Hili companies sued for over €500,000 by sacked former executive

The former managing director of Hili Properties, George Kakouras, has launched legal proceedings against his former employers, alleging wrongful termination and demanding more than €500,000 in unpaid wages from two group subsidiaries.

Kakouras served multiple roles within the Hili group, acting as managing director of the company's property arm, Hili Properties, CEO of group subsidiary Harvest Technology and managing director of Harvest subsidiary Apcopay Limited.

His high-flying career within the Hili group came to an abrupt end earlier this year, when he was stripped of those positions and subsequently dismissed following a month-long internal investigation. The company did not disclose the reasons for the dismissal or nature of the investigation.

Multiple legal claims

Kakouras has now hit back at his former employer, filing dual proceedings before the civil courts, a case before the Industrial Tribunal and instituting a precautionary garnishee order against Hili subsidiaries.

The former top executive is seeking €165,447 for services he claims he rendered as CEO of Harvest Technology between April 2025 and January 2026, and €389,408 in unpaid wages from Apcopay, where he served as managing director from June 2023 until January of this year. 

As part of those cases, Kakouras filed a request for a precautionary guarantee against the companies through his lawyer Chris Cilia. 

That move forced the Hili group subsidiaries to provide bank guarantees to the tune of just over €730,000 - the amount Kakouras alleges he is owed in unpaid wages along with 8 per cent accrued interest - to have those garnishee orders cancelled. 

The legal dispute between Kakouras and his former employer came to light late on Friday, when Harvest Technology and Hili Properties issued separate company announcements to inform shareholders of their position in the matter.

Hili Properties is a publicly listed company, though the Hili group last year accelerated a move to buy back the firm's public shares and take it private. The group now owns over 97 per cent of Hili Properties' share capital.  

Harvest: Kakouras was never our employee

Harvest maintains that Kakouras was never its direct employee, but was rather a Hili Properties employee who had been seconded to the company and its subsidiary, Apcopay.

It says that his remuneration claims should therefore be addressed to Hili Properties, not the subsidiary firms.  

"Mr Kakouras claims payment for services which were rendered by him to each of the two companies," Harvest said in a statement. "The Board of Directors notes that any such services as may have been provided by Mr Kakouras to the Company and to Apcopay Limited were rendered during the respective periods of his secondment, and that if at all, any entitlement to remuneration for such services would properly fall to be addressed with his employer of record, Hili Properties p.l.c." 

It also condemned the garnishee order as an "excessive and unjustified step,” saying Kakouras must have been well aware of the company’s sound financial footing, given his position within it. 

Harvest said it had acted in line with the law and "consistent with the highest principles of sound corporate governance," adding that both it and Apcopay intended to defend themselves and take necessary steps to protect their respective interests. 

Wrongful termination claim

Separately, Kakouras has also filed proceedings against Hili Properties before the Employment and Industrial Tribunal.

He alleges that his employment as managing director of that company was wrongfully terminated on February 27.

Hili Properties issued its own company announcement denying the allegations and saying it intended to defend its position “vigorously”.

Kakouras joined the Hili group in 2019 following a period at Maltco Lotteries.

Hili Properties is the real estate arm of the large-scale Hili group of companies, with a property portfolio of well over €200 million across Europe.

Harvest Technology is a subsidiary of the Hili group of companies. Its subsidiary Apcopay Limited provides e-commerce payment gateway services.

Kakouras is being represented by his lawyer Chris Cilia. 

Correction April 11: A previous version misstated Kakouras' position at Harvest Technology as managing director.