Bringing more than 20 years of finance and accounting experience to the position, having worked in a variety of industries with responsibility for operations, strategy and general management. His leadership in 10 countries in the Americas, Europe and the Middle East showcased his ability to drive value and strategic initiatives for the companies he served. Most recently, Lafaras was Chief Financial Officer at GGI, a 120-year national glass manufacturing company. He also spent 12 years with Alumil Group, a multi-national group of 35 manufacturing companies in 30 countries worldwide, holding positions as North American Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President; Chief Executive Officer of Bulgaria; and Global Controller. He began his career as Financial Manager for Varvaressos, a public textile manufacturing company. Lafaras holds a M.B.A. in Finance from the University of Sheffield in the UK; a Master in Finance from Baruch College in New York; and a Bachelor in Accounting as well as a Bachelor in Financial Applications from the State Technological Institute of West Macedonia in Greece. He also completed an Executive Education Program in Negotiations and Leadership at Harvard Law School.