Dimitri Triadafillidis
“The Greek people are a seafaring and warlike people who have the culture of travel and exchange; this regulates an entire life, it’s in our DNA, we like foreigners,” he says, who still likes to be dubbed “internationally chosen.”
This yearning started early when he left Athens for London in 1978. A few years later, he moved to America to manage international markets and concerts.
“In love with Paris,” Dimitri moved to France in 1984, starting his “twelve labours.” He headed international marketing for Christian Dior (1987) to maintain the brand’s image globally, including Fahrenheit and Poison. As head of marketing and communication at multinational Essilor (1989), he created Varilux.
Disney called him in 1991 to open the French Park and Resort in Paris. The 150th employee and first Greek was hired approximately two years before the park opened. The Americans granted him Europe’s most crucial development position, making it his small home.
Entrepreneurs don’t rest. In 1993, he fulfils his dream by founding a marketing and communication consulting network in the Netherlands, Germany, and France. He advises small and medium-sized firms on growth using his experience and financial models from giant international companies six days a week, flying between cities.
Selling his collection of firms in 1996 ends his international parenthesis, and the traveller settles in Nice, where he starts a new cycle of prosperity.
I challenge myself and start a business. “When I succeed and the company runs normally, it’s no longer for me,” Dimitri Triadafillidis jokes. “I work better under the pressure of results, searching for the good idea, the ideal model, pushing my limits, surpassing myself.”
Media management is his new task. He becomes southern France’s Europe2 radio network manager in 1996.
First urban communities are built in France in 2000, changing the public landscape. Southern France’s most fascinating is around Sophia Antipolis’ technical park. The biggest and most inventive startups congregate in a park. The mayor and deputy of the new community entrust him with unit communication and development.
His new challenge lets him experience technical startups and political activity. Political marketing intrigues him. He studies and launches a commercial marketing-inspired political marketing model.
The idea is simple. He argues that if they use the same language and codes, all citizens will understand political messaging as they do commercial ads for personal purchases.
He is recognised in politics’ closed circle for his actions. Thus, Marseille’s main political school, SciencePo, hires him to teach Master 2 and political marketing. Political campaign direction falls to him.
His entrepreneurial spirit is stirred, and he cannot refuse the offer to manage the Palais des Congrès Acropolis, the oldest and largest conference centre after Paris—the ultimate challenge.
An “Acropolis mountain” awaits him in 2007. Luck for a Greek overseeing second biggest French destination exposition and conference palace? “There is no luck, only encounters».
When he takes over, the centre loses 2 million of its 10 million turnover. Three years later, in 2010, turnover is 16 million and profit is 2 million. With these results, he can be voted to the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the French Riviera to help small and medium-sized trade firms expand.
Called to enter the political office of the City of Nice and the Metropolitan Region in the French Riviera. Time to move from business to government: “No entrepreneur can evolve today in the world without perfect knowledge of the city’s operation and the making of political decisions.”
As Nice’s minister-mayor’s political office deputy director, he oversees communication, media relations, events, and tourism branding. He becomes Euromed General Secretary in 2013.
He wants to assist small and medium-sized businesses develop because entrepreneurship is in his blood. Thus, Melior Tempus is founded as a developmental marketing agency.
“We want to help SMBs succeed. We let you utilise the same decision-making tools as multinationals to boost profitability. Most firms are owned by professionals and offer similar services to similar audiences. Our collaboration matters.”
Competition among cities and regions rises in 2018. France makes it difficult to be a holiday spot, business location, or permanent residence. The General Director of Economic and Tourist Development in Calvados/Normandy must build a development brand.
His homeland, Greece, which provided him these insights, recovers over time. He returns to Greece in 2020 to be connected to the economy and help Greek entrepreneurs survive and prosper locally and in Europe.
He wants to win this last challenge with the european entrepreneurs.