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Our Team

The IPMB team is formed of a group of industry-leading professionals from the finance, blockchain and precious metals sectors. The team comprises of over 250 combined years of experience.


Join the community and chat to the team.

John Vakis

Chief Executive Officer & Founder

John is a company entrepreneur and has traded gold for multinational banks for 25 years. He’s worked in mines, mining processes, logistics, and bullion dealing. Sovereign Funds and Multinationals have noticed his value-creating ability. He supplies metal to global refineries and advises on precious metal recovery, solving supply chain problems on all continents.

George Agathangelou

Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder

George Agathangelou has served most of his career as an executive for Cyprus Investment Firms and is a holder of CySEC professional competence certificate. With over 16 years of experience in regulated financial markets and a decade of experience in Bitcoin, as an international public speaker, George has delivered presentations on DLT (Distributed Ledger Technology) and blockchain in numerous countries. George holds a MSc in Digital Currencies and Blockchain Technology (Cum Laude), an MBA and a BA in Economics. His experience across the board in Distributed Ledger Technologies, Virtual Asset Service Providers’ services, DeFi (Decentralized Finance), Asset Tokenization, Metaverse, Web3, NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens) will prove invaluable as the ecosystem grows across different platforms.

Dr Klitos Christodoulou

Chief Technology Officer

Dr. Klitos Christodoulou stands out as an accomplished academic with a robust technical background, expertly navigating the Web3 landscape through on-chain and off-chain blockchain Web services and decentralized applications. His applied research prominently spans the domains of blockchain, the metaverse, and cryptocurrencies, underpinned by his profound knowledge and experience as a senior blockchain architect. Notably proficient in programming with Solidity for smart contracts on the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), Dr. Christodoulou has significantly contributed to the field with a strong publication record in esteemed journals, covering a range of topics from blockchain applications, NFTs, and Metaverse innovations to blockchain architectures and analytics, as well as decentralized finance (DeFi). His expertise extends beyond technical, as he is also well experienced in project management, skilfully leading and guiding research initiatives, and technological projects in these cutting-edge areas. Klitos will be leading and advising our technical team, utilizing his extensive expertise to drive the technical direction of the project and broaden our engagement with the tech ecosystem.

Duah Agyeman

Head of Africa & Ground Operations Director

Duah is an essential part of IPMB. With extensive experience and a network across Africa, Duah has been mining and procuring gold since he was 18 years old. Graduating from the Doyer Institute of Intelligence and Investigations, he has held positions in a number of mining companies and also with the National Security Ministry Special Office Directorate specialising in Fraud Investigations. Duah has vast expertise in different types of mining and has the respect of our workers and miners on the ground.

Marios Paploizou

Legal Officer

Marios is our key man on the ground providing solutions in corporate transactions and facilitating our operations across Europe and Africa. Mr. Marios Papaloizou was born in 1981 in Nicosia, obtained his law degree from the Law Faculty of the University of Athens in 2007, joined the Law Office in 2013 and is now head of CPM Law. He was an active member of the Athens Bar Association until 2010 and now is a Member of the Cyprus Bar Association and the Nicosia Bar Association

Jamie Turner

Business Development and Marketing Manager

Jamie is a highly skilled professional with over ten years of experience in team leadership, customer service, community management, social media management, and content creation. He has hosted numerous events and is an experienced public speaker. His skill set includes marketing, design, and content creation, with a particular interest and passion for blockchain and cryptocurrency. Graduating from Bristol University, he has been Head of Communications and Community Management at Neon EVM and at Naoris Protocol. Jamie will be key in developing and growing our community and developing and promoting further community events globally. Jamie will coordinate and manage the IPMB marketing function and ensure community access and functionality for the IPMB ecosystem.

Grace Saah

Accounts

Grace is a qualified accountant and manages our book-keeping and accounting on the ground. Being Ghanain herself, she has had experience with large multinational companies as well as dealing with local small to medium-sized mining companies. Grace’s network provides more supply to our business creating a more robust company.

Mihai Albu

Director & Co-Founder

Mihai has over 22 years of entrepreneurial experience. He started his career with close protection security and quickly progressed to advising governments/corporates on international security and cyber solutions. During his career, Mihai has developed a formidable network of HNW / UHNW individuals and governments and has assisted in developing relationships between multinational companies and governments within Europe, the UK and the Middle East. Mihai’s vast experience and network will ensure that IPMB is introduced at government level across Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

Marcus Grubb

Chief Product Officer

Marcus is a highly experienced professional with a remarkable 30 years’ worth of experience in the financial industry. He has held significant positions at prestigious financial institutions such as the World Platinum Investment Council (WPIC), the World Gold Council (WGC), UBS, Salomon Brothers, Rabobank, and Warburg. Throughout his career, he has served in various roles, including Director of WPIC, Managing Director of Investment at WGC, and Chief Executive of a derivatives exchange. Marcus has overseen market development, the ETF (Exchange Traded Fund) program, global marketing, and research, making him an asset in the C-suite and as a board member in the financial sector. Additionally, he is currently a non-executive Director and advisor for an asset management firm in London and Luxembourg, as well as London-based fintech companies. Marcus Grubb’s expertise spans investment strategy, capital markets, asset allocation, and precious metals. He is recognised as a leading commentator on macro investment trends and has made significant contributions to the development and marketing of investment products in the industry.

Panayiotis Christodoulou (PhD)

VP of Engineering

Dr Panayiotis Christodoulou is an accomplished Blockchain Project Manager with a robust background in Solidity, the programming language used for writing smart contracts on various blockchain platforms. With over seven years of experience in the Web3 industry, Panayiotis has successfully led multiple high-stake projects from conception to deployment, showcasing his expertise in blockchain technology and project management. His strong technical skills are complemented by his ability to communicate complex concepts to non-technical stakeholders, ensuring project alignment with business objectives. Panayiotis’s leadership in the blockchain space is marked by his innovative approach to problem-solving and his commitment to staying at the forefront of technological advancements.

H.H Mohammed Bin Faisal Bin Saud Al Saud

Head of Strategy, MENA Region

Born in Saudi Arabia Mohammed has extensive business, investment and political experience around the globe. With positions ranging from Vice Consul to Los Angeles to President of Al-Hilal football club. Mohammed is also an experienced real estate investor with years of investment history and has been a digital asset and technology investor across the globe for the past decade. His experience across the MENA region, as well as across the USA, will assist IPMB to penetrate into numerous countries and place the token into the right networks with confidence.

Christiana Aristidou

Legal Advisor

Christiana is the founder and director of “The Hybrid LawTech Firm,” empowered by Christiana Aristidou LLC which operates exclusively at the intersection of law, business, and technology. An industry technology law and digital transformation expert and a member of the Cyprus Bar Association (CBA) since 1997, Christiana notably served as the President of the Technology Committee of the CBA. She is the Head of the Delegation for Cyprus to the ISO TC/307 for DLTs and Blockchain, acting as a project leader of WG3 on Taxonomy and Classification of Smart Contracts and contributing to WG6 on Blockchain use cases, a member of ISO/TC68 for Financial Services, a member of ISO/TC 322 for Sustainable Finance and has served in ITU-FG-DLTs. Christiana is a Certified International Legal Project Practitioner (IILPM), a member of the PMI Cyprus Chapter, a Certified GDPR (HELP) expert, an approved HRD Trainer, and the Ambassador of the European Legal Technology Association (ELTA) in Cyprus. She was the co-founder and the Vice-Chair of the Cyprus Blockchain Association (CBA) which has recently merged with the Cyprus Blockchain Technologies (CBTs). She is currently a board member of CBTs and holds advisory and directorship positions in selected companies. Christiana is also a HRDA certified trainer and has trained regulators, public authorities, incumbents, private organizations of all sizes, investors and entrepreneurs in Cyprus, the EU, and internationally. She is a regular speaker at local and international Law and Technology conferences and a reviewer for regional and international journals.

Nathan Sandberg

Product & Accounts Manager

Currently studying at the London Institute of Banking & Finance, Nathan joins the company on his industry placement with a path in place to join full-time on completion of his degree. He has held a key interest in traditional finance and the crypto space since a young age. Leveraging his writing skills, observance and problem-solving abilities Nathan helps the company’s operations across multiple realms.

Scott Pagel

Co-Founder

Scott graduated from Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, in 1994 as valedictorian with a BA in Economics. In 1994, he joined Goldman Sachs Asset Management (GSAM) in New York in the institutional separate account marketing area, focusing on equity and global tactical asset allocation strategies. He transferred to the London office of GSAM in 1996 and became a member of the European equity team as a research analyst covering technology securities. Subsequently, he was involved in the start-up and management of two long/short European equity hedge funds which both managed assets of over $1 billion. He joined Adelphi Capital Limited at its inception in September 1997 as a research analyst/portfolio manager, assisting in the management of Adelphi funds. In September 2001, he left Adelphi Capital to establish Gradient Capital Partners LLP as co-founder/managing partner, running the business and Gradient funds for two decades and then converting to the management of internal capital as a family office.

Spyros Themistocleous

Chief Financial Officer

With over two decades of experience in accounting, audit and consultancy, Spyros rose from accountant to Senior Manager in top audit firms. Specializing in international activities, he provides comprehensive services including corporate restructuring, liquidation, and business turnaround. Skilled in strategic planning, Spyros also served as a Financial Controller in a group of companies. Passionate about empowering businesses to excel in today’s market.

Alexandros Alexandrou

Senior Legal Officer

A distinguished legal professional, Alexandros Alexandrou boasts a rich background in regulatory frameworks with certifications in AML and other key areas. With tenures as a Compliance Officer, MLRO, and legal advisor to several entities overseen by regulators such as FCA, FINTRAC, AUSTRAC and CySEC, his expertise is deeply rooted in the Fintech sphere. Over recent years, Alexandros has played a pivotal role as the chief legal advisor for numerous innovative NFT and blockchain projects. Currently, he serves as the legal counsel for both the, GoldPro Token and GeM NFT Collection.

Dominic D’Souza

Global Network & Execution

Dominic is a highly influential figure and has advisory roles with a number of family offices and as the Senior Trustee for a Middle Eastern Royal Family’s Technology & Security Systems. With over two decades of experience, he has served as a senior advisor to a Royal Family Fund network, overseeing their Precious Metals Holdings and digital currency endeavours. Dominic’s expertise spans the domains of technology and the environment, where he has made significant contributions. He has successfully established forest harvesting, carbon capture, and photovoltaic parks in Europe and Africa, providing sustainable energy solutions to both urban centres and remote locations. Dominic’s commitment to promoting environmentally friendly practices and renewable energy sources reflects his dedication to a more sustainable future and also provides an overview for continuous improvements in all our and partner ground operations. Partner organisations and their roles The International Precious Metals ecosystem is meticulously managed and structured to ensure security, confidence, and stability for all participants involved in the tokens. To uphold these standards, IPM Ltd has partnered with reputable independent third-party companies entrusted with managing and overseeing the operations of the IPM ecosystem. These strategic collaborations help establish a robust framework that instils trust and provides a reliable environment for participants within the ecosystem.

Yiannis Kolosides

Senior Designer

A senior UI designer with a BA in Visual and Communication Design and 17 years of industry experience, he blends aesthetics with utility, bringing clarity and elegance to every interface. Since 2008, he’s been crafting memorable, user-centric designs that resonate with audiences and stand the test of time. His commitment to continuous learning ensures each project not only meets but exceeds expectations.

Nainika Sharma

Marketing Specialist

Nainika Sharma brings a solid foundation in tech, marketing, and research to IPMB. With a background in data science and machine learning, she has worked with Web3 and crypto firms to create impactful marketing strategies, especially through targeted email campaigns. At IPMB, Nainika manages marketing initiatives that strengthen IPMB’s presence and support its growth in the digital landscape. Her experience across traditional and emerging sectors allows her to create impactful campaigns that align with IPMB’s vision and goals.

John Vakis

Chief Executive Officer & Founder

John is a company entrepreneur and has traded gold for multinational banks for 25 years. He’s worked in mines, mining processes, logistics, and bullion dealing. Sovereign Funds and Multinationals have noticed his value-creating ability. He supplies metal to global refineries and advises on precious metal recovery, solving supply chain problems on all continents.

Mihai Albu

Director & Co-Founder

Mihai has over 22 years of entrepreneurial experience. He started his career with close protection security and quickly progressed to advising governments/corporates on international security and cyber solutions. During his career, Mihai has developed a formidable network of HNW / UHNW individuals and governments and has assisted in developing relationships between multinational companies and governments within Europe, the UK and the Middle East. Mihai’s vast experience and network will ensure that IPMB is introduced at government level across Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

Scott Pagel

Co-Founder

Scott graduated from Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, in 1994 as valedictorian with a BA in Economics. In 1994, he joined Goldman Sachs Asset Management (GSAM) in New York in the institutional separate account marketing area, focusing on equity and global tactical asset allocation strategies. He transferred to the London office of GSAM in 1996 and became a member of the European equity team as a research analyst covering technology securities. Subsequently, he was involved in the start-up and management of two long/short European equity hedge funds which both managed assets of over $1 billion. He joined Adelphi Capital Limited at its inception in September 1997 as a research analyst/portfolio manager, assisting in the management of Adelphi funds. In September 2001, he left Adelphi Capital to establish Gradient Capital Partners LLP as co-founder/managing partner, running the business and Gradient funds for two decades and then converting to the management of internal capital as a family office.

George Agathangelou

Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder

George Agathangelou has served most of his career as an executive for Cyprus Investment Firms and is a holder of CySEC professional competence certificate. With over 16 years of experience in regulated financial markets and a decade of experience in Bitcoin, as an international public speaker, George has delivered presentations on DLT (Distributed Ledger Technology) and blockchain in numerous countries. George holds a MSc in Digital Currencies and Blockchain Technology (Cum Laude), an MBA and a BA in Economics. His experience across the board in Distributed Ledger Technologies, Virtual Asset Service Providers’ services, DeFi (Decentralized Finance), Asset Tokenization, Metaverse, Web3, NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens) will prove invaluable as the ecosystem grows across different platforms.

Marcus Grubb

Chief Product Officer

Marcus is a highly experienced professional with a remarkable 30 years’ worth of experience in the financial industry. He has held significant positions at prestigious financial institutions such as the World Platinum Investment Council (WPIC), the World Gold Council (WGC), UBS, Salomon Brothers, Rabobank, and Warburg. Throughout his career, he has served in various roles, including Director of WPIC, Managing Director of Investment at WGC, and Chief Executive of a derivatives exchange. Marcus has overseen market development, the ETF (Exchange Traded Fund) program, global marketing, and research, making him an asset in the C-suite and as a board member in the financial sector. Additionally, he is currently a non-executive Director and advisor for an asset management firm in London and Luxembourg, as well as London-based fintech companies. Marcus Grubb’s expertise spans investment strategy, capital markets, asset allocation, and precious metals. He is recognised as a leading commentator on macro investment trends and has made significant contributions to the development and marketing of investment products in the industry.

Dr Klitos Christodoulou

Chief Technology Officer

Dr. Klitos Christodoulou stands out as an accomplished academic with a robust technical background, expertly navigating the Web3 landscape through on-chain and off-chain blockchain Web services and decentralized applications. His applied research prominently spans the domains of blockchain, the metaverse, and cryptocurrencies, underpinned by his profound knowledge and experience as a senior blockchain architect. Notably proficient in programming with Solidity for smart contracts on the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), Dr. Christodoulou has significantly contributed to the field with a strong publication record in esteemed journals, covering a range of topics from blockchain applications, NFTs, and Metaverse innovations to blockchain architectures and analytics, as well as decentralized finance (DeFi). His expertise extends beyond technical, as he is also well experienced in project management, skilfully leading and guiding research initiatives, and technological projects in these cutting-edge areas. Klitos will be leading and advising our technical team, utilizing his extensive expertise to drive the technical direction of the project and broaden our engagement with the tech ecosystem.

Panayiotis Christodoulou (PhD)

VP of Engineering

Dr Panayiotis Christodoulou is an accomplished Blockchain Project Manager with a robust background in Solidity, the programming language used for writing smart contracts on various blockchain platforms. With over seven years of experience in the Web3 industry, Panayiotis has successfully led multiple high-stake projects from conception to deployment, showcasing his expertise in blockchain technology and project management. His strong technical skills are complemented by his ability to communicate complex concepts to non-technical stakeholders, ensuring project alignment with business objectives. Panayiotis’s leadership in the blockchain space is marked by his innovative approach to problem-solving and his commitment to staying at the forefront of technological advancements.

Spyros Themistocleous

Chief Financial Officer

With over two decades of experience in accounting, audit and consultancy, Spyros rose from accountant to Senior Manager in top audit firms. Specializing in international activities, he provides comprehensive services including corporate restructuring, liquidation, and business turnaround. Skilled in strategic planning, Spyros also served as a Financial Controller in a group of companies. Passionate about empowering businesses to excel in today’s market.

Duah Agyeman

Head of Africa & Ground Operations Director

Duah is an essential part of IPMB. With extensive experience and a network across Africa, Duah has been mining and procuring gold since he was 18 years old. Graduating from the Doyer Institute of Intelligence and Investigations, he has held positions in a number of mining companies and also with the National Security Ministry Special Office Directorate specialising in Fraud Investigations. Duah has vast expertise in different types of mining and has the respect of our workers and miners on the ground.

H.H Mohammed Bin Faisal Bin Saud Al Saud

Head of Strategy, MENA Region

Born in Saudi Arabia Mohammed has extensive business, investment and political experience around the globe. With positions ranging from Vice Consul to Los Angeles to President of Al-Hilal football club. Mohammed is also an experienced real estate investor with years of investment history and has been a digital asset and technology investor across the globe for the past decade. His experience across the MENA region, as well as across the USA, will assist IPMB to penetrate into numerous countries and place the token into the right networks with confidence.

Alexandros Alexandrou

Senior Legal Officer

A distinguished legal professional, Alexandros Alexandrou boasts a rich background in regulatory frameworks with certifications in AML and other key areas. With tenures as a Compliance Officer, MLRO, and legal advisor to several entities overseen by regulators such as FCA, FINTRAC, AUSTRAC and CySEC, his expertise is deeply rooted in the Fintech sphere. Over recent years, Alexandros has played a pivotal role as the chief legal advisor for numerous innovative NFT and blockchain projects. Currently, he serves as the legal counsel for both the, IPMB Token and GeM NFT Collection.

Marios Paploizou

Legal Officer

Marios is our key man on the ground providing solutions in corporate transactions and facilitating our operations across Europe and Africa. Mr. Marios Papaloizou was born in 1981 in Nicosia, obtained his law degree from the Law Faculty of the University of Athens in 2007, joined the Law Office in 2013 and is now head of CPM Law. He was an active member of the Athens Bar Association until 2010 and now is a Member of the Cyprus Bar Association and the Nicosia Bar Association

Christiana Aristidou

Legal Advisor

Christiana is the founder and director of “The Hybrid LawTech Firm,” empowered by Christiana Aristidou LLC which operates exclusively at the intersection of law, business, and technology. An industry technology law and digital transformation expert and a member of the Cyprus Bar Association (CBA) since 1997, Christiana notably served as the President of the Technology Committee of the CBA. She is the Head of the Delegation for Cyprus to the ISO TC/307 for DLTs and Blockchain, acting as a project leader of WG3 on Taxonomy and Classification of Smart Contracts and contributing to WG6 on Blockchain use cases, a member of ISO/TC68 for Financial Services, a member of ISO/TC 322 for Sustainable Finance and has served in ITU-FG-DLTs. Christiana is a Certified International Legal Project Practitioner (IILPM), a member of the PMI Cyprus Chapter, a Certified GDPR (HELP) expert, an approved HRD Trainer, and the Ambassador of the European Legal Technology Association (ELTA) in Cyprus. She was the co-founder and the Vice-Chair of the Cyprus Blockchain Association (CBA) which has recently merged with the Cyprus Blockchain Technologies (CBTs). She is currently a board member of CBTs and holds advisory and directorship positions in selected companies. Christiana is also a HRDA certified trainer and has trained regulators, public authorities, incumbents, private organizations of all sizes, investors and entrepreneurs in Cyprus, the EU, and internationally. She is a regular speaker at local and international Law and Technology conferences and a reviewer for regional and international journals.

Dominic D’Souza

Global Network & Execution

Dominic is a highly influential figure and has advisory roles with a number of family offices and as the Senior Trustee for a Middle Eastern Royal Family’s Technology & Security Systems. With over two decades of experience, he has served as a senior advisor to a Royal Family Fund network, overseeing their Precious Metals Holdings and digital currency endeavours. Dominic’s expertise spans the domains of technology and the environment, where he has made significant contributions. He has successfully established forest harvesting, carbon capture, and photovoltaic parks in Europe and Africa, providing sustainable energy solutions to both urban centres and remote locations. Dominic’s commitment to promoting environmentally friendly practices and renewable energy sources reflects his dedication to a more sustainable future and also provides an overview for continuous improvements in all our and partner ground operations. Partner organisations and their roles The International Precious Metals ecosystem is meticulously managed and structured to ensure security, confidence, and stability for all participants involved in the tokens. To uphold these standards, IPM Ltd has partnered with reputable independent third-party companies entrusted with managing and overseeing the operations of the IPM ecosystem. These strategic collaborations help establish a robust framework that instils trust and provides a reliable environment for participants within the ecosystem.

Jamie Turner

Business Development and Marketing Manager

Jamie is a highly skilled professional with over ten years of experience in team leadership, customer service, community management, social media management, and content creation. He has hosted numerous events and is an experienced public speaker. His skill set includes marketing, design, and content creation, with a particular interest and passion for blockchain and cryptocurrency. Graduating from Bristol University, he has been Head of Communications and Community Management at Neon EVM and at Naoris Protocol. Jamie will be key in developing and growing our community and developing and promoting further community events globally. Jamie will coordinate and manage the IPMB marketing function and ensure community access and functionality for the IPMB ecosystem.

Yiannis Kolosides

Senior Designer

A senior UI designer with a BA in Visual and Communication Design and 17 years of industry experience, he blends aesthetics with utility, bringing clarity and elegance to every interface. Since 2008, he’s been crafting memorable, user-centric designs that resonate with audiences and stand the test of time. His commitment to continuous learning ensures each project not only meets but exceeds expectations.

Nathan Sandberg

Product & Accounts Manager

Currently studying at the London Institute of Banking & Finance, Nathan joins the company on his industry placement with a path in place to join full-time on completion of his degree. He has held a key interest in traditional finance and the crypto space since a young age. Leveraging his writing skills, observance and problem-solving abilities Nathan helps the company’s operations across multiple realms.

Nainika Sharma

Marketing Specialist

Nainika Sharma brings a solid foundation in tech, marketing, and research to IPMB. With a background in data science and machine learning, she has worked with Web3 and crypto firms to create impactful marketing strategies, especially through targeted email campaigns. At IPMB, Nainika manages marketing initiatives that strengthen IPMB’s presence and support its growth in the digital landscape. Her experience across traditional and emerging sectors allows her to create impactful campaigns that align with IPMB’s vision and goals.

Grace Saah

Accounts

Grace is a qualified accountant and manages our book-keeping and accounting on the ground. Being Ghanain herself, she has had experience with large multinational companies as well as dealing with local small to medium-sized mining companies. Grace’s network provides more supply to our business creating a more robust company.

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