There are few harsher urban climates to enter the world in than Arkhangelsk, arranged on the banks of the river Dvina at the mouth of the crisp White Sea. Or eras more fraught with complexity and uncertainty: the final years of the USSR. Amid scarcity, her grandmother – a force of nature strong as the northern winds – sustained the frail little girl on caviar from the elite restaurant she managed; survival is the ultimate luxury.

Then, at eight, Elena was suddenly in a different world in every conceivable sense. Some 35 latitudes south on the balmy Athenian Riviera, capitalism was booming. Survival at her elite private school suddenly meant something entirely different: new language, new alphabet, and above all new values that were superficial and baffling for a child with a more serious background. Elena at eight possessed a rare gravitas; survival in the affluent circles of Athens was now a matter of discovering who she truly was. To adapt, adolescent Elena looked inward; books on spirituality, ethics, and autobiographies were her bedside reading. Over the years, Elena developed a moral compass and a rock-solid confidence, grounded in profound humility.

Two decades later, she’s a leader in the hospitality industry, her success a product of her devotion to excellence – much like she saw in grandmother Nina, her first “inspiration”. Excellence is what leads her here; true excellence for Elena is actually a spiritual matter: how can we be more authentic? Stronger, kinder, bolder? How can we discover our destiny and bring it to fruition? Offering her counsel and perspective, she’s a seeker by nature, a leader guided by her own humility. There is a fearlessness in Elena that is an inspiration. Elena’s not afraid of the hard questions that lead to true growth and self-realization, making her a valuable and trust-worthy companion, an inspirational guide who helps us find our individual truths.