Creative Women Platform, an international networking group for female leaders and entrepreneurs, has appointed local artist and design consultant Maria Ignatiou Shiakalli as new chair for the organisation in Cyprus.
The appointment was announced during a meeting of Creative Women Platform’s international leadership with House President Annita Demetriou.
Speaker Demetriou expressed her sincere wish to work with female organisations on the island and to support initiatives of the Creative Women Platform which was established in Cyprus in 2016 before becoming a leading international group with a presence in 40 countries.
During the event guests were addressed by the founder and CEO of Creative Women, Olga Balakleets, Executive Director Viola Edward, as well as Creative Women Honorary Ambassadors Elena Tanou and Anna Christophorou.
Associates introduced their businesses and exchanged views on female empowerment in Cyprus and internationally.
New Cyprus chair Maria Ignatiou Shiakalli has had a successful career in the arts and design consultancy having co-founded Kivotos Luxury Lifestyle in 1998 representing international brands such as Versace Home and Barovier & Toso.
In 2004, Maria started teaching art at the St Barnabas School for the Blind, Nicosia, where she helped establish the art department both in painting and ceramics, offering professional lessons in finger painting, painting and drawing with magnifier lenses, ceramics, jewelry, fabric collage and engraving to students with visual impairment and dual sensory impairment of deafness and blindness.
Being the author of the art curriculum for the school, Maria has developed art therapy lessons and creative arts adaptions.
In 2020, she founded the Museum of Art and Design to showcase the works of artists, designers and academic professionals. It also aims to present tactile works of art, sculptures and designer objects to allow people with visual impairment to touch and enjoy the creative artworks of the artists.
In 2021, as an artist, and Art and Design Director of Kivotos Luxury Lifestyle, Maria Ignatiou Shiakalli was selected as an art consultant for a major project in the U.A.E.
