Sissi Lignou
President, IAPCO/President & CEO, AFEA Congress
- Company:
- IAPCO - AFEA Congress
- Country:
- Greece
- Biography:
- Sissi has more than 20 years of experience in the Meetings Industry. Her career in the events industry started initially in the Public Relations & Events Department of the ATHENS 2004 Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games, in the period 2001-2004, where Sissi was part of the events team of the Organizing Committee, a highlight period for her career and a great honor to serve the Olympic Spirit from this position.
Originally from Athens, Greece, Sissi currently serves as the CEO and President of the Board at the family-owned business AFEA Congress, which she joined in 2024. AFEA Congress is a well-established professional congress organizer (PCO) and events planner, certified member of IAPCO, ICCA and other prestigious associations, founded in 1977.
Since joining the company, Sissi has played a key role in organizing over 1,000 meetings worldwide. Under her, her father’s, Andreas Lignos, and her sister’s, Dimitra Lignou, leadership and through a dynamic transformation, the company was renamed and rebranded as AFEA Congress, which is now experiencing strong growth and supporting organizations and associations in delivering events on a global scale.
Driven by a deep passion for the meetings industry, Sissi chose to support it voluntarily early in her career. Since 2007, she has served on the Council of Greece’s National Association of PCOs (HAPCO & DES), initially as Secretary General and later as the elected President for the 2022–2025 term. Throughout her involvement, she has remained committed to promoting the value and impact of the meetings industry in Greece. In May 2025, following the conclusion of her presidential term, she was re-elected to the Board and now continues to serve as a Board Member.
Since AFEA became a member of IAPCO in 2009, Sissi has been actively involved in representing the organization through various roles and committees, including serving as a Faculty Member and a part of IAPCO’s Training Academy.
In 2021, she was elected to the IAPCO Council for a two-year term and re-elected in February 2023, with a primary focus on Advocacy—one of IAPCO’s key strategic pillars. In February 2024, she was nominated and elected as IAPCO President-Elect. At the IAPCO Annual Meeting & General Assembly held in Taiwan in February 2025, Sissi officially assumed the role of IAPCO President for a two-year term (2025-2027).
Sissi is the driving force behind the new IAPCO Advocacy Committee’s strategy which will drive increased engagement with associations, PCOs and influencers moving forward.
She is a speaker and a mentor for various national and international Organizations of the global Meetings Industry.
She has been married to Jiannis since 2008 and together they have a beautiful 14-year-old daughter, Alexandra.
*HAPCO&DES – Hellenic Association of Professional Congress Organizers & Destination Event Specialists
*IAPCO – International Association of Professional Congress Organizers
Speaker on
Doing Business in Greece - A Golden Opportunity
European Conference track – Open to all
06/05/2025
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11:30 - 11:50
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TIF-HELEXPO at Ioannis Vellidis center - Hall 3 Main Stage