CREW PROFILE
Captain: Giannis Kozakis
Nationality: Greek
Captain Giannis holds a Captain’s First Class Diploma and has more than 28 years of experience in high-specification luxury motor yachts, including luxury yachts over 45m+. He holds Certificates in SSO, GMDSS, ARPA, Radar, Fire Fighting and First Aid. With excellent knowledge of the East and West Med, the Aegean and Ionian waters, Captain Giannis can be relied on to recommend the right place for the right occasion, from cosmopolitan full-service beach clubs in popular islands to deserted sandy beaches off the beaten track. His hobbies include scuba diving, fishing and construing thermal airplane models. Captain Giannis speaks excellent English and has two children.
Chief Officer: Giannis Konstantinidis
Nationality: Greek
Giannis has more than 20 years of experience as a First Engineer across the maritime sector, from high-tech motor yachts to large commercial ships. He holds certificates in SSO, Life-Saving, First Aid, and Fire Fighting. He has steadily built strong experience and a firm background. Giannis is an asset to the team and brings along with him positive traits such as excellent communication and organizational skills, flexibility, adaptability, and team spirit. His friendly nature and high sense of responsibility and safety awareness ensure a safe cruise for all on board, whilst the guests can enjoy a relaxing time.
Chief Engineer: Vangelis Smpiliris
Nationality: Greek
Vangelis was born in Greece and graduated from Greek Merchant Marine Academy as Chief Engineer. He has worked on board merchant vessels for many years, gaining experience and knowledge before joining the yachting industry. Vangelis is in charge of the overall management of the Engineering department and maintenance of all safety and critical equipment. He is an enthusiastic and positive team member, with a great eye for detail. During his spare time, he loves sports including basketball and football! Vangelis speaks English and Greek.
Chef: Stelios Thiakos
Nationality: Greek
Chef Stelios brings over 20 years of professional culinary experience across luxury yachts, fine-dining restaurants, and high-end hotels. Classically trained with a strong foundation in Greek and international cuisine, he focuses on fresh, locally sourced ingredients, refined presentation, and carefully curated wine pairings to deliver world-class dining. Highly guest-oriented, he is happy to accommodate special dietary requirements, nutritional needs, and last-minute requests, and has a particular passion for seafood—often preparing dishes using fish freshly caught by the yacht’s resident fisherman, Captain Giannis. A skilled mixologist and knowledgeable wine connoisseur, Chef Stelios consistently enhances the onboard experience with creativity, precision, and warm hospitality.
Officer & Chief Stewardess: Zoe Patsoureniou
Nationality: Greek
Zoe has over 20 years of experience in providing impeccable service onboard luxury motor yachts and is an excellent team member with great communication skills. With extraordinary attention to detail, Zoe is able to anticipate the needs of her guests in advance and is exceptional with children. She also holds a Skipper license Class A, very experienced at sea and works calmly under pressure. Zoe has worked with Captain Giannis onboard previous yachts, and is extremely professional and an asset to the team!
Stewardess: Lina Stoikou
Nationality: Greek
Introducing Lina, the stewardess aboard M/Y Element. Armed with a degree in Pre-School Education from the University of Thessaloniki, Lina initially pursued a career as a teacher before transitioning into roles as a Real Estate Agent and wine consultant, where she honed her exceptional customer service skills. It was within the luxury tourism sector where Lina discovered her true calling, drawn to its meticulous attention to detail. With a commitment to excellence, Lina ensures every guest receives first-class service, making your experience aboard our yacht unforgettable.
Lina's diverse interests range from music, travel, and literature to cinema, wine tasting, and event planning. She also has a keen passion for video and photography, enriching her experiences with creativity and visual storytelling.
Stewardess: Georgia Lazaridou
Nationality: Greek
Meet Georgia with a background in dance from the Royal Academy and fluency in English & Greek Georgia brings a wealth of skills to the table. Her extensive experience in hospitality, ranging from barista to manager and sales assistant, showcases her versatility and dedication to customer satisfaction. Georgia excels in multitasking, leadership, inventory control, teamwork, and problem-solving, making her an invaluable asset to our team. Expect nothing short of 5-star service with Georgia ensuring your every need is met seamlessly.
Bosun: Giannis Davelis
Nationality: Greek
Bosun Giannis embarked on his maritime journey in 2009, spending time mastering general ship repairs before venturing into the luxury yachting sector in 2011. Possessing a speedboat license and a scuba diving certification extending to 50 meters, Giannis is fluent in both Greek and English, facilitating flawless communication aboard the superyacht Element. With a wealth of experience, impeccable attention to detail, strong teamwork ethos, he consistently delivers excellence in all endeavors aboard the vessel. Giannis also joined the Greek navy special forces for 10 years.
Deckhand: Sotiris Damianos
Nationality: Greek
Sotiris’s strengths include being hardworking, flexible, communicative, reliable, and always eager to learn new skills. He enjoys working as part of a team and is known for his easy-going and good-natured demeanor. His experience includes familiarity with tender runs and assisting guests with water toys, ensuring total safety at all times.
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