Joe was the CEO of Cadence Design Systems from 1988 to 1997. Under his tenure, Cadence became the world’s leading supplier of electronic EDA (Electronic Design Automation) software and services, and one of the 10 highest-grossing software vendors globally. He led the company to over a billion dollars in annual revenue, making it the largest EDA company in the world. In 1997, Chief Executive Magazine named Costello the top CEO of America. In 2004, he was awarded the Phil Kaufman Award.
Joe served as CEO and/or Chairman of the Board in a number of successful companies after Cadence. Most recently, he served as the CEO of Enlighted Inc., from 2014 to 2018, when it was acquired by Siemens.
Experienced Executive Chairman with a demonstrated history of working in the Telecomm, Information Technology, Aerospace and the services industry. Skilled in General Management, Marketing Management,
Negotiation, Business Planning, Operations Management, and Analytical Skills. Strong entrepreneurship professional with a Masters of Science focused in Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical/Space Engineering from Cranfield Institute of Technology.
Ex CEO of Vodafone Greece and Board member in several companies around the Globe.
George is an engineer and C-level executive with more than 27 years experience in executive management, 11 of which in CEO positions. Prior to his assignment he was the CEO of a robotics technology startup, Myrmex inc., recently acquired by Ocado. Before he was the CEO of a leading CEP company and also worked in one of the biggest Greek banks as the CEO of a subsidiary. He served also as the CIPS leader in PwC Greece and as a Visiting Fellow of Nottingham Business School. A keen chess player, George Katiniotis has represented Greece in international tournaments. He is also a passionate runner and triathlete, having participated in numerous marathons and triathlon races around the globe. George holds a MSc Mech Eng degree of National Technical University of Athens and a MSc Engineering Business Management from the University of Warwick.
Dimitris Karantzavelos holds a Master of Science in Software Engineering from the University of Cranfield, UK, a B.Sc. Degree in Mathematics from the University of Patras, Greece and has completed various courses at the Business Administration School of Cranfield University. He has served for two years in the Directorate of Foreign Industrial affairs of the General Directorate of Armaments, Greek Ministry of Defense. He has more than 30 years of experience in the development and use of military command and control systems and has been involved in the integration, testing and commissioning of complex tactical systems to international Governments and organizations.
With more than 5 years of experience in Program Management in which he acted as the primary point of contact with prime defense contractors and governments he assumed the position of the CEO of SCYTALYS from 2001 till 2022.
He is currently the President of the Board of Directors of SCYTALYS and is leading the company’s Business Development activities worldwide.
He is a Board member and secretary of Hellenic Aerospace Security & Defense Industries
Group (HASDIG).
He is a Board member of the Estonian Wayren OÜ which provides digital communication solutions that are resilient to bandwidth limitations and communication disruption.
Ioannis Panagiotis Theodorakopoulos holds an MBA in Finance & Accounting from the
University of Macedonia and an M.Eng. in Mineral Resources Engineering from the
Technical University of Crete. He has developed a multifaceted international career across
the mining, energy and defense sectors, with hands-on experience in West Africa, Central
Europe and Greece.
He has held key operational and financial roles, including Production Mining Engineer and
Port Manager at Compagnie Minière du Bafing in the Ivory Coast, Project Manager at
DyTEC Sarl in Switzerland, and Business Analyst in Strategy and M&A at MYTILINEOS S.A.
There, he led feasibility assessments, acquisitions, and strategic evaluations for energy and
mining projects.
As of June 2024, he serves as M&A Project Manager at EFA Group, where he is responsible
for identifying, evaluating and executing strategic investment opportunities across the
Group’s defense and high-tech portfolio.
His expertise lies in financial modelling, risk management, stakeholder communication and
project execution. He combines strong analytical capabilities with operational leadership and
multicultural team management.
George has thirty years of experience in IP Management, Strategy, Licensing and Patents.
He has held various roles and has been responsible for IP department mentoring and training activities at several multi-national tech firms, including at Qualcomm and Motorola, where he held roles as VP of Patents and Senior Patent Counsel, respectively. His substantial experience includes the assertion of patents before various appeals bodies of national patent offices (including before courts in the US and EU), examination-relevant experience in the valuation and commercialization of patent portfolios, commercialization of patents and knowhow at Universities and research centres, as well as monetization of patent assets owned by small, medium and large size corporations worldwide. He has advised government policy decision makers on IP and Innovation Law, and contributed in the drafting of critical IP legislation in Europe.
George is a graduate of George Washington U. Law School and the Stanford Executive Training Program; also holds an undergraduate degree in Electrical & Computer Engineering. Currently lives in Gothenburg, Sweden where he is employed as Senior Intellectual Property Counsel for Volvo Car Corporation.