Ζέφη Νικολάου, MA, CFE, CFSE

With extensive knowledge and experience in Compliance, particularly in the banking sector, Zefi Nikolaou leads Ethics & Compliance, and ESG projects for large private companies and provides strategic advisory support as a Communications Strategist. Zefi is the A’ Vice Chair of the Association of Compliance Officers in Greece (ASCO Greece).
She is also an External Lecturer at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (MSc in Internal Audit, Risk Management & Compliance), delivering courses on regulatory compliance and bridging academic insights with professional practice.
She began her career in 1986 at the Ministry of Finance, joining the National Mortgage Bank of Greece in 1989, where she held significant administrative roles. Following the bank’s merger with the National Bank of Greece (NBG) in 1999, she transitioned to NBG, serving for many years as a senior manager in the loans sector within the Branch Network. There, she developed deep expertise in financial and credit matters. Since 2011, and for 12 years, she held senior management roles in NBG Group’s Compliance Divisions, focusing on critical compliance and anti-money laundering issues.
Additionally, Zefi has worked as a journalist, covering political and cultural issues for newspapers and other media outlets.

She holds degrees in Journalism, a Bachelor’s in European Civilization (HOU), and a Master’s in Journalism and Communication with a specialization in Corporate Communication (OUC). She is also a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) and holds certifications in Customer Service Management (CFSE), Compliance (UoA), and Anti-Money Laundering (UoA).