Former Commerce Minister Stelios Kiliaris has died, aged 72, after a battle with cancer. Born in Nicosia in 1951, Kiliaris had a lasting influence on the island’s political and financial life.
Apart from serving as Commerce Minister under the late President Glafcos Clerides from 1993-1995, Kiliaris was on the Central Bank of Cyprus board of directors and had held senior posts in the tourism industry.
He graduated from the Kykkos Boys High School in Nicosia and studied Economics with a scholarship at the Economics Department of the Law School of the University of Athens.
He later gained an M.A. and PhD from the University of Essex. Kiliaris also obtained a master’s degree in law from the University of the United States (LLM in Contract Law).
The former minister worked for 11 years – from 1978 – at the Ministry of Finance, reaching the rank of Financial Director, responsible for Economic Research and Macroeconomic Policy issues.
He left the ministry in 1989 and took over as General Manager of Euroinvestment and Merchant Finance Ltd, later the same year as General Manager of Finance and Administration of the Louis Group.
Following DISY leader Glafcos Clerides’ election as President of the Republic, Kiliaris was appointed Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism on 28 February 1993.
He stepped down from his post in April 1995 to return to the private sector, taking over as General Director of Louis.
In 1997, he was appointed CEO of Louis’ cruise department, which in 1999 was rebranded Louis Cruise Lines Ltd.
From January 2005, he assumed duties as First Executive Director of all shipping activities of Louis Public Company Limited.
He had also participated on various company boards while politically active with the Democratic Party (DIKO).
Kiliaris was also a member of the Executive Committees of the Federation of Employers and Industrialists (OEB), the Cyprus Maritime Council and the European Cruise Council, and the University of Cyprus.
Friday’s funeral will be at 5 pm at the Agios Panteleimon Church in Engomi.
The family have requested that donations be made to the Arodafnousa Palliative Care Centre.
