It was raining again, as it happened in all the previous days. But even while raining, Madrid is still lovely. This is why last night I was walking on some of the main boulevards, just to relax and think, after a hard day (ok, I admit it, I was also checking the marketing mix on the high streets of the city). The day was really full: Meetings with some of the top Spanish companies, active in Romanian market, an interesting discussion with the economic counsellor of Romania in Spain, mr Constantin Ene, my speech in the conference, the interesting approach to markets by the other co-speakers, the [...]

The first time I remember myself watching sports was in the spring of 1979. It was a game between Panionios and Olympiakos for the Greek Cup, two Greek football teams. My family had a black and white television, Olympiakos lost 2 – 1 (Panionios later on won the Cup). I, not even 4 years old, felt sympathy for the one who lost and I became his supporter. Since then and especially since 1982, I have been following almost all the major events, until 2000, when more or less I stopped being so enthusiastic. In International exhibitions you meet people from all over the world. “People who have nothing [...]

I know that my physique can mislead people. When I travel to England, I am always questioned for 5 – 10 minutes, separately than the rest of my friends, just because they find me Arab… I have been called Italian, Spanish and many more. Yesterday I became a Turkish man too! “You know, mr Ilias, you don’t look like a Greek, you look more like a Turkish man. And this is a compliment”. “Turkish man? Compliment? Ooooooooooooooooooooook…” The guy explained to me that he didn’t have good experience from the Greeks he met in the past and for him me being a Turk is something good. He [...]