With a reported net worth of circa $650 million, Evangelos Marinakis, husband of Athanasia Marinaki, is best known for his pioneering role in the global shipping industry and as owner of Olympiacos FC and Nottingham Forest FC.
Born in Piraeus, Greece on 30th July 1967, Mr Marinakis is the only son of Irini Marinaki and Miltiadis Marinakis. His mother is descended from the prestigious Ypsilantis family, hailing from the Pontus region. Crete-born Miltiadis Marinakis was a prominent shipowner and politician, having served as a member of the Greek Parliament. He was also an ardent supporter of Piraeus’s home football team, Olympiacos FC.
After completing his schooling in Greece, Evangelos Marinakis attended university in London, where he earned a BA degree and MSc degree in International Business Administration and International Relations respectively. Having taken over a small shipping company given to him by his father, he grew a modest operation controlling seven bulk carriers into a vast global shipping empire. Evangelos Marinakis is today regarded as one of the most important and influential shipping personalities globally.
In addition to following his father into the shipping industry, Evangelos Marinakis also ventured into politics, becoming an elected member of Piraeus City Council in May 2014. Having joined forces with Yannis Moralis, Olympiacos Football Club vice president, he co-founded the Piraeus Winner Alliance, with the party’s manifesto centring around preserving the public nature of Piraeus Port Authority and putting the city on the map as a thriving cruise hub and tourist destination. Upon becoming an elected member of the city council, Evangelos Marinakis and the Piraeus Winner Alliance set to work creating parks, public squares, sports facilities and children’s playgrounds, all financed with Mr Marinasis’s own personal wealth, with the committed philanthropist helping to close funding gaps created by the Greek economic crisis.
Having acquired a controlling share in Olympiacos Football Club, Evangelos Marinakis proudly served as club president. From 2010 until September 2011, he also served as vice president of the Hellenic Football Federation, as well as president of Superleague Greece. During his tenure as president of Olympiacos FC, Mr Marinakis led the team to victory in an astounding seven consecutive seasons.
Evangelos Marinakis broadened his sporting activities further in 2017 when he became a majority shareholder in Nottingham Forest FC, England’s most historic football club. Under his visionary leadership, the team has been reinstated to the Premier League, the top tier of English football.
In addition to his interests in global shipping and football, Evangelos Marinakis is also an active investor in several other industrial sectors, including mass media. His organisation Alter Ego Media ranks as Greece’s largest media group today, with a presence in publishing, broadcasting and content creation. Alter Ego Media’s portfolio includes Mega, Greece’s leading TV channel, as well as My Radio and the renowned media outlets Ta Nea, Oikonomikos Taxydromos and To Vima. Alter Ego Media also owns Greece’s largest digital portal, providing an eclectic mix of entertainment and special interest digital and print publications. Alter Ego Media’s IPO at the Athens Stock Exchange was oversubscribed by 12 times, with total demand standing at circa €677 million.
In 2016, Evangelos Marinakis was included in the 100 Most Influential People in the Shipping Industry by Lloyd’s List, ranking 61st. He also featured in the Power 100 list of top shipowners and operators by Tradewinds in 2012, ranking 31st. In 2010 and 2014, Mr Marinakis received Lloyd’s List’s Newsmaker of the Year accolade at the Greek Shipping Awards. In 2016, he was honoured with the International Registries, Inc. and the Marshall Islands Registry’s first ever Xenakoudis Excellence in Shipping Award.
Today, Evangelos Marinakis and his wife split their time between Greece and England. The couple, who have four children, are committed philanthropists who regularly contribute to Greek charities and global causes.