Dr. Theofanis Zacharopoulos is an economist with over a decade of experience in the private and public sectors. He holds a PhD from the University of Patras (2024), specializing in consumer behaviour with a focus on food waste, complemented by postgraduate degrees in Food Business Management (2014) and Finance (2019). Since 2022, he has served as a Scientific Associate to the Head of the Region of Western Greece, driving agricultural policy and development initiatives. In addition, Dr. Zacharatos is an Affiliated Researcher at the Sustainable Development Unit (SDU) of the ATHENA Research Center. His work at SDU focuses on interdisciplinary projects that integrate science, policy, and innovation to promote sustainable development. Simultaneously, he holds a position as a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Hellenic Open University, where his research focuses on aligning cost-efficiency with sustainability within the food retail sector. Furthermore, Dr. Zacharatos has presented his work at international conferences, published articles in peer-reviewed journals and mainstream media, and taught both undergraduate and postgraduate courses at the University of Patras. Through his diverse roles and expertise, he is committed to fostering sustainable solutions and impactful collaborations that drive progress in his fields of expertise.