Is this a move of support or protection of the investment? Publicly, the election of Mr. Dimitris Afentoulis as president of Neuropublic signals "the strengthening of strategic cooperation and the practical confirmation of the confidence of the LATSCO Family Office in the strategy and prospects of NEUROPUBLIC." Moving along the same lines were the statements of the company's leading figure, Marianna Latsi, who mentioned that "our participation in the company represents a long-term investment choice, and assuming the chairmanship of the board of directors is intended to signal precisely this strategic direction."
Dithyrambs
In theory, everything is wonderful, and alongside the public positions, there were also rumors of an increase in the stake of LATSCO Family Office in the company, which have not been confirmed. As BankingNews is in a position to know, during the general meeting, the LATSCO Family Office continued to hold 20% of the company, just as before, while control of the firm remains with two members of the Gargalakos family, specifically Ms. Roza Gargalakou and Mr. Ioannis Mavroudis with stakes of 57.95% and 10.84% respectively, meaning they cumulatively hold about 68%, securing full control of the company.
Without executive powers
Beyond this, Mr. Afentoulis was elected as a non-executive president, meaning a chairman without executive powers over the administrative affairs of the company. Essentially, he is a board member with a single vote, and in fact, the second representative from the side of Ms. Latsi's family office, as the board of directors also includes Mr. Theodoros Papaloukas, the veteran international basketball player whose collaboration with Ms. Latsi dates back to 2013.
The removal of Antoniadis
What has changed compared to the past, however? Mr. Christodoulos Antoniadis was removed from the board of directors. Before joining the Neuropublic group, he was an executive at the Piraeus Bank group, whose stake has been reduced to below 5%, as the largest part of what it previously held was acquired by Latsi's fund.
The turn of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office and the questions
The question that naturally arises is why Ms. Latsi's company is stepping forward, at least in terms of communication, at a time when serious issues have been raised regarding Neuropublic's role in the OPEKEPE scandal. Some say it is a one-way street since divesting from the company is no easy task, while in mid-2025, reports indicated she wanted a more active role in the company to gain a clearer picture of developments. Other sources claim that this investment might have been made as a matter of friendly favors. However, it remains to be seen how the Latsi side will handle potential complications involving the company and the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, which well-informed sources indicate are highly likely, potentially within a three-month horizon. Will she take on the role of savior for Neuropublic and her investment by assuming a more active role and a larger shareholding?
Nikos Karoutzos
nkaroutzos@gmail.com
www.bankingnews.gr
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