Andria Andreou, Managing Director of Bolder Group Cyprus; board member of the Cyprus-India Business Association; member of STEP Disciplinary Committee; member of Trusts Committee of the Cyprus Bar Association and President of the Cyprus Cannabis Association, has spent over three decades forging a leadership style rooted in integrity, resilience and purpose. A dual qualified lawyer (Cyprus and UK), she has held leadership roles most of her life and has advised as well as acted on complex international corporate and trust structures, challenged systemic inertia, and championed causes far beyond business – including pioneering efforts in Cyprus’s legal cannabis sector.

You have worked across law, strategy, and regulation – all fields that demand clarity and control. But deep down, what has kept you in this space for so long? What part of the work speaks to you beyond the professional reward?

The strong desire to be constantly challenged intellectually is a driving force. The areas you mention call for research, analysis, linguistic competence and continuing self development as basic prerequisites of staying at the top and ahead of developments.
As a born and raised Londoner relocating to Cyprus several years ago it was vitally important for me to retain a high level of professionalism, remain proactive, solution driven and able to identify as well as manage risk both as a business owner and on behalf of our valued clients. I had made a conscious decision to build something based on values, transparency and long-term good quality relationships with my colleagues, associates and the ultimate beneficial owners we service.

You work across jurisdictions and cultures where trust must be earned again and again. How do you personally approach that challenge – and what has helped you stay grounded in relationships that are often transactional by nature?

I have never been someone who simply follows instructions blindly without careful forethought and a clear understanding of the subject matter. Every assignment is approached with risk management firmly in mind. Shareholders of significant corporate boards that I have for many years been privileged to sit on appreciate this added value, especially because I am also accessible to them 24/7. They act as my referees for any new prospects. I have found that it is this level of accountability that builds trust, makes it personal – and the relationships long-lasting.

You are considered as a leading businesswoman in Cyprus. But recognition aside – when do you feel most like a leader? In what moments do you quietly know you're making a difference?

I see it in the day-to-day moments with my strong team of professionals at Bolder Cyprus most of whom have been growing with me for many years. The aim is always to lead by example, actively participating, guiding, and nurturing – not just directing from above but preferring instead to trust and empower those around me to the greatest extent possible. Emphasis on knowledge management and sharing, excellent client relationship management skills, together with emphasis on continuing education and self growth is what allows us all to continue expanding and thriving as a business and individually. Add the AI (r)evolution to the mix and the world is our oyster! Whether or not I am making a difference is a question for others to ponder!

When you chose to advocate for the legal cannabis sector in Cyprus, you must have known it would come with resistance. What gave you the confidence to take that on – and what did this experience change in you personally?

I have never suffered from a lack of confidence or strength of mind and character all of which are surely required to advocate and promote this often-controversial sector. It was not at all about personal financial gain but everything to do with raising awareness for patients in need, as well as the myriads of potential business opportunities available in the medical cannabis, hemp, and CBD space that many local and international investors are exploring.

Looking back, was there a decision – maybe one that didn’t seem pivotal at the time – that ended up reshaping who you are today? What did it demand from you on a personal level?

Absolutely. I had just given birth to my daughter at the age of 42 when I was headhunted for a position as CEO / founding partner of an international law firm to start-up their corporate and trust services arm in Cyprus – a clean slate, a huge opportunity. I was in a secure job at the time with a top tier law firm, had a newborn, everything was ‘comfortable’. But I said yes. That one decision changed the course of my life. Years later, when the international law firm attempted to sell our client base without prior consultation, I started over – just me, a laptop and a mobile and still 99% of the client base followed me which was a huge vote of confidence. From that, I built the business I had always envisioned, which was recently acquired by Bolder Group.

Choosing to embrace uncertainty, to ‘feel the fear and do it anyway’, to take control of my own destiny instead of settling into comfort zone – loud messages that my late father passed on – combined with the privilege of motherhood, that is what shaped who I am and continues to do so.

Interview by Kateryna Bila

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