Signium Expands into Athens, Greece
September 8, 2025 – Executive search consortium Signium has expanded in Athens, Greece with the additions of Artemis Miropoulos and Dimitris Papanikitopoulos. They are the founders of Linkage, a SHRM company that offers leadership development resources focused on producing effective and purposeful leaders. “Artemis and Dimitris bring a depth of expertise and human understanding that resonates with Signium’s core values,” said Annelize van Rensburg, global chair of Signium. “Their presence in Greece is more than just a geographic expansion. It’s a strategic investment into one of Europe’s most promising growth markets. With decades of experience in leadership development, coaching, and organizational consulting, Mr. Miropoulos and Mr. Papanikitopoulos both present a powerful combination of strategic insights and practical wisdom to the Signium network.”
Noting that their move into executive search is a natural evolution, Mr. Papanikitopoulos said: “If we can develop leadership, we can most certainly find it. We know what leadership looks like because we’ve spent our entire careers helping to shape it.”
“What sets us apart is not just our tools or methodology, but our ability to connect deeply with people,” said Mr. Miropoulos. “We don’t just place candidates and leave them to figure it out on their own. We apply all the tools we’ve spent years designing to help our candidates land well and thrive.”
The Greek office opening comes at a time of optimism and renewed growth in Greece’s business landscape, according to Signium. After years of economic turbulence, the country is on an upward trajectory, with stable political leadership, a decline in unemployment, and strong performance across sectors such as tourism, technology, and shipping. The consortium explained that the entrepreneurial ecosystem is expanding, with agile local businesses and second-generation leaders stepping into key roles within family-owned firms.
“There is energy in the market,” said Mr. Papanikitopoulos. “After more than a decade of austerity and uncertainty, companies are ready to invest in their people. Those who fail to invest in developing tomorrow’s leaders will fall behind. There’s a clear appetite for leadership development, better governance, and a new generation of talent.”
Growing Greek Economy
“With the economy now growing, these people feel ready to return,” said Mr. Miropoulos. “When they do, they’re bringing back international experience, refined skills, and fresh thinking. One of our goals with Signium is to help bring that talent home.”
While their client base is currently centered in Greece, Signium Greece is open to exploring assignments across the broader region. As geopolitical shifts and tariff tensions impact global trade, Greece remains a resilient and strategic hub linking the East and West.
“Greece has learned to adapt,” said Mr. Papanikitopoulos. “We’ve been through political and economic disruption before and emerged stronger. Whatever the global picture brings – whether it’s supply chain shifts or policy change – we’re ready.”
Related: Signium Adds New Member Firm in Michigan
With deep roots in leadership consulting, Signium Greece will offer an approach to executive search, one that blends culture assessment, candidate coaching, and team alignment. “Our approach starts before the search begins,” Mr. Miropoulos explained. “We help clients assess team dynamics and clarify whether a new hire should fit into or shift the existing culture. Then, once the placement is made, we offer integration coaching to set them, and the organization, up for long-term success.”
Signium has 46 offices in 32 countries serving clients in the Americas, EMEA, and Asia-Pacific regions. The firm delivers talent acquisition and management solutions for global companies across industry sectors, including consumer goods, financial services, technology, industrial, life sciences, and professional services.
New Office in Istanbul
Signium recently opened an office in Istanbul, Turkey, further strengthening its presence across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Neslihan Akan was named as managing partner of Signium Turkey.
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“We believe that Turkey is one of the most promising economies in the world – vibrant, strategically positioned, and particularly rich in leadership potential,” said Ms. van Rensburg. “Expanding into this market fulfills a major part of our broader strategy of growing our presence across the Middle East and neighboring regions. We’re confident that Neslihan and her team will make a significant impact on the executive leadership landscape.”
Signium Turkey operates as an advisory firm focused on senior-level search, including CEO, CXO, and non-executive director roles. The firm will also offer leadership assessments and advisory services for boards and executive teams. In line with Signium’s global standards, the Turkish team is also committed to driving greater diversity and inclusion in leadership.
Related: Signium Expands in France
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
