As part of the “Cyprus Power Women in Business 2026” feature, Lyra Ambrosidou, CEO of Property Gallery, speaks to Forbes Cyprus about the vision that led her to establish the company and the philosophy she puts into practice through projects with a distinct identity, lasting value and a positive impact on the environment and their surrounding area. For her, “meaningful growth rarely comes from staying entirely within our comfort zone. Experience teaches you to understand risk and prepare properly, but sometimes you have to trust your instincts before you have all the answers”.
Looking at where you are today, leading Property Gallery and shaping projects that have become part of Cyprus’s changing urban landscape, what has been the driving force behind your professional journey, and what is your vision for the future?
I think the driving force has always been ambition, determination and a clear sense of where I want to go. That vision evolves with experience and the market, but I have always preferred moving with purpose rather than following what everyone else is doing.
Over time, I have come to see development more broadly. A building becomes part of a neighbourhood and, eventually, the city, so a developer should think beyond an individual project. Alongside our developments, Property Gallery is creating a new school, an art district and a thematic park, with each designed to provide opportunities for children with special needs as well. If you contribute to a city’s growth, you should also think about the life around the buildings you create.
That thinking shapes the projects we pursue: places with identity, lasting value and a positive impact on their surroundings.
As the business has evolved, has your own definition of success changed with it?
Absolutely. Earlier in your career, success can feel very measurable – growth, achievements, recognition. With experience, it becomes more nuanced. Today, I value considered choices, people who believe in the same direction and opportunities that are right for the business.
I am proud of the international awards our projects have received, but the real measure is the quality of what remains and how it works for the people who use it. Growth matters, but not at any cost.
In an increasingly competitive real-estate market, what do you believe makes a developer – and its projects – truly distinctive?
Clarity. You need to know who you are before you can expect anyone else to understand you. In real estate, communication can tell the story, but the project has to prove it.
Being distinctive is about having a point of view and being consistent in your choices. YOO Limassol by Starck, with Philippe Starck’s design vision, and AURA, developed in collaboration with Foster + Partners, are very different projects, but both aim to add something meaningful to Limassol. Collaboration matters when it brings real thinking and value.
How important has taking calculated risks been in your journey?
Very important. Meaningful growth rarely happens entirely inside your comfort zone. Experience teaches you to understand risk and prepare properly, but sometimes you have to trust your instincts before you have every answer.
YOO Limassol by Starck and AURA are examples. Projects of that level require ambition, but also clarity about why you are doing them and what they can bring to the city long term. Knowing what is worth the risk is what matters.
As a business grows, a leader’s role inevitably changes. What have you learned about leadership along the way?
Leadership is not about having all the answers. As Property Gallery has grown, I have become more conscious of having people around me who are genuinely engaged in what we are creating. I value people with their own point of view, who care about the result and are not afraid to challenge an idea.
I am demanding about the work, but I believe strongly in trust and listening. Leadership is about giving direction, bringing the right people together and allowing their expertise to make the result better.
Real estate is changing quickly – from the expectations of international buyers to design, technology and the way people use space. How do you keep Property Gallery relevant without constantly chasing the next trend?
By understanding the difference between evolution and reinvention. You have to remain curious about how people want to live and work, what a city is becoming and where you can genuinely add something.
For us, that means thinking beyond individual residential buildings – to hospitality, leisure, public space and infrastructure. The question is simple: does this add value to the project, the people who will use it and the place around it? If not, being fashionable is not a good enough reason.
AI is transforming the way businesses communicate, create and make decisions. Where do you see the human element fitting into this new reality?
I find AI enormously exciting. It can help us analyse, accelerate and create in ways that were unimaginable only a few years ago. But the more sophisticated technology becomes, the more valuable human judgment, intuition and taste become.
Ultimately, we make decisions about places where people will live, work and spend their time. That human understanding is difficult to automate. The advantage will come from knowing what to do with the tools.
You speak a lot about identity and knowing who you are. Has confidence in your own judgement become easier with experience?
Definitely, although confidence is often misunderstood. For me, it means knowing what you bring to the table while being comfortable saying, “I don’t know – let’s ask someone who does.”
With experience, you stop needing to prove yourself in every conversation and become more selective about where you invest your time and energy. Individuality should feel natural, never manufactured.
What would you say to a younger woman who has ambition but perhaps doesn’t yet have the confidence to fully own it?
I would tell her not to wait for confidence before she starts. Most people do not feel completely ready when they take an important step. Confidence often comes afterwards – through taking the opportunity, making mistakes, recovering and realising you are capable of more than you thought.
Women can still feel they have to choose between ambition and likeability, strength and femininity, or success and authenticity. I do not accept those choices. You can be ambitious and still be yourself.
