WikiEXPO Global Expert Interview Spyros Ierides：Asset management and investor resilience

Spyros Ierides, CFA, Chartered MCSI, currently leads the Asset Management Unit at CISCO (Cyprus Investment & Securities Corporation).

Ahead of the upcoming WikiEXPO Cyprus, were pleased to engage with Mr. Spyros Ierides on the evolving landscape of asset management, investor resilience, and the role of platforms like WikiFX and WikiEXPO.

I. Asset Management & Compliance

Q1. As Head of Asset Management at CISCO, how do you see the balance between rigorous compliance and active portfolio innovation? How important is transparency in maintaining investor trust?

At CISCO and across the Bank of Cyprus Group, we don't view compliance as a barrier, but as a fundamental pillar for innovation. In fact, you cannot have innovation without considering the compliance implications. Additionally, the growing complexity of compliance requirements and business operations makes it essential to leverage innovation and technology — ensuring implementation is both more efficient for businesses and more user-friendly for investors. By rigorously adhering to regulatory standards, we ensure that our portfolio strategies, including the ones we create for clients with ESG and sustainability preferences, are built on a bedrock of integrity and investor trust. Transparency is the foundation of our industry and profession, and an essential element to establish trust with investors. We have achieved solid long-term relationships with our clients by clearly communicating our investment rationale, risk frameworks, and performance metrics. For example, for clients with a preference in sustainable investments, we can provide a fully comprehensive and transparent reporting that indicates the net positive impact of their investments on the planet and society, in line with best practices and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs).

Q2. Would you say that industry events like WikiEXPO Cyprus help reinforce such standards by creating a shared space for dialogue on compliance, governance, and investor expectations?

Absolutely. Events like WikiEXPO Cyprus create a collaborative environment where stakeholders—from regulators to asset managers—can exchange views and ideas and align on best practices. These forums raise the level of discussion on compliance, governance and ethics, helping to demystify regulatory frameworks and promote investor education. They also serve as a platform to showcase innovative products, services and practices that align with regulatory standards and evolving investor preferences, such as the growing trend in sustainability and ESG investing. Like-minded professionals can learn about the best practices implemented by their peers, and therefore help grow the entire ecosystem for the benefit of clients and other stakeholders.

II. Navigating Digital Financial Noise

Q3. With the proliferation of digital platforms, how can investors distinguish between genuine and misleading financial guidance?

In the modern age of abundant information, cutting edge technologies and AI, it has indeed become increasingly challenging for investors to distinguish between genuine and misleading financial guidance. Investors should prioritize guidance from licensed professionals and verified platforms and sources of information, relying on data-backed insights over viral or sensational content. Above all, they should use critical thinking and common sense. Financial literacy is another key area that needs to be addressed to improve investor acumen and decision making on financial maters. In Cyprus, for instance, the newly established Cyprus Financial Literacy and Education Committee — comprising the Central Bank of Cyprus, the Ministries of Education and Finance, the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission, and other organisations, along with the countrys two largest state universities and non-profit bodies such as the CFA Society Cyprus — is actively engaging with students and the wider public to promote financial literacy.

Q4. How can WikiFX—through its compliance data and transparency mission—help reduce digital noise for retail investors?

WikiFX can act as a reliable source by providing content that is verified and supported by facts. Furthermore, maintaining high ethics and good governance can help build an increasingly reliable brand and inspire trust amongst the community. Trust can never be taken for granted and needs to be earned over the long term via exhibiting consistency, independence, transparency, and sticking to the facts. By highlighting regulatory status, operational history, and user feedback, WikiFX can potentially help retail investors gain a wider perspective and navigate the digital space with greater clarity and hopefully a more critical mindset.

III. ESG & Sustainable Investment Trends

Q5. You have authored insights on sustainable finance and ESG-driven investment—highlighting how ESG considerations are reshaping both risk evaluation and capital allocation. From your perspective, how do you see these principles influencing asset management in Cyprus and globally?

ESG is no longer a niche; it has become a strategic imperative for asset management. In Cyprus, we are seeing a significant rise in interest for ESG-screened portfolios from institutional clients, especially pension funds and insurance companies. Regulators also issued guidance through circulars and the transposition of European Directives into national Law, highlighting the importance of sustainability as a key factor when assessing investment opportunities and risks. On a global scale, these principles are fundamentally reshaping risk models and capital allocation. Modern investors are demanding accountability not just in financial returns, but also in the societal and environmental impact of their investments. Also many companies realize that it‘s in their interest to become more sustainable and hence more profitable in the long term by transforming their business to embrace new greener and more efficient digital technologies, improving their governance and methods of operations. At CISCO, we follow a structured process to assess clients’ ESG preferences and, together with our strategic partner Schroders, have developed robust portfolio management solutions that meet client needs across the entire risk spectrum. We expect this trend to accelerate, with smaller players eventually aligning and individual clients embracing it, especially as evidence grows that such solutions potentially create superior investment returns, while meeting ESG requirements.

Q6. Looking ahead, what recommendations would you give to platforms like WikiFX and WikiEXPO to further strengthen their impact in promoting ESG awareness and sustainable finance within the forex and broader investment industry?

To further strengthen their impact, I would say that platforms such as WikiFX and WikiEXPO could focus on creating more targeted events on ESG, or even doing online webinars and content hubs to increase awareness, and possibly add an element of financial literacy in this respect. It‘s not all about product placement. It’s important for the industry to support investor education, enabling them to better understand and select suitable products and vendors to meet their needs, including their preferences for sustainable or ESG investments. Considering ESG characteristics within the investment process can benefit investors by exploring new opportunities and avoiding certain risks that they would have otherwise missed or ignored. These steps can contribute to creating a more informed and responsible investment community, ultimately benefiting investors, the planet, and our society.

About WikiEXPO Global Expert Interview

As the organizer of WikiEXPO, WikiGlobal is committed to fostering international dialogue and cooperation through offline exhibitions. By engaging with global experts on financial regulation, technology, and governance, WikiGlobal aims to enhance the integration of fintech and regtech, improve regulatory efficiency and accuracy, and promote industry self-discipline. Through these efforts, we encourage financial institutions to adopt best practices, build a more transparent and resilient ecosystem, and ultimately create a safer trading environment for investors worldwide.