Stelios Americanos is the Managing Partner of Stelios Americanos & Co LLC. A member of the Cyprus Bar since 1991, he has more than three decades of experience advising international clients on corporate, banking and finance, real estate and cross-border matters.

Profile

Stelios Americanos is the founder and Managing Partner of Stelios Americanos & Co LLC, an international law firm headquartered in Nicosia with offices in Limassol, Athens and Tel Aviv.

Admitted to the Cyprus Bar in 1991, he has built an extensive practice advising local and international corporations, financial institutions, investors and high-net-worth individuals on sophisticated corporate, banking and finance transactions, joint ventures, real estate investments and international structuring matters.

Mr. Americanos is widely recognised for his expertise in corporate and commercial law, banking and finance, international tax planning and real estate transactions. He regularly advises clients establishing or expanding operations through Cyprus and has been involved in complex commercial arrangements with cross-border elements.

In addition to his legal practice, Mr. Americanos has contributed articles on legal developments to professional journals and has participated in conferences and seminars, including the delivery of papers and lectures. He also served for six years as a member of the Board of Directors of CYTA, Cyprus’s national telecommunications authority, following his appointment by the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Cyprus.

Education

• Law Degree, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece

Professional Associations and Appointments

• Managing Partner, Stelios Americanos & Co LLC
• Member of the Cyprus Bar Association | since 1991
• Member of the Board of Directors, CYTA | six-year term

Despina Americanou is a Partner of Stelios Americanos & Co LLC and Head of the Banking and Finance Department. She advises on financing, security arrangements, corporate matters and cross-border transactions.

Profile

Ms. Despina Americanou graduated from the Law School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece, in 2000, and continued her postgraduate studies in International Commercial Law at the University of Westminster, where she obtained an LL.M.

She started practising law in Cyprus in 2002 after obtaining the Cyprus Bar Association Qualification in the same year and joined Stelios Americanos & Co LLC in 2010. In 2017, Ms. Americanou became Partner and Head of the Banking and Finance Department.

Over the years, Ms. Americanou has gained valuable experience in drafting and negotiating loan agreements, share purchase agreements, shareholders’ agreements and security agreements. She has participated in, and provided legal assistance on, banking and finance matters, corporate matters and mergers and acquisitions.

She has also acted as special Cyprus law counsel in various multinational cross-border transactions, advising on aspects of Cyprus law relating to financing and security arrangements. In addition to her legal practice, Ms. Americanou served as a Councillor at the Municipality of Aglantzia and was appointed Chairwoman of the Tenders Committee for five years.

Education

• Law Degree, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece | 2000
• LL.M in International Commercial Law, University of Westminster

Professional Associations and Appointments

• Partner, Stelios Americanos & Co LLC | since 2017
• Head of the Banking and Finance Department
• Cyprus Bar Association Qualification | 2002
• Councillor, Municipality of Aglantzia
• Chairwoman, Tenders Committee | five-year term

Soteris Costa is a Partner of Stelios Americanos & Co LLC and Head of the Litigation & Arbitration Department. He advises on major corporate disputes, corporate law projects and banking and finance matters with an international element.

Profile

Mr. Soteris Costa studied law at the University of Exeter, England, where he obtained an LL.B and LL.M. He started practising law in Cyprus in 2001, after obtaining the Cyprus Bar Association Qualification in the same year.

Mr. Costa joined Stelios Americanos & Co LLC in 2010 and became Partner in 2017. Prior to joining the firm, he was primarily engaged in litigation and dispute resolution, acquiring substantial practical experience as a litigator.

Since joining the firm, Mr. Costa has been involved in numerous corporate law projects, international banking and finance projects, mergers and acquisitions, and the establishment of complex joint ventures and cross-border structures through Cyprus vehicles.

This combined contentious and transactional experience allowed him to develop a strong practice in corporate litigation. He gradually assumed the role of Head of the Litigation & Arbitration Department and is currently heavily involved in major corporate law disputes with an international element, while also advising on corporate and commercial projects.

Education

• LL.B, University of Exeter, England
• LL.M, University of Exeter, England

Professional Associations and Appointments

• Partner, Stelios Americanos & Co LLC | since 2017
• Head of the Litigation & Arbitration Department
• Cyprus Bar Association Qualification | 2001

Morfakis “Akis” Koumas is a Partner of Stelios Americanos & Co LLC. He specialises in litigation and advocacy, with particular experience in contracts, commercial and corporate litigation, torts, company law and banking law.

Profile

Mr. Morfakis “Akis” Koumas is a qualified lawyer with a law degree from the University of Sheffield, obtained in 2006. He is also a Barrister-at-Law of the Inner Temple, having been called to the Bar of England and Wales in 2008, and became a member of the Cyprus Bar Association in 2010.

Mr. Koumas has been a Partner of Stelios Americanos & Co LLC since January 2023. His practice focuses on litigation and advocacy, with particular expertise and interest in contracts, commercial and corporate litigation, torts, company law and banking law.

He has also been involved in advising and representing banks in court proceedings related to credit facilities, receivers and managers, criminal complaints against banks, interpleader actions, CHF loans, garnishee proceedings and allegations of negligence and fraud against banks.

Among his notable professional successes, Mr. Koumas has achieved the discharge of interim prohibitory orders against a bank and receivers and managers appointed out of court by the bank under the terms of a floating charge, as well as the discharge of interim proceedings against a Cypriot bank seeking to prevent foreclosure proceedings.

Education

•    Law Degree, University of Sheffield | 2006

•    Barrister-at-Law, Inner Temple | Called to the Bar of England and Wales in 2008

Professional Associations and Appointments

•    Partner, Stelios Americanos & Co LLC | since January 2023

•    Member, Cyprus Bar Association | call 2010

Andreas Michaelides is a Partner of Stelios Americanos & Co LLC and Head of the Accounting and Taxation Department. He is a Fellow Certified Chartered Accountant and Licensed Insolvency Practitioner with experience in debt restructuring and business finance.

Profile

Mr. Andreas Michaelides is a Fellow Certified Chartered Accountant and a member of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Cyprus (ICPAC) and the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) of the United Kingdom.

He graduated with honours from the Department of Financial and Banking Administration at the University of Piraeus, Greece, and holds a Master of Laws degree (LL.M).

Mr. Michaelides has 14 years of experience in the financial sector, with particular emphasis on debt restructuring and business refinancing. He is a Licensed Insolvency Practitioner and Official Receiver by the Registrar of Companies and also holds the Advanced Certification of the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission.

He joined Stelios Americanos & Co LLC in 2019 as Partner and Head of the Accounting and Taxation Department, advising on accounting, taxation, financial and investment regulatory compliance, restructuring, receivership and liquidation matters.

Education

•    Degree in Financial and Banking Administration, University of Piraeus, Greece | honours

•    Master of Laws (LL.M)

Professional Associations and Appointments

•    Partner and Head of Accounting and Taxation, Stelios Americanos & Co LLC | since 2019

•    Fellow Certified Chartered Accountant

•    Member, ICPAC

•    Member, ACCA

•    Licensed Insolvency Practitioner and Official Receiver

•    Advanced Certification, Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission

Juliana Kyriakides is a Partner of Stelios Americanos & Co LLC and Head of the Corporate Administration Department. She advises and supports international clients on corporate administration and compliance matters.

Profile

Ms. Juliana Kyriakides graduated from Deree, The American College of Greece in Athens, obtaining a BSc degree in Business Administration in 1990.

Ms. Kyriakides joined Stelios Americanos & Co LLC in January 2010. She is a Partner of the firm and Head of the Corporate Administration Department.

For the past 28 years, Ms. Kyriakides has dealt with and overseen issues in the corporate sector relating to international clients. She has extensive experience working mainly with large Russian and Ukrainian groups, providing ongoing support and advice on a wide range of corporate administration and compliance matters.

Over the years, she has gained valuable experience dealing with international clients operating in a broad range of sectors. Her work includes providing advice and assistance on corporate matters, while coordinating parallel legal and accounting review where required, thereby supporting comprehensive professional advice for clients’ day-to-day business needs.

Education

• BSc in Business Administration, Deree, The American College of Greece, Athens | 1990

Professional Associations and Appointments

• Partner, Stelios Americanos & Co LLC
• Head of the Corporate Administration Department

Michalis Zambyrinis is a Partner of Stelios Americanos & Co LLC. He advises on cross-border and multi-jurisdictional mergers and acquisitions, project finance and corporate law matters.

Profile

Mr. Michalis Zambyrinis graduated from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens with an LL.B in 2011 and continued his postgraduate studies in England, obtaining an LL.M with distinction from University College London.

Mr. Zambyrinis became a member of the Cyprus Bar Association in 2013 and joined Stelios Americanos & Co LLC in the same year. He has been a Partner of the firm since 2024.

He is a member of the Banking & Finance, Corporate & Commercial, and Mergers & Acquisitions departments. During his career, he has acquired significant experience in cross-border and multi-jurisdictional projects relating to mergers and acquisitions and project finance.

His work includes drafting, negotiating and reviewing commercial agreements, finance documents, share purchase agreements and joint venture agreements, advising on corporate law issues and participating in the preparation of legal due diligence reports.

Education

•    LL.B, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens | 2011

•    LL.M with distinction, University College London

Professional Associations and Appointments

•    Partner, Stelios Americanos & Co LLC | since 2024

•    Member, Cyprus Bar Association | since 2013