Kanella Exarchakou

Kanella Exarchakou

Head of Cabinet to the Minister of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports

Ministry of Education Sports and Religious Affairs, Hellenic Republic

 Professional Experience
Head of Cabinet to the Minister of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports
Greece | 2025 – Present
• Lead senior administrative team and coordinate policy implementation across education, tourism, and environment sectors.
• Represent the Ministry in high-level consultations and strategic task forces with the European Commission, IMF and OECD.
• Participate in European Semester discussions and Recovery and Resilience Facility reviews, contributing to education and governance reforms.
• Appointed OECD Education Policy Review 2026 Representative, providing policy analysis and recommendations.
• Coordinate implementation of Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) projects.
• Member of the Inter-Ministerial Task Force for the Greek EU Presidency (2nd semester 2027).
• Coordinate Working Group for National Action Plans 2024–2027 under the European Higher Education Area (EHEA).
• Oversee EU co-funded programmes (NSRF/ESPA), including HR, procurement and financial management.

Head of Cabinet to the Deputy Minister of Tourism
Greece | 2021 – 2022
• Directed ministerial office operations aligned with national tourism policy priorities, managing HR, public contracts and workflows.
• Represented the Ministry in policy consultations and task forces for tourism strategy and EU funding programmes, including DG Reform and RRF projects.
• Member of RRF Task Force and policy design team for NSRF/ESPA Operational Programmes and Partnership Agreement 2021–2027.

Head of Cabinet to the Deputy Minister of Education
Greece | 2019 – 2021
• Led ministerial office and coordinated internal and inter-ministerial initiatives.
• Oversaw EU co-funded programme administration (procurement, HR and budget).
• Member of RRF Task Force and NSRF/ESPA policy design team.

Head of Unit – Special Service, NSRF (ESPA), Education Sector
Greece | 2011 – 2020
• Managed administration, HR and procurement for EU co-funded education programmes.
• Contributed to OECD Education Policy Advice for Greece (2011 and 2015).
• Represented the Ministry in NSRF/ESPA Monitoring Committees (ROPs).

Director – HR and Financial Services / Head of Press Office, OFYPEKA NECCA
Greece | 2022 – 2025
• Led HR and Financial Directorate;responsible for state budget, NSRF, RRF and EU programmes.
• Supervised institutional communication and media strategy.
• Strengthened governance, compliance and financial oversight frameworks.

Vice President – State School of Orchestral Arts, Ministry of Culture
Greece | 2019 – Present
• Oversaw strategic development and governance of public arts education programmes.

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Speaker and Mentor Engagements
• OECD Peer Learning – Digital Education policy and reforms
• Business Digital Marketing Conference – digital inclusion and female empowerment
• AELIA–KMOP – education for sustainable and inclusive green transition
• Blue and Circular Economy Hackathon – mentoring on HR, finance and innovation


Education and Training
• Law Degree, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
• Master’s in International Studies (EU Law) – Thesis: EU Charter of Fundamental Rights
• ENA Paris – Public Administration and HR (French Embassy Scholar)
• European Leadership Programme – EU institutions and public sector exchange

Languages: French (Fluent), English (Fluent), Italian (Very Good)
PhD Candidate – Education Sciences (Social Pedagogy and Environmental Justice)