Who's the new head of Greek industrialists?

Theodoros Fessas is a self-made man. After graduating from Athens Polytechnnic with a degree in electrical engineering he went on to get a master's in thermodynamics from Birmingham University, but was ultimately lured by new technologies, IT, and telecoms.

At his flagship, Info-Quest, his right hand is his wife Efi Koutsoureli who has stood by him through thick and thin, and who is often abroad overseeing company projects.

Theodors Fessas is known not only for his business acumen but also for his talent at public relations, something that helped his rise in the entrepreneurial world of Greece.

He is a man who enjoys the good life , whether cruising in the Ionian, or skiing in winter resorts with friends from the Greek elites, like the Stasinopoulos and David families.

Because of his good connections, his name has come up occasionally in reference to public works projects his group has garnered, like those undertaken for Hellenic Post ELTA.

He has often energetically interceded at SEV, for issues involving new technologies, training, and EU funding, while he has also taken a stance in favor of easing conditions for investors. According to rumor he was close to the government of Kostas Karamanlis.

Theodoros Fessas is a man that readily admits mistakes, and has often said he has bought firms that did not pan out, as expected. Markets still remember how Info-Quest participated in Cypriot owned AremisSoft that showed huge profits and businesses activities that proved to be fake, in the end. Mr Fessas also suffered bitterly when he bought out the firm Ergodata that proved to be non-existent despite a huge bubble that surrounded its stock. In the end, Ergodata was completely absorbed by Info-Quest. Since then, it's believed that Theodoros Fessas scrutinizes every thing that appears an an opportunity. As we say, in Greece, having been burnt on the gruel, he blows on the yogurt.

For the last six years, Mr Fessas has been active on the energy market through Quest Energy, which along with iSquare, which represents Aplle in Greece and Cyprus, are the groups strong suits. When the enterprising Mr Fessas, seeing an opportunity, decided to get involved in renewable energy sources, many thought that it was too risk.

By establishing Quest Energy, in which Quest Holdings has a 55% share, he cemented a strong alliance with the Leventis-David group, adding value to his investment by joining two very strong names in the Greek business world. Thrush Investments (of the David group) controls a 45% share in Quest Energy.

The firm is planning large renewable energy projects with production capacities over 400 MW. The greatest part of investment funding has been earmarked for the period 2012-2015, while the first photovoltaic park with an output of 7.5 MW began operation at Reveni, Voiotia, in the Spring of 2011. Another notable success came with the agreement between Theodoros Fessas and French firm EDF for the joint development of wind parks in Greece.

The energy sector proved very lucrative as it positively “powered” the groups results, adding 2.5 million euros worth of profit from Quest Energy.

His group also owns ACS courier services that holds the major share of the market in Greece, and is a likely candidate for the privatization of Hellenic Post. However, Mr Fessas is not a man to reveal plans, using instead the element of surprise to his advantage. Now from his new position as head of SEV he will have a commanding view of the Greek business world form the “high ground.”