ATHENS — Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is hitting play on his nation’s sunny ambitions and, after years in the geopolitical wilderness, he is seeking to renew the economy and refresh what ‘brand Greece’ means to the world, according to an article in Monocle magazine.

Monocle’s Tyler Brûlé and Andrew Tuck visited Maximos Mansion in Athens for a meeting with the Greek prime minister.

"The 52-year-old has led his country since July 2019, steering the nation through months of a global health crisis (with Greece winning praise for its handling of the virus, especially in the first wave), while also nurturing a revival of national confidence after years of painful economic austerity and populist government," according to Monocle.

"Mitsotakis has hit play on a new image and role for Greece that is seeing the return of a highly talented diaspora, a rapid rise in foreign direct investment, tax incentives given to encourage an increasingly vibrant start-up scene and a renewed determination for Greece to play a pivotal diplomatic, military and economic role in the Eastern Mediterranean, where relations with Turkey are tense because of clashing claims over maritime borders and 'exclusive economic zones', the magazine said.

According to Monocle, Mitsotakis noted: "For a country that came out of 10 years of economic hardship with a healthcare system that had come under a lot of strain, we’ve done remarkably well. I’m a big believer in trust. And trust between people and the political elite had been shattered during the [financial crisis of 2008 and its aftermath]. We’re rebuilding this trust, step by step. There’s a general feeling that Greece has turned the corner, a new sense of national confidence – that’s very much exhibited in our diaspora. These are highly talented people who left the country during the crisis. The reason they’re returning – or contemplating returning – isn’t just to do with the fact that they’re offered more professional opportunities; it also has to do with a general sense that the country is moving in the right direction."