. She regularly advises on the structuring and implementation of corporate transactions, financing arrangements and reorganisations, as well as on the negotiation and drafting of commercial agreements and related transaction documentation.

Georgia has particular experience in advising international businesses, investors and corporate groups on transactions and structures involving Cyprus, combining a commercially focused approach with an understanding of the legal, regulatory and tax considerations relevant to cross-border business.

She holds an LLB from the University of Leicester and an LLM from King’s College London, and is a holder of the Advanced Diploma in International Taxation and the CySEC Advanced Certification. She was admitted to the Cyprus Bar in 2011.

Georgia is a member of the Tax Committee of the Cyprus Bar Association and serves on the board of the Cyprus–Turkmenistan Business Association, operating under the auspices of the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry. She also actively participates in international professional initiatives and events promoting Cyprus as an international business and investment centre.

Nota Pelekanou has been practicing law since 2005 and has extensive experience in litigation and dispute resolution. She joined Pyrgou Vakis LLC in 2018 and, since 2024, has served as one of the Directors of the Litigation Department, having previously held the positions of Senior Manager, Manager and Associate.

Her practice focuses on banking and financial disputes, including debt recovery, enforcement of judgments, property and mortgage matters, as well as complex litigation proceedings before all levels of jurisdiction.

Nota also advises and represents clients in complex corporate and commercial disputes, shareholder disputes, corporate law applications, and matters relating to administrative and employment law. She has significant experience in the recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments and arbitral awards under applicable European regulations and international conventions.

She is a member of the Cyprus Bar Association and serves on its International and European Law Committee and Civil Procedure and Reform Committee.

She also regularly participates in legal training initiatives and delivers presentations to corporate clients, particularly on employment law matters, contributing to the ongoing development of legal knowledge and practice.

Maria Kyriacou is an Advocate and Director of Pyrgou Vakis LLC, with extensive experience in real estate law, succession and estate planning, wills and trusts, and immovable property matters.

Maria joined Pyrgou Vakis Law Firm in 2013 and has developed significant expertise in advising both Cypriot and international clients on a wide range of real estate matters. She regularly assists clients with the purchase, sale and management of residential and commercial properties, leases and tenancy agreements, as well as negotiations with sellers, purchasers, banking institutions and the relevant authorities. Her experience also extends to Land Registry procedures and banking-related immovable property matters.

In addition to her real estate practice, Maria specialises in wealth structuring, wealth transfer and succession planning, advising individuals and families on the protection and transfer of assets from one generation to the next. She assists clients with the preparation of wills and trusts and provides advice on inheritance and estate administration, including matters involving international and cross-border estates.

Maria’s background in litigation has further strengthened her ability to identify and address contractual, property and banking issues that may arise in complex transactions. Her extensive litigation experience as a paralegal has contributed to her practical and comprehensive approach to legal matters and to her ability to anticipate potential disputes and procedural issues.

Her practice has an increasingly international dimension, advising clients with assets, business interests and family connections across jurisdictions. She regularly engages with international legal and professional networks and has represented Pyrgou Vakis at international legal and private wealth conferences, including the International Bar Association Annual Conference and the STEP Europe Conference.

Maria is a member of the Cyprus Bar Association and the Nicosia Bar Association. She speaks Greek and English.

In March 2026, Maria was appointed Director of Pyrgou Vakis LLC, in recognition of her long-standing experience, professional dedication and significant contribution to the development and strengthening of the firm’s legal services.

Maria is particularly committed to providing clients with practical, commercially focused and personalised legal advice, with an emphasis on protecting their interests and achieving efficient and effective solutions in both domestic and international matters.

Eleni A. Prodromou has been practicing law in Cyprus since 2007 and joined Pyrgou Vakis Law Firm in 2024. She specializes in Litigation and Dispute Resolution, advising and representing individuals, companies and organizations in a broad range of contentious and non-contentious matters.

Her practice encompasses contractual disputes and breaches of contract, tenancy and rent control matters, consumer-related issues, and cross-border disputes. She also advises and represents clients in proceedings concerning the recognition and registration of foreign judgments in Cyprus, as well as in the legal and procedural matters arising following their registration and enforcement. In addition, Eleni is actively involved in matters relating to arbitration and closely follows developments in the field, including evolving legislation, case law and international practice, with a view to keeping abreast of emerging trends in dispute resolution.

Earlier in her career, Eleni developed substantial experience in Employment and Administrative Law, handling and successfully litigating numerous cases involving employment dismissals, disciplinary procedures, discrimination, wage deductions, maternity and parental rights, and workplace harassment. During that period, she also provided legal counsel to large companies and organizations on both day-to-day employment matters and more complex legal issues. Her experience in these areas also led to her being regularly invited to deliver employment law seminars to companies and organizations, providing practical guidance on the applicable legal framework and its implications.

Eleni maintains an active interest in developments within the wider legal profession and regularly attends international legal conferences and professional events in various countries. Her participation in such events allows her to remain informed about emerging legal trends and developments in litigation, dispute resolution, arbitration, consumer law and other areas relevant to her practice.

Eleni is an active member of several professional associations, including the Pancyprian Bar Association, the Nicosia Bar Association, the European Employment Lawyers Association, and the Cyprus Human Resource Management Association. She previously served as Vice-President of the Law Modernisation and Study of Bills and Public Law Committee of the Pancyprian Bar Association from October 2023 to October 2026.

Tania Tofaridou is a Manager at Pyrgou Vakis Law Firm with over nine years of experience in employment, regulatory and contract law. She joined Pyrgou Vakis Law Firm in January 2025 following the merger with Prountzos & Prountzos LLC, where she had joined as a trainee lawyer in 2016 and subsequently progressed to the position of Manager.

Tania’s employment practice covers both contentious and non-contentious matters, including dismissals, redundancies, disciplinary procedures, employee transfers, restructurings, workforce management and workplace policies. She regularly advises employers on employment contracts, collective agreements and compliance with Cyprus employment legislation and labour regulations.

She acts as a trusted adviser to businesses across a variety of sectors, providing ongoing employment support on day-to-day workforce matters as well as strategic employment advice arising from corporate transactions, restructurings and business operations. Her experience includes advising on the employment aspects of acquisitions and commercial projects, including the employment implications arising from the acquisition of a local supermarket chain by a major retail group.

In addition to her employment expertise, Tania advises clients on commercial transactions, public procurement and regulatory compliance matters. She provides strategic legal support to one of Cyprus’s leading Centres of Excellence, assisting with the negotiation and implementation of complex agreements involving both public and private sector regulatory considerations. Her role includes advising on ongoing operational, contractual and commercial matters requiring a detailed understanding of regulatory frameworks.

Tania is also part of the team advising one of Cyprus’s largest betting companies on regulatory compliance matters and engagement with the National Betting Authority. She further provides ongoing employment, commercial and consumer protection advice to a leading electronics retailer.

Within the Firm, Tania plays an active role in mentoring trainee and junior lawyers and contributes to the work of the Health and Safety Reporting Committee.

Clients recognise Tania for her exceptional clarity and precision, as well as her ability to navigate complex legal issues and provide strategic and practical guidance. As one client noted: “Tania Tofaridou brings exceptional clarity and precision to her work. She has an impressive ability to cut through complexity and provide guidance that is strategic and easy to act upon.”

Tania holds an LLB from the University of Southampton and an LLM in Human Rights Law from the University of Edinburgh. She was admitted to the Cyprus Bar in 2017 and is fluent in Greek and English.

Andria Thrasyvoulou is an Advocate–Manager specialising in corporate and commercial law.
She advises businesses, entrepreneurs, HNWIs, tech companies and international clients on complex transactions and structures, combining transactional experience and strategic legal advice.

Andria has been involved in major corporate reorganisations, including matters involving public companies and multinational groups, as well as complex cross-border mergers, demergers, acquisitions, redomiciliations and group and debt reorganisations. Her work often involves multiple jurisdictions, substantial corporate structures and a wide range of stakeholders, requiring both close attention to detail and an understanding of the broader commercial objective.

She has extensive experience in structuring and implementing the relocation of HNWIs, entrepreneurs and their businesses and investment structures to Cyprus. This includes advising on the establishment and restructuring of Cyprus companies and investment vehicles, corporate governance and ongoing legal and regulatory requirements. She works closely with clients and their international advisers to navigate through their personal and business objectives into workable Cyprus structures stretching to clients’ estate planning.

Andria also advises on corporate, regulatory and compliance matters under the Cyprus and EU regulatory framework. She currently sits on the board of a Cyprus Investment Firm, giving her experience of the governance and regulatory issues faced by regulated businesses and their boards.

A recurring feature of Andria’s work is the need to bring together different strands of a matter — corporate, regulatory, commercial and often cross-border — and turn them into a clear and workable course of action. She regularly acts on complex matters where there is no straightforward template, and where understanding the client’s wider objective is as important as getting the legal analysis right.

Andria has also developed a practice at the intersection of law, technology and regulation. She contributed to the development of the Cyprus National AI Strategy 2032, for which she was formally acknowledged, and advises on emerging regulatory questions involving technology, digital assets and financial services.

Clients describe Andria as a lawyer who places particular emphasis on understanding what the client is ultimately trying to achieve and finding a commercially workable route to get there, and value her “stand-out …professionalism and ability to simplify even the most complicated matters”.

Andria is a Barrister-at-Law of Gray’s Inn and completed the Bar Vocational Course in the UK.
She has been a member of the Cyprus Bar Association since 2007. She is AML-certified by both the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) and the Cyprus Bar Association and is a Certified Fully Trained Mediator accredited by the Cyprus Mediation Association.

Maria Mastrogiannopoulou is an Advocate and Manager at Pyrgou Vakis Law Firm and has been practicing law in Cyprus since 2020. She joined Pyrgou Vakis Law Firm in February 2012 as a Corporate Administrator and, following the completion of her law degree and legal traineeship, qualified as a practicing lawyer in Cyprus.

Maria graduated from Panteion University of Greece in 2010 with an Academic Degree in Public Administration and subsequently completed her LLB at the University of Nicosia.

She is a member of the Corporate team of the Firm. Her areas of expertise include Corporate and Commercial matters, Mergers and Acquisitions, cross-border transactions, Insolvency law, and Compliance and Regulatory matters. She also has experience in matters relating to corporate substance and management in Cyprus, international compliance requirements and corporate restructurings.

Maria has particular experience in Cyprus-related M&A transactions and crossborder corporate matters. She advises clients on various stages of corporate transactions, including transaction structuring, due diligence, regulatory considerations, contractual arrangements and completion of share purchase agreements. She has also been involved in matters concerning cross-border mergers and developments in the Cyprus legal framework arising from the implementation of the EU Mobility Directive.

She has participated as a speaker in professional legal education programmes and webinars relating to M&A transactions in Cyprus and cross-border mergers. In February 2026, she participated as a speaker in a professional webinar addressing the various stages of M&A transactions involving Cyprus, including due diligence, regulatory and operational considerations, SPA provisions and completion.

Maria has also authored professional articles and publications on various corporate and commercial legal matters. Her recent work includes a contribution to the Firm's publication on contemporary approaches to M&A transactions in Cyprus.

Maria was recognised as a Recommended Lawyer by The Legal 500 EMEA in 2022. She continues to maintain an active professional involvement in corporate and commercial legal developments and regularly contributes to professional legal education and industry discussions.

She is fluent in Greek and English and holds a DELF A1 qualification in French.

Eirini Briana is a Lawyer at PYRGOU VAKIS LLC and a member of the firm’s Litigation Department. She has broad litigation and advisory experience across a wide range of practice areas, with her current practice focusing primarily on public and administrative law. She has particular expertise in public procurement, administrative recourse proceedings, litigation before the Tenders Review Authority, and advising public bodies, semi-governmental organisations, contracting authorities, economic operators, companies and private clients. In parallel, she continues to advise and represent clients in corporate, commercial, banking and employment law matters, drawing on her extensive litigation experience across a diverse range of complex disputes.

She regularly represents clients before the Administrative Court, the Tenders Review Authority and the civil courts of Cyprus in matters involving complex issues of public, administrative and private law.

Prior to joining PYRGOU VAKIS LLC, Eirini gained extensive experience in private practice, handling a broad spectrum of disputes across administrative, corporate, commercial, banking and employment law, as well as complex cross- border matters. This diverse background has equipped her with a comprehensive understanding of litigation strategy, dispute resolution and the management of high-value and legally complex cases.

She also served as an Internal Legal Advisor to one of Cyprus’ leading corporate groups, where she advised on public procurement, regulatory compliance, data protection, commercial contracts, corporate governance and legal risk management. This combination of substantial litigation experience and in-house advisory practice enables her to understand both the legal and commercial dimensions of every matter, delivering strategic, practical and commercially focused legal solutions.

Eirini is recognised for her ability to combine strong advocacy with a pragmatic understanding of the regulatory and commercial environment, enabling her to provide clients with effective, business-oriented advice in complex and high- profile matters.

Marlen Vakis is a corporate and commercial lawyer at Pyrgou Vakis Law Firm and has been a member of the Cyprus Bar Association since 2022. Her practice focuses on corporate and commercial law, corporate restructuring and insolvency, sanctions and regulatory advisory, private wealth and intellectual property.

Marlen studied Law at the University of Bristol and subsequently completed the Legal Practice Course together with a Master’s in Business at the University of Law in London. She began her professional career in the United Kingdom, where she worked for three years in the finance and insolvency sector, focusing on large-scale corporate restructurings and high-profile insolvency matters.

In 2021, Marlen joined Pyrgou Vakis Law Firm, where she completed her traineeship and subsequently qualified as a lawyer in Cyprus. Drawing on her previous experience in London, she has developed a broad corporate advisory practice with a particular focus on international and cross-border matters.

Marlen advises Cyprus and international companies, corporate groups, investors, entrepreneurs and high-net-worth individuals on a wide range of corporate and commercial matters, including corporate structuring and reorganisations, mergers and acquisitions, investments, shareholder arrangements, corporate governance, group restructurings, financing and refinancing transactions, legal due diligence and corporate and commercial agreements.

She also advises on restructuring and insolvency matters, assisting companies, shareholders, creditors and other stakeholders in relation to distressed situations, corporate restructurings, insolvency procedures and proposed restructuring strategies.

Marlen regularly advises clients on economic sanctions and related regulatory matters, including the application of EU sanctions regimes, the assessment of proposed transactions and corporate arrangements, and restrictions affecting payments, counterparties, ownership structures and commercial activities.

Her private client practice includes advising high-net-worth individuals, family businesses and international entrepreneurs on corporate and private wealth matters, including the structuring and reorganisation of privately held businesses and investment structures.

Marlen also advises on intellectual property matters, including trademark applications, disputes and oppositions, patent applications and broader intellectual property advisory work.

Her work frequently involves multi-jurisdictional matters and close coordination with lawyers, accountants, financial advisers, banks and other professional advisers across different jurisdictions.

Marlen is a member of the Aviation Law Committee of the Cyprus Bar Association. She has also served as Secretary of the Cyprus network of the International Women’s Insolvency & Restructuring Confederation (IWIRC).

Marina Kinani became a member of the Cyprus Bar Association in June 2025. She is a junior lawyer in the Litigation Department, with a particular focus on Employment Law and Family Law. Her work involves assisting with the preparation and drafting of court documents, pleadings, applications, and other legal documents, as well as handling court filings and procedural matters before the Cyprus courts.

Marina is involved in a range of legal matters, supporting the preparation of cases and contributing to legal research, document review, and the development of legal arguments.

Her work in Employment Law includes assisting with employment-related legal matters, the preparation and review of employment contracts, and the drafting of workplace policies and other employment documentation.

In Family Law, she assists with matters relating to family disputes and court proceedings, with a focus on the preparation of the relevant legal documentation.

She holds a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from the University of Reading. In addition, she has completed a Family Mediation course, further developing her knowledge of family dispute resolution and alternative methods of resolving disputes.