Irene Agathokleous

At the age of 17, a high school graduate I was offered 3 scholarships to private Universities on the island, my top pick was UNIC. My UNIC journey commenced when I moved into the student halls my 1st year where I made lifelong friendships from around the world.

I started with a Diploma in Travel and Tourism Management and then moved on to a Bachelor Degree in Hotel and Tourism Management. Simultaneously I had applied for a part time job, in between my daily classes, at the UNIC Computer Center. That’s when I discovered my love for Technology. With the foundation of my degrees, which contributed to develop not only my Managerial skills but my people and communication skills, made me a perfect candidate to deal with the outside clientele world. This was the stepping stone to my career in Technology.

Being the first employee of AEON and contributing to the foundation we built along with the owner and created AEON Payment Technologies Ltd, a successful and leading Technology hub on the island recently awarded by the Former President of Cyprus Mr. Anastasiades with the Cyprus Export award 2020 in Information and Communication Technology services. I am proud to be part of the foundation of a successful start up and even more so of my mentors John Abraham, CEO and my UNIC professors especially Mr. George Panayiotou that were a major factor in moulding the person I am today! Currently I am involved across the business with Internal Operations Management being my major role as well as Client Account/ Relationship Management. Having 2 executive roles in a Technology company does have its challenges however challenges are what help me grow.

Its important to like and enjoy your career, every day should start with a smile! On my spare time I enjoy assisting startups find the appropriate vendors to get up and running, brining businesses together on a global scale. This is a skill that was considerably developed over my time at UNIC via classroom learning as well as… lets not forget the FUN part of UNIC too: the university parties and gatherings that enriched our multicultural knowledge and open mindedness, preparing me to enter the real world. A strong education, supportive professors and exposing us to a multicultural student society.

I aspire to start my involvement in Politics in 2023, my dream is: through Technology, to help small family businesses and merchants survive and compete in an ever changing and competitive market. My involvement with the Student Union at UNIC taught me that it is of importance to be part of a group that has influence and can help the student community come together as one! With my experience at UNIC in mind, I strive to make a difference on a greater scale, our community.

I had always dreamed to create my own company and with every passing day I am 1 step closer. Just remember, failure is needed in order to grow into success, every failure is a lesson and not a punishment! To enrich my knowledge, I will join UNIC once more for a Masters in Blockchain & Digital currency soon.

Your career is a vital part of your life however you mustn’t neglect to do things that nourish your soul and individuality! Reading books, writing romantic novels and helping the community works for me!

My experience at Unic not only helped me develop knowledge but cultivated my individuality!