George is an educator and executive with a diverse background that bridges the educational and corporate sectors. With over two decades of experience, he has held leadership and teaching positions in both urban and rural secondary schools across England and Wales. In the corporate realm, George has served as a principal, broker, and market analyst in commodities shipping and trading. He also advised hedge funds and corporate clients on macroeconomic policy, geopolitical challenges, and market strategies. He is currently a Senior Instructor in Leadership for Educational Organizations graduate program. His role also includes advising doctoral students researching topics such as organizational change and leadership, school improvement, and leadership ethics.
George is an active member of the American Educational Research Association (AERA), having served on the committee for the SIG Leadership for School Improvement. A veteran of the Greek Armed Forces, he continues to serve as a reservist commissioned officer. His commitment to educational causes continues through his active involvement in professional organizations; he is an elected Fellow of the Royal Society for the Arts (UK), a Freeman of the City of London, and a Liveryman of the Company of Educators (UK).
Areas of Expertise
- Organizational Change
- Global Leadership
- Leadership Development
- School Improvement
- Leadership Ethics
- Business Education
- Social Emotional Learning
- Research Methods
Education, Licensure & Certifications
- Ed.D., Organizational Change and Leadership, University of Southern California
- MSc(Econ), Economic and Social Sciences, University of Wales, Aberystwyth, UK
- BSc(Econ), Economic and Social Sciences, University of Wales, Aberystwyth, UK
- PGCE in Secondary Education, University of Wales, UK
- Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), UK
Affiliations
- Fellow of the Royal Society for the Arts, Manufacture and Commerce, London, UK (RSA)
- Member of the American Educational Research Association (AERA)
- Member of the International Leadership Association (ILA)
Current AERA SIG Memberships:
- Division A: Administration, organization, and Leadership
- Leadership for School Improvement (SIG #101)
- Organizational Theory (SIG #73)
Current ILA Communities Memberships:
- Ethics and Leadership
- Leadership Education
- Leadership Scholarship
- Philosophy, Religion, and Worldviews
Professional Affiliations:
- Member of the Chartered College of Teaching (Member), London, UK
- Member of The Education Workforce Council (EWC) for Wales
- Member of the Teaching Regulation Agency for England
- Liveryman of the Company of Educators, City, and Guilds, City of London, UK
Research
- Organizational Change
- Global Leadership
- School Improvement
- Leadership Ethics
Publications and Presentations
Recent Peer-Reviewed Presentations at Meetings/Conferences
- Panayiotou, G. (January 2024). How can organizational leaders effectively and meaningfully address their stakeholders' competing demands on today's social issues that can trigger backlash? International Leadership Association Dialogue Lab, University of San Diego
- Panayiotou, G. (September, 2024). Global leadership in the face of backlash: Integrating social-emotional learning for intercultural understanding in stakeholder management. An oral presentation at the 9th ENSEC Conference, Social Emotional Learning for Lifetime Achievement, Crete, Greece, September 2024.
- Panayiotou, G. (November, 2024). Managing Competing Stakeholder Demands: Responsible Leadership during Social Backlash. International Leadership Association (ILA) Global Conference, Chicago, USA
Recent Invited Talks and Presentations
- Panayiotou, G. (October 2023). Roundtable: Balancing Conflicting Stakeholder Expectations. Directors Forum Annual Conference, San Diego
- Panayiotou, G; Mahfouz, J. (September 2024). DEI Leadership during Social Backlash: Social and Emotional Competencies for Fostering Leadership Resilience. CFA Society, Los Angeles
- Panayiotou, G; Mahfouz, J. (October 2024) DEI Leadership during Social Backlash: Building Support Networks for Effective DEI Leadership. CFA Society, Los Angeles
Recent Publications
- Panayiotou, G. (Submitted). Perspectives on Advancing Responsible Leadership through the Integration of Sensemaking.
- Panayiotou, G. (Submitted). Fostering Intercultural Understanding in Global Leadership: The Role of Social Emotional Learning in Managing Stakeholder Backlash.
Non-peer Reviewed Publications
- Mahfouz, J., King, K., Kotok, S., Yahya, D., Panayiotou, G. (2024, January). Soul of Leadership Courage, Presence, and Integrity: An Evaluative report 2022- 2023.
- Panayiotou, G., Christopher, A., Mahfouz, J., Soliman, S., Yahya, D., & Bassaj, R. (2024). NJC Community College: An evaluative report.
- Kotok, S., Panayiotou, G., Yahya, D., King, K., & Mahfouz, J. (To be submitted). Wellbeing and effective leadership: A longitudinal Study on the effectiveness of Soul of Leadership professional learning program.
- Mahfouz, J., King, K., Kotok, S., Yahya, D., & Panayiotou, G. (To be submitted). Promoting principal wellbeing and effective leadership through Soul of Leadership program: A Mixed Methods Study.
- King, K., Mahfouz, J., Panayiotou, G., Yahya, D., & Kotok, S. (To be submitted). Exploring the influence of soul of leadership program on principals’ leadership, health, and wellbeing. Mahfouz, J., Kotok, S., King, K., Panayiotou, G., & Yahya, D. (To be submitted). Principal wellbeing in schools—An Integrated Framework.