Sergios Sarafopoulos

Graduation Year: 1995 (MBA 3)

General Manager at Imerys

LinkedIn Profile here

Could you update us on your latest professional developments?

Living and working abroad in the past 10 years. Now based in the Netherlands, I am running Cebo International, a company active in the EMEA region. We are supplying engineered raw materials, technical and logistics services for the oil & gas, infrastructure, agriculture and industrial sectors.

What made you choose ALBA for your graduate studies?

Coincidence, chemistry, location! After my BA from an American college, I was briefly working in Greece, planning to continue graduate studies in the US. By coincidence, a business executive suggested to meet President Ebeoglou and Dean Travlos who were setting up an MBA program. Chemistry was fantastic, they easily lured me into the ALBA dream. And going to school by the sea in Vouliagmeni? Not easy to beat that location!

Share with us your fondest memory while studying at ALBA

It was the early days, ALBA 3. I still have that vivid memory of “affection” among faculty, staff and students. All passionate and excited, full of energy and ideas, expecting great things and knowing that we would shape the future of our school! Actually, my personal and professional life has been shaped by people I met at ALBA.

PROUST QUESTIONNAIRE

• What is your greatest fear? Sharp knives, I don’t even know why…
• Which historical figure do you most identify with? Nietzsche’s radical philosophical concepts, Cavafy’s universal poetry based on Greek heritage.
• Which living person do you most admire? Bill Gates for his humility, insatiable appetite and ability to learn, world-class philanthropy driven by science.
• What is the trait you most deplore in yourself? Short attention span
• What is the trait you most deplore in others? Arrogance
• What is your greatest extravagance? Making time for going to the theater in Athens and London.
• What is your favorite journey? Every exploration of a new country/culture with my family.
• On what occasion do you lie? I don’t. I try hard to avoid situations where I need to hide the truth.
• What is your greatest regret? Not having said the right words at the right time.
• What or who is the greatest love of your life? They all know it and feel it, I hope
• When and where were you happiest? A couple of days ago, watching my daughters inventing new acrobatic tricks.
• Which talent would you most like to have? Being able to improvise as an amateur jazz pianist
• What is your current state of mind? Restless
• If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? I would have started playing tennis younger.
• If you could change one thing about your family, what would it be? If only my ladies were tidier… I have given up!
• What do you consider your greatest achievement? Having interacted with and learned from various people in over 40 countries.
• What is your most treasured possession? All the arts and crafts my daughters daily create.
• Where would you like to live? Preferably in warm places, I like cities with vibrant multi-culti street-life.
• What is your favorite occupation? Food tasting and cooking, I want to get better at it.
• What is your most marked characteristic? Intellectual curiosity
• What do you most value in your friends? Being authentic, never pretentious
• What are your favorite names? Greek historical names that sound familiar in other languages as well.
• What is your motto? If you see a worthy person, try hard to be like him/her. If you see an unworthy one, look inside yourself.