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About Global Visa Center World (GVCW)

Global Visa Center World (GVCW) was founded in 2015 by a team of seasoned professionals, with distinguished service in the public and private sector, with the aim of offering bespoke visa issuance services to Foreign Missions.

In 2017, following a 3-year international tender process that was organized by the Hellenic Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), GVCW became the global exclusive Visa Service Provider for Greece. GVCW is a one-stop-shop for foreign visa applicants and a full-service provider to the local Greek Consular Authorities in issuing Schengen visas.

Global Visa Center World - Visa Services

Having completed the development of its electronic platform, GVCW started the rollout of its operations in 11 countries and 71 cities, beginning from South Africa in January 2018, continuing to India, Nepal and Sri Lanka later the same month, to China in February, to Kazakhstan, Armenia, Belarus, UK and Russia in April 2018 and to Uzbekistan in January 2019. From January 2023 GVCW operates in 18 countries and 82 cities including Bangladesh, Indonesia, Iraq, Kosovo, Libya, Philippines and Vietnam.

Within a four-month period, leveraging on its operational capabilities and the valuable contribution of its partners, notably the Hellenic Telecommunication  Organization (OTE), the largest telecom Company in Greece and S.E. Europe, GVCW began servicing thousands of visa applicants daily. The continuous efforts of almost 300 visa handling personnel now manning GVCW's 82 VACs and our cutting-edge on-line visa application technology, allow for a more efficient workflow and have enabled the substantial reduction of the respective Greek Consulates' workload leading to the streamlining the visa-application procedures and, ultimately, the enhancement of Greece's image abroad.

All Directors and members of the GVCW senior management team have either served in senior Ambassadorial and Consular positions, or have been entrusted ministerial and governmental posts,  or were C-suite executives in the private sector. Their diverse backgrounds and experience are complimentary and directly relevant to GVCW's core capabilities: international relations and diplomacy, security and data protection, Information Technology, business development and operational management.

Key Executives
Dimitris Platis
Chairman and CEO
Previous Positions: 
  • Executive Director at Mytilineos Holdings
  • Secretary General of the Ministry of Education and of the Ministry of Transport & Communications
  • Ambassador

Dimitris’s career combines experience in the Greek Diplomatic Service, the Greek Government and the private sector. He joined the Diplomatic Service in 1981, where he has served in various posts: Permanent Mission of Greece to the UN, Permanent Mission of Greece to NATO, Ambassador of Greece in Albania, Consul General of Greece in New York. He also joined the political arena in Greece for several years and served as Secretary General of the Ministry of Education as well as Secretary General of the Ministry of Transport and Communications. In 2010, he resigned from his post as an Ambassador and joined ‘MYTILINEOS Holdings’, as an executive Director of International Business Development.

Dimitris can be characterized as a passionate leader with first-class communication skills and a substantial record in successful management. He has an extensive knowledge of all current economic, social and regulatory issues and is a motivational manager with first-rate interpersonal skills as well as the ability and passion to develop the vision of the company. He is able to push performance improvement whilst, at the same time, delivering growth. Possessing vast managing directorship and experience, he will always ensure that clear objectives are delivered and expectations are met and maintained.

Yannis Alexis Zepos
Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Operating Officer
Previous Positions: 
  • Ambassador
  • Secretary General of the MFA

Yannis, a former career Diplomat, brings with him 38 years of working experience, having served among others at the Embassies of Greece in Lisbon, Madrid, Cairo and at the U.N. He also served as Consul General in Cairo and in Chicago. Furthermore, he has also served as Greek Ambassador to India and Egypt, while he also served as Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Greece to NATO, hence his vast experience in matters of security. His current success in the region of South and S.E. Asia, stems from his thorough understanding of all diplomatic areas, procedures and requirements in the field of Consular Services.

He has an extensive portfolio of accomplishments and a vast knowledge of visa issuance procedures, operational practices as well as the experience in coordinating multiple businesses across sizeable regions, ensuring a smooth and efficient overall operation.

His career culminated with his appointment at the highest post for a Greek Diplomat, that of the Secretary-General of the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Apostolos Feroukas
Senior IT Manager
Previous Positions: 
  • Software Engineer
  • Project and Program Manager
  • Director of Information Technology
  • Deputy General Manager

Apostolos is a highly experienced Information Technology professional who managed the development and the global rollout of GVCW’s electronic platform.  He leads a team responsible for the daily support and co-ordinates with external contractors such as OTE for the continuous support and enhancement of GVCW’s technology infrastructure.

He started his career in 1987 as a software engineer in Elf Aquitaine in France and Norway, working at the Research and Development department in the fields of oil exploration. He returned to  Greece in 1997 and worked as a Program Manager in the private and the public sector, managing large IT projects from conception through to implementation. He specialized in European funded projects working mostly at ‘Information Society SA’, a state owned company overseeing and promoting the digitalization of the entire Greek Administration.

Apostolos holds a degree in Mathematics from University of Athens and an MSc in Applied Mathematics and Computer Science from the University of Pau, France and is PMP and ITIL certified.