Our People
Lesley Batchelor
Co-Founder
Lesley Batchelor
Lesley Batchelor OBE is a champion of UK exporters, with a powerful track record in enhancing the international performance of hundreds of businesses. Known as a force of nature within the industry she has changed many businesses fortunes in terms of exporting and helped to promote the need for to professionalise the approach we take to trading globally.
From a blue-chip background, she worked as director general of the Institute of Export (IOE) for 12 years promoting professionalism and the need for qualifications and support for businesses. Past Co-Chair of the Bribery Act 2010 Scrutiny DFID expert panel now FCDO; advising on APPG Advisory Panels on Trade & Investment and Manufacturing and Select Committees supporting SMEs. ICC/WTO MSME trade negotiation. WTO Alliance & Trade & Investment Committee.
Lesley also runs Exportbootcamps.com an ICC and ILM accredited training company with a real difference. Using years of experience teaching and training businesses owners and managers to trade competently internationally the Boot Camp approach guarantees engagement and results. She also acts as a board advisor to Smart & Savvy Women Ltd and Director of Open Borders Direct. With invaluable expertise in intellectual property, global licensing and marketing Lesley has been awarded CBI Real Business First Woman in Business Services and CEO of the year from Trade Association Congress in 2015.
Lesley is often sought out for comment on Brexit and international trade issues writing thought leadership pieces for many journals, TV, and radio stations.
Dimitris Karavasilis
Co-Founder
Dimitris Karavasilis
Dimitris Karavasilis is a highly motivated, visionary and performance driven international marketing professional, with an advanced know-how and significant expertise in a wide range of economic and industrial sectors; since 1999 he has been providing significant Greek and foreign firms with marketing services.
He is founder and CEO of I-MALL HOLDING P.C. (i-mall Micro Market, #1 Robotic Micro Market Worldwide). He is also founder and CEO of “DK CONSULTANTS GROUP” which owns the brands DK MARKETING, OLWINN, IDEA MONKEYS, EXPORTNEWS, with offices in Athens and staffed offices in New York, London, Shanghai and Luxembourg.
In 2018, the Group entered a strategic partnership with ICAP S.A. in Greece and the Balkans, as well as with Jet Set Communications in the US.
Dimitris Karavasilis has studied Business Administration and International Marketing at “The University of Sheffield”. Prior to DK CONSULTANTS GROUP, he had been working as a senior executive in industrial and commercial enterprises in Greece and abroad, such as SATO, Toshiba, Sunair, Premierotel, Pointgroup, Axon Inc., and D&B group.
During his career, he has undertaken major projects on behalf of big multinational consulting firms in the UK, Luxembourg, Germany, Hungary, USA, Romania, Turkey, and China; he has also participated as an invited speaker in many local and international conferences.
He operates as an international trade expert for organizations such as the European Commission, the International Trade Center, the World Bank, GIZ, UK International Trade, and the American Marketing Association.
Dimitris Karavasilis is a member of the Administrative Committee and of the Board of Directors of the Greek International Business Association (SEVE) and an Executive Consultant on international trade issues at the American – Hellenic Chamber of Commerce in Athens.
He also participated in the core team of European Task Force, contributing to establishing the Trade and Promotion Roadmap as the key source for reforming the Greek Export Strategy. Since 2016 he has been a member of the National Committee for Extroversion.
Efthymios Stingas
Co-Founder
Efthymios Stingas
He graduated as an Agronomist from the AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY of ATHENS in 1993 (B.Sc.). He specialized in Landscape Architecture. Later in his professional life he worked as a freelance landscape architect for more than 10 years, with numerous projects studied and developed around Greece (private residencies and business places – hotels, shops, restaurants etc.)
Progressively he entered the field of Real Estate & Land Development as a consultant, in collaboration with ATLANTICA DYNAMIC CONSTRUCTIONS S.A. and PRAVITA DEVELOPMENT & HOLDING S.A. In 2004 he was attracted by certain opportunities in International Trade where he is still active mainly in the areas of China, Russia and the Middle East.
Between 2007 and 2009 he served as Chairman of the Commission for Marketing, Sales & Trade in the EUROPEAN ECONOMIC CHAMBER EEIG.
He also holds a CEM (Certified Enterprise Manager’s Certificate) from the INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ENTERPRISE MANAGEMENT (2008) and an MBA (Master in Business Administration) from EUROPEAN CAROLUS MAGNUS UNIVERSITY (2009).
Facilitator in several conferences among which the events organized by ELKEPA (Hellenic Management Institute). He has organized philosophical forums, cultural events and has written a series of articles in subjects of both technical and broader interest (geopolitics, history) followed by respective speeches.
At present he is an executive (COO) with DK CONSULTANTS GROUP since 2015, member of the BOD of PENTELI ESTATE S.A., member of the BOD of LOCAL FOOD EXPERTS SCE and collaborator of GREEK SCIENTIFIC APITHERAPY CENTER.
He speaks English and French.
