[1][2] Cleanthous then obtained a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in quantitative analysis from St. John's University in Queens, New York.
[1][2] Cleanthous initially worked as banker, specializing in electronic banking,[2] before moving into the Cypriot Internet Technology sector.
[1][2] In February 2007, Cleanthous was appointed the Minister of Education and Culture within the government of President Tassos Papadopoulos.
[1][2] He remained in that position until the Cypriot presidential election in February 2008,[1] when he was succeeded as minister by Andreas Demetriou.
[2] Cleanthous also served as the chairman of Sea Star Capital Plc and as a member of the board of directors of the Nicosia Chamber of Commerce and Industry.