Pantelis Ikonomou holds a PhD in nuclear physics of the University of Vienna, Austria.
Has worked in the nuclear research reactors in Austria and Greece (1967-1979)
He was a Senior Officer of the International Atomic Energy Agency -IAEA- (1979-2011); inspector in non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and expert in combatting nuclear terrorism.
He was trained in the most advanced nuclear facilities and laboratories in USA, former Soviet Union, United Kingdom and France and he headed numerous inspections of nuclear facilities and materials around the world.
He coordinated the international programme for the nuclear security of the 2004 Olympic Games in Greece and trained IAEA inspectors on nuclear safeguards verification techniques, as well as international security officers on combatting nuclear terrorism.
He wrote numerous confidential reports on non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, carried out pertinent technical studies and published nuclear research papers and relevant articles in international media and represented the IAEA in international conferences and expert meetings.
From 2012 until 2021 he was Alternate to the Resident Representative of Greece to the IAEA, and scientific advisor of the Permanent Diplomatic Mission of Greece to the international organisations in Vienna.
He has received the IAEA Merit Award for Outstanding Performance (1997) and the IAEA Team-Work-Award (2005).
IAEA DG ElBaradei and the IAEA staff were awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace (2005).
