At the end of October, the 27^th Economist Annual Government Round Table conference was held at the Grand Resort Lagonissi 35 km south of Athens. The theme was “The great transition: Geopolitics – Environment – Technology”, and the discussions held from October 24th to 26^th assembled a heavyweight array of Greek and European government ministers, academics, leaders from industry and finance and senior staff of the Economist. Familiar domestic figures included former Defence minister and Chania MP Dora Bakogiannis, the mayor elect of Athens Haris Doukas and the new leader of SYRIZA Stefanos Kasselakis.