Open to opportunities

Maria Kritsiligkou

@mariakritsiligkou

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Senior marketing, communications, and programme leader building brands through partnerships.

Zimbabwe

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What I'm looking for

I’m looking to lead senior marketing, communications and international programmes—combining brand strategy, partnerships and digital transformation in complex, multicultural environments, with room to build teams, shape positioning, and deliver measurable impact.

I’m a senior marketing, communications and programme leader with 20 years of international experience across private companies, European institutions, local government, agencies, start-ups and purpose-driven organisations. I lead complex projects that connect strategy, brand, content, partnerships, digital transformation and stakeholder engagement.

I’ve built and managed communications functions and editorial teams, and I coordinate multidisciplinary project delivery across agencies, designers, developers and European partners. My work blends executive communications, media relations and stakeholder engagement to ensure clear positioning and high-impact visibility.

Highlights include directing digital strategy and redevelopment of major organisational and destination platforms, including the official destination platform of the City of Athens. I also managed communications and stakeholder engagement for flagship European Commission initiatives such as COP27, EU Sustainable Energy Week and the New European Bauhaus Festival.

I’ve delivered integrated campaigns and programmes with budgets exceeding €1 million and developed international partnerships across government, tourism, business, civil society and European institutions. I’m especially proud of building a global travel community of 3,000+ local hosts across 500+ cities, improving engagement by 40%.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

Head of Communications & Marketing

Impact Hub Athens

Jan 2025 - Jan 2026 (1 year)

Built and led Impact Hub Athens’ communications and marketing function, developing integrated strategies for programmes, services, partnerships, and growth. Directed website redevelopment and led brand positioning, executive communications, media relations, and stakeholder engagement.

Marketing Strategy Strategic Communications Positioning Executive Communication Media Relations Stakeholder Engagement Information Architecture Content Strategy Content Planning Migration Cross functional Leadership Client Partner Management

Content Strategy Lead / Strategist

Mayor of Athens

Jan 2024 - Jan 2025 (1 year)

Developed editorial and digital communication strategy for the Mayor’s Office, translating public policy into clear narratives across digital channels. Coordinated content creators and managed planning, approval workflows, and messaging improvements using performance insights.

Editorial Strategy Digital Media Strategy Content Strategy Narrative Development Performance Insights Content Planning Approval Workflows

Account Director

Gravity The Newtons

Jan 2022 - Jan 2024 (2 years)

Led strategic communications and brand projects for major corporate and institutional clients, serving as senior client lead. Directed communications initiatives for The Ellinikon by Lamda Development and managed multidisciplinary teams, timelines, budgets, and delivery quality.

Strategic Communications Brand Strategy Client Management Budget Management Project Delivery Stakeholder Engagement

Senior Events Project Manager

VO Europe

Jan 2021 - Jan 2022 (1 year)

Managed international communications programmes and events under European Commission framework contracts, leading delivery for COP27, EU Sustainable Energy Week, the New European Bauhaus Festival, and Mission Soil. Coordinated institutional clients and international stakeholders, and managed schedules, budgets, approvals, risks, and deliverables.

Event Management Strategic Communications Program Management Stakeholder Management Budget Management Scheduling Risk Management

Head of Digital Comms & Destination

This is Athens

Jan 2014 - Jan 2019 (5 years)

Led digital communications and destination marketing for the City of Athens’ official visitor platform, directing website redesign, content strategy, and editorial architecture. Built and managed a multidisciplinary digital content team and developed campaigns positioning Athens as an international tourism and cultural destination, including partnership campaigns with budgets exceeding €1 million.

Digital Communication Destination Marketing Website Redesign Content Strategy Editors Architecture Campaign Management Partnerships Budget Management Community Building

Digital Marketing & Community Manager

Dopios.com

Jan 2013 - Jan 2014 (1 year)

Built and managed a global community of more than 3,000 local hosts across 500+ cities. Ran community-led campaigns to generate content impressions and increase user engagement.

Community Management Digital Marketing Community Led Campaigns Audience Engagement Content and Impression Generation

Marketing & Communications Manager

E-shop.com

Jan 2010 - Jan 2013 (3 years)

Handled branding, media relations, product marketing, campaigns, and budget coordination for a major e-commerce business. Managed marketing and communications activities to support business growth through campaigns and messaging.

Branding Media Relations Product Marketing Campaign Management Marketing Strategy Media And Communications

Marketing & Communications Junior Manager

Generali Assicurazioni Group

Jan 2008 - Jan 2010 (2 years)

Supported corporate communications and internal communications, creating PR content and training materials. Contributed to communications and marketing activities within a corporate environment.

Corporate Communications Internal Communications PR Training Materials Marketing Communications

Marketing Assistant

Greek Yellow Pages

Jan 2004 - Jan 2006 (2 years)

Worked on marketing campaigns and supported market research and product development. Coordinated across functions to assist marketing and communications activities.

Marketing Campaigns Market Research Product Development Cross functional Coordination