About Dr. Anastasia Psomiadi
Dr. Anastasia Psomiadi, Ph.D. in Social Psychology and Master of Arts in Theology, is a pioneering entrepreneur and global advisor recognized for her work in social innovation and purpose-driven leadership. Coming from a historic Pontic benefactor family, she has spent her life advancing issues of social identity, sustainability, ESG, ethical decision making, stakeholder engagement, women’s empowerment, responsible entrepreneurship, cultural heritage, collective memory, and social health.
Born in Piraeus, the port of Athens, she was raised in a family defined by love, honesty, and integrity. As she grew older, she realized that the world around her did not reflect the values she believed in, prompting her to begin building initiatives, mechanisms, and organizations aimed at fostering a more ethical, humane, and socially responsible society.
For more than three decades, Dr. Psomiadi has worked internationally to safeguard cultural heritage and collective memory, with particular focus on Pontic Greek identity, including the intergenerational consequences of the Pontian Greek Genocide as a scholarly case study of historical trauma, memory preservation, and ethical responsibility. Her advocacy emphasizes cultural continuity as a foundation for ethical leadership, social cohesion, and sustainable societies.
In 2007, Dr. Psomiadi founded Greece’s first Corporate Sustainability and ESG consulting firm, well before Sustainability became a global priority. Through this pioneering work, she introduced strategic, business-driven sustainability models that enabled organizations, institutions, and policymakers to link social responsibility with competitiveness, innovation, and measurable outcomes.
She later established Greece’s first Social Enterprise for executive education, developing an innovative Public–Private Partnership methodology that became a practical governance and collaboration tool for municipalities, local authorities, and private enterprises seeking structured, accountable, and results-oriented collaboration. Her frameworks have supported local development initiatives, stakeholder engagement processes, and purpose-driven business ecosystems.
As an Academic Lecturer, Curriculum Developer, and Program Lead for MBA and MSc programs in Sustainability, CSR, Leadership, Social Innovation, and Entrepreneurship, she has designed interdisciplinary curricula, supervised postgraduate research, and educated and mentored executives, students, and professionals across academic and professional settings. She continues to mentor MBA graduates internationally, supporting their leadership formation, career progression, and entrepreneurial development.
As an Associate Researcher at the Laboratory of Experimental Social Psychology, she examines social health, purpose-driven leadership, AI governance, social identity, and the formation of global communities, including the distinct social dynamics of the cigar world.
Her contribution to Greece’s entrepreneurial ecosystem includes co-organizing and mentoring university-led national start-up contests, guiding students and early-stage founders in developing sustainable business models, preparing investor-ready academic and early-stage venture pitches, and integrating social innovation into applied, university-driven ventures.
A trusted advisor to governments, ministries, universities, and private-sector leaders, she has contributed to initiatives that strengthen innovation capacity, community development, and responsible economic growth.
Dr. Psomiadi’s leadership has contributed to shaping national and international agendas for women’s empowerment. She initiated and coordinated two national consultations that brought together municipalities, local authorities, business associations, and political leaders, the outcomes of which she consolidated and translated into the establishment of Womanitee, Greece’s first Hub for Women’s Entrepreneurship, which she founded to support women’s economic participation and leadership.
Driven by her commitment to a world free from stereotypes, she founded the global organization Sister of the Leaf Global Movement in 2017. Built on sustainability principles and stakeholder engagement methodology, the movement has become a global force for women’s leadership in the cigar industry, offering education, mentoring, and transformative community-building initiatives across multiple countries. Having successfully completed its foundational mission, the organization is now entering a new phase focused on purpose-driven leadership and cross-sector impact.
She is also a Certified Cigar Sommelier and Tobacconist, an official Judge of the Cigar Smoking World Championship, and the exclusive organizer of CSWC events in Greece. Her research further bridges the cigar world with social psychology, examining how global communities shape identity, belonging, and social health.
She is a consistent contributor to international cigar industry media and a regular interview subject, publishing articles in established global cigar publications and examining the cigar world through the lenses of leadership, local development, sustainability, social health, and collective belonging. Through this work, she documents and elevates individuals and initiatives whose values support resilient communities.
As a global keynote speaker, instructor, and facilitator, Dr. Psomiadi has delivered over 400 keynotes, masterclasses, and leadership sessions to international audiences across more than 15 countries, engaging executives, policymakers, academics, and entrepreneurs through both in-person and virtual formats. Her work spans international conferences, business forums, university programs, roundtables, media engagements, and cross-sector professional dialogues.