Additionally, Nikolaos served as a senior researcher at the Centre of Planning and Economic Research (KEPE) in Athens. He was also the Head of Information Technology at KEPE from January 2011 until June 2013. KEPE is the largest economics research institute in Greece. Mr Georgikopoulos’ activities at KEPE were focused on applied research projects regarding the Greek economy and the provision of advisory services to the Greek government and the country's regional authorities on economic and banking policy issues. He was the coordinator of four research projects assigned to KEPE by the Greek State: a) The Growth Vision for Greece 2020: Forecasts, growth conditions, and financing mechanisms (coordinator of the financing mechanisms section), which was submitted to the Ministry of Finance - Council of Economic Advisors (Athens, July 2013), b) Investment Opportunities in Greece: The path to Recovery and Sustainable Growth, which was submitted to the Prime Minister’s Office (Athens, February 2013), c) The Impact of Electronic Transactions on Tax Revenues, which was submitted to the Hellenic Parliament (Athens, November 2011), and d) Investment Opportunities in Greece, which was submitted to the Ministry of Development, Competitiveness and Shipping (Athens, September 2011). Additionally, he was the research coordinator and project manager of the first two research projects commissioned at KEPE by two international companies. The first project concerned the illicit tobacco trade in Greece and the negative consequences to the Greek economy (delivered to British American Tobacco), and the second examined the impact of electronic transactions on public revenues from the immediate return of VAT (delivered to MasterCard).

Nikolaos’ current research is in the field of mathematical finance, credit risk and operations research. Among his other interests are risk management, quantitative finance, banking and investment. He has published research papers in the field of mathematical modelling, finance and risk management. He co-authored three books in shipping, market competition and government bond yield spreads. He has authored numerous articles in widely circulated economic and financial magazines and newspapers regarding the latest financial and the recent sovereign crises as well as the European and Greek banking systems. Finally, he often serves as a speaker and/or roundtable participant in many international and Greek financial conferences. 

Professor Georgikopoulos graduated in Mathematics BSc (Hons) from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece. He earned his first postgraduate degree, Master of Science in Mathematical Modelling from the University of Oxford. He also achieved a Diploma in Quantitative Finance from the Centre for Quantitative Finance at Imperial College London. He holds a PhD in Finance from the University of London (Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine).