Focusbari

Cyberattacks and modern threats reinforce the importance of defense. Greeks call for a holistic approach to their security.

Posted on March 5, 2026 by focusbari_user

– New nationwide survey by Focus Bari –

The new nationwide survey by Focus Bari reflects citizens’ perceptions and demands regarding defense and security in the country: The main findings show that Greeks recognize the need for defense investments, but set clear conditions for their implementation.
More specifically:
– Necessary, but not unconditional: 46% of Greeks consider defense investments necessary, but only one in three (36%) supports further increases in spending.

– Information increases acceptance: 57% of citizens who are informed about defense issues believe that the multi-year equipment program benefits the country
(compared to 37% overall).

– Strong support for the Greek defense industry: Almost four in five (79%) informed citizens consider its participation in equipment programs to be important
(compared to 65% overall).

– Demand for domestic benefit and transparency: 64% of citizens want defense funds to be directed mainly to Greek companies, while two in three (68%) believe that there is a lack of transparency in their management.

See the whole survey presentation here

Women in Digital Conference

Posted on March 5, 2026March 10, 2026 by focusbari_user

Valeria Tsami, Keynote Speaker

With an impressive turnout, the annual Women in Digital Conference, organized by Smart Press, took place once again this year, focusing on female leadership in the era of Artificial Intelligence. Valeria Tsami, Vice President of Focus Bari, presented findings from the international study Global Public Confidence Study 2025 conducted by the IriS Network, along with data for Greece from YouGov’s YouGov Profiles, exploring the evolving relationship between society, employees, and leadership. Her presentation highlighted that the conversation about women in the era of AI is no longer about their participation in technology, but rather about the role of female leadership in shaping how technology is integrated into work and society.

As Valeria Tsami emphasized in her keynote, the findings show that the difference between men and women does not lie in technological capability, but in the way technology is approached and embedded within organizations and society. In closing, she underlined that in a time of rapid technological change, female leadership can play a decisive role in managing this transition, bringing greater emphasis on collaboration, awareness of social impact, and the human dimension of technological advancement.

See Valeria Tsami’s full presentation here.

CX Summit, OTE Academy

Posted on February 26, 2026March 5, 2026 by focusbari_user

Xenia Kourtoglou Presents the Focus Bari CX Stories

The CX Summit, organized annually by Boussias and EIEP, was successfully completed on Thursday, February 26, 2026, at the OTEAcademy Amphitheatre, confirming its role as the leading gathering for CX leaders and senior executives. In an environment where data and AI are redefining everything, the conference highlighted best practices for transitioning from simple metrics to early experience signals and real business impact. With a strong emphasis on organizational culture and the practical application of innovative tools, the CX Summit provided essential knowledge for those who view customer experience as an investment of long-term value.

In the opening session, Xenia Kourtoglou delivered a keynote presentation on the Focus Bari Customer Experience Stories — a nationwide study conducted systematically twice a year since 2017. The research captures both the outstanding and the painful experiences Greek consumers live through within a six-month period with any organization, of any size and sector, narrated in their own words. In her speech, Xenia Kourtoglou referred to the power of “social discussion,” highlighting the significant role that ratings, reviews, and consumer comments play today in influencing purchasing choices and decisions. Through real-life experience stories, she demonstrated how authentic customer experiences serve as valuable guidance for companies on how to build and continuously improve the customer experience they offer.

APPLIA HELLAS ANNUAL CONFERENCE

Posted on February 16, 2026March 5, 2026 by focusbari_user

Xenia Kourtoglou Keynote on Sustainability: Change or Transformation?
With the participation of more than 300 delegates — senior executives from the sector of electrical appliances and air-conditioning importers — this year’s APPLIA conference focused on the broad concept of Sustainability for businesses, particularly in light of the ESG regulatory framework that increasingly concerns all companies.
Under the motto “Change or Transformation?”, the conference explored whether sustainability is truly understood within the business world today, and what needs to be done to ensure sustainable companies in the future — companies that respect people, society, and the environment.

Focus Bari, research sponsor of APPLIA for the third consecutive year, conducted a nationwide quantitative survey among the general public to capture attitudes, opinions, expectations, needs, and sentiments on the subject, as well as an in-depth qualitative study reflecting the current image, perceptions and status of businesses within the sector.
In her keynote speech, Xenia Kourtoglou emphasized that consumers need information — and above all, trust — in order to embrace corporate efforts. She described the “transition process” as a clear need for transformation, so that change becomes permanent, through a shift in culture that begins with leadership and the CEO, and cascades through new strategies, processes, and behaviors across the entire organization.

The Paradox of Failure: What we fear most can help us grow!

Posted on February 9, 2026February 11, 2026 by focusbari_user

New B2B survey of senior executives by Focus Bari on behalf of E.A.S.E.

Focus Bari conducted a B2B survey on behalf of EASE, targeting senior
business executives and entrepreneurs on the topic of “The Paradox of Failure,”
exploring the management of failure through the eyes of leadership.
The results were presented at the event:
Leadership Summit | The Failure Paradox: Redefining Success through Setbacks
on October 15, 2025, at the Goulandris Museum. The survey revealed that failure is not
only an event, but also a reflection of corporate culture. More
specifically:

Failure: discussion or silence? Half of the organizations (49%) say that
failures are often discussed openly at the leadership level, while 24% say that
such dialogue rarely or never takes place.
Fear of failure does not affect everyone in the same way: 19% of leaders say
it has a deterrent effect and “freezes” their actions, while 36% say it is minor or
non-existent, serving more as a preparatory element than an obstacle.
Fear of failure becomes a stumbling block to progress, leading to
micromanagement and blame culture (55%), procrastination on critical decisions (52%)
and a restriction on innovation (48%).
Recovery from failure is built through collective learning, with
the most important factors being calm assessment without assigning blame (70%),
frank communication with the team and stakeholders (59%), and support from
leadership (52%).

See the whole survey presentation here

49th COSMOESTETICA Annual Aesthetics & Cosmetology Conference

Posted on February 8, 2026March 5, 2026 by focusbari_user

Xenia Kourtoglou Presents the Anxieties of Technology and the Fears of AI — and How to Overcome Them
On February 7 and 8, 2026, the 49th Cosmoestetica Conference and Exhibition of Aesthetics and Cosmetology Businesses was organized at the Peristeri Exhibition Center by PSAMKA, attracting a large number of professionals from across Greece. In the opening session of the conference, Xenia Kourtoglou of Focus Bari presented research findings capturing the relationship of the Greek public with technology and artificial intelligence tools. At the same time, as an expert in Mental Resilience, she analyzed the five anxieties of technology and the five fears surrounding artificial intelligence — which can represent both an opportunity and a threat.

Closing her speech, Xenia Kourtoglou shared practical ways in which the audience can overcome technology-related anxieties and transform fears about artificial intelligence into productive processes for expanding knowledge and skills for every interested professional.

BEA WOMEN OPEN COFFEE

Posted on January 28, 2026March 5, 2026 by focusbari_user

Xenia Kourtoglou of Focus Bari Keynote Speaker at the Athens Chamber of Tradesmen Event on Women’s Entrepreneurship

With the participation of institutional representatives and prominent figures from the women’s business community, the special event of the Athens Chamber of Tradesmen on women’s entrepreneurship was held with tremendous success and impressive attendance. The event focused on the evolution of women in the business arena, despite the difficulties and social pressures they face. Xenia Kourtoglou opened her presentation with a historical overview of the journey of women in recent years, highlighting progress in education and access to technology. She also analyzed, from a biological perspective, male and female skill sets, as well as the leadership profile of each gender.

In her speech, Xenia Kourtoglou shared important examples from her own experience, along with the “meta-knowledge” gained from her 35-year study of Greek society. She concluded her presentation with useful and valuable success tips for all women who dare to pursue their entrepreneurial dream.

Men – Women: Two different worlds?

Posted on January 22, 2026February 4, 2026 by focusbari_user

New Pan-Hellenic Social Survey by Focus Bari

Focus Bari conducted a nationwide social survey on behalf of Game of Money entitled “From fasina to fintech: Where Greek women stand today,” exploring the position of women in vital areas of modern life.

The results were presented at the Game of Money Festival 2025 on November 16 at the Athens Conservatory, demonstrating that, despite progress over time, gender equality continues to be experienced differently by men and women, with women questioning its implementation in practice more strongly. More specifically:

• Equality with cracks: Only 36% of the population says that women and men now have equal opportunities, with the percentage varying dramatically between men (51%) and women (23%). At the same time, 81% of women believe that men support equality mainly in theory, compared to 43% of men.

• Two-speed careers: 4 in 10 Greeks (41%) believe that there are equal opportunities for professional advancement, with the difference doubling between the two genders (46% men – 22% women). Similarly, 2 in 3 women (66%) say that the pay gap remains an obstacle, compared to 34% of men.

• Silent undermining in the workplace: 66% of women say that micromanagement practices (e.g., interrupting) mainly target women, compared to 30% of men, highlighting two different experiences in the workplace.

• Pressure from within: The only area of convergence between men and women concerns competition among women, revealing a less visible but significant dimension of internal misogyny.

See the whole survey presentation here

CELEBRATION FOR THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF “THE SMILE OF THE CHILD”

Posted on January 19, 2026March 5, 2026 by focusbari_user

Xenia Kourtoglou for The Smile of the Child

The 30th anniversary of The Smile of the Child was celebrated with great success at a special event for sponsors at Eleon Loft on January 19, 2026. The event was attended by all the representatives of the sponsors who support The Smile of the Child, including Focus Bari, which since 2017 has been conducting systematic research on The Smile of the Child and all related issues of concern to Greek society. Xenia Kourtoglou of Focus Bari gave a moving speech presenting the most important findings of the surveys, which show that The Smile is considered the most reliable organization for children and vulnerable groups in society, a leading trustworthy organization recognized by all Greeks as a “model” that stands “above everyone and everything”!

In her speech, Xenia Kourtoglou emphasized the excellent image that The Smile reflects to the Greek public, but also to the organizations that support it, and quoted the heartfelt messages of good wishes to little Andreas and Kostas Giannopoulos, with the universal wish that The Smile continue to support every child in need for many years to come.

The joint account as an indicator of maturity in couples. How money defines cohabitation in Greece.

Posted on December 29, 2025January 14, 2026 by focusbari_user

New nationwide survey by Focus Bari on behalf of Game of Money

Focus Bari conducted a nationwide social survey on behalf of Game of Money entitled “Cohabitation or contract? When finances enter the relationship,” exploring how couples perceive financial cohabitation.

The results were presented at the Game of Money Festival 2025 on November 16 at the Athens Conservatory, highlighting how money acts as a determining factor of balance, trust, and dynamics in modern relationships.
More specifically:

• Almost universal acceptance of transparency: 9 out of 10 Greeks (90%) believe that finances should be discussed openly and honestly within a relationship, confirming that transparency is the foundation of trust.

• Autonomy with limits, not secrets: 4 out of 5 citizens (80%) consider financial privacy to be legitimate, and only 28% accept the systematic concealment of financial information.

• Financial independence as a modern value: 3 in 5 Greeks (60%) believe that both partners should maintain financial independence. This percentage rises to 73% among Millennials, with women also being particularly positive about financial independence (69%) compared to men (51%).

• Equality remains a challenge: although joint management is considered ideal by the majority, almost 1 in 2 Greeks (48%) recognize that financial inequality can create imbalances in the dynamics of a relationship.

• See the whole survey presentation here