Kostas Kostis studied economics in the Economics Department of the University of Athens before pursuing further studies in economic history at the Ecole des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales in Paris, France where he defended his Ph. D. thesis in 1985. In 1990 he was awarded the Nicolas Svoronos Prize from the Institute of Technological Research. Since 2004, he is Professor of Economic and Social History at the Economics Department of the University of Athens. Since 1999, he also serves as advisor to the General Management of Alpha Bank (Athens). Between 2006 and 2009 he occupied the Chair of Modern and Contemporary Greek Studies of the Ecole des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales, in Paris. He has published numerous journal articles and books, including State and business in Greece: The History of Alumium de Grèce (Athens 2013) and History’s Spoilt Children: The History of the Greek state (Athens 2013, with a forthcoming English edition to be published by Hurst, in London and New York). The University of Athens.