Freda Yannitsas

I was born and raised in South Africa. Following my studies in English and French Literature, I obtained a bachelor of commerce and Master’s degree in Economics.

I feel honored to be a Wits University alumni, at a historic time in the life of the University, witnessing the historical evolution of democracy and the dismantling of apartheid in South Africa, under the mentorship of Nelson Mandela and those who fought suppression of the human voice, who fought inequality, corruption, ignorance and illiteracy.

In my mid-twenties, I was drawn to my Hellenistic roots and after a trip to Greece, I ended up residing in Cyprus, which has been my homeland ever since.

My professional background is diverse, mainly because of my varied interests and developing areas of interest over the years. I have had the privilege of working around both children and adults in education, as well as serving as a director for a large national NGO in the public health industry. I have also enjoyed working in the Cyprus hospitality industry, which allowed me the opportunity to promote Cyprus as a travel destination, whilst actively working alongside other travel industry professionals, towards creating and developing a sustainable regional development platform on the island, supported mainly by local trade and industries.

My passion for working towards a sustainable future for the island, led me into the fast pacing world of media which has shown me the impactful the role of media on the community at large.

Today, I am proud to be serving on the management team of the Cyprus Mail, the oldest and most trusted English-language daily newspaper on the island, which encourages freedom of the press and which aims to become the impactful voice and channel of the Cyprus diaspora global communities.

As part of the newspaper’s mission to better position and promote Cyprus as a hub of innovation and technology, our dedicated and growing team of expert reporters and writers are actively working towards showcasing the most robust elements in Cyprus’ business community, by featuring business tech companies and executives, who inspire leadership and entrepreneurship, as well as to featuring tech industry pioneers, startups and tech industry professionals at large.

I practice gratitude on a daily basis and work hard towards adopting a healthy and sustainable lifestyle of mindfulness.