Jul22493 53. With an approach deeply rooted in technical expertise and an unfaltering commitment to its clients’ success, UpcoMinds is a trusted IT services provider for integration and outsourcing initiatives requiring not only robust technical expertise, but also seamless collaboration with end users. The company is steered by CEO Kostas Flokos, an IT professional boasting a natural flair for leadership and an unrivalled technical expertise. We spoke with Kostas to learn more about his journey to CEO, as he is named in the European CEO of the Year Awards 2025. UpcoMinds was founded in 1997 in Brussels, Belgium, as a specialised IT consulting firm. Over the years, it has led key expansions in Greece and Cyprus and has evolved into a trusted provider of comprehensive IT services, now offering complete solutions to clientele across Europe. Collaborating with experts in all areas of a modern IT project, from conception to daily execution, the company has developed a breadth of skills that enable it to engage with projects its competitors typically find challenging. As a result, UpcoMinds has established a reputation for excellence in client services and is frequently selected in integration projects with significant end-user interaction. The firm was founded by Kostas Flokos, an Information Technology professional boasting more than three decades of technical experience. Kostas is primarily a technical person, with a PhD in Computer Distributed Systems, though he enjoys learning new skills across the organisation as it grows and scales. Leadership has always come naturally to Kostas, even consistently holding the position of class-president throughout high school. After university, he launched a startup alongside eight classmates and effectively led this startup for six years but eventually felt the urge to shift direction and reignite his drive to succeed. This path led to Kostas founding Upcom Bvba – the first company of the UpcoMinds Group – in Belgium, of which he naturally became the CEO. Kostas had already worked every possible role in an IT project and had first-hand experience of the process from beginning to end. This knowledge, combined with his natural leadership capabilities and extensive personal network of European professionals, has empowered Kostas to guide his team through both challenges and growth. As a leader, Kostas is not one for micromanaging others. He views his role as providing direction and helping others follow it. To this end, he actively participates in all of the company’s endeavours, with the ultimate goal of better training employees, improving processes that are in place to support the shared vision, and communicating UpcoMinds’ work and goals – both internally and externally. Through this approach, Kostas hopes to guide his team as a single, cohesive unit, all working together towards one unified goal. “I am 100% results-oriented!” he explained. “Therefore, I empower my colleagues to take initiative, to take risks, and to be modern and revolutionary in their approach when addressing a problem. Traditional methods provide a guaranteed result, but we are working for something far greater than guaranteed.” Kostas’ leadership centres on trust, empowerment, and active engagement, and these principles have guided UpcoMinds through periods of rapid transformation. The CEO’s aversion to micromanagement has proven especially effective during times of intense growth, such as the expansion of its Greek entity, which saw initial year-overyear increases of up to 50%. It is not easy to support this growth financially, though the team were successful in finding financial solutions to overcome the obstacle. This growth was similarly reflected in the number of people that the company engaged. The initial “very flat” organisation was in desperate need of enrichment, and UpcoMinds underwent a period of vertical expansion to accommodate for the rising demand. The company has since returned to a leaner model as the market shifts, seeing no true need for managerial roles in certain departments, instead striving to foster cohesion across his teams. Rather than imposing rigid hierarchies, he encourages teams to collaborate freely, regardless of seniority, focusing on results over roles. This approach has not only helped UpcoMinds to remain agile in navigating financial and organisational challenges, but it has also allowed the company to seize opportunities as they arose, turning promising ideas into projects and products. Whether evolving internal structures or responding to market shifts, Kostas fosters a culture that adapts dynamically, always united by a shared vision and driven by collective excellence. With a natural disposition for leadership and an unwavering commitment to technology and people alike, Kostas has drawn upon his extensive experience to effectively lead UpcoMinds to success, positioning his company at the forefront of industry development and earning himself the well-deserved title of End-to-End IT Solutions CEO of the Year 2025. Company: UpcoMinds Web Address: www.upcominds.com End-to-End IT Solutions CEO of the Year 2025: Kostas Flokos
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