Eleni Andreadi: A Champion of Sustainability and Storytelling

Born in London, Eleni Andreadi has worked as a strategic and environmental consultant in Greece, the US, the UK, and Germany. Currently, she serves as Sustainability Director for the Sani/Ikos Group, whose hotels are recognized as models of sustainability and have earned top distinctions. Alongside her professional career, she channels her passion for the environment into writing children’s book series, which have received widespread acclaim.

Her series “Planet Agents” won the State Award for Children’s Knowledge Books, followed by the young adult novel “Justin Grey and the Earth Guardians” and her latest series “The Dao Warriors.” Published by Metaichmio, her books have been translated into several languages, including English, Chinese, Arabic, and Turkish. Additionally, Eleni founded the NGO Planet Agents, which aims to educate children through hands-on experiences and foster environmental awareness from an early age.

GALA: How did “The Dao Warriors” come to life?
Eleni Andreadi: This series started when my publishers suggested creating something for younger children after “Planet Agents.” Around the same time, my sister Athina Andreadi, a musician and lyricist, reminded me of Tao Te Ching, the ancient Chinese philosophy that emphasizes balance. I first read it during my school years, and revisiting it inspired me to write about the importance of finding inner balance as a prerequisite for living in harmony with our planet. That’s how “The Dao Warriors” began.

G.: So it all starts from within?
E.A.: Exactly. Teachers at the hundreds of schools we visit with Planet Agents often express concern about children’s mental health. Many of the critical environmental issues we face today are rooted in a broader crisis of values within humanity.

G.: Was “Planet Agents” your first book?
E.A.: Yes, it was initially a standalone book, but after winning the State Award, it evolved into a series with five additional volumes. It also became an NGO that has run programs involving more than 100,000 children. Especially after the pandemic, teachers I work closely with began voicing heightened concerns about children’s mental well-being. That’s when I decided to create “The Dao Warriors”, linking children’s inner balance with love for the environment—two deeply interconnected elements. Studies show how critical exposure to nature is for children’s development and health.

G.: When did your sensitivity to environmental issues first develop?
E.A.: As a child, I was fortunate to grow up outside the city, close to nature.

G.: Did you live at Sani Resort?
E.A.: Yes, we spent long periods there. My father’s demanding work required the entire family to be present, so we often stayed at the resort. The rest of the time, we lived in Panorama, Thessaloniki, which was more rural back then. I remember spending hours exploring with friends, calling our outings “adventures.” The key to fostering environmental awareness is allowing children to experience nature firsthand—you can’t protect what you don’t know. I started organizing WWF campaigns at school, and later, during my studies in Bath, England, and my master’s degree at Harvard, I realized that I wanted to build a career dedicated to environmental protection.

G.: Was writing also a way for you to carve out your own path, separate from the family business?
E.A.: I’ve been very fortunate to have a father (Andreas Andreadis) who isn’t just professionally successful but also sets high standards for himself and those around him. He’s a visionary who inspires others, including us, his children. We’ve all taken different paths, striving to follow them with integrity and do our best. Writing has always been present in our family—an uncle of mine wrote, and my grandmothers were avid readers. Books were a constant presence in our lives.

G.: Who were your favorite authors growing up?
E.A.: I loved history and read a lot of works by Venesis, Karagatsis, and Penelope Delta. I’d climb up the shelves to pick books and immerse myself in them. That’s how my passion for writing began. However, I was very critical of myself and hesitant to publish my work at first. I started with environmental management and communicating environmental issues to adults, then developed educational programs for children, and eventually felt the need to write for them. That’s when I approached Metaichmio, and my books started getting published.

G.: So, you found your own path…
E.A.: I think so, yes. The truth is, I felt early on that I was forging my own way. Before returning to Greece and joining the family business 17 years ago, I made a small personal revolution. I took a “gap year,” which is common among students in the UK, and traveled the world—a decision that seemed crazy to my parents at the time. I worked for six months with an organization in Honduras that collected underwater data to help protect marine areas under UN supervision. Then I traveled to Malaysia, Indonesia, and Australia, exploring different aspects of myself.

G.: Do you need to get lost to find yourself?
E.A.: Exactly. You also need to pass through darkness to find the light. Eventually, I returned to London, completed my studies, and went to the US for my master’s, which felt far away at the time. It took 12 years before I came back to Greece to work at Sani Resort. I started the Sustainability Department, but I continued writing at night—it became a form of meditation for me.

G.: What exactly is your role at Sani/Ikos?
E.A.: Together with my team, I ensure that our hotels set the standard for sustainability in the hospitality sector, not just in Greece but across the Mediterranean. Our goal is to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2030, 20 years ahead of the EU target. We also aim to eliminate single-use plastics, minimize water usage, and protect biodiversity by supporting related initiatives. Our vision includes engaging guests—adults and children alike—through workshops on sustainability.

G.: Have you had any memorable guests from the hospitality world?
E.A.: Yes, we hosted Rafael Nadal and his family. We had fascinating discussions about his foundation, which supports underprivileged youth in Spain and internationally. He was very down-to-earth, and his genuine care for Mallorca, his homeland, revealed a rare kind of humanity.