APHRODITE A. BLETAS (also known during her Pierce years as Rody Bleta) was born in Athens, Greece but moved to Paris at a very young age where she spent most of her childhood and youth years, to the exception of her 3 wonderful years at Pierce College in Aghia Paraskevi. She graduated from Pierce in 1970 and returned to Paris where she Studied law with major in International, Comparative and European Law at the Sorbonne University (Paris I); she also studied International Relations at the Institute of Political Sciences of Paris (Sciences-Po, non diploma). After finishing her studies she returned to Athens where she began practicing as a lawyer. Since 1990 she is the senior partner at “Bletas & Costakis” law firm. From the very beginning she engaged in business law, IPR protection and international contracts. Recently, in an attempt for professional renewal and harmonization to the international developments, she trained in business mediation and negotiation being a CEDR certified Mediator since 2012.

Her professional activity brought her to deal with employers’ organizations such as the Federation of Industries of Attica and Piraeus (SVAP) where she served as Secretary General for several years; all the same she became (and still is)  a member of the Technical Committee of the Business European Capital Cities Association (BECC). However, she very soon caught the pulse of the times and thus organized the development of the Hellenic-Chinese Chamber (1993) where she became Executive President in the years 2006 to 2010. Today, feeling once again the need for a new approach in business she ventures, in cooperation with Greek and Chinese Entrepreneurs, in the Hellenic-Chinese Center for Entrepreneurship being its President since 2013. She has written a number of essays and lectures on Euro-Chinese and Hellenic-Chinese business and economic relations.

Apart from her professional concerns she also has a strong civic engagement. Among other activities, she is elected Vice President of the European Union of Women (EUW), member of “Helliniki Estia” and member of the Executive Board of the Hellenic Red Cross. She has served as Municipal Counselor at her hometown of Psychico in the years 1986-1990. Was named by PM Karamanlis candidate to the European Election in the year 2009 on the Nea Dimokratia list. In 2014 she has been honored to become a member of ACG President’s Advisory Council (PAC).

Last but not least she is married for 35 years to Pavlos Papassinos and is the proud mother of three (two boys and a girl).