Vassilis Papazisis, Founder, President, and CEO of THALIS-ES left us prematurely in August 2022.
Vassilis was a self-made man of action. Armed with his studies, his determination, and his intuition, he built healthy business activities in the environmental sector over the past thirty years. He inspired and mobilized plenty of people. Today, its businesses cover the daily needs of solid and liquid waste management and water supply for hundreds of thousands of people in Greece.
Vassilis was an inspiring, charismatic, and pioneering businessman. He operated with foresight and a plan. A restless spirit, he generated innovative ideas and took advantage of opportunities responsibly. He wanted to have a full understanding of the grand challenges, wider impacts, and prospects before focusing on specific interventions. He always sought, through his own activity, to contribute to the general progress of local societies and the strengthening of the Greek economy. Of all the business initiatives he undertook over time, THALIS-ES was his favorite creation. The company's clear focus on promoting the circular economy and addressing the challenges of climate change bears its own stamp.
Vassilis was firstly a deeply social person and an active citizen: He believed that real economic progress has a strong environmental and social sign. He knew that no reform is solidified only by legislative regulations and the introduction of technologies. It requires active stakeholders, inspired local leadership, pioneering entrepreneurs, skilled workers, and conscious citizens. With structured interventions, he participated in the public debate on the major issues of the environment and society. His sole pursuit was to highlight effective and commonly accepted solutions to speed up the transition to a sustainable development model in our country.
All of us who crossed paths with Vassilis as partners, employees, and friends know that a special person has been lost. An optimistic person who faced all of life's challenges with a smile on his face. Unfortunately, it is ultimately loss that reveals to us the true, deeper value of people. However, his passing from this world left an indelible mark that is also a legacy for all of us.
He will be missed above all by his family, his beloved life partner Theodosia, and his daughters Maria and Eugenia. He will be missed by his parents and his brothers, George, and John. He will be missed by all of us as a businessman, partner, friend, and above all as a person with solid values.
Today we say goodbye to Vassilis Papazisis with feelings of sadness and pain, but also with the firm belief that his effort will continue because it is based on an ambitious vision that we saw become reality in a short period of time with his own inspiring leadership.