Crowne Μoments Issue 3 by Crowne Plaza Limassol

SUMMER 2014

Celebrating Our Star. The Day After Tomorrow: whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s next for Cyprus? Online Shopping: will the trend set?

ISSUE 3

YOUR SUCCESS MATTERS. Whether you are planning a company board meeting or an international conference, with over 1500m² of indoor and outdoor event space, an award-winning food and beverage team and renovated facilities, we can help you plan for success.

CONTENTS

SUMMER 2014 | ISSUE 3

CELEBRATING OUR STAR!

Welcome Letter Celebrating Our Star Our F&B Stars Crowne Weddings

07 09 10 13

BUSINESS

The Day After Tomorrow: whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s next for Cyprus? Responsible Business: IHG Academy Our People: the best big companies to work for

FASHION

Mirror Mirror on the Wall Online Clothes Shopping: will the trend set?

26 28

CULTURE

Kate Pavli: a life immersed in music Chris Charalambides: a man of many talents

34 35

LIMASSOL CALENDAR

Crowne Plaza Limassol: a year in review Cyprus Rally Carnival Russian - Cypriot Festival

38 40 40 40

16 20 22

..there is always a great company!

MEDCON CONSTRUCTION LTD

Tel. +357 22 265000 â&#x2013; Email: info@medcon.com.cy

Petros Pierides General Manager

Rebecca Pierides Marketing Manager

Dear Guests One Step Ahead. This is a motto we have really taken to heart this year. Our vision for Crowne Plaza Limassol has been to be One Step Ahead in everything we do, aiming to excel past our competitors, to exceed our own expectations and to become even better for our guests and for our community. We are incredibly proud of our Food & Beverage team for leading the way in this challenge with their IHG Food & Beverage Excellence award victory in Amsterdam at the end of last year. More information relating to the award can be found over the next few pages. Reflecting on this great achievement I realise that this success would not have been possible without the hard work and dedication of our people. That is why this edition of CROWNE MOMENTS is dedicated to people. People who have the passion and the drive to excel in their field, whether that field is service, science, music or entrepreneurship; people who see things differently and have had a transformative impact on their industries by embodying the one step ahead maxim. Take a moment to be inspired by some of the heartening success stories in our featured articles. In closing I would like to thank our guests, our members, our patrons and of course the entire Crowne Plaza Limassol team for another terrific year.

Petros Pierides General Manager

TRY FAST & FRESH FOR LUNCH SET MENUS FROM €24 Crowne Plaza Limassol | Reservations: 25 851443 La Brezza à la carte 13.00hrs. – 23.00hrs. Fast & Fresh 13.00hrs. – 16.00 hrs.

Celebrating Our Star! Crowne Plaza Limassol hotel receives prestigious international award in Amsterdam! The annual Hotel Star Awards were recently held in Amsterdam, Holland and at this annual event, InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) recognised hotels and people for their outstanding performance and contribution to the business and the local community in which they operate. The winners are the best performing IHG hotels and individuals across Europe. At the awards ceremony Crowne Plaza Limassol was awarded the Food & Beverage Excellence Award. This category recognises one hotel for its commitment to quality, profitability, creativity and concept development in food and beverage.

Stephen McCall | COO UK&I and Head of Europe Operations Performance & Support said, ‘We are fully committed to supporting and developing our people; our hotels are only as good as the people working in them. We aim to provide the right environment, support and inspiration they need to fulfil their capability and these awards are a reflection of the fantastic talent we have working in our hotels across Europe.’

Petros Pierides | General Manager of Crowne Plaza Limassol, visited Amsterdam to accept the award and said, ‘This award recognises all the hard work and team effort we’ve put in this year. We’re constantly striving to go the extra mile so guests can expect a consistently top notch experience when visiting our hotel and we’ll continue to work together to keep delivering the same experience each year. The fact that Cyprus has won this pan-European award demonstrates how competitive the country (and especially Limassol) is at providing exceptional quality for both business and leisure travellers alike.’

OUR F&B STARS Panayiotis Petrides Food & Beverage Manager ‘The Crowne Plaza experience is about waking up at home on the first morning after a stay with us and wishing you were still here.’

Chef Z Executive Chef ‘The Crowne Plaza experience is about team work and providing seamless service for our guests.’

Wellgoods is a retail chain with a total of 8 convenient grocery and frozen food shops strategically located in each key town in Cyprus. Wellgoods can offer great products at the lowest possible prices, create a sense of discovery (with extraordinary, hard to find and even exotic foods) and establish a more involving, learning and bonding experience with on location cooking tips, recipes, etc., in order to make each visitor feel special. Our customers are the most important people in our business. Our goal is to bring high quality products directly to the consumer at greater savings than those offered by the major supermarket chains. Our staff will be happy to assist you and to share their cooking experiences with you. 9 Jean Simpelious, Ayios Ioannis, 3017 Limassol, Tel: 25819600, Fax: 25566870 www.wellgoods.com.cy From the world to your kitchen!!!

WE’LL MAKE IT TRULY MEMORABLE. THAT’S OUR WEDDING VOW. We are here to listen to your ideas and to help you plan your dream wedding. Feel free to call us for advice or to book an appointment with our wedding planner if you want to learn more about the Crowne Wedding experience.

Your dream wedding... Toast to a new beginning steps away from the sea. Take in the romantic atmosphere and enjoy awardwinning cuisine at the only international brand hotel in the heart of Limassol. After allâ&#x20AC;Śitâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all about trust. 13

BUSINESS

The Day After Tomorrow: what’s next for Cyprus? Christis Plastiras, Business Development Manager at the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Centre of the Cyprus International Institute of Management (CIIM) is disconcerted by the fact that beyond the plan of action supplied by the TROIKA, all hopes for a resolution of the island’s problems seem to be clinched on the exploration for and exploitation of natural gas reserves, and warns against building a new model for the economy based entirely in an industry which is so politically charged and volatile.

Cyprus currently has a lot on its proverbial plate… Problems regularly cited by the media include the economic crisis, the recession, the crippling financial deficit, a subsequent lack of trust in the economy, an inefficient public sector, widespread resistance to change at all levels, an unhealthy introspectiveness, the rising unemployment rate, youth unemployment being at an all-time high, and of course the seemingly never-ending Cyprus problem.

The Wealth of Cyprus is its Human Capital ‘The highly educated human capital of Cyprus should be considered its most valuable asset and not the limited natural gas reserves that have recently been discovered. Remarkable progress has been made towards developing the start-up ecosystem and the mechanisms that can allow the creation of new start-up ventures. Hackathons, the launch of entrepreneurship centres, incubators and accelerator programmes such as entice@CIIM, Chrysalis LEAP, the Cypriot Enterprise Link (CEL), CEDAR, Diogenes, Helix and Business Angel Network (CyBAN) aim to connect Cypriot entrepreneurial talent via workshops, projects and networking events.

Ireland Cyprus 40

According to the 2012 Eurostat survey on Tertiary Education Attainment by Country, Cyprus has the second highest in Europe, only 1.2% behind Ireland which stands at 51.1%.

ÂŠ pawel.gaul

Creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship are being widely recognised as ideals which can add real value to the economy. These ideals can be the only sustainable source of wealth that will set us on the road to economic recovery and sustainable growth, with the production of differentiated and internationally competitive products and services that are low cost and high quality. Having already attracted many professional services firms with its strategic geographical location, highly educated and professional labour, low corporate taxation rate and sunny weather, the next challenge for Cyprus should

be to attract foreign entrepreneurs by encouraging entrepreneurship at all levels and transforming Cyprus into the next global entrepreneurial hub. I believe that everything is in place to make this economic transition.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Christis Plastiras, Cyprus International Institute of Management (CIIM)

Chrysalis LEAP ‘An entirely private initiative, Chrysalis LEAP is Cyprus’ first accelerator programme. The goal of the accelerator is to promote and develop entrepreneurship among individuals in Cyprus by providing knowledge, training and opportunities otherwise unavailable, and building upon ideas from development through to implementation. The founding team is made up of academics, entrepreneurs and private sector executives all of whom have spent years working in Europe and North America. Through its own founders’ successes, the accelerator is tightly interconnected with Europe’s largest accelerator and entrepreneurship network, Climate-KIC, and is in direct contact with dozens of other similar initiatives that can complement Chrysalis LEAP’s work by connecting Cypriot teams with investor communities across Europe. Chrysalis LEAP was founded in 2012 and run for the first time in 2013 with a cleantech and sustainable development theme. Twenty-five applications were

accepted into the programme and five graduated in December with a final presentation to investors. Today these teams have either received seed capital and further coaching or are currently using their improved skills to continue working on their ideas. One of our teams, Aqualligence, is currently in the Netherlands prototyping their idea. Building on the momentum of last year’s event, Chrysalis LEAP is working towards achieving an even greater impact for even more Cypriot startups. In April, we hosted a successful, two-day start-up programme with global software leader SAP, to help Cypriot start-ups enter the Big Data arena. We are currently discussing how Cyprus can participate through Chrysalis LEAP in larger European competitions with larger monetary awards and continuing guidance, as well as the possibility of hosting pan-European competitions in Cyprus, with the aim of promoting Cyprus’ place on the European entrepreneurial map.’ Paris Thomas, Co-Founder & Director of Chrysalis LEAP Aqualligence provides a water contamination alert service for drinking water systems. Contamination events in drinking water systems are rare, but when they occur, the financial and social cost may be extensive. Currently, operators in drinking water systems detect contamination events mainly through consumer complaints and periodic manual sampling. As a result, drinking water contamination events may only be detected days after the event has occurred.

Aqualligence Created by: Demetrios Eliades (Electrical Engineering, Ph.D.) Theofanis Lambrou (Electrical Engineering, Ph.D.)

Aqualligence is developing a solution for faster contamination event detection. With Aqualligence contamination could be detected within hours, by installing a large number of custom low-cost water quality sensors within the drinking water system.

Cypriot Entrepreneurial High Fliers

Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou Best known for creating the easyJet budget airline in 1995, Cypriot airline mogul Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou revolutionised European air travel when he was just 28. Today he retains ownership of the ‘easy’ brand in his private investment company easyGroup and has extended the brand to other sectors which are all dedicated to offering consumers more value for less including easyBus, easyHotel, easyCar, easyOffice and easyGym .

Theo Paphitis A present day rags-to-riches story for the young immigrant from Cyprus who started his professional career as an assistant to the tea boy with a Lloyds of London broker. Theo Paphitis went on to lead Millwall FC to the FA Cup Final opposite Manchester United, make appearances on the BBC business programme Dragons’ Den, as well as appropriate an extensive retail portfolio over the years including brands such as La Senza, Contessa Lingerie, Ryman, Boux Avenue and Robert Dyas.

Demis Hassabis British born Cypriot child prodigy whose academic and professional track record leaves nothing wanting, Demis Hassabis was a schoolboy chess champion and successful videogame designer who read computer science at Queens College Cambridge and graduated with a double first. He went on to receive his PhD in Cognitive Neuroscience from University College London and founded DeepMind, a cutting-edge artificial intelligence company that was acquired by Google for a reported £400 million. DeepMind is researching ways to reach a point where machines can learn rather than being taught. 19

Responsible Business IHG and IL&FS Skills Partner to Develop Vocational Hospitality Talent in India New Delhi, India, 2 April 2014: InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) and IL&FS Skills, one of India’s largest skills development organisations, have today announced the launch of the 15th IHG Academy programme in India, joining over 300 IHG Academy programmes globally. The partnership will see IL&FS Institute of Skills (IIS) providing IHG approved vocational hospitality training across the country as part of the programme. Following the three-month course, participants are able to apply for roles at IHG hotels in India and across the globe.

The IHG Academy is a pioneering global collaboration between IHG and local education and community providers. The programme aims to provide people with skills, development and employment opportunities and create a sustainable talent pipeline for IHG. The partnership with IIS is IHG’s first vocational programme in the country. It was officially inaugurated by IHG’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Richard Solomons; who joined Dilip Chenoy, MD & CEO, National Skill Development Corporation, and Arunkumar Pillai, Chief Operating Officer, IL&FS Skills, to tour IIS, Delhi and address the first class of students yesterday. On his visit to IL&FS Institute of Skills, Delhi, Richard Solomons, Chief Executive Officer, IHG commented, ‘We pride ourselves on the great experience we offer guests in India and around the world. The only way we can achieve this is to have well-qualified, passionate teams. In India, we have the task of recruiting 10,000 new employees over the next three to five years as we open the 45 hotels in our development pipeline. One of the most effective ways for us to achieve this is to train for the required skills through structured skill development programmes like this one. It is our privilege to work in conjunction with the Indian government to share our knowledge and enhance the skills of young people who want to build their career

by IL&FS Skills on the English language, and soft skills using the latest technology. During the second part of the programme, IHG will provide on-the-job training to give the young students an opportunity to put into practice what they have learnt. A special emphasis will be placed on recruiting women into the programme, with the aim of mobilising the female workforce.

in hospitality. This partnership with IL&FS Skills will make a big difference to these students and enables us to actively contribute to our local communities in a meaningful and lasting way.’ Arunkumar Pillai, Chief Operating Officer, IL&FS Skills Development Corporation Ltd added, ‘More and more businesses are acknowledging that the skills gap is affecting their ability to meet customer expectations. So it’s heartening to see prestigious companies such as IHG coming forward and owning the issue of skill development and making it one of their business pillars. We are extremely pleased to partner with them to ensure a continuous stream of skilled workers who will not only add value to IHG but also to the entire hospitality sector in India.’ The programme supplements IHG’s on-going support of the Indian Government’s Hunar Se Rozgaar initiative, launched to create employable skills for young adults aged 18 to 28 years old who do not have access to specialised education. IL&FS Skills’ students will be trained to IHG’s rigorous and world-class standards whilst also gaining thorough knowledge and understanding of the Indian hospitality sector. The training programme is divided in two sessions of 45 days each, mixing theory and practical classes. In their first session, students will be trained

In order to ensure consistency and compliance with National Skills Development Corporation (NSDC) requirements, a candidate selection process is held to recruit the right participants. As with all IHG Academy programmes worldwide, a passion for delivering great service to guests is a prerequisite for those who have an interest in entering the programme. Upon completion of the three-month training, candidates will benefit from being more employable and will also have the opportunity of employment in an IHG hotel including InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express. With its vocational training methods, IL&FS Skills has changed the lives of over 300,000 young individuals through placement-linked training and technology driven customised curriculum. IL&FS Skills establishes, manages and operates institutes focused on skill development of unskilled and semi-skilled labour force in a variety of industry sectors. IL&FS Skills has a network of 37 IIS across India and it plays a major role in addressing India’s demand for skilled workers.

‘Working in this hotel has changed my way of thinking!’ Ankush Yajurvedi, a participant from the IHG Academy JIMS Rohini programme who is now working at the Crowne Plaza® New Delhi Rohini hotel.

Our People IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group), one of the world’s largest hotel companies is delighted to have been recognised by The Sunday Times and Fortune for two high-profile accolades.

The Sunday Times 25 Best Big Companies to Work For IHG has been ranked third in The Sunday Times’ list of the ‘25 Best Big Companies to Work For’ in 2013 for the second year in a row and was the highest-ranked hotel company on the list. IHG was measured against eight key measures including Leadership, Wellbeing and Personal Growth. Of all the companies in the list, IHG achieved the highest score in the Personal Growth category, with a score of 75%. This section covered the opportunities for development within IHG and if colleagues feel that the experience gained within their role is valuable for their long-term career. In addition, 85% of respondents said they felt they can make a valuable contribution to the success of the company, with 82% saying that they are proud to work at IHG.

FORTUNE 2014 World’s Most Admired Companies1 IHG has also been named on FORTUNE Magazine’s 2014 World’s Most Admired Companies list, coming fourth in the Hotels, Casinos and Resorts Industry Category. In addition to achieving recognition in our category for the key measures of global competitiveness and social responsibility, where IHG was ranked first and third respectively, IHG was also ranked third in the use of corporate assets.

1 Fortune started with approximately 1,400 companies and selected the 15 largest for each international industry and the 10 largest for each U.S. industry, surveying a total of 692 companies from 30 countries. To create the 57 industry lists, survey partner Hay Group asked executives, directors, and analysts to rate companies

Commenting on both accolades, Tracy Robbins, Executive Vice President, Human Resources and Group Operations Support said: ‘Our hotels are brought to life by our people. We are therefore enormously proud to have been recognised in the highly regarded “Best Companies to Work For” and “World’s Most Admired Companies” lists. These awards are a great testament to the strength of our business both in terms of our commitment to creating an engaging and motivating workplace as well our broader strategy, which aims to deliver superior value creation through our brands, our people and our systems.’

in their industries on nine criteria, from investment value to social responsibility. (A company’s score must have ranked in the top half of its industry survey to be listed.) To arrive at the top 50 Most Admired Companies overall, Hay Group asked the 3,800 respondents to select 10 companies they admired most, from a list made up of the companies that ranked in the top 25 percent in last year’s survey, plus those that finished in the top 20 percent of their industries. Anyone could vote for any company in any industry, which is why some results may seem anomalous.

FASHION

MIRROR MIRROR ON THE WALL: the shopping farce A Mirror at

Mirrors in stores are strategically placed every few feet. These mirrors are a blessing in-your-guise as they allow you to make snap judgments whether it’s worth the hassle of working your way towards the fitting 1 “room” . If you are lucky enough to be in pursuit of an item that does not require exposing yourself in public to try it on, these mirrors also enable you to dodge the fitting “room” bullet.

Every Turn

Room (aka tiny, smelly cubicle shoppers stuff themselves into voluntarily to try on an item of clothing)

In Search of the Mirror

Struggle to Mirror

Stuffed in the aforementioned fitting “room” (with a 4-5 item limit depending on the generosity of the store in question), you desperately clutch at your clothes to stop them from touching the dirty, dusty floor, as the freakishly limited number of hooks are all used up by the hangers of the items you are trying on. Sticky, sweaty and barely able to turn round, you search for the sliver of mirror in your fitting “room” to catch a glimpse of a limb or two.

Shopper after shopper exit small, suffocating cubicles to view their reflection in the larger mirror: from a distance, up close and personal, from the side, from the other side, from an obscure angle and some even vainly attempt to catch a glimpse from the back, in a painful chase-your-tail manoeuvre. Waiting in the corner, angry looks are exchanged as some shoppers take too long or take up too much of the mirror. The more polite by nature stand to the side and spew compliments galore in an attempt to boost an ego, prompt a faster decision and incite a definitive shift away from their precious.

ONLINE

WILL THE

CLOTHES

TREND

SHOPPING:

SET?

When online shopping first made its way into our lives over a decade ago and shopping via a keyboard was in its infancy, many believed that clothes would be one of the last pillars of traditional shopping to fall. Proponents of the traditional shopping experience rejected online clothes shopping on the grounds that shopping for clothes is a multisensory experience requiring a physical presence that cannot be replicated online. Sight and touch – and to a lesser extent – smell and sound lie at the heart of the clothes shopping experience. How the fabric feels on your skin, how the material clings to your shape, how the colours complement the tone of your skin; these were all questions that needed to be answered before a purchase could be made and which could not be tackled online. The social side of shopping, where friends might go shopping together to share opinions, also played a crucial role in the experience. 28

In Vogue?

According to the Daily Mail more than 10% of all retail sales are now made over the internet in the UK, with this proportion predicted to more than double by 2020. The increasing number and type of goods available online, alongside the perception that the best deals are now available online, have increased the desirability of online purchases. Some goods are in fact only available online, as start-up brands or brands that predominantly operate in one primary market may want to test the waters before launching their brands elsewhere.

A Woman with a Vision In a recent interview in the Guardian Natalie Massenet, founder of Net-a-Porter (the online hybrid store and magazine reported to be worth over £350 million) described the early years as being less than encouraging. ‘In the first four years,’ Massenet says, ‘there was a lot of desperate hand-wringing, tears and pleading with brands...You’d go through a pitch and say: “And then you can click and buy it from pictures and it’s delivered anywhere in the world.” And they’d listen and they’d nod and then afterwards they’d say: “Just tell me one more thing: where is your store?’” Today, over 5 million people visit the site’s weekly magazine.

Moreover, in order to encourage online sales, companies have been providing incentives to consumers to make shopping online worth their while. Faster delivery, easier return policies and many sites offering free shipping have rendered online shopping far more time-efficient and equally, if not more, costeffective. Easy return policies in particular including refunds and store-credit mean that consumers can get the traditional shopping experience in the comfort of their own homes. The option to return is crucial as you can avoid some of the functional issues of traditional shopping that sometimes sour the experience including crowded stores, traffic jams, inconvenient hours of operation, long queues and uncomfortable fitting rooms, without any impediments. Consumers are able to try on as many items as they want, in their own time and in comfortable surroundings where they can even see how the item matches their wardrobe before making the decision to definitively purchase. It is no wonder that many shoppers prefer a private viewing in the comfort of their own mirror.

The Latest Fashion On and Off the Catwalk…. New technology is constantly being developed to improve the online clothes shopping experience and tackle experiential and sensory issues head-on.

The Virtual Fitting Room The Fits.me Virtual Fitting Room is one solution to the so-called “online fit problem”. Retailer sites that signup to participate are able to deliver a kind of in-store fitting room experience online, providing shoppers with a photo-accurate, mirror-like, visualisation of fit. The Fits.me Virtual Fitting Room displays real photographs that show exactly how the garments a shopper is looking at will fit his/her body size and shape, simply by asking that shopper for a few key, body measurements.

The Virtual Mall The Virtual Mall tries to simulate the mall experience online by eradicating all the discomforts of traditional shopping: bad weather, traffic, parking, crowded dressing rooms and queues. Realistic 3-D imagery and audio simulating the sounds of a mall make roaming the virtual mall at VirtualEShopping.com a remarkably lifelike experience. Combining shopping and playing videogames, shoppers may roam the main mall, choose from several specialty malls (women, men, teen) or select one of 250 city malls, representing most of the major English-speaking cities of the world. To make the shopping experience more fun and personal, a shopper can create a “persona”, choosing from a number of hair and facial features, skin tones, clothing styles and colours to look more like him or herself (or totally different). Shoppers can meet friends in the mall and chat electronically as they shop. When shoppers click on the storefront doors in the mall, they are transported to the 2-D website of participating merchants. By clicking on an image, slideshow or video in a storefront window, shoppers are transported directly to a featured item on the merchants’ internal web pages.

Hotel and Catering Supplies

Tel: 25 564 186, 25 562 089 Limassol E-mail: info@vanora.net www.vanora.net

CULTURE

Cyprus has talent

KATE PAVLI: A LIFE IMMERSED IN MUSIC Kate was the uncontested winner of the 2012 Cyprus Has Talent competition. Up against established artists, the young CypriotAustralian singer from Limassol demonstrated a fire and a passion for music which inspired audiences across the nation, leading her to win her first music award. At 17 Kate’s powerful voice already has audiences in awe.

The Early Years

An Interview with Kate

At school Kate joined the choir, performed in talent shows and starred in musical productions. From Beauty and the Beast to the Sound of Music, her impressive vocal range meant that she could take on such diverse roles with success and that no part was out of her comfort zone. During this time she also pursued music more generally, learning how to play both the guitar and piano. Kate looks forward to attending the ‘Institute of Contemporary Music Performance’ in the UK.

What does “Inside Out” mean? I believe that music has an innate power that touches us all. It can provide a distraction from everyday concerns, but also gives us a chance to reflect on those concerns. I wanted my debut EP to demonstrate this. “Inside Out” is a reflection on issues that society contends with, but simultaneously gives listeners the chance to escape from those issues. Through the songs I feel listeners will be brought “inside and out” of their problems.

Major Influences Evanescence | The Pretty Reckless | Avril Lavigne | Amy Lee | Taylor Momsen

How did this project come about? Like all good stories, this one also began quite randomly… Chris, my producer, approached me one night after a performance and told me he thought I was awesome. I didn’t quite know how to respond at first, because I didn’t know who he was! We got to talking and he said that I had the kind of voice he was looking for and that we should try working together and see where the music would take us. So far it’s been great! We have already released my 4 track debut EP, sold-out my first solo performance and interest is already being shown in the production of a full 12 track album.

Links

www.kateofficial.com www.facebook.com/katepavlimusic www.youtube.com/KateMusicVEVO www.youtube.com/KatePavliMusic

CHRIS CHARALAMBIDES: A MAN OF MANY TALENTS From Europe to Australia and now back in Cyprus, jet setting composer, engineer and producer Chris Charalambides is the founder of Soundscape Studios. Chris is considered to be one of the most inventive and consistently successful producers on the island. With a sharp ear for talent he has built his career on combining spontaneity with versatility and not conforming to any particular style of rhyme or concept in music.

An Interview with Chris What makes a producer successful? From the start, producers have played a fundamental role in the music industry. While the majority of them used to be exclusively behind the scenes, these days the most successful are stars in their own right. I like to believe that this versatility is also one of my strengths because I can understand the challenges both on and off stage and be involved in the creation of music at multiple levels.

What makes you stand out in your field? As a creative artist and producer you must find the things in your life that keep you connected to music and always have faith in yourself and more importantly in your instincts. I try to do this at every turn, remembering that music is a gift which has been given to me by some force beyond my reckoning. I like to think this makes me stand out in artistic terms, but I’m afraid it often leaves me the-worse-for-wear in terms of financial success. I guess that’s where my record label, Apple Jam Records, steps in…to keep me on track!

Links www.soundscape-studios.com www.soundcloud.com/soundscape-studios www.facebook.com/soundscapestudioscy

Do you have any exciting projects on the horizon? Soundscape Studios is relocating to a bigger, better and brand new facility in July 2014. I’m working with some talented professionals on this project to get the desired outcome. The new Soundscape Studios aims to fulfil a niche in the regional market, catering for the global scene and offering services of internationally acclaimed excellence.

Current Projects Producer and member of alternative rock band “Waterblack” Producer and composer of “Inside Out” by rising star Kate Producer of “Oscillations” by pop rock artist Rushil Producer of “Someone Better” by rap artist Tony Jacobs Producer of “Lonely” by pop sensation Nikolas Metaxas Producer of “BalconyTV”, Cyprus

CROWNE PLAZA LIMASSOL: A YEAR IN REVIEW

Limassol Marathon

Easter

Fast & Fresh Weddings Galore Latin Fever

Carnival

Beach Parties

Summer Evenings 38

Fashion Shows

A SPARKLING YEAR FULL OF CELEBRATIONS, GASTRONOMY, HARD WORK AND GREAT ACHIEVEMENTS...

Fusion Nights

Dance Orient

Gourmet Dining

Star Awards

Festive Events

Valentine’s Musical Acts

New Year’s Eve

Take a moment to discover Limassol and everything it has to offer... Cyprus Beer Festival | July 2014 Visitors have the opportunity to taste a variety of local and imported beers including KEO, Heineken, Beck’s, Amstel and Stella Artois, with great entertainment, DJs and live music.

Amathusia Festival | July 2014 The Agios Tychonas Community Board hosts a seaside festival every summer amongst the ancient Amathus ruins, featuring traditional dances and performances by contemporary dance groups, string quartets and singers.

Koumandaria Festival | July 2014 Koumandaria, a famous Cypriot dessert wine first produced during the Crusades, is celebrated every year in numerous villages of the Kourris Valley, one of the main wine-producing regions on the island.

Summer Dance Festival | July 2014 Lasting for an entire week, performances are organised in public places about town by various dance groups aiming to introduce the public to different dance trends.

Cyprus Rally | September 2014 One of the twelve FIA World Rally Championship circuits, the Cyprus Rally is an event that takes place over a three day period on the streets of Limassol and the mountain roads of Troodos. The predetermined route is divided into sections; “road races” and “special stages”. During the “road races” drivers must manoeuvre their cars through public roads where local speed limits and motor laws must be observed. The “special stage” sections are all about speed; rally drivers must complete these stages as quickly as they can. The Cyprus Rally is one of the deciding races for the Gravel Master of Europe trophy.

Wine Festival | September 2014 Known as the wine capital of Cyprus, Limassol hosts the Wine Festival at the Municipal Gardens. Visitors can enjoy a variety of wines and traditional food, folkloric dances and music over a twelve day period.

By: 27 Le Corbusier street, P.O.Box 56553 Limassol 3308, Cyprus Tel: +357 25 822787

Lemesia | October 2014

The Rose Festival | May 2015

Lasting for ten days, the festival sees athletes from several countries compete in a variety of sports that include boxing, karate, triathlon, shooting and marathon.

The village of Agros is famous for its cultivation of Damascena roses from which aromatic oil is extracted for use in flavourings, cosmetics, and rose water. The annual Rose Festival features rose picking and processing demonstrations along with food, music and dancing.

Limassol Carnival | February 2015 The most exciting time of the year, Carnival celebrations last for 10 days (12-22nd February). The main event is the parade which takes place on the second Sunday.

Limassol Marathon | March 2015 Cyprus’ official marathon, accredited by the international federations of AIMS and IAAF. The events include a Marathon, Half Marathon, Health Race, Corporate Race and a Children/Student Race. Marathon participants run along the beautiful Limassol coastline.

Tour of Cyprus | March 2015 The “Tour of Cyprus” is a large scale international cyclosportive event. The tour is a professional multi-stage endurance “Tour de France” style event. The Limassol based cycling tour is open to professionals, amateurs and cyclosportive riders.

International Film Festival | April 2015

Anthestiria | May 2015 Anthestiria (Flower Festival) is a traditional festival which features a flower parade and exhibition to celebrate spring and the rebirth of nature and life. The celebration dates back to Ancient Greece.

European Dance Festival | May 2015 Preview the latest European dance moves at the European Dance Festival where dancers from all over Europe perform choreographies that reflect the latest dance trends of their respective countries.

Russian-Cypriot Festival | June 2015 The Russian-Cypriot festival is a two-day event that takes place at the Municipal Gardens. More than seventy Cypriot and Russian companies present their products, while dance groups, musicians and singers from both communities perform.

“Cyprus Film Days” has become a much-anticipated annual event that promotes both international and Cypriot filmmakers, screening a number of cinematic masterpieces from around the globe. 41

CROWNE WEDDINGS SUMMER 2014 | ISSUE 3

EDITOR Rebecca Pierides ART DIRECTOR Nadia Georgiou

CROWNE PARTIES

PHOTOGRAPHY Rebecca Pierides | Nadia Georgiou | Marc van der Kort | IHG | Elias Joidos CONTRIBUTIONS Christis Plastiras | Paris Thomas | George Kazanakis PUBLISHER Crowne Plaza Limassol The title and all materials are protected by copyright and all rights are reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the publisher’s permission. Although the greatest care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in the magazine at the time of going to press, the publisher may not be held liable for any omissions or errors.

CROWNE CHRISTENINGS

CROWNE PLAZA LIMASSOL A: 2 Promachon Eleftherias, 4103 Limassol, Cyprus T: +357-25-851515 W: limassol.crowneplaza.com | crowneplaza.com/limassolcyprus E: marketing@cplimassol.com Terms and conditions apply. ©2014 IHG. All rights reserved. Most hotels are independently owned and operated.

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