Charis Polycarpou is an economist, with extensive experience in the Cyprus Economy and the political economy of the European Union. He is the Head of the Economic Policy Department of AKEL and member of the Political Bureau, therefore he is responsible for the design and supervision of the economic policy of the Party. In the past, he served as political advisor to the Member of the European Parliament Kyriacos Triantaphyllides, where he followed European economic and internal market Affairs. He holds an MSc in Financial Economics from Queen Mary/University of London, a BSc in Economics from Athens University of Economics and Business as well as a BSc in International and European Studies from Panteion University. He is a member of the Advisory Committee of the Cyprus Forum. He is also member of the Cyprus Economic Society and a frequent contributor to local media and newspapers on economic affairs. He is a father of two.