Greece’s rapid transformation into a stable, competitive, and outward-looking investment destination took center stage at the Capital Link Forum in New York, where government officials, investors, and business leaders presented a shared vision of reform, growth, and regional influence.
The forum highlighted Greece’s emergence as a key energy hub in the Eastern Mediterranean, with ExxonMobil’s Vice President for Global Exploration, Dr. John Ardill, confirming that exploratory drilling in Greek waters could begin as early as 2027.
“The Eastern Mediterranean stands out as a proven gas-producing region, and Greece is positioned to play a central role,” Mr. Ardill said, citing the area’s proximity to European markets and its untapped potential.
Hel emphasized that natural gas remains vital to global energy security and can significantly reduce emissions compared to coal.
“ExxonMobil is ready to help Greece unlock its hydrocarbon potential,” he said, noting the company’s commitment to achieving net-zero emissions for its managed assets by 2050.
Giorgos Alexopoulos, deputy CEO of HELLENiQ Energy, said Greece is steadily strengthening its position in Southeastern Europe’s energy landscape through accelerated exploration, expanding gas infrastructure, and investment in electricity networks.
Energean’s CFO Panos Benos added that upcoming drilling projects, including a joint venture with ExxonMobil in the Ionian Sea, could reveal up to 200 billion cubic meters of gas — reshaping regional energy dynamics and boosting independence from imports.
Beyond energy, speakers pointed to Greece’s growing role in defense innovation, infrastructure, and financial markets.
Dr. Grigoris Koutsogiannis, CEO of the EFA Group, said Greece has become “a model of resilience and growth” seven years after emerging from its deepest economic crisis.
He outlined a 12-year defense modernization plan (2025–2036) that will ensure 25% domestic industry participation in defense programs and deeper integration into Europe’s supply chains.
Orestis Kavallakis, head of Greece’s Recovery Fund Coordination Agency, said nearly half of the fund’s milestones and goals have been achieved, with 65% of the total budget already disbursed.
“The Recovery Fund is reshaping Greece’s economic model toward higher productivity, competitiveness, and innovation,” he said.
From the European Stability Mechanism, Robert Blotevogel praised Greece’s recovery as the result of “long-term fiscal discipline,” urging continued focus on directing resources to the most productive sectors.
Investor sentiment was equally upbeat. DLA Piper’s Greece Country Group head, Orestis Omran, forecast growth of about 2% for both 2026 and 2027 — nearly double the eurozone average — while Alter Ego Media CEO Yiannis Vrentzos said the Athens Stock Exchange is “shifting from a value story to one of quality and growth.”
Infrastructure and utilities were also spotlighted as drivers of Greece’s next investment phase. GEK TERNA’s Penelope Lazaridou said the group’s highway portfolio will soon exceed 2,000 kilometers, aligning with European sustainability standards.
AVAX executive director Antonis Mitzalis added that new infrastructure in energy, water, and transport “will define the projects of tomorrow.”
Public Power Corporation CFO Konstantinos Alexandridis announced more than €10 billion in investments for 2026–2028 to accelerate Greece’s energy and digital transition, while Athens International Airport CSO Giorgos Kallimasias reported record passenger growth — up 25% from 2019 — positioning Athens as one of Europe’s most connected hubs.
Hellenic American Chamber of Commerce president Eftychia Pylariou-Piper highlighted Greece’s new tax policies designed to attract investors and diaspora professionals, including incentives for high earners, retirees, start-ups, and research activity. EY Greece partner Spyros Kaminaris stressed that “tax predictability must remain a top priority” to sustain investor confidence.
The forum closed on a confident note: Greece, once synonymous with crisis, now stands as a model of recovery and reform — a country redefining its global economic and energy footprint.