Elizabeth Filippouli

Elizabeth H. Filippouli is a London-based journalist, writer and social entrepreneur.

Early life and education
Elizabeth was born and raised in Athens, Greece. She is the daughter of journalist, author, and playwright Stamatios-Alexandros Filippoulis (Σταμάτης Φιλιππούλης) and entrepreneur Ελένη Φιλιππούλη. Her uncle on her father’s side was the Greek publisher (el: Αλέκος Φιλιππὀπουλος) and her great-great aunt was Μαρίκα Μπότση the first woman in Greece elected as Mayor. Filippouli was married to Greek MP and novelist Γιάννης Γιαννέλλης-Θεοδοσιάδης. Elizabeth studied an undergraduate degree in German Literature in Kapodistriakon University of Athens. She has an MBA on Strategy & Innovation from Oxford’s Said Business School, an MA on Transnational Media & Globalisation from London City University and an ALM in Creative Writing and Literature from Harvard University.

Career
As a journalist she specializes on international affairs and has worked for broadsheet papers, radio and television in Greece and internationally. She joined CNN International as World Report contributor in 2001 and Al Jazeera English as presenter and documentary producer in 2005. For Al Jazeera English she produced the documentaries: Greekgate, Italygate, A King Without a Country. She has interviewed leading figures such as: Ted Turner, James Rubin, Deepak Chopra, Mohamed El Baradei, Santiago Calatrava, Enrique Oltuski, Alberto Juantorena, Chris Cramer, Al Gore, Susan Sarandon, Lord Robertson, Christiane Amanpour, Peter Arnett, King Constantine of Greece, Lord Coe.

In 2011, Filippouli founded Global Thinkers Forum a non-profit organisation promoting values-based leadership, and supporting women and youth for economic integration.

Global collaboration
In 2012 the inaugural Global Thinkers Forum was hosted in Amman during the Arab Spring, discussing the role of Arab women as agents of social change. Founding Patron was Queen Rania Al Abdullah and in the following years it engaged notable individuals such as Zaha Hadid, Sir David Frost, Arianna Huffington, Tobias Ellwood, Elif Shafak, Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi, Nawal El Saadawi,Bartholomew I of Constantinople, Professor Tu Weiming, Muhtar Kent, Marianna Vardinogiannis, Lord John Alderdice, Baroness Lola Young, Tawakkol Karman, May Chidiac, Rory Stewart, Baroness Onora O'Neill, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, Kate Winslet, Sir Dirk Brosse, Fadi Ghandour, Dominic McVey, Muna AbuSulayman, Dame Stephanie Shirley, Rosalia Arteaga. Filippouli is an advocate of values-driven thinking and collaboration, being vocal about 'The imminent need for our societies to build on a long-term vision and to prioritise 'we' instead of 'I'".

Mentoring programs
In 2015 Filippouli launched the mentoring programs, 'Telemachus' and 'Athena' to support emerging social impact leaders through mentoring.

Athena40 global conversation
Athena40 was launched at UNESCO on International Women’s Day in 2018, to help advance the role of women and support the Sustainable Development Goals. Athena40 hosts a 'Global Conversation' organising panels in cities around the world. Filippouli believes that during the pandemic "women were affected disproportionately and in multiple ways".

From women to the world
Filippouli's second book 'From Women to the World-Letters for a New Century' was published by Bloomsbury/IB Tauris in July 2021. It brings together the voices of diverse women in a collection that features Booker-prize nominated Elif Shafak, activist June Sarpong OBE, journalist Mariane Pearl, entrepreneur Annabel Karmel MBE, economist Vicky Pryce, film director Shamim Sarif, actress/activist Yasmine Al Massri, businesswoman Anousheh Ansari and others drawing attention to gender equality, homelessness, war, LGBTQ+ rights, mental health, COVID-19, the refugee crisis. The book received praise in the international press, Vanity Fair, The Independent, The New Arab and it was featured at the Hay Festival in May 2021 with excerpts read by actresses Kate Winslet, Juliet Stephenson, Suzanne Packer, Vanessa Redgrave, Louise Brealey. The book was translated to Greek and included letters by Μιμή Ντενίση, Σία Κοσιώνη and Marianna Vardinogiannis.

Other published work
In 2020 Filippouli co-authored with Dr Marc J. Ventresca of Said Business School a work on ‘Kindness in Leadership in Times of Crisis’. In 2004 an anthology of her opinion editorials was published in Greece by Ελεύθερα Γράμματα, under the title 'Η Αόρατη Πραγματικότητα᾽ (The Invisible Reality).

TedX Talks
Filippouli gave a TedX talk in 2017 at Stormont in Northern Ireland about the eternal clash between emotion and reason.

Other Affiliations
Filippouli has served on the Global Advisory Board of the Prince's Trust International, the International News Safety Institute and News Xchange.