Christian Hatziminas, Founder and CEO of THEON and Founder of EFA GROUP, was nominated “Internationally Growing Entrepreneur” in the context of the EY competition, Greek “Entrepreneur of the Year” 2023. The said award ceremony took place on March 13 at Megaro Mousikis.

The competition was organized by EY Greece in our country for the ninth time, aiming to highlight business excellence and honor entrepreneurs who innovate, create long-term value, investing in extroversion, innovation, sustainable development, and human capital.

The prospective entrepreneurs, distinguished for their high performance, innovative way of thinking, leadership skills, development potential, innovative spirit, and social sensitivity, were selected by the independent nine-member committee of the competition, chaired by Mr. Vasilios Katsos, President and Co-Founder of VNK Capital and EY Greek “Entrepreneur of the Year” 2008.

Christian Hatziminas, starting in 1989 with the establishment of EFA VENTURES in Athens, which soon became one of the leading suppliers of industrial cooperation services, founded THEON in 1997. The latter is currently the only Greek company that designs and manufactures electro-optical night vision and thermal imaging systems, with applications in defence and security. Furthermore, the company has grown into one of the most important companies in the world market.

Today, THEON has grown into a group of companies with a global footprint and offices in, among others, Athens, Nicosia, Arlington, Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Singapore, as well as 3 manufacturing facilities in Athens, Wetzlar (Germany) and Plymouth (USA). Its exports account for more than 95% of its total turnover, in 68 countries around the world, while by 2023, it had manufactured and distributed more than 150,000 systems worldwide.

Also read: THEON | The only defence company to be included on FINANCIAL TIMES & STATISTA list with the 1000 Fastest Growing companies in Europe for 2024

In the financial year 2022, THEON realized revenues of €142.9 million, noting a recurring revenue increase which, in the last three years (2020-2022), amounts to more than 62% per year, while Earnings Before Interest and Taxes (EBIT) for the same year reached 27.8%, the industry’s highest globally.

Recently THEON listed its shares on the regulated market of Amsterdam (Euronext), achieving one of the first IPOs in Europe for 2024, while at the beginning of March 2024, it was one of only 3 Greek Companies which made the Financial Times/Statista list of the 1,000 fastest growing companies of Europe.

Also read: THEON INTERNATIONAL PLC lists on Stock Exchange

Christian Hatziminas is also the Founder of EFA GROUP, a leading service provider and manufacturing group of companies, with 35 years of experience in the global markets of Aerospace, Defence, High Technology, and Security. The Group consists of international high-tech companies, such as EFA VENTURES, SCYTALYS, ES SYSTEMS, UCANDRONE, and AETHER AERONAUTICS.

EFA GROUP employs a total of 170 people, the majority of whom are engineers & scientists, and retains 4 international offices in Greece, Switzerland, the UAE, and Singapore to serve its customers in 20 countries worldwide.

Also read: EFA GROUP | New distinctions at the HR AWARDS 2023

The companies of THEON and EFA GROUP recently obtained the Great Place to Work™ certification for the 2nd time, standing out for their excellent work environment and corporate culture.

“It is an honor to receive such an important award from EY, an award that has emerged through a meritocratic and prestigious competition. The “Internationally Growing Entrepreneur” award is a reward for the efforts of all these people who built a group of companies with an international footprint out of their art, perseverance, and vision.

For over three decades, we, at THEON and EFA GROUP more generally, have been designing, developing, producing, and co-producing high-tech products, utilizing Greek engineers, “the gold of Greece”. It takes multifaceted knowledge, experience, methodicality and discipline, planning, ingenuity, and flexibility, to be able to work industrially with different partners, in different countries, all over the world.

It requires morals and values, because whatever is taken from the society by the entrepreneur should be given back to it, so that there is an equilibrium between creation and respect for the values ​​of our society,” Christian Hatziminas, Founder and CEO of THEON, Founder of EFA GROUP, commented.

Also read: EFA Group | “Greek defence technology ranks on top internationally”