Elizabeth Filippouli

As a journalist, Filippouli was a presenter of flagship programs, such as: People & Power, Witness and Crossroads Europe for Al Jazeera English. For AJE she also produced a number of documentaries, such as: Greekgate and Italygate, investigating two espionage scandals of massive proportions which rocked the political systems in Italy and Greece. She also produced A King Without a Country, a documentary on the life of ex-King Constantine of Greece, and the factual series Crossroads Europe, a program analysing the fundamental changes happening in European societies.

Between 1999-2005 she worked with CNN International for six years as a contributor, regularly reporting for CNN on Greek affairs and on breaking news in Greece.

Filippouli started her career as a main news presenter for the Greek public television, ERT. She went on to work with Greek press (Kyriakatiki Eleftherotypia etc.) and radio (Athens 98.4).

She is the daughter of the well-known Greek journalist and screenwriter, Stamatis Filippoulis (Σταμάτης Φιλιππούλης).

Filippouli is an advocate of the importance of global thinking and values-based leadership. In 2012 Filippouli launched Global Thinkers Forum (GTF), a global platform incubated at Said Business School, that brings together innovative minds and creates discussions to promote knowledge exchange and new ideas in leadership and collaboration.[2] With more than 10,000 names of CEOs, investors, academics and media representatives in its database, GTF enjoys a wide, diverse and influential network of global experts. The inaugural Global Thinkers Forum took place in 2012 under the patronage of Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan and it convened 300 CEOs, leaders, innovators, social entrepreneurs, investors and academics.

Athens, Greece - December 2013: Elizabeth Filippouli and Stephen Cole presenting the Global Thinkers Forum Awards for Excellence 2013

In 2012 Global Thinkers Forum inaugurated the 'Global Thinkers Forum Awards for Excellence', to celebrate and salute the work of forward-thinking leaders with remarkable achievements. Workshops, roundtables and networking events are organised under the editorial umbrella of GTF in various cities around the world. The Global Thinkers Forum advisory board consists of world acclaimed thought leaders and decision makers such as John Alderdice, Princess Sumaya bint El Hassan, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, Muna AbuSulayman, Prince Pavlos of Greece, Elif Shafak, Femi Oke. Filippouli is a regular speaker at international conferences discussing leadership issues and global trends.

In 2015 Filippouli and Global Thinkers Forum launched two international mentoring program, 'Telemachus' and 'Athena' under Global Thinkers Mentors. The programmes pair youth and women from all over the world with accomplished leaders. Young people and women are supported in their personal and professional development.

On International Women's Day 2018, Filippouli announced at UNESCO in Paris the launch of the world’s first global ranking of the top 40 most forward thinking women. Athena40 is also a call to action to companies and organizations to prove their accountability and support towards women.

Filippouli has created an organisation of global presence and reach, operating under the values of inclusion, cross cultural understanding and collaboration. On March 6, 2019 an audience of 500 influencers across six countries and four continents participated in a synchronised global conversation that had 45 speakers debating live just ahead of International Women’s’ Day, March 8th.

The conversation was the first one in history of its kind. In London it was hosted by the Evening Standard and had BBC World’s Tim Willcox as global moderator. The 'Athena40 Global Conversation' focuses on the major challenges and opportunities for women and the relevant differences across cultures and regions.

Between 2001 and 2005, as a media and crisis management expert Filippouli has worked with international brands such as the National Lottery (UK), Athens Olympic Games, Coca-Cola, TIM and NewsXchange. Filippouli is often invited as keynote speaker to talk about leadership, women's empowerment and access to global networks.

As a journalist among the people that Filippouli has interviewed are: Ted Turner, James Rubin, Deepak Chopra, Mohamed El Baradei, Chris Cramer, Al Gore, Susan Sarandon, Lord Robertson, Christiane Amanpour, Peter Arnett, King Constantine of Greece, and Lord Coe.

Elizabeth has studied Strategy and Innovation at Said Business School of Oxford University (MBA), Transnational Media and Globalisation at London City University (MA) and has taken the Harvard Executive Education Kennedy School of Government program on "Shaping Change in the Information Age".

1. ESI Celebrates International Women's Day 2019 with Global Thinkers Forum and Athena40
2. Inside the International Women's Day forum attended by Princess Eugenie
3. Gender equality by 2030, Secretary-General tells top women
4. Sharjah’s NAMA partners with Global Thinkers Forum
5. Στην Ελλάδα Εχουν Εκλείψει Οι Πολιτικοί Ηγέτες
6. Articles at the Huffington Post by Filippouli
7. The Global Thinkers Forum – a global force to be reckoned with in Leadership
8. Filippouli on the Future of Innovation in Media, NewsXchange
9. Filippouli launches in Jordan an international think tank
10. Al Jazeera International Reveals More On-Screen Talent
11. Crossroads Europe, Al Jazeera
12. Italygate on Al Jazeera English
13. Greekgate on Al Jazeera English
14. A King Without A Country on Al Jazeera English
15. Elizabeth Filippouli chairs the INSI debate in Athens
16. The Invisible Reality by Elizabeth Filippouli
17. Τα Χρώματα της Ιριδας
18. Ελισάβετ Φιλιππούλη: Ας βάλουμε τα δυνατά μας για την Ολυμπιάδα
19. Δημοπρασία Αλληλεγγύης για τα Θύματα του Τσουνάμι
20. Filippouli hosts the Eurovision (2005)
21. New Media Landscape, Less Media Safety (Rees, G., 2010)