Cleopatra Kitti highlights three core competencies needed for the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2026 and why they matter.

“Drawing on its history, strategic location, and 21-year membership in the European Union, Cyprus has the credibility and capacity to serve as an honest broker on EU and global issues.”, she added.Cleopatra Kitti highlights three core competencies needed for the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2026 and why they matter.

Rising geopolitical tension, rapid technological change, and a remapping of global trade, have brought financial resilience to front and center as the defining challenge for businesses, governments, and households alike.

Rising geopolitical tension, rapid technological change, and a remapping of global trade, have brought financial resilience to front and center as the defining challenge for businesses, governments, and households alike.

Across my recent work, research and discussions with business leaders, academics, and policymakers, one conclusion stands out: we are no longer living in a “normal” economic environment, and traditional approaches to managing risk are no longer enough.

The power of no in guiding your finances to shape your life.

We’re taught to say yes. 

Yes to opportunities. Yes to experiences. Yes to treating ourselves, all with one thought in mind. That “life is short”. But here is the unglamorous truth that Eastern philosophy, Stoic thinking and Western behavioural psychology strangely agree on, the word “no” is the most powerful freedom tool we have. 

Not the “yes”, but the “no”. 

No is a boundary, a strategy and a financial self-defense. 

"You can’t beat the system by ignoring it. You beat it by understanding it."

The financial system wasn’t built for ordinary people. It was built around and about them to extract value from their work, savings, and spending. 

The rules of money have long favored the markets, the banks, and the financial services providers. They win whether prices rise or fall. They earn fees, interest, and margins while most people struggle to keep up.

But here’s the truth they don’t tell you: you can’t beat the system by ignoring it. You beat it by understanding it.

You can be asset-rich but cash-poor, and it’s cash flow, not assets, that decides whether you can actually sleep at night.

Athena was mid-career change when she had to navigate a bigger mind shift: She was asset rich, but cash poor. To be in control of her life, make decisions to redirect her wellbeing, she needed to be cash rich. “It took me a year to get my cash flow in a place where I felt confident about my finances.  It was a must-do exercise to have flexibility and choice to get my house in order. It was not an easy task; it involved paying off expensive debt, sustaining a household, and getting kids through college whilst changing jobs.

Amid conflict and fragmentation, Cyprus takes the EU helm to steer crucial financial talks and prove that neutrality can be strength.

As Cyprus assumes its second Presidency of the European Union, it steps into a role defined by crisis and change. The contrast with its first Presidency (2012) could not be sharper. Then, multilateralism prevailed; collaboration was possible, and conflict manageable. Today, multilateralism is under siege, conflicts dominate, and Europe faces existential challenges: its Union and Security, its Internal and Capital Markets, its Competitiveness, its Freedom and Values…

Matters of Life and Debt: In your 20's, 30's, and 40's, planning for your pension is a compounding effort that yields the best results when started as early as possible. Clarity on pension systems is a part of financial literacy that is obscured by the need for short-term gains, compromising long-term vision.

In her 20’s Caroline dreamt of an international career. She loved traveling, exploring new cultures, learning something new, and pushing boundaries of potential. While Caroline is a real person, I’m using that name as an alias to respect her wish for anonymity.   

Determined to live the life of a global nomad, she got her breakthrough with a consulting job in London at the age of 30. The sky was the limit; she ran an international career alongside building a family life, moved across regions, building projects and business in Europe, Middle East and Africa…

Anna’s story of divorce and debt shows how understanding how borrowing and interest work can empower women to make informed choices and safeguard their independence.

Anna’s divorce left her not only healing the wounds of lost love but also dealing with significant debt.  

So much was her emotional pain that she walked straight into the legal proceedings of getting a divorce as quickly as possible without negotiating assets and liabilities of the joint wealth…

From mobile banking to crypto, financial systems are evolving beyond traditional banks and cash. At Queens of Money, we emphasize the importance of understanding how money works -whether you're budgeting or exploring investments. One key topic gaining traction is crypto governance - how decisions are made in decentralized systems like DAOs (Decentralized Autonomous Organizations). Unlike traditional models where power lies with governments or CEOs, crypto governance aims to distribute decision-making among token holders using blockchain technology. While it promotes transparency and participation, challenges like technical barriers and unequal influence remain. Understanding who holds power, how decisions are made, and the risks involved is essential - even if you’re not investing - so you can confidently navigate today’s financial landscape.

On the occasion of WikiEXPO Cyprus, Cleopatra Kitti speaks about the evolving landscape of financial compliance and the role of platforms like WikiFX in strengthening transparency in the global forex industry.

Cleopatra Kitti in conversation with Director & Producer, Tim Slade, at the screening of ‘The Veto’, a film about the permanent member veto in the UN Security Council - a crucial issue facing global peace and security.

Η Κλεοπάτρα Κιττή, Διαπιστευμένη Ανεξάρτητη Διοικητική Σύμβουλος και πάροχος συμβουλευτικών υπηρεσιών στρατηγικής, ρίσκου, διακυβέρνησης σε διεθνείς εταιρείες, οργανισμούς και κυβερνήσεις στον τομέα της ενέργειας, των υποδομών και χρηματοοικονομικών υπηρεσιών, απαντά στις ερωτήσεις μας για όσα αλλάζουν σήμερα στην Κύπρο, την Ευρώπη, τον κόσμο.

Dr. Marios P. Efthymiopoulos welcomes Mrs Cleopatra Kitti, the Founder of the Mediterranean Growth Initiative.

The Mediterranean Forum | Cleopatra Kitti in conversation with George A. Papandreau, Former Prime Minister of Greece, President of Circle the Med.

Σύμφωνα με την Κλεοπάτρα Κιττή, το έργο «Great Sea Interconnector» είναι σημαντικό για την Κύπρο, γιατί θα μπορέσει να καταστεί ισότιμο κράτος μέλος της ΕΕ – είναι η μόνη ευρωπαϊκή χώρα που παραμένει απομονωμένη από την εσωτερική αγορά υποδομών και ηλεκτρισμού. Μιλώντας στον Πολίτη 107.6 & 97.6, η κα Κιττή -η οποία είναι σύμβουλος διεθνών επιχειρήσεων και κυβερνήσεων, και ιδρύτρια της Πρωτοβουλίας Ανάπτυξης της Μεσογείου- ανέφερε μεταξύ άλλων ότι η Ελλάδα είναι το πιο κοντινό μας κράτος μέλος, και σύμμαχος. «Η επιχειρηματική μας κουλτούρα και εμπιστοσύνη πρέπει να βελτιωθεί.

In recent years, there has been a significant uptick in the focus on Environmental protection, Social responsibility, and corporate Governance (ESG), both internationally and within the Cypriot context.

Cleopatra Kitti, Independent Director, Board member and Advisor, offers her insights on the current ESG landscape in Cyprus and the global arena.