"Strategic's 1st E. Mediterranean IT & TELECOMS Forum 2001":
Major Mediterranean Meeting for the New Economy to be Held in Nicosia,Cyprus

Athens, 24 January 2001 - What is considered to be the most important event in IT, Telecoms and the Internet for Eastern Mediterranean will be held in Nicosia, Cyprus on Monday 12th and Tuesday 13th March 2001, at the Forum Hotel, organised by Strategic International/Kataras SA, a consultancy firm specialising in the New Economy. The event takes place at a time when IT and Telecoms converge, while they lead the way for the expansion of New Economy in the region. The conference - which more than 300 entrepreneurs, managers, policy makers and key IT&Telecoms and Internet personalities from Cyprus, Greece, Eastern Mediterranean and W. Europe are expected to attend - provides a unique opportunity for contacts and discussions around its main theme: IT, TELECOMS, & INTERNET LEAD THE WAY FOR THE NEW ECONOMY IN E.MEDITERRANEAN. The Forum will combine all three major sectors of IT, Telecoms and Internet, giving the latest insights from more than 45 speakers, while all the participants who will attend will have a fine opportunity for networking with influential entrepreneurs in the E. Mediterranean region.

Distinguished Speakers
Forum Chairman is Dr. -Ing C. Makropoulos, Director Division of Applied Technologies NCSR-DEMOKRITOS, whilst among approximately 45 speakers, in alphabetical order are included: Mr Costas Agrotis/ Ministry of Finance, Department of IT Services, Mr Yannis Agiomirgiannakis (Greece)/ Strategic International SA, Mr Lars Bjorkenor (Greece)/ Ericsson Hellas, Dr Andreas Charalambous/ Ministry of Finance, Mr Christos Constantinou/ SpiderNet Services LTd, Mr Dinos Costantinou/ CLR Finacial Services, Dr Paraskevas Evripidou/ Associate Professor, University of Cyprus, Mr Kyriakos Fiakkas/ Globalsoft, Dr Nikos P. Frydas (Greece)/ Ideal Telecom, Mr Andreas Hadjiioannou/ AH Virtual-IT, Dr Phaedon Hadjisavvas (Greece)/ SAP Hellas, Dr Costas Κadis/ Research Promotion Foundation, Mr Thomas Karakoulias (Greece)/ AT&T, Mr Kostas P. Kataras/ Strategic International (Europe) sprl, Mr Stelios Kentritas (Greece)/ SAS Institute, Mr Kyriakos Kokkinos/ ΙΒΜ Cyprus, Dr Costas Y. Konis/ Cyprus Institute of Technology, Mr Dinos Konis/ NetU Consultants Ltd, Mr Vassilios Laopodis (Belgium)/ European Commission, Dr Andreas Pitsillides/ Associate Professor, University of Cyprus, Mr Andreas Polycarpou (Greece)/ IDEAL Group, Dr George N. Prezerakos (Greece)/ Ericsson Hellas, Mr Christodoulos Protopapas/Avacom Net Services, Mr Vassilios Rologis/ Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mr Niκοs Sparsis/ Bank of Cyprus, Mr Petros Theoharides Journalist, Mr Christos Trizoglou (Greece)/ CISCO Systems Hellas, Mr Demetris Vakis/ Partner KPMG Cyprus, Mr Michalakis Zivanaris, Chairman of the OEB.

Key Thematic Areas
Some of the key topics that will be discussed at the conference are:

Who should attend
The forum is designed to provide new ideas and new strategic options for participants. It is addressed in particular to: Presidents, Managing Directors, General Managers, CEOs, CFOs, CIOs, CKOs, Strategic Planning Managers, Senior Officers, Business Consultants, Analysts, Telecom Services/ Equipment Officers, Telcos, Telecom Managers, IT Managers, EDP Managers, Development Managers, Marketing Managers, e-commerce Managers, Channel Managers, Financial Sector Officers (Banks, Stock Market, Venture Capital, Financial Services, Investment Banks), Bankers, Brokers, Investors, Financial Analysts, Academic Community, Policy Makers, Public Administration, Municipal Authorities and in general High - Profile Officers related to Telecoms, Information Technology, Information Systems, Knowledge Management etc.

Data and Analyses
In addition to the above, the event will offer a unique set of data and analyses about the IT,Telecoms and Internet markets of the region. According to market statistics, there are more than 200 million inhabitants in the region, which spent almost 90 million Euros for IT and Telecoms for 1999, with a very high installed base of PCs and Telephones, which surpassed 21 and 43 million units respectively.
Placed at the centre of eastern Mediterranean, and acting like a geographical and business hub between all these countries, lies Cyprus. The country with its high-tech infrastructure provides an ideal environment for business development and can play a central role for the New Economy in the region, especially at this time that mobile and fixed telephony deregulation is at its final stages.

Graph 1
IT & Telecom Spending per Capita (Euro), 1999

Source: Strategic International SA, ISPO-ESIS II

Information
For more information concerning "Strategic's Eastern Mediterranean IT&Telecoms Forum 2001", visit the site of the forum http://www.strategic.gr/events/ITandTelecomsForum2001 , or contact Strategic International SA, tel: +30-1-7229571 (Mrs Kondili).

About Strategic International SA
The Forum is organized by Strategic International SA, a firm with long - standing experience in organizing international conferences. Strategic International SA (www.strategic.gr) is a Strategy Consulting firm specializing in Telecommunications, Information Technologies, New Media and the Digital Economy. The company has deep knowledge in the field, based on Market Research, Creative Analyses, International Customers and a strong network of partners in Europe. Main services include: Consulting, Market Research, e-business, Publications and Events.