Meet the Fayre Team: Michail Ballis, Operations & Product Manager
As an engineer, and a marketing and IT manager, Michail Ballis has a strong technical background and a versatile set of skills acquired during nearly 20 years of professional experience. Before joining Fayre, Michail was Chief Marketing Officer at London Block Exchange. Previous to that, he held the positions of Head of IT at Guestivest Group LTD and Web Product Manager at international beauty company Korres. He also co-founded offbeat fashion brand Charles and Bronson in 2010. We talked to Michail about working at Fayre and his favourite pastimes.
Like most of the Fayre team, Michail Ballis is a professional whose skills stretch across a broad range of disciplines. He is a flexible thinker and is always open to new ideas.
Michail defines himself as “an engineer who enjoys marketing. I love learning and challenging any ideas I might hold on to dearly”.
Hailing from Greece, Michail completed an M.Eng in Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Electronics and Telecomms at the University of Manchester. He did a second M.Sc in Mobile and Satellite Telecommunications at the University of Surrey.
What convinced him to join Fayre? “I was impressed by Luis and Fernando, and I also knew Rob from before. They are both all-round great people, very knowledgeable, and with interesting points of view. They also have the ability to attract great talent.”
This capacity to build an excellent team is one of the company’s strongest attributes, according to Michail: “Fayre has an amazing team of experts, which makes it all the more attractive.”
In his free time, this tech professional has a strictly old-school, analogue hobby. “A couple of years ago, just before the pandemic, I started playing board games. I was impressed with how far they have come from the days of Monopoly.” He also dabbles in home-brew in his free time. “I love beer — so much so, that I had to learn how to make it. I’m still a novice — I have created some concoctions that could loosely be interpreted as beer!”
In terms of sports, Michail also has a new pastime. “I’ve also started boxing as a way of exercising, as the last two years of global pandemic and lockdowns have taken a toll on my body.” Living on the coast means he can practise watersports too. “ During summertime, I try to enjoy the sea as much as possible. Apart from swimming, I enjoy stand-up paddleboarding (SUP), especially in the early hours to catch a glimpse of the dawn.”
Working in technology means that Michail has an appreciation for screen pastimes too. “I really enjoy playing Slay the Spire for iPad. It’s a fast-paced roguelike deck builder that has incredible depth.” His love of video games extends to series, too. “I love Arcane on Netflix, which is based on the mythology of League of Legends. Although I’m not a massive LoL fan, I was captivated by the excellent art and to-the-point storyline.”
So when he’s not brewing, boxing, or battling, where does Michail like to go? “One of my favourite spots in the world is the Holly Bush pub on Hampstead Heath, in north-west London. It’s hidden away and sort of secret. I’d have a pint and a roast, with all the trimmings.” What would his perfect Sunday look like? “A walk, some friends, some drinks, a meal, and a board game. Or two.”
As we finish our conversation, the final question is, what is the proudest moment of his life? “As banal as it may sound, I was euphoric both times I became a father.” Today, as a key member of the Fayre team, Michail focuses his passion on building a new type of NFT platform.
OUR TEAM IS GROWING — STAY TUNED!
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