Dr. George Melillos is a PECB Certified ISO/IEC 42001 Senior Lead Implementer and Associate Professor at the American University of Cyprus, based in Nicosia. He helps organisations in Cyprus and Greece design and implement an AI Management System (AIMS), assess AI risk and prepare for the EU AI Act, combining academic research with hands-on implementation.
Among the first PECB-certified ISO/IEC 42001 Senior Lead / Lead Implementers in Cyprus and Greece (confirmed by PECB, October 2026).
Certificate no. 4423228-2026-10, valid until 5 October 2029. Verify on CredlyWhat is ISO/IEC 42001?
ISO/IEC 42001 is the international standard for an Artificial Intelligence Management System (AIMS). Published in December 2023, it sets the requirements for how an organisation that develops, provides or uses AI establishes, implements, maintains and continually improves the governance of those systems. An organisation can be certified against it by an accredited certification body.
How I implement an AI Management System
- Gap analysis. Where your current practices stand against the standard.
- Scope and context. Which AI systems, units and roles the AIMS covers.
- AI system inventory. Every AI system you build, buy or use, with its owner and purpose.
- Risk and impact assessment. AI risks to the organisation and the impact on people and society.
- Controls and Statement of Applicability. Which Annex A controls apply, and why.
- Policies and training. AI policy, clear roles, and staff competence and awareness.
- Internal audit and management review. Evidence that the system works before an external auditor checks it.
- Certification readiness. Support through the audit by an accredited certification body of your choice.
I implement; I do not certify. Certification is carried out by an independent, accredited certification body, which keeps the process impartial.
ISO/IEC 42001 and the EU AI Act
The EU AI Act is law; ISO/IEC 42001 is a voluntary standard. A well-built AIMS gives you much of the governance machinery the Act expects, but it does not replace legal compliance.
| EU AI Act requirement | Where ISO/IEC 42001 helps |
|---|---|
| AI literacy of staffArt. 4 | Competence and awarenessClauses 7.2, 7.3 |
| Risk management systemArt. 9 | AI risk assessment and treatmentClauses 6.1, 8.2, 8.3 |
| Data and data governanceArt. 10 | Data for AI systemsAnnex A.7 |
| Technical documentation and record-keepingArt. 11, 12 | Documented information and AI system life cycleClause 7.5, Annex A.6 |
| Transparency and information to deployersArt. 13 | Information for interested partiesAnnex A.8 |
| Human oversight and use by deployersArt. 14, 26 | Use of AI systemsAnnex A.9 |
| Quality management systemArt. 17 | The management system as a wholeClauses 4 to 10 |
| Fundamental rights impact assessmentArt. 27 | AI system impact assessmentClause 6.1.4, Annex A.5 |
What stays a legal obligation: classifying each AI system by risk, checking for prohibited practices, conformity assessment and CE marking for high-risk systems, registration in the EU database, and reporting serious incidents.
Indicative mapping for planning purposes. It is not legal advice.
Who this is for
Financial services and investment firms, insurers, education and training providers, and any organisation in Cyprus or Greece that uses AI and needs to show clients, regulators or auditors that it is governed responsibly. Work is delivered in Greek or English, in person in Cyprus and in person or remotely in Greece.
Research behind the practice
My AI governance work rests on a research base: 75+ publications (29 indexed in Web of Science), 291 peer reviews, participation in 9 European research projects, and more than 70,000 hours of IT and AI training since 2000. I teach AI at the American University of Cyprus and the Cyprus University of Technology.
Timeline
- ISO/IEC 42001 is published.
- Certified as PECB ISO/IEC 42001 Senior Lead Implementer.
- PECB confirms I am among the first PECB-certified ISO/IEC 42001 Senior Lead / Lead Implementers in Cyprus and Greece.
Frequently asked questions
What is ISO/IEC 42001?
ISO/IEC 42001 is the international standard for an AI Management System. It defines how an organisation that develops, provides or uses AI sets up, runs and improves the governance of its AI systems, including risk and impact assessment, controls, roles and continual improvement. Organisations can be certified against it.
What is the difference between a Lead Implementer and a Senior Lead Implementer?
Both pass the PECB ISO/IEC 42001 Lead Implementer exam. The Senior Lead Implementer credential also requires evidence of 10 years of work experience, at least 7 of them in AI management systems, and 1,000 hours of AIMS project experience.
Is ISO/IEC 42001 certification enough to comply with the EU AI Act?
No. ISO/IEC 42001 is a voluntary management system standard, while the EU AI Act is law. A good AIMS covers much of the governance the Act expects, such as risk management, documentation and oversight, but obligations like risk classification, conformity assessment and registration remain separate.
Can the same consultant implement and certify an AIMS?
No. Implementation and certification must stay separate to keep certification impartial. I help you build and run the AIMS; an independent, accredited certification body of your choice carries out the certification audit.
How long does an ISO/IEC 42001 implementation take?
It depends on how many AI systems you have, how much governance already exists and whether you already run ISO/IEC 27001. The gap analysis gives you a realistic timeline and effort estimate before you commit to the full project.
How can I verify your certification?
Through the PECB digital badge on Credly, or through PECB’s certificate verification using certificate number 4423228-2026-10. The certification was issued on 6 October 2026 and is valid until 5 October 2029.
Start with a 30-minute call
Tell me which AI systems you use and what you need to show to clients, regulators or auditors. I will tell you where you stand and what a realistic next step looks like.
Last updated: