Nicolaou has over 24 years’ experience in the South African and International Pharmaceutical Industry and is a previous winner of the SA Institute of Marketing Management (IMM) Health Care Marketer of the year Award, the most prestigious of its kind at the time. He was recently inducted as one of the youngest Fellow of the Pharmaceutical Society of South Africa (PSSA), one of the highest honours bestowed by the PSSA.

He has previously and continues to serve on a number of Industry & Para-Government structures, some of which include:

• He serves as an alternate Director on the Board of Directors of Business Unity South Africa (BUSA), SA’s apex organised business organisation.
• Is presently chairman of the Public Health Enhancement Fund (PHEF) – A joint collaboration between the Private Health Sector and the Ministry of Health.
• Appointed by the Minister of Public Enterprise as Chairman of the Board of SA Express Airways (2005-2009)
• Appointed by the Minister of Public Enterprises as a Non-Executive Director of Transnet Ltd, SA’s second largest State owned Enterprise (2004-2010)
• Appointed by the Gauteng Province MEC for Economic Development as a Director of the Gauteng Economic Development Agency (GEDA) and Blue IQ,
• Appointed by the Premier of Gauteng as a Director of the Gauteng Growth and Development Agency (GGDA),
• Appointed by the Minister of Trade and Industry to the BRICS Business Council (2013 to present)
• Appointed by the President of the Republic of South Africa, President JG Zuma to the Board of Brand SA (2012 to present).
• He serves as a Director on the North West University Business School Advisory Board
• Has served on the WORLD BANK/IFC technical Advisory Board on the strengthening of African Health Systems.
• Has served as Member of the IBSA (India Brazil South Africa) CEO’s Forum,
• Is presently Chairman of the South African local Pharmaceutical Producers (PHARMISA)
• Awarded the Order of the Lion of St Mark by the Greek Orthodox Pope and Patriarch, Theodoros II.
• Previously served as Vice-President of the International Pharmaceutical Students Federation (IPSF).

He has been a speaker at a number of conferences, including the Economist Roundtable, the World Economic Forum (WEF) and recently delivered a lecture on ARV developments at the Raigon Institute, a JV between Harvard Medical School and the Massachusetts General Hospital.